TIMOTHY J. CORRIGAN, District Judge.
This case is before the Court on Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC's Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs' First Amended Complaint (Doc. 23). Plaintiffs, the Schreibers, have filed no response, although counsel for Ocwen certified they were served by U.S. mail.
In the Schreibers' amended complaint, styled "Affidavit" (Doc. 22), the Schreibers allege that Ocwen has committed "fraud on the court" by filing fraudulent papers and for failing to establish a "proper trust." They ask that the Court require Ocwen to provide proof that it legally holds the Schreibers' mortgage note and that it was entitled to foreclose upon the Schreibers' property. Additionally, the Schreibers seek clear title to the property at issue.
The Schreibers allege that Ocwen sued to foreclose upon the property in November of 2009 in the Circuit Court for the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida in and for Marion County, Case No. 09-6248-CA-G. However, the date on the Assignment of Mortgage is February 12, 2010, and therefore the Schreibers assert that Ocwen had no standing to sue for foreclosure in November of the previous year. Moreover, relying entirely on Florida case law and rules, the Schreibers argue that Ocwen is guilty of fraud. The Schreibers maintain that Ocwen filed fraudulent documents in state court with the intent to defraud both the court and the Schreibers.
The Court is without jurisdiction to hear this action. First, the Schreibers allege no federal claims in their amended complaint. Unlike their previous complaint, which failed to identify any specific federal laws violated by Ocwen but generally referred to "Federal Lending Law," their amended complaint does not allege a violation of federal law — or mention a federal law — in any way. Next, and more conclusive, this Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction under the
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(3) the party seeking relief in federal court had a reasonable opportunity to raise its federal claims in the state court proceeding; and (4) the issue before the federal court was adjudicated by the state court, or was inextricably intertwined with the state court's judgment.
This action falls squarely within the confines of the
Even if the Schreibers have not presented all of their current claims to the state court, the issue before this Court is inextricably intertwined with the previous judgment. Specifically, the Schreibers seek relief from the state court judgment against them. They have filed a "notice of lis pendens" in both this Court and the state court (Doc. 30), directing Ocwen to refrain from selling the property at issue until this case is decided. Also, in their amended complaint the Schreibers explicitly request that the Court issue an order compelling Ocwen to transfer legal title of the property to the Schreibers. Consequently, for the Court to find that Ocwen perpetrated a fraud on the Schreibers and the state court would be tantamount to finding that the state court wrongly ruled in Ocwen's favor.
The Court cannot rule on the facts of this case without reviewing the facts and judgment in Case No. 09-6248-CA-G, and thus, the Court is without jurisdiction to hear the Schreibers' claim. To the extent the Schreibers continue to desire review of the state court's judgment in Case No. 09-6248-CA-G, they may seek appellate relief in the appropriate state forum. Ocwen's motion to dismiss is due to be granted.
1. Ocwen Loan Servicing, LLC's Motion to Dismiss Plaintiffs' First Amended Complaint (Doc. 23) is
2. Plaintiffs David C. Schreiber and Bernadette Schreiber's First Amended Complaint, styled "Affidavit" (Doc. 22), is
3. The Clerk shall terminate all pending motions and close the file.
Accordingly, on the motion of Defendant Ocwen Loan Servicing LLC, the Court will take judicial notice of those papers on public record filed by Ocwen (Doc. 24).