BARRY TED MOSKOWITZ, District Judge.
Defendants JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. ("Chase"), and Defendants Seterus, Inc. ("Seterus") and Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA") have filed motions to dismiss. For the reasons discussed below, the Court
On August 11, 2015, Plaintiff commenced this action in state court. On December 7, 2015, Chase removed the action.
According to the Complaint, on November 8, 2005, Plaintiff obtained a residential loan in the amount of $359,650 from Chase. (Compl. ¶ 8.) The loan was secured by a deed of trust ("DOT") on the property (the "Property") located at 4533 Sauk Avenue, San Diego, CA 92117. (Compl. ¶ 8; Ex. 1 to Def.'s RJN.) The Deed of Trust identified Fidelity National Title as the Trustee.
On April 2, 2013, Chase substituted NDEx West, LLC as the new Trustee. (Ex. 2 to Def.'s RJN.)
On or about August 3, 2013, Plaintiff and Chase entered into a Loan Modification Agreement with the effective date of September 1, 2013. The Loan Modification Agreement was recorded on October 1, 2013. (Ex. 3 to Def.'s RJN.)
On December 8, 2014, Chase executed an Assignment of Deed of Trust, which conveyed all beneficial interest in the DOT to FNMA. (Ex. 4 to Def.'s RJN.)
On February 18, 2015, Seterus, as authorized subservicer for FNMA, executed a Substitution of Trustee that substituted The Mortgage Law Firm, PLC, as Trustee. (Ex. 5 to Def.'s RJN.)
On February 27, 2015, The Mortgage Law Firm recorded a Notice of Default. (Ex. 6 to Def.'s RJN.) According to the Notice of Default, Plaintiff owed $10,477.77 as of February 25, 2015.
According to Seterus and FNMA, no Trustee's Sale has been recorded, and no sale has taken place.
A motion to dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) should be granted only where a plaintiff's complaint lacks a "cognizable legal theory" or sufficient facts to support a cognizable legal theory.
In her Opposition, Plaintiff challenges the Court's jurisdiction on the ground that complete diversity of citizenship does not exist because The Mortgage Law Firm is a citizen of California. Defendants argue that the citizenship of The Mortgage Law Firm can be ignored because it is a nominal, non-monetary party. The Court is not entirely convinced by this argument,
Defendants seek dismissal of the Complaint in its entirety. As discussed below, the Court agrees that Plaintiff has not stated a claim with respect to any of her causes of action.
In her first and second causes of action, Plaintiff alleges that Defendants violated Cal. Civ. Code § 2923.5 and the California Homeowners Bill of Rights by failing to notify Plaintiff, 30 days before recording the Notice of Default, of her right to request a meeting or alternatives to foreclosure, including loan modification.
Section 2923.5 applies only to depository institutions chartered under state or federal law that, during its immediately preceding annual reporting period, foreclosed on 175 or fewer residential real properties. Cal. Civ. Code §§ 2923.5(g), 2924.18(b). In contrast, Cal. Civ. Code § 2923.55 does not apply to entities described in § 2924.18(b).
Whether section 2923.5 or 2923.55 applies to a given defendant, Plaintiff fails to state a claim under either section. Both sections provide that a mortgage servicer, mortgagee, trustee, beneficiary, or authorized agent may not record a notice of default until, among other things, 30 days has passed since the mortgage servicer made initial contact with the borrower or satisfied the due diligence requirements set forth in the statutes. Cal. Civ. Code §§ 2923.5(a)(1)(A), 2923.55(a)(1)(2). During initial contact, by telephone or in person, the mortgage servicer must advise the borrower that he or she has the right to request a subsequent meeting (to occur within 14 days of the request), may assess the borrower's financial situation and discuss options (or may wait to do this until any subsequent meeting), and must provide the toll-free telephone number to find a HUD-certified housing counseling agency. Cal. Civ. Code §§ 2923.5(a)(2), 2923.55(b)(2). But actual contact with the borrower is excused if the mortgage servicer acted with "due diligence," as defined by the statutes. Cal. Civ. Code §§ 2923.5(e), 2923.55(f).
Plaintiff's Complaint alleges that Defendants did not contact her in person or by telephone, during the 30 days prior to the filing of the Notice of Default, to assess her financial situation or explore options to avoid foreclosure. (Compl. ¶¶ 36, 45.) However, the statute requires initial contact 30 days or more prior to the filing of the notice of default. Thirty days is the minimum amount of time that must have elapsed since the initial contact. Plaintiff does not allege that Defendants did not contact her prior to the 30-day period. Furthermore, even if Defendants did not successfully contact Plaintiff by telephone or person, Plaintiff does not allege that Defendants failed to satisfy the due diligence requirements.
Accordingly, Plaintiff has failed to allege sufficient facts to state a plausible claim that § 2923.5 and/or § 2923.55 were violated.
Plaintiff's third cause of action alleges that Defendants owed her a duty not to defraud her but breached that duty by "maliciously and fraudulently, promulgating counterfeit securities and fraudulent assignment instrument." (Compl. ¶ 50.)
Plaintiff's negligence claim fails because Plaintiff cannot establish that Defendants owed her a duty of care. In
Furthermore, as discussed in greater detail below, Plaintiff has not established plausible claims based on the securitization of her loan or fraudulent assignments.
Plaintiff's fourth cause of action seeks injunctive relief that precludes Defendants from pursuing non-judicial foreclosure against the Property. Plaintiff alleges that Defendants lack standing to institute or maintain non-judicial foreclosure.
Plaintiff makes conclusory allegations that Chase unlawfully conveyed all beneficial interest under Plaintiff's Note to FNMA, Chase unlawfully made Seterus a sub-servicer for FNMA, and the substitution of trustee that allegedly substituted The Mortgage Law Firm was not lawfully executed. (Compl. ¶¶ 11, 13, 17.) According to the documents recorded with the San Diego County Recorder's Office, FNMA is the beneficiary of the DOT, Seterus is the sub-servicer for FNMA, and The Mortgage Law Firm is the Trustee. (Def.'s RJN Exs. 1-5.)
Plaintiff also challenges the standing of Defendants on the ground that they cannot show proper receipt or possession of the original Promissory Note and Deed of Trust. (Compl. ¶¶ 23-25.) Plaintiff's theory that Defendants must possess the original note and Deed of Trust lacks merit. California Civil Code §§ 2924-2924k provide a "comprehensive framework for the regulation of a nonjudicial foreclosure sale pursuant to a power of sale contained in a deed of trust."
Because Plaintiff has failed to allege sufficient facts establishing that Defendants lack standing to pursue non-judicial foreclosure against the Property, Plaintiff's claim for injunctive relief is dismissed.
In Plaintiff's fifth cause of action, Plaintiff alleges that Chase and Doe Defendants concealed the fact that Plaintiff's loan "would be included in a pool with other notes, split into tranches, and multiple investors would effectively buy shares of the income stream from the loans." (Compl. ¶ 67.) Plaintiff alleges that "changing the character of her loan in this way had a materially negative effect on Plaintiff" and that had the truth been disclosed, Plaintiff would not have entered into the loan with Chase. (Compl. ¶¶ 68-69.) Plaintiff claims that the actions of Defendants had an adverse effect on the value of the home and that she has been damaged as a result. (Compl. ¶¶ 71-73.)
Plaintiff does not explain why the securitization of her loan would have any effect on her or the value of her home. Absent any facts establishing that Plaintiff was harmed by not knowing about the securitization, Plaintiff cannot maintain a claim for fraud.
The Complaint also asserts claims for slander of title, quiet title, declaratory relief, rescission, and violation of Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200. These claims are premised on Plaintiff's theories regarding Defendants' lack of standing and fraudulent concealment, which fail for the reasons discussed above. Therefore, these claims are also dismissed for failure to state a claim.
For the reasons discussed above, Defendants' motions to dismiss [Docs. 6 & 7] are