Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Florida Foreclosure Fight Could Be Bellwether

Florida Foreclosure Fight Could Be Bellwether

Michael D. Carlson recently filed a motion in Pinellas Circuit Court seeking to undo a foreclosure judgment against him from 2008, saying he never knew about the legal proceeding until it was over. As part of the motion, the 42-year-old divorced father of three also wants his home in Dunedin back. The problem is, Carlson's lender, Bank of America, sold it more than a year ago to another couple, who thought they had bought the foreclosed property free and clear. Legal experts say that in trying to reverse a foreclosure after the home has been sold to a third party, Carlson's case may be the first of its kind — but it's unlikely to be the last. Whether it's robo-signed documents, falsified affidavits or failure to properly notify defendants, as claimed in the Carlson case, shortcuts by lenders' law firms could prove to be land mines in the legal system. When triggered by homeowners who feel their cases were improperly handled, such issues could raise ownership questions for years to come.

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