Cent. Mtge. Co. v. Elia ( 2011 )

[Cite as Cent. Mtge. Co. v. Elia, 2011-Ohio-3188.]
STATE OF OHIO ) IN THE COURT OF APPEALS
)ss: NINTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
COUNTY OF SUMMIT )
CENTRAL MORTGAGE COMPANY C.A. No. 25505
Appellee
v. APPEAL FROM JUDGMENT
ENTERED IN THE
ZIAD F. ELIA, et al. COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
COUNTY OF SUMMIT, OHIO
Appellants CASE No. CV 2009-03-1901
DECISION AND JOURNAL ENTRY
Dated: June 29, 2011
Per Curiam.
{¶1} Ziad F. Elia and Holley E. Elia have appealed from a judgment of the Summit
County Court of Common Pleas in favor of Central Mortgage Company in a foreclosure action.
This Court affirms in part and reverses in part.
I
{¶2} The Elias executed a mortgage and note in the amount of $61,600 in favor of
LoanCity.com for real property located on Sherman Street in Akron, Ohio. Subsequently,
Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc., as a nominee for LoanCity.com, assigned the
Elias’ mortgage to Central Mortgage. The Elias ultimately defaulted, and Central Mortgage filed
a complaint for foreclosure.
{¶3} The Elias moved to dismiss the complaint against them, arguing that Central
Mortgage lacked standing, but the trial court denied their motion. Both Central Mortgage and
the Elias then moved for summary judgment. The trial court denied the Elias’ motion and
2
granted Central Mortgage’s motion. The court concluded that, as a result of the Elias’ default,
Central Mortgage was entitled to judgment in the amount of $46,036.55, plus interest at a rate of
8.625% per annum from September 1, 2008, along with applicable late charges. The Elias have
raised three assignments of error, which we have consolidated for ease of analysis.
II
Assignment of Error Number One
“THE TRIAL COURT ERRED WHEN IT GRANTED SUMMARY
JUDGMENT TO CENTRAL MORTGAGE COMPANY AS THERE WAS A
GENUINE ISSUE OF MATERIAL FACT WHETHER CENTRAL
MORTGAGE COMPLIED WITH A CONDITION PRECEDENT TO
FORECLOSURE, DELIVERY OF THE NOTICE OF DEFAULT PRIOR TO
ACCELERATION AS REQUIRED BY PARAGRAPH 22 OF THE
MORTGAGE.”
Assignment of Error Number Two
“THE TRIAL COURT ERRED WHEN IT GRANTED SUMMARY
JUDGMENT TO CENTRAL MORTGAGE COMPANY AS THERE WAS A
GENUINE ISSUE OF MATERIAL FACT WHETHER CENTRAL
MORTGAGE HAD STANDING TO SUE.”
Assignment of Error Number Three
“THE TRIAL COURT ERRED WHEN IT GRANTED SUMMARY
JUDGMENT TO CENTRAL MORTGAGE COMPANY AS THERE WERE
GENUINE ISSUES OF MATERIAL FACT AND CENTRAL MORTGAGE
COMPANY WAS NOT ENTITLED TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT AS A
MATTER OF LAW.”
{¶4} By all three of their assignments of error, the Elias have argued that the trial court
incorrectly granted Central Mortgage’s motion for summary judgment. Specifically, they have
argued that: (1) the affidavit upon which Central Mortgage relied in support of its motion is
deficient because it is conclusory and not based on personal knowledge; (2) Central Mortgage
lacks standing to pursue a foreclosure action against them because it is not the current holder and
3
owner of their note and mortgage; and (3) Central Mortgage failed to comply with the notice
provision set forth in paragraph 22 of their mortgage note before seeking foreclosure.
{¶5} In reviewing a trial court’s ruling on a motion for summary judgment, this Court
applies the same test a trial court is required to apply in the first instance: whether there are any
genuine issues of material fact and whether the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter
of law. Parenti v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (1990), 66 Ohio App.3d 826, 829. The party
moving for summary judgment bears the initial burden of informing the trial court of the basis
for the motion and pointing to parts of the record that show the absence of a genuine issue of
material fact. Dresher v. Burt (1996), 75 Ohio St.3d 280, 292-93. If the moving party satisfies
its initial burden, the non-moving party bears the burden of offering specific facts to show a
genuine issue for trial. Id. at 293. The non-moving party may not rest upon the mere allegations
and denials in the pleadings, but instead must point to or submit some evidentiary material that
demonstrates a genuine dispute over a material fact. Henkle v. Henkle (1991), 75 Ohio App.3d
732, 735.
{¶6} In support of its motion for summary judgment, Central Mortgage relied upon an
affidavit from its vice president, a copy of the Elias’ promissory note and mortgage, and a copy
of an assignment of mortgage from Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems to Central
Mortgage. Because the affidavit upon which Central Mortgage relied incorporated by reference
the other items attached to its motion, we first consider the propriety of the affidavit.
{¶7} Under Rule 56(E) of the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure, “[s]upporting and
opposing affidavits shall be made on personal knowledge, shall set forth such facts as would be
admissible in evidence, and shall show affirmatively that the affiant is competent to testify to the
matters stated in the affidavit.” Civ.R. 56(E). “[The] mere assertion of personal knowledge
4
satisfies the personal knowledge requirement of Civ.R. 56(E) if the nature of the facts in the
affidavit combined with the identity of the affiant creates a reasonable inference that the affiant
has personal knowledge of the facts in the affidavit.” Bank One, N.A. v. Lytle, 9th Dist. No.
04CA008463, 2004-Ohio-6547, at ¶13. “Verification of documents attached to an affidavit ***,
as required by Civ.R. 56(E), is satisfied by an appropriate averment in the affidavit itself. An
affidavit stating [a] loan is in default, is sufficient for purposes of Civ.R. 56, in the absence of
evidence controverting those averments.” (Internal citation omitted.) Bank One, N.A. v. Swartz,
9th Dist. No. 03CA008308, 2004-Ohio-1986, at ¶14.
{¶8} The Elias have challenged Central Mortgage’s affidavit on the basis that its
affiant, lacking any personal knowledge, was not competent to attest to the facts set forth therein.
Because the alleged assignment to Central Mortgage took place after their default, the Elias have
argued, the affiant could not have had personal knowledge of any events that occurred prior to
the alleged assignment.
{¶9} In her affidavit in support of Central Mortgage’s motion for summary judgment,
Lou Ann Howard asserted that she was the vice president of Central Mortgage and the custodian
of the business records described in the affidavit, that she had personal knowledge of the
contents of those business records, that Central Mortgage had physical possession of the Elias’
promissory note, and that she had reviewed the Elias’ loan history and loan file, including their
note, mortgage, and payment history. Her assertion of personal knowledge after a review of the
loan documents, coupled with her position at Central Mortgage and role as records custodian,
satisfies Rule 56(E). See Lytle at ¶14 (concluding affidavit comported with Rule 56(E) when
affiants were employees of bank, had custody or control of debtor’s note, and indicated that they
had personal knowledge of debtor’s loan account); Swartz at ¶16 (concluding affidavit
5
comported with Rule 56(E) when affiant was employed as a foreclosure specialist for the bank,
indicated that the debtor’s loan file was under her immediate control and supervision, and
referred to the specific loan documents in the affidavit). Compare Target Natl. Bank v. Enos, 9th
Dist. No. 25268, 2010-Ohio-6307, at ¶11 (rejecting affidavit when affiant failed to identify his
position with the bank, failed to state that he had personal knowledge of the matters contained in
the affidavit, and did not identify any specific documents attached to the affidavit). Moreover,
the Elias’ assertion that no one at Central Mortgage could have personal knowledge of their
default because Central Mortgage did not acquire any alleged assignment until after their default
occurred is inapposite. The authority that the Elias have cited in support of that argument
provides that “[a] witness providing the foundation [for a recorded business activity] need not
have firsthand knowledge of the transaction.” Moore v. Vandemark Co., Inc., 12th Dist. No.
CA2003-07-063, 2004-Ohio-4313, at ¶18. The Elias’ challenge to the affidavit upon which
Central Mortgage relied lacks merit.
{¶10} We next consider the Elias’ argument that Central Mortgage lacks standing to
bring suit because a genuine issue of material fact remains regarding whether it is the current
owner and holder of the Elias’ note and mortgage. “This Court has held *** that a bank need not
possess a valid assignment at the time of filing suit so long as the bank procures the assignment
in sufficient time to apprise the litigants and the court that the bank is the real party in interest.”
Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co. v. Traxler, 9th Dist. No. 09CA009739, 2010-Ohio-3940, at ¶11,
citing Bank of New York v. Stuart, 9th Dist. No. 06CA008953, 2007-Ohio-1483, at ¶12. “When
an instrument is indorsed in blank, the instrument becomes payable to bearer and may be
negotiated by transfer of possession alone until specially indorsed.” R.C. 1303.25(B). Further,
even if an actual assignment of a person’s mortgage does not occur, this Court has recognized
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that the physical transfer of a promissory note, which the mortgage secures, amounts to the
equitable assignment of the mortgage. Traxler at ¶19-20.
{¶11} Central Mortgage provided the trial court copies of the Elias’ promissory note,
mortgage note, and an assignment of their mortgage from Mortgage Electronic Registration
Systems, as a nominee for LoanCity.com. All of those documents were incorporated by
reference in Howard’s affidavit, in which she asserted that: (1) Central Mortgage was in
possession of the Elias’ promissory note, which was indorsed in blank; (2) the Elias defaulted on
their loan; and (3) Central Mortgage opted to accelerate and call due the entire balance due and
owing on the loan. The assignment indicates that Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems
assigned the Elias’ mortgage to Central Mortgage on February 10, 2009, one month before
Central Mortgage filed suit. Copies of the Elias’ promissory note, mortgage, and the assignment
of their mortgage to Central Mortgage were also attached to Central Mortgage’s complaint. And,
consistent with Howard’s affidavit, the copy of the promissory note in the record is indorsed in
blank. Consequently, we conclude that Central Mortgage showed it had standing to bring suit
against the Elias. See R.C. 1303.25(B) (outlining the effect of a blank indorsement); Traxler at
¶19-20 (recognizing bank as holder and owner of note and mortgage via assignment by Mortgage
Electronic Registration Systems).
{¶12} In opposition to Central Mortgage’s motion for summary judgment, the Elias each
filed an affidavit in which they stated that: (1) they did not recall receiving any notice that their
note or mortgage had been sold or transferred to Central Mortgage; and (2) a search that they
performed on Fannie Mae’s website, a copy of which was incorporated by reference, indicated
that Fannie Mae still owned their mortgage. The website printout from Fannie Mae does not
create a genuine issue of material fact with regard to Central Mortgage’s standing. The printout
7
specifies that “Fannie Mae makes no representation, warranty, or guarantee regarding the
accuracy or completeness of the results. *** You should contact your mortgage lender to verify
these results.” Neither of the Elias indicated that they contacted their lender to verify the search
they performed on Fannie Mae’s website. Moreover, the Elias’ blanket assertion that they do not
recall receiving notice of the transfer of their note is not enough to create a genuine issue for
trial. At the very latest, the Elias received notice of the transfer when Central Mortgage filed its
complaint. This Court has recognized that a “bank need not possess a valid assignment at the
time of filing suit so long as the bank procures the assignment in sufficient time to apprise the
litigants and the court that the bank is the real party in interest.” Traxler at ¶11. Here, Central
Mortgage provided evidence that a valid assignment occurred before it even filed suit, and it
included that assignment in its complaint. The Elias did not argue, either in their brief in
opposition to Central Mortgage’s motion for summary judgment or their brief on appeal, that
they were not apprised in sufficient time of Central Mortgage’s status as the real party in interest.
The evidence in the record supports the trial court’s conclusion that the Elias did not satisfy their
Dresher burden on the issue of standing. The Elias’ argument that Central Mortgage lacks
standing is meritless.
{¶13} Finally, the Elias have argued that Central Mortgage was not entitled to summary
judgment because it failed to demonstrate that it satisfied paragraph 22 of their mortgage.
Paragraph 22 of the mortgage requires that the Elias be given a notice of default, a period of at
least thirty days within which to cure the default, and warning that a failure to do so may result in
an acceleration. Specifically, paragraph 22 provides that the “Lender shall give notice to
Borrower prior to acceleration[.]” Paragraph 15 of the mortgage provides that all notices given
under the mortgage must be written and “[a]ny notice to Borrower in connection with this
8
Security Instrument shall be deemed to have been given to Borrower when mailed by first class
mail or when actually delivered to Borrower’s notice address if sent by other means.” This
Court has recognized that if “prior notice of default and/or acceleration is required by a provision
in a note or mortgage instrument, the provision of notice is a condition precedent[.]” LaSalle
Bank, N.A. v. Kelly, 9th Dist. No. 09CA0067-M, 2010-Ohio-2668, at ¶13, quoting First
Financial Bank v. Doellman, 12th Dist. No. CA2006-02-029, 2007-Ohio-222, at ¶20.
{¶14} The Elias rely upon Kelly in support of their argument that Central Mortgage was
not entitled to summary judgment. In Kelly, this Court held that LaSalle Bank N.A. “made no
attempt to establish that it complied with paragraph 22 [of the debtors’ mortgage,]” which
required prior notice of default and acceleration. Kelly at ¶14. There, the bank’s affidavit did
not indicate that the debtor was sent written notice prior to acceleration. The affiant merely
averred that the bank “ha[d] exercised the option contained in said mortgage note and ha[d]
accelerated and called due the entire principal balance due thereon.” Id. at ¶8. Because LaSalle
Bank’s affiant failed to specify that the bank sent notice of default/acceleration to the Kellys
prior to filing suit, we concluded that the bank did not meet its initial Dresher burden and
reversed the bank’s summary judgment award. Id. at ¶14. We agree with the Elias that Kelly is
applicable here.
{¶15} The only reference to acceleration contained in Central Mortgage’s motion for
summary judgment is a conclusory statement in Howard’s affidavit that “all of the prerequisites
required under the note and mortgage necessary to accelerate the balance due on the note have
been performed[.]” Rule 56 of the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure requires that affidavits in
support of a motion for summary judgment “shall set forth such facts as would be admissible in
evidence[.]” Civ.R. 56(E). Howard’s assertion does not set forth any facts; it is a legal
9
conclusion. See Grendell v. Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (2001), 146 Ohio App.3d 1,
fn.3 (“A proper affidavit must set forth facts and not legal conclusions.”). See, also, MacKeigan
v. Salvation Army, 9th Dist. No. 10CA009766, 2011-Ohio-515, at ¶11 (“Bare, unsubstantiated
allegations of what the evidence is are insufficient to support an order awarding summary
judgment.”). Central Mortgage did not present any evidence of written notice actually having
been sent to the Elias, despite the Elias having raised the issue in their answer. Accord Kelly at
¶8-14. Compare GMAC Mtge., L.L.C. v. Jacobs, 9th Dist. No. 24984, 2011-Ohio-1780, at ¶16-
18 (upholding summary judgment award to bank when bank’s affidavit provided that “written
notice of default was given in accordance with the terms of the note and mortgage”). The plain
language of the Elias’ mortgage requires that the Elias be given notice “prior to acceleration,”
and it was Central Mortgage’s burden to prove that the notice was given. Viewing the evidence
in a light most favorable to the Elias, we cannot conclude that Central Mortgage met its initial
Dresher burden and showed that it complied with paragraph 22 of the mortgage note. Accord
Kelly at ¶14. Therefore, the trial court erred by awarding Central Mortgage summary judgment.
{¶16} The Elias’ second and third assignments of error are overruled, as Central
Mortgage showed, through a properly-framed affidavit, that it has standing to pursue this action.
The Elias’ first assignment of error, however, is sustained because a genuine issue of material
fact remains regarding whether Central Mortgage complied with paragraph 22 of their mortgage.
III
{¶17} The Elias’ first assignment of error is sustained. Their remaining assignments of
error are overruled. The judgment of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas is affirmed in
10
part, reversed in part, and remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
Judgment affirmed in part,
reversed in part,
and cause remanded.
There were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
We order that a special mandate issue out of this Court, directing the Court of Common
Pleas, County of Summit, State of Ohio, to carry this judgment into execution. A certified copy
of this journal entry shall constitute the mandate, pursuant to App.R. 27.
Immediately upon the filing hereof, this document shall constitute the journal entry of
judgment, and it shall be file stamped by the Clerk of the Court of Appeals at which time the
period for review shall begin to run. App.R. 22(E). The Clerk of the Court of Appeals is
instructed to mail a notice of entry of this judgment to the parties and to make a notation of the
mailing in the docket, pursuant to App.R. 30.
Costs taxed to all parties equally.
CARLA MOORE
FOR THE COURT
MOORE, J.
DICKINSON, J.
CONCUR
WHITMORE, P. J.
CONCURS IN JUDGMENT ONLY, SAYING:
{¶18} I concur in judgment only. While I agree that Central Mortgage is not entitled to
judgment because a genuine issue of material fact exists, I would not reach this result on the
basis that Central Mortgage failed to satisfy its initial Dresher burden.
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{¶19} In determining whether a mortgagee has shown that it gave a debtor prior notice
of default/acceleration, this Court has closely examined the specific language used by the
mortgagee’s affiant in support of its summary judgment motion. Two cases have emerged as
points of reference. In Kelly, this Court held that LaSalle Bank, N.A., failed to satisfy its initial
Dresher burden on the issue of notice where its affiant attested solely that the bank “ha[d]
exercised the option contained in said mortgage note and ha[d] accelerated and called due the
entire principal balance due thereon.” LaSalle Bank, N.A. v. Kelly, 9th Dist. No. 09CA0067-M,
2010-Ohio-2668, at ¶8. We concluded that the foregoing language was insufficient to satisfy the
bank’s initial Dresher burden because it “d[id] not mention whether the bank sent notice to the
Kellys prior to filing suit.” Id. at ¶14. Conversely, in Jacobs, this Court concluded that GMAC
Mortgage, L.L.C. (“GMAC”), satisfied its initial Dresher burden on the notice issue where its
affiant stated that “written notice of default was given in accordance with the terms of the note
and mortgage.” GMAC Mtge., L.L.C. v. Jacobs, 9th Dist. No. 24984, 2011-Ohio-1780, at ¶16.
We held that GMAC was entitled to judgment because the debtor never responded to the bank’s
evidence that “proper notice of default was sent[.]” Id. at ¶18. The question in this case is
whether the language in Central Mortgage’s affidavit fits more closely within the parameters of
Kelly or Jacobs.
{¶20} Howard’s affidavit provides that “all of the prerequisites required under the note
and mortgage necessary to accelerate the balance due on the note have been performed[.]” I
view the foregoing language as more akin to the language in Jacobs than the language in Kelly.
Howard’s affidavit does not claim merely that Central Mortgage exercised an option and
accelerated the balance, compare Kelly at ¶8, it states that Central Mortgage actually performed
all the required prerequisites for acceleration. Read in conjunction with the mortgage itself,
12
which requires notice of default as a prerequisite to acceleration, Howard’s averment suffices as
proof of notice under Jacobs. While the better approach would have been for Howard’s affidavit
to detail each acceleration prerequisite that Central Mortgage actually performed (i.e. that it sent
written notice on a specific date), I would not hold that, by referring to the prerequisites as a
whole, Howard made an unsupported legal conclusion. Compare CitiMortgage, Inc. v. Elia, et
al., 9th Dist. No. 25482, 2011-Ohio-2499, at ¶15 (concluding that bank failed to meet its initial
Dresher burden where its affiant merely averred that the bank “elected to call the entire balance
of said account due and payable, in accordance with the terms of the note and mortgage”).
Because I believe Howard’s affidavit is distinguishable from the affidavit in Kelly as well as
CitiMortgage, I do not agree with the majority’s position that Central Mortgage failed to meet its
initial Dresher burden.
{¶21} Nevertheless, I agree with the remainder of the majority’s opinion as well as its
ultimate conclusion that Central Mortgage was not entitled to summary judgment. In response to
Central Mortgage’s motion, the Elias filed affidavits in which they both averred that they never
received prior notice of default/acceleration. Central Mortgage did not respond to the Elias’
affidavits with any additional evidence. I would conclude that the Elias’ affidavits demonstrated
the existence of a factual dispute with regard to the notice issue. See Jacobs at ¶18 (noting that
debtor could have created a factual dispute “by providing evidence that he did not receive the
purported notice”). Because a genuine issue of material fact exists with regard to whether
Central Mortgage sent the Elias prior notice of default/acceleration, I agree that the trial court
erred by granting Central Mortgage’s motion for summary judgment. As such, I concur in
judgment only.
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APPEARANCES:
MARGARET A. MCDEVITT, and JULIUS P. AMOURGIS, Attorneys at Law, for Appellants.
C. SCOTT CASTERLINE, Attorney at Law, for Appellee.