Mid Pac Portfolio, LLC v. Paula Welch, Clyde Alan Ashworth and Wells Fargo Bank, Minnesota, NA Formerly Known as Norwest Bank, Minnesota, NA, as Trustee for Salomon Brothers Mortgage Securities VII, Inc. Floating Rate Mortgage Pass Through Certificates Series 1999-LBI ( 2015 )

ACCEPTED
01-15-00404-CV
FIRST COURT OF APPEALS
HOUSTON, TEXAS
7/21/2015 1:02:23 PM
CHRISTOPHER PRINE
CLERK
CASE NO. 01-15-00404-CV
_________________________________
FILED IN
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS 1st COURT OF APPEALS
FIRST DISTRICT OF TEXAS HOUSTON, TEXAS
7/21/2015 1:02:23 PM
______________________________________________________
CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
Clerk
MID PAC PORTFOLIO, LLC
Appellant
VS.
PAULA WELCH AND CLYDE ALAN ASHWORTH
Appellees
______________________________________________________
On Appeal From the
405th Judicial District Court
Galveston County, Texas
______________________________________________________
BRIEF OF APPELLANT
______________________________________________________
Michael Burns
Attorney at Law
State Bar No. 03447980
P.O. Box 992
Allen, Texas 75013
Phone: (214) 354-1667
Attorney for Appellant
ORAL ARGUMENT IS NOT REQUESTED
i
IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL
1. The Appellant/Plaintiff is:
Mid Pac Portfolio LLC
2. The Appellant/Plaintiff Trial and Appellant Counsel is:
Michael Burns
Attorney at Law
State Bar No. 03447980
P.O. Box 992
Allen, Texas 75013
Email: burnslaw@outlook.com
Phone: (214) 354-1667
3. The Appellee/Defendants are:
Paula Welch and Clyde Alan Ashworth
4. The Appellee/Defendant Trial and Appellant Counsel is:
Mark W. Stevens
P.O. Box 8118
Galveston, Texas 77553
Email: markwandstev@sbcglobal.net
Phone: (409) 765-6306
Fax: (409) 765-6469
ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL ........................................................... ii
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES ................................................................................... iv
STATEMENT OF THE CASE ..................................................................................1
ORAL ARGUMENT……………………………………………………………….4
ISSUES PRESENTED……………………………………………………………..4
STATEMENT OF FACTS ........................................................................................5
SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT…………………………………………………….7
ARGUMENT .............................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION AND PRAYER………………………………………………….24
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE ................................................................................25
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE .......................................................................25
APPENDIX ..............................................................................................................26
iii
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
Cases
Baughn v. Capps, 2010 Tex. App. LEXIS 1580 (Tex. App. Waco 2010) .............10
Brown v. Brown, 145 S.W.3d 745 (Tex.App. – Dallas 2004). ................................17
Expro Americas, LLC v. Sanguine Gas Exploration, LLC, 351 S.W.3d 915 (Tex.
App.—Houston [14th ist.] 2011,pet.denied). .........................................................5
FM Props. Operating Co. v. City of Austin, 22 S.W.3d 868 (Tex. 2000). ................4
Harbor Ventures, Inc. v. Dalton, 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 4009, (Tex. App. Austin
2012). ....................................................................................................................19
Mem'l Park Med. Ctr., Inc. v. River Bend Dev. Group, L.P., 264 S.W.3d 810 (Tex.
App. Eastland 2008) .............................................................................................10
Pierce v. Gillespie, 761 S.W.2d 390 (Tex. App. Corpus Christi 1988) ..................10
Rhodes v. Cahill, 802 S.W.2d 643 (Tex. 1990) .........................................................9
Sarandos v. Blanton, 25 S.W.3d 811 (Tex. App.--Waco 2000, pet. denied) ............9
Schoellkopf Co. v. Starr, 88 S.W.2d 564 (Tex. Civ. App.- Galveston 1935), aff'd,
113 S.W.2d 1227 (Tex. 1938) ..............................................................................10
Session v. Woods, 206 S.W.3d 772 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2006, pet. denied). .....8
Thomas v. Rhodes, 701 S.W.2 d 943, (Tex. App- Fort Worth, 1986). ....................10
Thompson v. Curtis, 127 S.W.3d 446, 450 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2004, no pet.) .........14
Watson v. Tipton, 274 S.W.3d 791 (Tex. App. Fort Worth 2008). ...........................7
Wells v. Johnson (Tex. App.-Amarillo, 2014) ...........................................................8
Statutes
Tex. Civ. Prac & Rem. Code § 16.004(a)(1) ...................................................... 8, 12
Tex. Civ. Prac & Rem. Code § 16.025 ....................................................................10
Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.021 (3)................................................................9
Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.021 (4)................................................................9
Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.025(a) (2) .........................................................10
Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 37.009 ............................................................. 19,20
Rules
Tex. R. Civ. P. 735 ...................................................................................................14
Tex. R. Civ. P. 736 ...................................................................................................14
iv
STATEMENT OF THE CASE
This case involves a dispute over the ownership of a piece of property located in
Santa Fe, Texas. The Plaintiff in this case is Mid Pac Portfolio, LLC (Mid Pac). The
Defendants, who are the appellees in this appeal, are Paula Welch and Clyde Ashworth
(Welch and Ashworth).
The Court will probably notice in reviewing the pleadings in the Clerk’s Record
that some of the pleadings contain different fonts. The font for Mid Pac’s original
pleadings in the trial court were in 12 inch Times New Roman. Some of Mid Pac’s
pleadings in the Clerk’s Record are in a font that is different from the original pleadings
which must have occurred when the Clerk’s Record was prepared by the Galveston
District Court clerk for this appeal.
Mid Pac filed this suit as a Declaratory Judgment action under Tex. Civil Practice
and Remedies Code Sec. 37.001, et. seq. The initial Defendants were Ms. Welch, Mr.
Ashworth and Wells Fargo Bank, Minnesota NA, formerly known as Norwest Bank,
Minnesota, NA as Trustee for Salomon Brothers Mortgage Securities VII, Inc. Floating
Rate Mortgage Pass Through Certificates, series 1999 –LB1 (Wells Fargo) (CR 6).
The general factual allegations in the original Petition were that Mid Pac had
acquired a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure executed by Welch and Ashworth in 2003 as part
of a settlement of a law suit that Welch and Ashworth had initiated over a Texas Home
1
Equity loan they had on their property in Santa Fe, Texas and that Mid Pac was now the
true and record owner of the property. The legal theories Mid Pac alleged in the original
Petition were a Declaratory Judgment to quiet title to the property in Mid Pac and
Trespass to Try Title. (CR 6- 51). Welch and Ashworth filed a General Denial Answer to
the Original Petition and raised several affirmative defenses which included various
statutes of limitation. (CR 52- 56). Wells Fargo was served with the original Petition on
March 20, 2013. (CR 57-59).
On July 9, 2013, Mid Pac filed an Amended Petition which added Citigroup Global
Markets Realty Corp. (Citigroup) as a Defendant. The basic factual allegations and legal
theories as to the ownership dispute between Mid Pac and Welch and Ashworth remained
the same in the Amended Petition as in the Original Petition. (CR 60- 106). Citigroup
was added as Defendant because Mid Pac had acquired the Deed in Lieu that is the
central issue of the case from Citigroup. (CR 63-64). Citigroup was served with the
Amended Petition by certified mail from the Court Clerk. (CR 107- 108). Ashworth and
Welch responded to the Amended Petition by filing a Supplemental Answer raising
several affirmative defenses and a Counterclaim for a Declaratory Judgment. (CR 109-
115).
On January 2, 2014, counsel for Mid Pac filed a Stipulation and Disclaimer
executed by Citigroup and Mid Pac in which Citigroup disclaimed any interest in the
property at issue and admitted that it had sold whatever interest it had in the Deed in Lieu
2
at issue to Mid Pac. (CR 115-116). Wells Fargo failed to file an appearance in the suit.
On January 15, 2014, Mid Pac filed a Motion for a Default Judgment against Wells Fargo
and submitted a proposed Interlocutory Default Judgment against Wells Fargo to the trial
court. (CR 117- 129).
From January 15, 2014 to April 15, 2015, Mid Pac and Welch and Ashworth filed
cross Motions for Summary Judgment, responses and replies to the motions along with
objections to each other’s summary judgment evidence and various other motions related
to the cross Motions for Summary judgment. (CR 129 – 757). On August 15, 2015, the
trial court entered an order granting Welch and Ashworth’s Motion for Summary
Judgment and denying the Mid Pac’s Motion. (CR 758). The order entered by the court
was based on the Welch and Ashworth’s proposed order granting their Motion for
Summary Judgment which was submitted to the trial court on January 15, 2014. (CR-
553). On September 22, 2014, Mid Pac filed an Amended Motion for Default Judgment
against Wells Fargo and Citigroup. (CR 759- 772). On February 11, 2015, the trial court
entered an Order granting Mid Pac’s Amended Motion for Default Judgment against both
Wells Fargo and Citigroup on a limited basis. (CR 799).
On April 14, 2015, the trial court entered an Amended Final Judgment granting the
Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Welch and Ashworth and overruling Mid Pac’s
Motion for Summary Judgment. The judgment also reflected that Mid Pac’s Amended
Motion for Default Judgment against Wells Fargo and Citigroup was granted to only to
3
the extent that Citigroup did not have any right, title or interest in the Deed in Lieu or the
property at issue and that the judgment did not rule that Mid Pac had acquired the Deed
in Lieu from Citigroup or Wells Fargo. The final Judgment also awarded Welch and
Ashworth attorney fees in the amount of $5,208. (CR 842- 844). Mid Pac filed its Notice
of Appeal on April 29, 2015. (CR 845)
ORAL ARGUMENT
Mid Pac Portfolio does not request oral argument because the facts, issues on
appeal and applicable law are of a nature that can be sufficiently presented to the Court in
the briefs of the parties.
ISSUES PRESENTED
1. Whether the trial court erred in granting Ashworth and Welch’s Motion for
Summary Judgment while denying Mid Pac’s Motion for Summary Judgment.
2. Whether statements made by Paula Welch in her affidavits supporting
Welch and Ashworth’s Motion for Summary Judgment that funds used to pay taxes on
the property at issue were from a suspense account held by a loan servicer for her Texas
Home Equity loan, and that these funds belonged to her, were proper summary judgment
evidence.
4
3. Whether statements by Paula Welch in her affidavits supporting Welch and
Ashworth’s Motion for Summary Judgment relating to the history of her Texas Home
Equity loan were proper summary judgment evidence.
4. Whether the trial court erred in the Amended Final Judgment by ruling that
the Amended Motion for a Default Judgment filed by Mid Pac against both Wells Fargo
and Citigroup was granted against only Citigroup instead of both Citigroup and Wells
Fargo.
5. Whether the trial court erred in awarding Welch and Ashworth attorney fees
and costs in its Amended Final Judgment.
STATEMENT OF FACTS
As noted in the Statement of the Case, this case involves a title dispute between
Mid Pac and Welch and Ashworth over the property located in Santa Fe, Texas. Welch
and Ashworth executed a Texas Home Equity Note dated March 26, 1999 in the amount
of $270,000 payable to Long Beach Mortgage Company which was secured by 1625
Avenue L, Santa Fe, Texas (the property). (CR 163-186, 223- 235).
In 2000, Welch and Ashworth filed suit against Long Beach Mortgage over the
home equity loan which led to a settlement between Welch and Ashworth and Long
Beach Mortgage on March 14, 2003. (CR 164, 166-184, 213, 236-252). The settlement
agreement provided that Welch and Ashworth had 90 calendar days from March 21, 2003
5
to pay off the Texas Home Equity loan and that the 90 day period ended on June 19,
2003. (CR 167, 237). The settlement agreement also provided that Welch and Ashworth
would execute a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure to secure the requirement that they pay off
the loan within the 90 day period. (CR 168, 238, RR Vol 1 of 1 page 22). Welch and
Ashworth executed the Deed in Lieu on March 21, 2003. (CR 182-186, 253-257, RR Vol
1 of 1 page 22). The grantee on the Deed in Lieu was Wells Fargo. (CR 182, 253).
The settlement agreement provided that the Deed in Lieu would be held in escrow
until the end of the 90 day period and that if Welch and Ashworth had not paid off the
home equity loan, the Deed in Lieu would be released from escrow. (CR 169, 240, RR
Vol 1 of 1 page 22).Welch and Ashworth failed to pay off the balance of the loan in
accordance with the settlement agreement. (CR 165, 211-215, RR Vol 1 of 1 page 23).
On June 1, 2012, Mid Pac acquired the original Deed in Lieu from Citigroup as
part of asset purchase of loans and properties classified as foreclosed properties. (CR
165, 141, 508-548, RR Vol 1 of 1 page 9, 20, 26). Mid Pac recorded the Deed in Lieu in
the Galveston County real estate records on March 14, 2013. (CR 165, 182-185, RR Vol
1 of 1 page 20).
Welch and Ashworth have lived in the property since February of 1995. (CR 211).
Paula Welch paid the real estate taxes on the property for the years of 2002 to 2004 on
July 27, 2005. The taxes for 2006 and 2007 were paid by Dovenmuehle Mortgage, Inc.
The taxes for 2008 were paid by QBE First. American Home Mortgage Servicing paid
6
the 2009 taxes. SN Servicing Corporation paid the 2010 taxes. Paula Welch paid the 2011
taxes on March 27, 2012. (CR 667-677). Paula Welch first became aware a competing
claim to ownership of the property by Wells Fargo in 2013. (CR 668).
SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT
This case is based on the Deed in Lieu that Welch and Ashworth executed as part
of the 2003 settlement agreement with Long Beach Mortgage to resolve the lawsuit they
initiated against Long Beach over their Texas Home Equity loan. Mid Pac acquired the
Deed in Lieu in June of 2012 from Citigroup as part of an asset purchase and recorded it
in 2013. Mid Pac filed this suit as a Declaratory Judgment action against Welch and
Ashworth, Wells Fargo and Citigroup to clear the title to the property in its name. Mid
Pac initially included a Trespass to Title claim in its suit but abandoned it so it was not at
issue in the trial court.
Both Mid Pac and Welch and Ashworth filed cross motions for summary
judgment. The trial court granted Welch and Ashworth’s Motion and denied Mid Pac’s.
Mid Pac contends that the trial should have granted its Motion for Summary Judgment
and denied Welch and Ashworth’s.
Mid Pac’s position on the merits of the case is not complicated. It contends that
Welch and Ashworth transferred their title to the property when they executed the Deed
in Lieu and failed to comply with the 2003 settlement agreement by paying off their
7
home equity loan. The undisputed summary judgment evidence, including the stipulation
and disclaimer by Citigroup, conclusively proves that Mid Pac acquired the Deed in Lieu
from Citigroup.
Mid Pac named Wells Fargo as a Defendant so that Wells Fargo could assert any
claims it may have had to the Deed in Lieu or the property. Since Wells Fargo defaulted,
any claims it had have been disposed of. Consequently, Mid Pac, as the holder of the
Deed in Lieu, it is the sole owner of the property.
Mid Pac also objects to certain statements Ms. Welch made in her affidavits in
support of her Motion for Summary Judgment relating to her payment of the taxes on the
property and the history of her dispute on the home equity loan. These statements are
either conclusory or irrelevant and are not proper summary judgment proof to support the
trial court’s judgment.
In addition, Mid Pac contends that the trial court’s Amended Final Judgment is
incorrect because it is inconsistent with the Order the trial court entered granting Mid
Pac’s Motion for Default against Citigroup and Wells Fargo. The Order granting the
Motion for Default stated that neither Citigroup nor Wells Fargo had any interest in the
property while the Amended Final Judgment stated that only Citigroup did not have any
interest in the property. The Final Judgment should have been consistent with the trial
court’s default order in that it should have stated that neither Citigroup nor Wells Fargo
had any interest in the property.
8
Finally, Mid Pac contends that the trial incorrectly awarded attorney fees and costs
to Welch and Ashworth. Mid Pac is requesting that this Court reverse the trial court’s
judgment and render judgment in its favor and remand the issue of attorney fees back to
the trial court for reconsideration.
ARGUMENT
SUMMARY JUDGMENT REVIEW
This case is before the Court upon cross motions for summary judgment. A
summary judgment is reviewed de novo on appeal. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §
37.009 In reviewing a trial court's ruling on cross-motions for summary judgment, an
appellate court will consider all summary judgment evidence, determine all issues
presented, and then render the judgment the trial court should have rendered. FM Props.
Operating Co. v. City of Austin, 22 S.W.3d 868 (Tex. 2000). This Court may consider
evidence presented by both parties in determining whether to grant either motion. Expro
Americas, LLC v. Sanguine Gas Exploration, LLC, 351 S.W.3d 915 (Tex. App.—
Houston [14th Dist.] 2011, pet. denied).
SUMMARY JUDGMENT EVIDENCE
The undisputed facts in this case are simple and straight forward. It is undisputed
that:
1. Paula Welch and Clyde Ashworth executed a Texas Home Equity Note in the
9
amount of $270,000.00 payable to Long Beach Mortgage Company which was secured
by the property located at 1625 Avenue L, Santa Fe, Texas. (CR 163-182, 211, 210-234)
2. Ms. Welch, Mr. Ashworth and Long Beach Mortgage Company executed
the 2003 Settlement Agreement to settle a lawsuit between Ms. Welch, Mr. Ashworth and
Long Beach Mortgage Company over the home equity loan. (CR 163-182, 213, 236-252)
3. As part of the settlement agreement, Ms. Welch and Mr. Ashworth executed
the Deed in Lieu to the property to Wells Fargo as the grantee. (CR 164-165, 182-186,
253-257)
4. The settlement agreement provided that Ms. Welch and Mr. Ashworth had
until June 19, 2003, to pay off the home equity loan or vacate the property and, if they
failed to do so, the Deed in Lieu would be released from escrow. (CR 164, 169, 170,
213, 239,240)
5. Paula Welch and Clyde Ashworth did not pay off the Note in accordance the
2003 Settlement Agreement. (CR 213)
6. On June 1, 2012, Mid Pac acquired the Deed in Lieu from Citigroup as part of
an asset purchase transaction. (CR 115-116, 165).
7. Mid Pac Portfolio recorded the Deed in Lieu on March 14, 2013 in the
Galveston County Real Estate Records. (CR 165)
8. Wells Fargo failed to file an appearance in the suit to contest the allegations
10
or assert a claim to the Deed in Lieu or the property itself. (CR 759, 799).
9. Citigroup admitted through its stipulation that it transferred its interest in the
Deed in Lieu to Mid Pac and disclaimed any interest in the Deed in Lieu or the property
at issue. (CR 115).
10. Ms. Welch paid taxes on the property for the years of 2003 and 2004 on July
27, 2005. (CR 671, 704-707).
MID PAC PORTFOLIO IS THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY
Under Texas law, title to real property is vested in the grantee of a deed when the
deed is executed by the grantor and delivered to the grantee. An unrecorded deed is
binding on the grantor in the deed and is effective to pass title to the grantee. When a
deed is recorded, it creates a presumption, and establishes a prima facie case, of the
delivery of the deed and the intent of a grantor to transfer title to a property. Watson v.
Tipton, 274 S.W.3d 791 (Tex. App. Fort Worth 2008).
In the 2003 settlement agreement that Ms. Welch and Mr. Ashworth executed, Ms.
Welch and Mr. Ashworth agreed to pay off their home equity loan by June 19, 2003.
They also executed the Deed in Lieu at issue in this case in accordance with the 2003
settlement agreement. (CR 163, 194, 213, 236, 253). The 2003 agreement provided that
the Deed in Lieu would be held in escrow until the loan was paid off. If Ms. Welch and
Mr. Ashworth failed to pay off the loan by the deadline in the settlement agreement, the
11
Deed in Lieu would be released from the escrow. (CR 237- 240).
Ms. Welch and Mr. Ashworth no longer have title to the property because they
transferred the property out of their names with the Deed in Lieu in 2003. There is no
factual dispute that Mid Pac acquired the Deed in Lieu from Citigroup on June 1, 2012
and that Mid Pac recorded it on March 14, 2013. Likewise, it is undisputed that Mid Pac
acquired any interest that Citigroup and Wells Fargo may have had in the property by
virtue Mid Pac’s purchase of the Deed in Lieu from Citigroup and Wells Fargo’s default
in the suit. Consequently, Mid Pac is the owner of the property. The trial court was
incorrect in denying Mid Pac’s Motion for Summary Judgment and granting Welch and
Ashworth’s.
WELCH AND ASHWORTH’S CLAIMS AND DEFENSES
Although Welch and Ashworth raised several legal theories in their pleadings, it
appeared in the trial court that they primarily based their counter claim and affirmative
defenses on the three year adverse possession statute in Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §
16.024, the five year adverse possession statute in Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.025
and the four year statute of limitation in Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004(a)(1).
(CR 113,742, RR (Vol 1 of 1 pages 26-27).
ADVERSE POSSESSION CLAIMS
Ms. Welch and Mr. Ashworth contend that they acquired ownership of the
property through adverse possession. The nature of adverse possession is that a person
12
takes possession of property adversely to another party’s ownership rights and is
eventually allowed to acquire title because of continuous adverse use over time without
the possession being broken by the true owner. Session v. Woods, 206 S.W.3d 772 (Tex.
App.—Texarkana 2006, pet. denied). Wells v. Johnson (Tex. App.-Amarillo, 2014).
Because establishing title by adverse possession has the effect depriving a party of lawful
title to property, adverse possession is not well regarded in the law so the statutory
prerequisites must be strictly complied with. Thomas v. Southwestern Settlement &
Development Co., 131 S.W.2d 31 (Tex. Civ. App.—Beaumont 1939) Wells v. Johnson
(Tex. App.- Amarillo 2014)
To establish title by adverse possession, a party must prove:
(1) a visible appropriation and possession of land, sufficient to give
notice to the title holder;
(2) that is peaceable,
(3) under claim of right hostile to the title holder's claim, and
(4) that continues for the duration specified in the applicable three,
five, ten or twenty-five year limitation statute. See Rhodes v. Cahill,
802 S.W.2d 643 (Tex. 1990), Sarandos v. Blanton, 25 S.W.3d 811
(Tex. App.--Waco 2000, pet. denied).
13
The summary judgment evidence that was before the trial court in this case was not
sufficient to prove that Ms. Welch and Mr. Ashworth occupied the property for the
amount of time required by each adverse possession statute. Ms. Welch states in her
Supplemental Affidavit in support of her Motion for Summary Judgment that she and Mr.
Ashworth have “lived continuously and openly in the property” but does not state how
long they have occupied it. (CR 670).
Likewise, both the three and five year statutes require that Welch and Ashworth
have some form of record title to support their adverse possession claim. The three year
statute requires “title or color of title”. “Title” is defined as “a regular chain of transfers
of real property from or under the sovereignty of the soil”. Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code
§ 16.021 (4). “Color of title” is defined in Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.021 (3) as a
“consecutive chain of transfers to the person in possession that:
(A) is not regular because of a muniment that is not properly recorded or is only in
writing or because of a similar defect that does not want of intrinsic fairness or
honesty; or
(B) is based on a certificate of headright, land warrant, or land scrip.”
The five year statute requires that Welsh and Ashworth claim title to the property
under a “duly registered deed”. Tex. Civ. Prac & Rem. Code § 16.025 There is no
summary judgment evidence in the trial court record of any type of record title into
14
Welch and Ashworth to satisfy the “title” or “color of title” requirement for the three year
statute or a “duly registered deed” in their names for the five year statute.
Beside a “duly registered deed” into Welch and Ashworth, the five year statute
also requires that they had paid the taxes on the property for five consecutive years. Tex.
Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.025(a) (2), Mem'l Park Med. Ctr., Inc. v. River Bend Dev.
Group, L.P., 264 S.W.3d 810 (Tex. App. Eastland 2008); Baughn v. Capps, 2010 Tex.
App. LEXIS 1580 (Tex. App. Waco 2010); Pierce v. Gillespie, 761 S.W.2d 390 (Tex.
App. Corpus Christi 1988); Schoellkopf Co. v. Starr, 88 S.W.2d 564 (Tex. Civ. App.-
Galveston 1935), aff'd, 113 S.W.2d 1227 (Tex. 1938). In order to satisfy this requirement
the taxes must be paid before they become delinquent. Thomas v. Rhodes, 701 S.W.2 d
943, (Tex. App- Fort Worth, 1986).
The summary judgment evidence relating to the payment of taxes is in the
Supplemental Affidavit of Paula Welch (CR 667 -676). Welch and Ashworth also
submitted certified records from the Galveston County Tax Assessor to substantiate the
statements in her affidavit. (CR 703-719).
There was no undisputed summary judgment evidence in the trial court that Ms.
Welch and Mr. Ashworth paid the taxes for five consecutive years before they became
delinquent beginning from either March 23, 2003 (the Date of the Deed in Lieu) or June
23, 2003 (which was the date the Deed in Lieu could have been released from escrow
15
under the 2003 settlement agreement). (CR 665). Ms. Welch’s affidavit shows the
following tax payments from 2003 to 2012:
Receipt Date Amount Tax Year Description Payer
2012-03-27 $5,152.99 2011 Payment WELCH PAULA A
2011-.06-17 ($95.12) 2010 Refunded SN SERVICING CORPORATION
2011-04-27 $95.12 2010 Transfer SN SERVICING CORPORATION
2011-04-27 ($95.12) 2010 Transfer SN SERVICING CORP.
2011-04-27 $5,373.61 2010 Payment SN SERVICING CORP.
2009-12-31 $2,820.81 2008 QBE FIRST
2009-12-29 $4,039.56 2009 Payment AMERICAN HOME MTG SERV
2009-01-05 ($2,820.81) 2008 Reversal QBE FIRST
2008-12-31 $2,820.81 2008 QBE FIRST
2007-12-19 $2,827.94 2007 Payment DOVENMUEHLE MORTGAGE,
2007-01-02 $2,883.83 2006 Payment DOVENMUEHLE MORTGAGE
2006-02-10 $2,977.30 2005 MORTGAGE SERVICES
2005-07-27 ($0.02) 2004 WELCH PAULA A
2005-07-27 $3,949.39 2004 WELCH PAULA A
2005-07-27 $101.84 2004 WELCH PAULA A
2005-07-27 $2,871.38 2003 WELCH PAULA A
2005-07-27 $1,210.12 2003 WELCH PAULA A
2005-07-27 $1,191.08 2002 WELCH PAULA A
2005-07-27 $2,730.10 2002 WELCH PAULA A
Ms. Welch states in her affidavit that even though these records show that the
taxes were paid by the lenders or servicing companies on the loan rather than herself, Ms.
Welch still claims credit for the payments because she assumes the payments were made
from a “suspense account” held by the loan servicers which were actually her funds.
Whether Ms. Welch’s “suspense account” statements are proper summary evidence is an
16
issue in this appeal. Regardless of how that issue will be resolved, the summary
judgment evidence still does not prove that the taxes were paid before they became
delinquent for any consecutive five year period by anyone even if Welch and Ashworth
are given credit for all of the tax payments Ms. Welch claims to have made.
FOUR YEAR STATUTE OF LIMITATION IN 16.004(a)(1)
Ashworth and Welch raised Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004(a)(1) as an
affirmative defense in the trial court. The statute provides that a suit for specific
performance on a contract to convey property must be brought within four years. This
statute is not applicable to this case. Mid Pac has not alleged that it was a party to a
contract with Ms. Welch and Mr. Ashworth to convey the property and is not trying to
enforce a contract to convey the property. Mid Pac is trying to clear title to the property
in its name based on the Deed in Lieu.
OTHER ISSUES RAISED BY WELCH AND ASHWORTH
Welch and Ashworth raised several other issues in their pleadings and Motion for
Summary Judgment. Even though it is unclear from the trial court’s judgment whether
these issues had any bearing on the trial court’s ruling on the cross Motions for Summary
Judgment, Mid Pac would like to briefly address the following two issues and will
address them more thoroughly if Welch and Ashworth develop them in their Response
Brief in this appeal.
17
MARY CARTER AGREEMENT
Welch and Ashworth questioned the asset purchase transaction between Mid Pac
and Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp as being a collusive “Mary Carter Agreement”
scheme for Citigroup to enforce the Deed in Lieu instead of a legitimate business
transaction through which Mid Pac acquired the Deed in Lieu. Ms. Welch and Mr.
Ashworth produced absolutely no evidence, let alone undisputed summary judgment
evidence, to support this accusation because there is none. The undisputed evidence is
that Mid Pac acquired the Deed in Lieu from Citigroup in June of 2012 under an asset
purchase transaction.
RES JUDICATA AND ISSUE PRECLUSION
In their Amended Motion for Summary Judgment, Welch and Ashworth raised the
issue of whether the ruling in Case No. 06CV0224, Citigroup Global Realty Markets
Corp. v. Paula Welch and Clyde Ashworth, is a defense to the Mid Pac’s Motion for
Summary Judgment on the grounds of res judicata and issue prelusion. (CR 742- 744)
Although Ms. Welch and Mr. Ashworth did not produce copies of any pleadings or
orders from Case No. 06CV0224 to substantiate their contention, they referenced the
docket sheet for the case and, in particular, the ruling by the trial judge on March 28,
2008. This entry reads: “APPL FOR FORECLOSURE IS DENIED /S/JE/DS”.
As it pertained to Citigroup , Case No. 06CV0224 was a proceeding under Tex. R.
18
Civ. P. 735 and Tex. R. Civ. P. 736 which apply to foreclosures of home equity loans.
Tex.R.Civ. P. 736.9 states:
“Effect of the Order. --An order is without prejudice and has no res judicata,
collateral estoppel, estoppel by judgment, or other effect in any other judicial
proceeding. After an order is obtained, a person may proceed with the foreclosure
process under applicable law and the terms of the lien sought to be foreclosed.”
Consequently, the ruling in Case No. 06CV0224 regarding Citigroup’s attempt to
foreclose Mr. Welch’s and Ms. Ashworth’s home equity loan did not have a preclusive
effect on Mid Pac’s cause of action in this case.
OBJECTIONS TO SUMMARY JUDGMENT EVIDENCE
Mid Pac raised several objections to the affidavits that Paula Welch submitted in
support of her Motion for Summary Judgment which the trial court failed to rule on. (CR
565, 677). To the extent that these objections were to the form of Ms. Welch’s affidavits,
Mid Pac concedes that these objections were waived. Thompson v. Curtis, 127 S.W.3d
446 (Tex.App.-Dallas 2004, no pet.). However, objections to defects in the substance of
an affidavit may be may be raised for the first time on appeal. Lack of relevancy and
conclusory statements are substantive defects which can be raised on appeal. McMahan
v. Greenwood, 108 S.W.3d 467 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th Dist.] 2003, pet. denied).
RELEVANCY
Ms. Welch filed two separate affidavits in support of her Motion for Summary
Judgment (CR 211, 667). In her first affidavit (CR 211) she makes the following
19
statements:
“4. In approximately 1999, Clyde Ashworth and I applied for a home equity loan. In
around March 26, 1999, we signed all closing documents. Under those closing documents
we were supposed to get $28,045.06. See Exhibit 4, which is a true and correct copy of the
closing statement which we signed, and as was later unilaterally modified by the lender.
After we had signed the closing statement, and after the right rescission (3 days) had passed
on March 29, 1999, we went to pick up the check on March 30, 1999. At that time, I
noticed that the check was about $8,000 short of what we were supposed to get under the
original form of Exhibit 4, as we had signed it. I asked the closing agent (Stewart Title)
why the amount was short and was given no response except to contact the lender,
Ameriquest. This meeting took place at Stewart (League City) at approximately 11:00 that
day, March 30, 1999. That afternoon, I contacted Ameriquest by telephone, and they faxed
me Exhibit 4 as it presently appears, with the handwritten entries as1presently shown on
Exhibit 4, changing the settlement charges on line 103 from $15,839.13 to $11,803.13;
changing the "Payoff ' on line 104 from $226,495.81 to $239,034.83; changing the Gross
Amount due from Borrower on 4, we were supposed to get cash of $28,045.06, as indicated
on Line 303 (Cash to Borrower). Instead, Exhibit 2 was changed to read on line 303
$19,562.04, a difference of approximately $8,483.02.
5. Neither I nor my husband Clyde Ashworth ever authorized or approved in advance the
change in figures on Exhibit 4 as described above. As a result, the objective of the loan
(Paying off business partners of my husband Clyde's) was prevented, and we had to borrow
additional funds (about $5,000) from another bank.
5A. The previous lender, who was repaid with the proceeds of the loan now in dispute, was
IMC Mortgage. In year 2000, IMC Mortgage advised that it had been overpaid and that the
amount received was $148,000 in excess, so it refunded the $148,000 to the lender, i.e.,
Long Beach or its assigns. I have never gotten an account of where the $148,000 went
other than documents filed in the 122d District Court showing the credit. These facts were
related later to the various judges described below.” (CR 211 -212).
The issue in this case is whether the Deed in Lieu that Welch and Ashworth
20
executed in connection with the 2003 settlement agreement is effective to pass title to the
property at issue to Mid Pac. The litigation that led to the 2003 settlement agreement was
initiated by Welch and Ashworth and was intended to resolve the dispute that they had
over the loan.
All of the referenced excerpts from her affidavit relate to issues that Ms. Welch
had with the loan prior to her lawsuit that resulted in the 2003 settlement agreement. The
problems that Ms. Welch had with the loan prior to the 2003 settlement are not relevant
to this law suit. Therefore, paragraphs 4, 5 and 5A of her affidavit that relate to the
historical issues with the home equity loan are not proper summary judgment evidence
and should not have be considered by the trial court in ruling on the Cross Motions for
Summary Judgment.
CONCLUSORY STATEMENTS
Ms. Welch also filed a Supplementary Affidavit to support her adverse possession
claim in which she states that some of the funds that were used to pay the taxes on the
property came from a suspense account. (CR 667). These excerpts are:
Paragraph 6: “I should further note that, looking at the third column (Tax Year), taxes were
paid by me for the tax years of 1991 through 2005 (15 years) and for the tax years 1999
through 2005 (6 years). Furthermore, since 2003 (the year in which the so-called Deed in
Lieu was executed) taxes have been continuously paid through 2011 directly by me or with
funds of mine taken from a suspense account, for a period of approximately 8 years.”
Paragraph 9: “Comparing Exhibit "C” to the list of ad valorem payments, Exhibit A, it is
apparent that ASC or subsequent Mortgage Companies used the suspense account (i.e., my
money) to pay taxes on the home in question from February 10, 2006 through June
17,2011.”
Paragraph 10: “The total amount of taxes paid out of the suspense account (i.e., my
money in the possession of a servicing agent) are as follows:
21
Date of Pmt Amt. of Payment TX year Total
2006-02-10 $2,977.30 2005 2,977.30
2007-01-02 $2,883.83 2006 $5,861.13
2007-12-19 $2,827.94 2007 $8,689.07
2008- 12-31 $2,820.81 2008 $11,509.88
2009-01-05 (2,820.81) 2008 8,689.07
(reversal)
2011-04-27 $5,373.61 2010 $14,062.68”
(2009)
Affidavit: 12: “Thus, of the 26,089.57 held in suspense, $14,062.68 has been applied to
taxes. I have never received an accounting of the remaining monies, i.e.,
A statement is conclusory if it does not provide facts to support it. Brown v.
Brown, 145 S.W.3d 745 (Tex.App. – Dallas 2004). All of these statements by Ms. Welch
that any funds that were used to pay the taxes were paid from funds in a suspense account
held by one of the servicers for the loan and that the suspense account funds were hers
are conclusory. There are no facts in her affidavit explaining what a “suspense account”
is, why it was created, where the funds came from that were supposedly in the suspense
account or that funds used in the suspense account were used to pay the taxes. Ms. Welch
assumes that because she received a letter dated 2004 from a loan servicer named ASC
which referred to a suspense account, the funds in that account were used to pay the
taxes. (CR 668). None Ms. Welch’s above referenced conclusory statements relating to
the suspense account funds being hers or that they were used to pay the taxes on the
property should be considered competent summary judgment evidence.
22
DEFAULT JUDGMENT AGAINST WELLS FARGO
Mid Pac filed an Amended Motion for a Default judgment against Wells Fargo on
the grounds that Wells Fargo had not appeared or filed an answer in the suit and against
Citigroup by virtue of the disclaimer it filed. (CR 759) The trial court granted the motion
and entered an order stating that neither Wells Fargo nor Citigroup had any interest in the
property at issue. (CR 799).
However, in the Amended Final Judgment, the trial court stated that Mid Pac’s
Amended Motion for Default was granted only against Citigroup and that only Citigroup
(instead of both Citigroup and Wells Fargo) had “no right, title or interest” in the property
or Deed in Lieu at issue in the suit. There is no explanation or reason in the trial court
record why the trial court’s Final Amended Judgment should not have been consistent
with its Order Granting Mid Pac’s Amended Motion for Default in cutting off Wells
Fargo’s rights in the property and Deed in Lieu just as Citigroup’s were. Mid Pac
requests that the case be remanded to the trial court enter a final judgment that is
consistent with its Order granting Mid Pac’s Motion for Default against Wells Fargo and
Citigroup.
ATTORNEY FEES AND COSTS
The trial court awarded the Welch and Ashworth $5,208 in legal fees and court
costs under Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 37.009 in the Amended Final Judgment.
When a declaratory judgment is reversed on appeal, the award of attorneys' fees may no
23
longer be “equitable and just” as required is under §37.009 and the issue of whether to
award attorneys' fees and costs, and to whom, can be remanded to the trial court for
further proceedings. Harbor Ventures, Inc. v. Dalton, 2012 Tex. App. LEXIS 4009, (Tex.
App. Austin 2012). Since Mid Pac contends that the trial court erred in granting Welch
and Ashworth’s Motion for Summary Judgment and denying its Motion for Summary
Judgment, if this Court reverses the trial court’s judgment, the trial court should be
directed to reconsider the portion of its judgment awarding attorney fees and costs to
Welch and Ashworth.
CONCLUSION AND PRAYER
Appellant Mid Pac Portfolio requests that the Court reverse the trial court’s
judgment and render judgment for Mid Pac by denying the Appellee Welch and
Ashworth’s Motion for Summary Judgment and granting Mid Pac’s Motion for Summary
Judgement, award the costs of this appeal to Mid Pac and remand the case to the trial
court to determine whether any of the parties should be awarded reasonable attorney fees
and court costs at the trial court level pursuant to Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 37.009.
Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Michael Burns
State Bar No. 03447980
P.O. Box 992
Allen, Texas 75013
Phone: (214) 354-1667
ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT
24
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that a copy of the above and foregoing pleading was accomplished
on the July 21, 2015 by the method and to the following as indicated:
Mark W. Stevens
P.O. Box 8118
Galveston, Texas 77553
E-mail: markwandstev@sbcglobal.net
/s/ Michael Burns
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
I hereby certify that this document was produced on a computer using Microsoft
Word 2013 and contains 6628 words, as determined by the computer software’s word-
count function excluding the sections of the document listed in Texas Rule of Appellate
Procedure 9.4(i)(1).
/s/ Michael Burns
25
APPENDIX
Record Pages
Amended Final Judgment in Case No. 13-CV-
0422…………………………………………………………………… CR 356-358
2003 Settlement Agreement …………………………………………. CR 236- 251
Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure …………………………………………. CR 182-186
Citigroup Stipulation…………………………………………………. CR 115-116
26
842
843
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•
COMPROMISE. Af"«) SETT{£MEl'fT ACREEMENT AND R£l:USe:
•
This COMPROMISE AND SEnLEMENT AGREEMENT AND RElEASE (betein,ftcc
,efm-ed to u lhe "A~nl'') is.made UId trote:ted into effective lIS of MIIrth 14, 2(W;n; by and
betWl:Cn P1alntifTSl'CCMItIICI"-Dderdzrlls CI)'de Ashwonh aod hul. Welch (bqeinalttfrtfemd 10 u
~ASAWOR1lI AND WELCH')1nCS De~tf· Plailltitr LONG BEAOf MOR.TGAGE
COMP...,.,.... bmcd,. W'I fINANCING USA (bcrc.inaftu rd"c:rnd to IS. "LONG B£ACHi-
WHEREAS, ASHWORTH AND WEl..O{ brovgbtlWt ~ LONG·BEACH, in the 56th
Judici.1 Oi:strict Coan of Galveil:aa Couo.ty, Tuu. bcari:lg CIusc: No. OO-CV.0409 CIltidd C1yd~
~ IImI P WELCH
eorrc:sponoenl lender WI mi;hl be inl'Olvcd if! VI)' sueh tefin~nc;ng. ICI eovnsc:1 ror LONG
BEACH. COIlnse1 for tONG BEAOf wil] lben nOliCy coonse.! ror ASHWORTH AND WELCH
by f.uimilc traosmiuWn. no !alel tban ~ () busiDf:u da)'S alia- rucivin, lhe faaimite .
u-amrnis:oicm Iforn ASHWORTH AND W"£.LOrS covnsd. infixmation U 10 ~· any nx:h
milies arc: II{JiJiased 'fII'ilh LONG BEAOf ·Of iavo]YCd in .1. coaapon6elJ1 lcadin, rdatiollShip
. with LONG BEACH or its affilillhs with fUpUllo Illy sl6Ch rdinancinC 10 LONG BEACH'S
knowledge or information.
2. ASHWORTH AND WELCH asne thaI CC?lJ\'c:mporMl£OU~y upon their txCiCulion
or thil AgrHmalt, they win c::r;c.tWe Jnd provide I Dc:cd in Lieu of Foru~ in the form
Iltac:hr;d u E.dubit A hereto lad incorpantcd huc:in by rd",encc. 10 tbc botdef of !he Tau
Home Equity Sc:a:rity (Il5trumenl (the MDI=d orTruslj to be hdd in escro ..... by LONG B£..-\01.
ASHWORTH AND WELCH IS"'C' thlllhW" coucsc:l ....iII said 10 LONG BEACH'S eounuJ via
OVemichl delivery the origilllUy A~ Deed ill Lieu.·ofForeeIO$Uft': af\er er:~tioo! or urae by
ASHWORTH AND WELCH, ror de~e:y!he. first b~.ay after uccution of DIlle.
1. ASHWOR·m AND WELCH and LONG BEACH lDfemand and ~ Ih.- tbe
lenn "100% OF TIlE FULL AMOUNT OWED ON THJ:: HOME EQUITY LOAN.M wbidl lo:rrD
will be set forth hen:inaftet" thrtIlIg.out ws Ap-oemetIt. InI:IIl't$ 1000.4 oflhe full amcnllll owed on
the Home Eqully ~. as shown on Ihr: I~ pIIygfT talea'\1:Qt U:sued by LONG BEACH or irs
.!liIi.IEI a:i Clr thc. date- paymenl i. received by LONG BEACH, which iiKludu lbe prioc.ipaJ
balaoce, U(;med in(erest, late charles. Reovtrahlo b"'~ aoy uatlW Idv~ p.)'Orr
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p:rymenl is rec:eiYed by LONG BEACf-l
•
4. ASHWORnt AND ~.~ 10 refinance by lhc end oflbe 9O-DaY-Pe:riod
set forth in pan.~ I tbo-ve 100% OF THE RJLL AMOUNT OWED ON THE HOME
EQUITY LOAN. ASHWORTH AND WEte;H aebIaw~g~ that tbey previously ..... ere:
pwv;dcd willi infonnllion &S 10 'oYtIat ~pri~ Ck.b of Ih= ~ of 100% OF THE
FULL AMOUNT OWED ON THE HOME EQUITY LOAN: ASHWORTH AND WELCH
. .
uodc:rstand and ,get: ItAl ~e will be no c:o~tq: Dn lbe &11 amoaBt doc and owed on lbe
HOIn$ Equity Loan.u ortbe: dale: pa)m!Zll isn:cc:ivtd by LONG BEAOL
,. In IlH: cvmt ....SHWORTIi AND WELCH oblllin tdiDancln, DC Ie$J tbllll 100%
OF nm FULL AMOUNT OWED ON 1HE HOME EQUITY LOAN". ASHWORTH AND
WELaf .cree 10 pay in ~r~ nDWI5 on !he d.I~ of ~g the: rViuaneinl oC the Home
Eqoiry Loan. the diffcteot;c ~ 100"-' Of TIlE fULL. AMOUNT. OwED ON 1lIE H0M;E
EQUITY LOAN IIXllhe ItQO\IIlII of lhe Hoene Eqairy Lolllll tAai ASHWORm AND WELCH
6. In the: a.i'«1l..ivc, if ASHWORTH ANt) WELCH do DOl obtaip re:Maaei,!' orille
Home Equ;,;y l.Mft. ASHWORTIl AND WELCH IJrU: ~ pay by th:: end oflhe 9O-D.y·Pcriod
tow. OF THE fULL AMOUNT OWED ON THE ROME EQUITY LOAN.
ill oertified filPds
ASHWORnt AND WELOI widemaocl and Igrec:!hal rbere .... mbe: 00 COII))fWQis:cs on Ibe c,n
I.mOUftI due md owed on !he Home Equity f..Nn &S of !be dale p&)UICfII is: received by LONG
..... CH.
I 1. If ~I Iblr en1 of dJc 9O-Day-l"eriod LONG BEACH is r)OI: pailS 100"10. OF THE.
I FVLL AMOI..INT OWED ON THE HOME EQUITY WAN thtoulb ASHWORTH AND
i WELCH'S &11 or partial ~"ro...c;:nc .(jf lhe H,,,ne Eqwty Lou lnCVoc .ASHWORTH AND
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WELCH luivc nol paid 100% OF THE FUU AMOUNT C?WED ON' THE HOME EQUITY
LOAN. ASHWORTH AND WELCH "vee ttw the: Deed in LiCII ofFOf«;1osun: ..,ill be; relcucd
!Tom escrow, lnd !he holder of the Deed orTrvst";lI tUe lille 10 IIJ1d poS$e:nion or,lle Property
wilbow. ajudicial foredocun: ~1Ig. 0', in the "ttenQlive and ~ iu opIion. the hvldcr orthe.
Deed of Trust rcWllS the rip to judicially foredo" on the Property and puBIWIIIO thu richt.
un judi<:RJly roru:lO$e ' on !he Propmy. ASHWORlH· .\ND ' WELCH agre" 10 vacate the
Pitlpnty Iry the md orthe ~,..pt:riod., which u by 5:00 pm. 011 Thwsdar. Jlme 19,2003. if
1000-' OF TIre FUll AMOUNT OWED ON TIfE HOME EQUITY WAN has no!: been paid
ill filII by Ibat date (ather by a rc.linlnte andfOf" wilh ASHWORTH AND waal's I;/III'!I
r~). ASHWORT1f AND WEUl{ fVrthtr agee: M llO c:Bmmif wute: on me Proper!)' or
cop~ in my.as lhu would intpair Illk to !be Propertyor!he vallie of Ute Pn:Ipcrty.
3. LONG BeACR -sr- 10 p,ay ASHWORTH AND WELCH the: slim or
TWENTY rnOVSAND.AND 0(1(100 OOUARS (SlO,CIOO.OO)tc:n (IO) b = - days .. tter!be
date ASHWORTH AND WELCH pay lOW. OF THE" FUlL AMOUNT OWED ON l1iE
HOME EQUTn' LOAN. HOWEVER. iCa11bc end.orlb.: 9Q-Day·Pcriod 100% OF THE FULL
AMOUNT OWED' ON THE HOME EQUITY LOAN lIM nol been paid in full 10 LONG
BEACH. L~NG BEACE:J ",11 PlY ASHwORrn AND WELCH the n1m of fIFTEEN
rnOUSAND AND (1)'100 DOlLA.RS (515,000.00) teD (10) b....inUJ days Lftc:r the Qld ordl~
9O-Dty-Pcriod, as long as .ASHWORtH AND W£LClf hay", ~Iod Ita: Propcny. as
ASHWORTH AND. W£LOf Ul"C aped in panCf¢ 7 or Ihis I\&TcemQlL
~. ASHwo~rn AND WELCH agree thai. LONG BEACH'S eounsd hu provided
ASHWORTH AND weta-c's ~I with a ~ "'irI, that W .NG BEACH ad
W~on M"lUal bY<: ~uet:led .11 credit buraus- 10 wnicll LONG BEAOi ~ Wuhintton
lIIuI\W Blink. F.A.. n:pon 10 n:movc any ... rneacc III 1"ora:1o"..e from A.SHWORTH AND
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WELCH'S er~t reports.
• •
ASHWORTH AND WELCH agree lhac the lett« from tONG
SeACH'S counsel regardin! the dch::tio~ of~lOfeclosw-t~ ~g will nor boI: UKd It lily Icpt
proce:cdinl by ASHWORTH AND WELCH qaWst toNG BEAct:t or any entity Irrilated .... ith
LONG BEAQI, ASHwoam AND WElCH agree tN.1 the leUQ' trom LONG BEACH'S
SlO·o.y-Period; if th .. bol.dou oftht: Deed o(Tnua c lects to judiciall), ronclos.c.;It the end of Ihc
9O·D.,..Pcriod as sec forth in ~ppft 1.bovt. '(orec:loswrc' `` for that ronclos\lR:~)'
be made. ASHWOR!H AND WELCH I~ that lICithc:r LONG BEACH nor its afliliates are Ol'"
will bcresponsible foe ~ credit bunzt's dccisioa toTemcnoe, or DOt ~cmovo. sUd rcrrf~
10. ASHWORTH AND ~ 'cree 10 di.lmis.s aD Ibci~ cWlns. ill 1!xU m~
with ~ in Ibc Lawsuit b)' 5:00 pm. CcNral StandCd T_ OQ MMCh 21, 2003, LONG
~EACH apes to dismis5 ilf dUDs' for bud, fnlJduJmt i~l. conversion, AnCtiom. and
the Atin (jump $tnuu Raurz It. Feld UP~' r_ iDo..lm:IIiI iDlhc Lall"aUI wilh prqudice
l,pill$! ASHWORTH AND WELOf wlth tapcd io!be ~c Equity Loan by 5:00 pm. CtJml
$landud Time on Mardi 2 1, 2003, irthis AIJCcmCnl aad \he Deed in Lieu orFom:loJV~ have
be::n e;(=~ by ASHWORTH ,AND WELCH and roecived. by LONC BEAQI'S eINI\Jc! b)'
that lime and dill!. LONG BEACH wiU diRl'liu its claims for!JrtaCh ofconlTlCt with pntiudic:..i
~P.ilUI ASHWORTH AND weLCH wilb rapcct to the HoDic eqlliry Loan 01\ !he dale !hat (l)
LON(; BEA~ U paid 100% OF nm fVLL AMOVNT OWED ON THE H~E EQUITY
WAH; (2) !be bolckl- of tbec Deed o(Tru$l COOIpIcte; its judicial (om:Iosun: 011 Ihe ~y It
. .
iu optioa; or (3) !he !ked in lial of For=loIur-e is rduscd &ocn escrow IlId tile holder" or the
beed o( Tr"I#! t.Ices tilk 10 .nd: pt"' 'M o(!h. Property without I jud'oci'l proo;edute II. iu
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\1.
•
Provided ASHWORTH AND WELCK and LONG BEACH exeCtlle
• lhi~
"~ent by s :oo p..rn. on March 21. 2OOJ. and IIPO'- fuJI e.o:c:cution or Ihis Asro:nnent.
"SHWORTH AND WELCH Mly rclea$D. \Qivc. discblfJe.. (O~ acquit, nd etl'VCrW\t not to
AIe.n)' and , II past. prc:scu!. wi ~cnlilit:s.,.d penoM rdllled 10 or .aiUalcd.n1h LONG
BEACH inclvcl.ins. but not lu,ulcd 10, LONG BEACH -=I iIIll past. ptUent. Load fuhI~ paralt
eorpon.tions., subsidi~ ~ions. ~ pfedc:ttuors. affiliated torporUions. offiecu.
dira:;son. employe". sb:udIol6en, aps.. auGnlC)'s. re~ti ...c:s. insureu, amps., pvtnen.,
and ~ Uld .. 1 pcnons, M111nl or ~ ill privity with Ihefn. &om any W In
pu&.. pn:.scnl. 01' N~ eI.titns. ~ and d.amaets. bowr:t or uiIlcnowo. ~a:S or
IInsuJpeded. wising out o( 01' rdIiai in lilY ..ay to !he HOIDe' Equity £.om at iuue. the
origination II.t'Id 5CfVitil1t of tbc: Rome. E'qIriIJ loaD. lhe Tau Horne Equit)' Note cblcd as of
MalclI 26. 1999 {the: '"Narc}. th.= Deed Df"{lUSl" any CorecloSln procudlnp. tile TWl$lClioAS.
!he "Property, any «edit rc:portir« ~ Ibc Home Equity l..oaft. any of the c:Jaim s« forth
or wbic:b collid h .... O' ben set (onh ill the Lawsuit, ·md ....y 0(1he r.cts IInc1 matten" opon whith
the: claims and ~ Uwsu!t "III'm based. Provided ASHWOltIH ANI> WEt.CH and LONG
BEACH CXc:Ql\C tbis ~by 5:00p.m. oa M:lfCh21, 200J. UKl ~ iuD cxCClltoo orlhis
Atfl:t:ment. WNG BEACH will !'IInytdQJ&, waifto d.iscIIargc. ~YQ" aeqllit. and COVU\lft not .
10 we ASHWORTH AND WELOf. It« a~ ~e)'S. reprcscnutivcs. uda.mplS. m4 all
cPil1l5, coarrovetSies, md ~ nWA or untnawn. ~ Qf \I1I.uspcctcd. .trisin, OIIt o(
or reWed in any way to tho ell:hns Kl forth in the laww:it foe- bud. tta.dulmr ~nl,
!be lrwsmt with n:sped 10 Iba Home f:qaily LoltL. The hn:i.cs II;)- dlil A&ru:r.xnt bcJapy
.C1>pm:sly .:knowrcd&e _ consmt WI die rdQsc:J.~. waive"$, 1ICqIitlab. azict 00"tCI.uts
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injuty, ~ dilm'Sc:s.· sWutoty ~ c::ttmJWy ~ pJnitivc ~ ~
dZllllgt:J &ou!# pursuBII to WI, fedenl. stale Of IoctII.ws,:1I1d lOt damagtS Qfwlutcva tiDd Of
chIIraeI~, ~ pas!. (II" AlNt: ~Icd bdJnI .. y tribuaal iocIlICIUia faknl. sw.; and
bmblIpky t;:OUttJ aM NrJ ~ age:rq, wbii::h'" Parties auynow have, hllve had in the
pl5t.or hcR"do::r ~ lia'f'CarisiDIourorlhenuncn~bylhisA~t. HOWEV£R, fie
p~ expressly I!:I"CC tfw ncchirtJ hmin RaIl tebse. ~HWORTH AND WELCH fi"orn tile ·
Home Equit)" louI.. ASHWORTH AND WELCH'S ·ob1iptionc under- !he. NQ(e and Deed of
Tra `` to !he lfoIne Eqaily l.om,. and. LONG BEACH"S clllm$ b" bt:=acb o[coattxl.
Ipin1t ASHWORnI AND WELCH. until the dIle ~ (I) LDNG BEAOf i5 paid 100% OF
THE FULL AMOUNT OWED ONTRE HOME EQUITY LOAN; (2) lht bctlib of!he.Dced of
T~ completu its judietlJ fbRclOlll.re on tbc P'rope:t)' II its option; or (1) the Deed in ·Ueu of
tNt natblng t.cmn shall ~Ieuc,. II its option, the ript of the bolder- of !be l)c,ed orTna" 10
judici2lly ro«:cbsc= 1m Ihf; P!openy,.1 tllc end of the 9O-DIY-Period as set tbnh in l)lng1ph 7
lbove.
12. ASHWORTIf AND WELCH affum tbc validity of (be Home Equit)' Loari, tile
A"........
. 14. ASHWORTH ANn·WELCH .~ tfiaI ibe:y ":"ill "be:- .y IIOd -'I cost. of
reIi~ns: the Rorne Equity Loan..
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PWlUBt to ltv: dlllil::S sd fonh in ~$.ApumcrII or ~1Jt &/Iybreach ofillis Apement.
16. It is Iiutbet vndtntood and •.,-=d tbas pursuant ID p~ 10 above,
ASHWORnl.AND WELOi will appcQV8andjoinill~iA&1o ikCoult in wbidallK Lawsuit
is pQ"dill3 an Apeo::d Monon and Ord=r DC OUmisnl with l'reju4itt.. ~"wi'Ih prejadicc an
claims in theit" tntin:ty !m:U,lcI"A- by ASKWOR'l." .AND WELQ{ apiDst LONG BEACH it! thE
t-S!oIit and aU cbiln5 btOIIs,tt by LONG BEAOf apinG ASHWORTH .vm WELCH for-6ud.. .
• ~. feu inaJm:d in the Lawsuit witb I"Up:CI to the- HOJDC l!q\ity 1oJn. .wi wittl costs of
UIWl 1Ad.~' fees {;Q;CIIf Ipinst Ibr:patties: ineurrinlwne.
11. ASBWOltTIf .-fo.ND WELCti (b. Mrdty Iiznbet ~· and MmDt IhIr" U"ct:p:
a set forth in ~ II below, 00 other person Of altity has or hal; b.d ~ ioI:oests in the
claim.. ~ oblipdvn$. or ~ of Klion rdwod ben:!. Ind 1M ASHWORTH AND
wa.ot have- the $Ole rigN mel cz.c\Li$i"n auIborily \0 ecealle W. "'~I ;aocl r=oM: flrit"
claims., if UI)'. ~ LONG BEACH; a.od dIM ASKWORrn .AND WELCH h&~ not sold.
_gna1. transfemd. co~ or 0Ihawisc ~ or _y DC ~ clainD, danaJ)ds, obliptions. Of"
C3I1SCS of Krion Ideucd bemn.
18. ASHW~l"H AND WEI.£H c::lpI"CSSI)' repn:smt mel ...-.nnl thas 1bcir ~
G . " . lid)', m. lerome 0.. F"Jdd,. -t HaId'l ok Iabos. lii0i)' haw: or I!"Y bave bd ~ ill he
d.alnu, demands. obli~ _ eauJCS oC ~ n:b&od .ben:in; ibM ASHWORTH AND
WEt..CH ,.~ \ht :I01e ris:bl aod a;~usiYe mhoriI'I 10 c:II~ lIliE ~I u:d ~ Iho:
claims. demands., obliptionr.. ~d. ~ olldioa rek:ltScd herein: an! IbII ASHWORTH AND
·WELCH have. DOt otbc:rwise sokf, assipod.lI"IIISIi:m:d. can.... yod or dispo.cd gCanyoCIbt claims.
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bold Iwndcu LONG BEACH and mil and .11 of its Umnncc f.AIria1, ~ _Jell!', XfVXIIs.
employees, usi~, pJltnta, ~ips. ~ives. otrlCClS, dir=on, shartfto/den,
SlIc:a:sson. ~ sub$kiiary COIpOl1KiotIs, atfiliak: oorpontioas. abd partnl ~
\OgeIhef with Mrf such persons' or mtitia' ~ ~ o~ diredOtS, tn'fIlCI)CCS.
iltt«DC)1I. -JC'llS, R:pteSCn1IIdwes., auiJIl" and shxehoIdm, &'O!n ..y liabilityw claim o(ti.bWry
ro.- ASHWORnl AND WEl.CH'S ~' rea wisUIa Id or tac: InIItar$ rdC8:llld hen:itI.
whether the AIDe be DOW blown ofn:aJizcd. and &I:uI:II1y liabililyorcl.lim oflilbilify fw breach of
their ~ md warnmies cec I'ortb.in Ihi5 Ap'tcmmt
19. ASHWORTH AND W'ELCH and. LONG B.EAOI do henby Iluth« repn::smla
~ tbai they ~ have ~ witb Ibcirown ~ repnlina Ihcri~ ofilipion"
~ve ~ into lila Agru:mmto!their awn he wiD UId ItUIfd and in ....-nd...xe"';!h Ihc:ir".,..
jlldpncnt alI:ft' rew:lint the tnrirdy of tlUs ADftmcnl. and after fiaH coosultation wiCb Ihdr
tttome)'S. and tbey do hereby .ffirm undc:r oath ~ tbc:Y have not been indlIad to erucr ioto Ujs
I+.grtcolCIII. byany~ancm. XC or~ oranykind OId1uaetct, tte:epl &$ txprtS:S!yset
forth herein. OIl. It1c ~ oftbe P'1ltitf or 011 !he pm of I.he hrtIC$' IUome)'f. qaIIS. =-1:1"
~ ~ or~1iva. By !he ~ oflbis ~ ASHWORrn Nfl)
WELCH _ LONG BEACK ..:tnowkdae ~ to !he' o:;J;kIIt HIt forth ha-cin, ;f is Ibcir iM::nIioa ti:t
nzsopeded, Of realized and thai: ItJeybncoot bo= com;:cd in v.y warto ~ct into dliJApcmcu.
.20. ASHWORtH AlID WELC1f idcno",lccIp md _gee thai tlIis A~ iI a
~ &ettltrnenI ofd.ispalcd danu, and rrotbinI ~ shall ~ not sh.Il it be
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WNG BEAOf, all fllbility, hull, ~d r~ lj l)'!:Iei,,! expre$Sly denied..
•
21 . If is ~y undcntoOd and ~ by the Parties ItZ the I.IInn$ or this AlfClCmenl
Ire ~ and fI!'( merdy n::ciQ.ls lid thai the Idc:ascs u set forth bc:reln shall not open" 10
rc:kasc!he. Parties &on:! tbeir duDes 01" obtip1ioo.s ~ .10Mb iD dis Ap.:emCllt. fllMc:r, if~,. pifty
to ali1: ~ is ~ 10 onro.a ItDr ~ wIIidt the Parties .~ is- enbtc:c:able. by
kpl. 1Cti0lt or OI~ ~ pc1y c:n/"on:ial INS A~I 5haIl be c:nti:dcd to RCO"Wa" its
allomtyS' rees...eosts..-I Q"PCAU$ rrw. Iht brShing pxt)'. The Partier fit:rtbct ap !hat am,
~ maybe plcaiXd ... oompl*d.r.n.o to.. mil U$ed!lli thelnsis lOr loll iljwcticln qUm.
any ICIion, suit, orotha-proec:cdilll bacdoo.tIIims rek&sc:d. by this A~
22. ni. ~ contains lh.aJtirc ~l with mpcet 10 mc$Sl:~sct I'onIl
hetein bdwoea tM PJric:s,.. This Ag:rI:snocnt embodies, indudes.. ma-ges ~ iatqnlcs II' ~
priOl" ~ curn:nt agm:mcII~ arxI "!IIIdenbodiAp berween ASHWOltTlt AND WELCH Md tONG
BEACH. and this Aa;rttma:It may not be modltied, chq:cd, 01" arncnde:d acc:pt in ,,"liD, aod.
sipod by ASHWOR.1"HANI) WEl..Q{aod LONG BEAOl
23. 10 ..sdition II;) Il)e IdS rc:ci1IId in thii Agrmnent 10 be pet"rormed. by !he PIlIies. Ihc:
Puties .-= 10 pcdOI:ll\ or t;.mSIC ID be perlOrrocd. OIl or .JW the execution or 1hi5.~ my
and. aJl _11 Mthcr". ..a.; as 111<1)' bI reiIIIDIlEJ. _~_fW«) AND S£AL Of omcr l1li, ~7 of
",$:r;--I
I
I
,
i
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14 Page 50 of 66
ST "Tf OF TEXAS
COUNTY Of. B/TZheJ·o
•I
•
BUORE ME. IbM Wl4QSSpcd ~y ~ GIl ~ ~) pa'SClDIoIIy -.ppurod clYDE' ; ..; .
ASHWoanf, booVIIOVQlll! &0 _ _ pe.-. wbose..- `` IOl>oe"fDr`` ••
He >C.Iaoowlcdtcd II:! . . _ ho:: ~ ' Ibc ~ iPslNllCPl !of the PlIIl*n InII
~_ expmscd iIIw 1Dn:aoI>/ooay)
i
I·
.
CC»1rt.01«t5l: ~D ~ MOII'1'kI1'f1' AND t$UAJI - ..... 15
. _ - - - - - .._----_ _. ... 251
III1I1IIIIII1 • PGS
2IIJeI5S26
DEED IN LIEU OF FORECLOSURE
Date: March 21 , 2003
Grantor: PAULA A. WELCH AKA PAULA ANN WELCH
AND HUSBAND, CLYDE ALLEN ASHWORTH
Grantor's Mailing Address:
1625 Avenue L
Santa Fe, Texas 775 10
Grantee: WELLS FARGO BANK MINNESOTA, NA. fonnerly known as NORWEST
BANK MINNESOTA, NA, as Trustee for Salomon Brothers Mortgage Securities
VII, Inc., Floating Rate Mortgage Pass Through Certificales, series 1999-LBI
Grantee's Mailing Address:
Sixth Street & Marquette Avenue
Mirmeapolis, Minnesota 55479
Note: Texas Home Equity Note dated March 26, 1999 in the principal amount of Two Hundred
Seventy Thousand Four Hundred Dollars ($270,400.00) bearing interest as stated therein,
executed by PAULA A. WELCH AKA PAULA ANN WELCH AND HUSBAND, CLYDE
ALLEN ASHWORTH, and payable to the order of LONG BEACH MORTGAGE COMPANY
DBA FINANCING USA, a Delaware Corporation.
Security Instrument: Texas Home Equity Security Instrument, dated March 26, 1999, executed
by PAULA A. WELCH AKA PAULA ANN WELCH AND HUSBAND, CLYDE ALLEN
ASHWORTH to FRANK J. CURRY Trustee, securing the payment of the above referenced
Note. Said Security Instrument filed for record in the office of the County Clerk of Galveston
County, Texas on April I, 1999 under Clerk's File No. 9915359.
Said Security Instrument having been assigned to NOR WEST BANK MINNESOTA,
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, by instrument dated April 2, 1999.
Consideration: TEN AND NOl i 00 DOLLARS (SIO.OO) and further the release of Grantor
from all liability for the indebtedness and obligations under the Note and Security Instrument,
except that no release is given of any liens or warranties of title and further except that the
indebtedness under the Note is not canceled or extinguished.
Property Legal Description: Lot One Hundred (100) ofTHAMAN' S FIRST SUBDIVISION
in Ihe East !.4 of the Mary Austin League, located in Galveston County, Texas, according to the
map Of plat thCfc:of re<;orded in Volume 23 1, Page 6, in the office of the County C lerk of
Galveston County, Texas.
EXHIBIT IIIB"
182
Exceptions to Conveyance and Warranty: The liens described in this deed and the exceptions
to conveyance and warranty in the Security Instrument.
Grantor, for the Consideration and subject to the Exceptions to Conveyance and
Warranty, grants, sells, and conveys to Grantee the Property, together with all and singular the
rights and appurtenances thereto in any way belonging, to have and to hold it to Grantee and
Grantee's heirs, successors, and assigns forever. Grantor binds Grantor and Grantor's heirs and
successors to warrant and forever defend all and singular the Property to Grantee and Grantee's
heirs, successors, and assigns against every person whomsoever lawfully claiming or to claim the
same or any part hereof, except as to the Exceptions to Conveyance and Warranty.
Conveyance in Lieu of Foreclosure. This deed and the conveyances being made are
executed, delivered. and accepted in lieu of foreclosure and will be interpreted and construed the
same as a foreclosure of the liens and as an absolute conveyance to Grantee of all right., title, and
interest in and to the Property, including specifically but without limitation any equity or rights
of redemption of Grantor in or to the Property.
Continuing Nature of Lien. Notwithstanding the release of Grantor from all liability for
the indebtedness and obligations under the Note and Security Instnunent, the indebtedness has
not been canceled or extinguished and the Property continues to be subject to the perfonnance of
the obligations under the Security Instrument. The Security Instrument lien is not released or
relinquished in any manner, and the indebtedness, obligations, and lien will remain valid and
continuous and in full force and effect, unless and until the indebtedness, obligations, and liens
are expressly released by written instrument executed and delivered by the holder thereof:, at the
holder's sole discretion.
Nonmerger. Neither Grantor nor Grantee intend that there be, and there will never be, a
merger of the Security Instrument lien with the fee simple title or any other interest of Grantee in
the Property by virtue of this conveyance, and the parties expressly provide that any interest in
the Security Instrument Hen and fee simple title wlll be and remain at all times separate and
distinct.
2
183
tfl
<.
,. jS
1be foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me on ~ of/l1nl,. ,.
2003, by CLYDE ALLEN ASHWORTH •
[SEAL]
My Commi,.;"...pi..., 4-/10 I4
D
Printed Name of Notary
4
'.
· ,,',, ,
· ...:
"
185
STATE OF California )
)ss;
COUNTY OF Los Angeles )
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this 14th day of November,
2003, by George Cooksey, First Vice President oeLong Beach Mortgage Company. the attorney
in fact of Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, NA, on behalf ofWell ~ Fargo Bank Minnesota, NA,
formerly known as NOIWest Bank Minnesota, NA, as Trustee for Salomon Brothers Mortgage
Securities VII, Inc., Floating Rate Mortgage Pass Through Certificates, series 1999·LBI.
California
My Commission ex:pires:S;·~t ,-;00, 9