residential mortgage backed securities

Judge Mostly Denies Deutsche Bank National Trust Co.’s Motion to Dismiss in RMBS Class Action

On February 3, Judge Alison Nathan of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York largely denied Deutsche Bank National Trust Co.’s (the “Trustee’s”) motion to dismiss in a proposed class action brought by Royal Park Investments SA/NV over $3.1 billion in losses in residential mortgage-backed securities.  Royal Park alleged that the Trustee failed to require the loan sellers to repurchase or substitute loans when it became aware that the underlying mortgages were defaulting.  Judge Nathan rejected the Trustee’s argument that Royal Park failed to make a written demand to initiate a repurchase action as required in the trusts’ pooling and service agreements, holding that the Trustee had an obligation to provide notice to the other parties when it independently discovered breaches of representations and warranties.  Judge Nathan did, however, dismiss Royal Park’s derivative claims on behalf of 10 trusts that held the loans because the suit was direct rather than derivative in nature.  Order.

Morgan Stanley Reaches Agreement to End DOJ Investigation into MBS Deals

On February 25, 2015, Morgan Stanley announced that it reached an agreement in principle with the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Califoirnia, Civil Division (collectively, the “Civil Division”) to resolve claims that the Civil Division intended to bring against Morgan Stanley related to residential mortgage-backed securities.  As part of the settlement, Morgan Stanley agreed to pay the Civil Division $2.6 billion.  The exact nature of the resolved claims and additional terms of the settlement agreement were not specified.  8-K.

New York Lawmakers Schedule Hearing Regarding Representations and Warranties Made by Mortgage Originators on Residential Mortgage Backed Securities

The New York State Assembly recently scheduled a public hearing to investigate representations and warranties made by mortgage originators and other financial institutions concerning residential mortgage backed securities and other securitized debt transactions. During the hearing, the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Insurance will elicit testimony regarding claimed misrepresentations and the impact of those claimed misrepresentations on monoline insurers and other third parties. The Committee will also consider whether legislation is needed to protect third parties who insured or have direct exposure to RMBS. The hearing is scheduled for February 16, 2011. Persons wishing to be heard at the hearing have until February 9 to submit the Public Hearing Reply Form. Notice of Public Hearing and Public Hearing Reply Form.