On October 21, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) extended a policy allowing certain single-family mortgages in forbearance to be delivered to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for borrowers who sought payment forbearance due to the impact of COVID-19 shortly after closing on their single-family loan. Normally, mortgage loans in either forbearance or delinquency are ineligible for delivery. The policy was extended for loans originated through November 30, 2020. Release.
On April 2, 2015, plaintiffs BNP Paribas Mortgage Corporation and BNP Paribas and defendant Bank of America filed a Joint Stipulation of Dismissal with Prejudice stating that both parties had reached an agreement to settle claims arising out of Bank of America’s handling of $480.7 million worth of mortgage-backed notes issued by Taylor Bean and Whitaker’s Ocala Funding LLC. Plaintiffs Complaint alleged that Bank of America, which served as agent, custodian, depositor, and Indentured Trustee of the Ocala facility, failed to live up to its contractual obligations to secure and protect the cash and mortgage loans collateralizing the notes. The details of the settlement are not yet public. Joint Stipulation.
On October 10, the Bank of New York Mellon, suing as trustee for the J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Trust, Series 2006-WMC3 trust, filed a summons with notice in the Supreme Court for the State of New York against WMC Mortgage LLC, J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Corp., and JPMorgan Chase Bank. The trustee alleges that the defendants breached contractual representations and warranties and discovered such breaches during origination, due diligence, and servicing of the loans, but failed to adhere to their notice and repurchase obligations with respect to at least 334 of mortgage loans in the $959 million RMBS trust. Bank of New York Mellon also asserts that JPMorgan Chase Bank, as servicer, breached its servicing obligations through, among other things, ineffective collection activities, delays in foreclosure, and improper modifications. The trustee seeks damages of no less than $475 million related to the alleged contractual breaches, rescissory damages, an order of specific performance of repurchase, reimbursement of expenses, and pre- and post-judgment interest. Summons with Notice.
On November 29, 2010, Judge R. Stanton Wettick Jr. of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, decided motions to dismiss three RMBS actions in which the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLBP) alleged misrepresentations by various J.P. Morgan and Countrywide affiliates and three rating agencies (Moody’s, S&P and Fitch). The court dismissed all claims asserted against the rating agencies except for state law fraud claims. The court sustained a variety of claims against the J.P. Morgan and Countrywide defendants, however, and rejected their argument, relying on the Fifth Circuit’s decision in Lone Star Fund V (U.S.) v. Barclays Bank, PLC, 594 F.3d 383 (5th Cir. 2010), that the offering documents’ disclosure of a sole “repurchase or cure” remedy for non-conforming mortgage loans demonstrated that there was no misrepresentation. Decision.
