Cases on Verfied Complaints

AURORA LOAN SERVICES, Plaintiff, v. TODD A. FLEETWOOD AND KRISTI FLEETWOOD, Defendant. Circuit Court, 19th Judicial Circuit in and for Indian River County. Case No. 31-2010-CA-073506. January 26, 2011. Cynthia L. Cox, Judge.


FINAL ORDER OF DISMISSAL



The verification must be included in the complaint itself for the Court to be certain that the affiant has read the actual allegations and to make it clear what is being verified. The purpose of the verification is to create accuracy and accountability. There is no provision in the rule for the filing of a separate verification in a separate document. Common sense dictates that without verification in the complaint itself, it would never be clear what the affiant reviewed and what allegations they verified. The rule does not permit qualifying or limiting language. The complaint needs to be verified by an employee or officer of the plaintiff, by an employee or officer of its loan servicer, or by the attorney who files the case. Designations such as”authorized agent”, “authorized signatory”, “authorized officer”, “representative of the plaintiff’s servicer”, “representative of the plaintiff” and the like are meaningless, insufficient and tell the reader nothing. The rule requires a clean, plain statement of accuracy by a person who actually verifies the truth of the claims made, and who is identified as being in a position to actually do so. This case seeks to foreclose a residential mortgage and was filed after the effective date of the rule amendment.



IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED AND ADJUDGED as follows:



1. This case is DISMISSED without prejudice. No other pleadings by the plaintiff will be permitted in this case, other than a request for rehearing if appropriate. If the plaintiff elects to file a new action to foreclose on the same property, it must be filed under a new case number and a new filing fee will be required.



2. The plaintiff may move for reconsideration within ten days, on the sole ground that the subject property is not residential property. A copy of the motion and any supporting memorandum must be provided to the undersigned. The Court may rule on the motion without a hearing. No hearing will be set unless determined by the Court to be necessary.



3. It is confiscatory of the Court’s time to have to address this matter. Repeat violations by the same firm, or by the same attorney, may result in imposition of personal sanctions, and issuance of an order directed to the attorney or firm to show cause why that attorney or firm should not be prohibited from filing further foreclosure cases in this Court.

Online Reference: FLWSUPP 1804NATI

Mortgages — Foreclosure — Complaint — Verification — Unverified foreclosure complaint filed after February 11, 2010, effective date of rule 1.110(b) is dismissed with leave to amend



NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC, PLAINTIFF, v. CRAIG K. LUNT AND DOROTHEA C. LUNT, Defendant. Circuit Court, 6th Judicial Circuit in and for Pinellas County, Civil Division. Case No. 10-6330-CI-20. February 7, 2011. Honorable George Jirotka, Judge. Counsel: Karen Thompson, for Plaintiff. Matthew D. Weidner, for Defendant.



ORDER



THIS CAUSE came to be considered upon the Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss, this court having reviewed the Defendant’s motion and accepted the argument of counsel for Defendant who appeared in person and counsel for Plaintiff who appeared via telephone, it is hereby:



ORDERED AND ADJUDGED as follows:



1. The Defendant’s Motion To Dismiss/Motion For More Definite Statement asserted that the Florida Supreme Court, pursuant to Rule 1.110(b), mandated that residential foreclosure complaints shall be verified and that the effective date of the requirement was February 11, 2010.



2. Plaintiff argued that the change to Florida Rule of Civil Procedure was not effective until June 2, 2010 and that because the instant complaint was filed prior to June 2, 2010, the instant complaint was not required to be verified.



3. This court finds that the effective date of Florida Rule of Civil Procedure Rule 1.110(b) is February 11, 2010 and that all residential complaints defined by the Rule must be verified beginning February 11, 2010.



4. Because the instant complaint is not verified in any manner, by any party, the Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss/Motion For More Definite Statement is GRANTED and the case is dismissed except that the Plaintiff shall have thirty (30) days to amend their complaint.