| Deutsche Bank Natl. Trust Co. v Tassone |
| 2014 NY Slip Op 51372(U) [44 Misc 3d 1228(A)] |
| Decided on June 20, 2014 |
| Supreme Court, Putnam County |
| Grossman, J. |
| Published by New York State Law Reporting Bureau pursuant to Judiciary Law § 431. |
| This opinion is uncorrected and will not be published in the printed Official Reports. |
Deutsche
Bank National Trust Company, AS TRUSTEE UNDER POOLING AND SERVICING
AGREEMENT DATED AS OF MAY 1, 2003 MORGAN STANLEY ABS CAPITAL I
INC. TRUST 2003-NC5, Plaintiff, -against -
against Cosmo Tassone, CARMELA TASSONE, and "JOHN DOE" No.1-10, "MARY DOE" #1-10, and "JANE DOE" #1-10, the names being fictitious, their true names being unknown to the plaintiff, persons intended being persons in possession of portions of the premises herein described, Defendants. |
The following papers, numbered 1 to 28, were considered in connection with Plaintiff's motion to: (1) strike Defendant's answer and grant summary judgment in Plaintiff's favor; (2) change the name of plaintiff pursuant to an assignment of the mortgage; (3) amend the caption of the summons and complaint, notice of pendency, and all other papers filed by discontinuing the action against "John Doe" #1-10, "Mary Doe" #1-10, and "Jane Doe" #1-10 without prejudice; (4) appoint a referee; and (5) grant Plaintiff such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper; and Defendant's Cross-Motion to Dismiss the Action in its Entirety.
Exhs. A-K1-14
Support of Cross Motion/Exhs. A-D15-20
On February 18, 2003, Defendants Cosmo and Carmela Tassone executed an Adjustable Rate Note (the "Note") with New Century Mortgage Corporation, wherein Defendants promised to repay New Century Mortgage Corporation, the principal sum of $280,000.00 with interest (Affirmation, Exh. A). At the same time, Defendants executed an Adjustable Rate Rider (Affirmation, Exh. A). To secure payment of the sum represented in the Note, Defendants duly executed and delivered to New Century Mortgage Corporation, a mortgage (the "Mortgage"), dated February 18, 2003, encumbering property located at 9 Fieldstone Road, Putnam Valley, New York 10579 (Affirmation, Exh. B). The Mortgage was recorded on April 2, 2003, in the Office of the Clerk of Putnam County at Liber 3552, Page 275 (Affirmation, Exh. B).
According to the documents presented to this Court, New Century Mortgage Corporation allegedly assigned the Mortgage and Note to Deutsche Bank National Trust Company f/k/a Bankers Trust Company of California, N.A., as Trustee (Affirmation, Exh. C). However, it is unclear when this occurred because the date of this document is January 2, 2004, but the document was not notarized until May 6, 2005 (Affirmation, Exh. C).
Here, the 90-day notice was sent to Defendant on March 24, 2011 (Affirmation, Exh. J). While there is a typed notation at the top of the document reflecting that it was sent "VIA First Class Mail," and "VIA Certified Mail (return receipt requested)," and noting the certified number, there is no affidavit of service submitted to establish proper service on the borrowers, thereby confirming these notations. See Aurora Loan Services, LLC v. Weisblum, 85 AD3d, supra at 106. As such, Plaintiff has failed to satisfy a "mandatory condition precedent," and the foreclosure action must be dismissed.
And to the extent Plaintiff submitted its opposition to Defendants' cross-motion and attached a printout from the USPS reflecting the same certified number, this Court will not accept it. First, this affirmation, dated February 28, 2014, was served over two months after Defendants' December 13, 2013 cross-motion was made, and there is no indication in the papers or the file that Plaintiff was granted an extension. Moreover, Plaintiff fails to explain why there was a delay. While this Court prefers to decide issues on their merits, this Court cannot ignore [*3]this excessive delay. And second, even it the Court were to consider this printout — which is arguably not even in admissible form — Plaintiff cannot rely on evidence submitted for the first time in its reply papers to remedy deficiencies in its prima facie showing. See Novita, LLC v. Hotel Times Square, LLC, 2013 WL 5785929 (Sup.Ct. October 17, 2013), citing Those Certain Underwriters at Lloyds, London v. Gray, 49 AD3d 1, 9 (1st Dept. 2007); see also Gampero v. Mathai, 105 AD3d 995 (2d Dept. 2013). As such, this Court will not consider the reply papers.In further support of their cross-motion, Defendants contest Plaintiff's standing to commence this action. Although the failure to properly serve RPAPL §1304 Notice is sufficient reason to grant Defendants' cross-motion and dismiss the complaint, this Court will address the standing issue in light of the possibility that the action may be recommenced after Plaintiff effects proper service of RPAPL §1304 Notice.
The plaintiff in a foreclosure action must establish the existence of the promissory note and a related mortgage referable to the subject property, its ownership of the mortgage and the defendant's default in payment. Campaign v. Barba, 23 AD3d 327 (2d Dept. 2005). With respect to the issue of ownership, "[a]n assignment of a mortgage without assignment of the underlying note or bond is a nullity, and no interest is acquired by it." Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. v. Barnett, 88 AD3d 636, 637 (2d Dept. 2011). The foreclosing party, as plaintiff, must establish that it is "both the holder or assignee of the subject mortgage, and the holder of the underlying note, at the time the action is commenced." Homecomings Financial, LLC v. Guldi, 103 AD3d 506 (2d Dept. 2013), quoting Bank of New York v. Silverberg, 86 AD3d 274, 282-83 (2d Dept. 2011).
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