REFinBlog

Editor: David Reiss
Brooklyn Law School

December 23, 2013

Supreme Court of Vermont Denied a Motion Requesting a Declaration That U.S. Bank Had Violated Vermont’s Consumer Fraud Act (CFA)

By Ebube Okoli

The court in deciding Dernier v. Mortgage Network, Inc., 2013 VT 96 (Vt. 2013) reversed the trial court’s dismissal of the counts that alleged irregularities in the transfer of the note and mortgage unconnected to the PSA. The court also partially remanded certain claims.

Plaintiff borrowers brought suit against defendant bank in which they sought a declaratory judgment that defendant had no right to enforce either a note or a mortgage and that defendant had violated the Consumer Fraud Act (CFA).

Plaintiffs appealed the dismissal for failure to state a claim, of their action for (1) a declaratory judgment that defendant U.S. Bank National Association cannot enforce the mortgage and promissory note for the debt associated with plaintiffs’ purchase of their house based on irregularities and fraud in the transfer of both instruments, (2) a declaration that U.S. Bank has violated Vermont’s Consumer Fraud Act (CFA) by asserting its right to enforce the mortgage and note, and (3) attorney’s fees and costs under the CFA.

Plaintiffs also appealed the trial court’s failure to enter a default judgment against defendant Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS). After considering the merits of both claims, the court ultimately affirmed in part and reversed in part.

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