Congressman Alan Grayson Asks Florida Supreme Court to Halt Foreclosures
Florida Congressman Alan Grayson has asked the Florida Supreme Court to halt all foreclosures involving three “foreclosure mill” law firms currently under investigation for document fraud by the Florida Attorney General’s office until that investigation is complete.
In a Sept. 20 letter to Florida Supreme Court Justice Charles Canady, Grayson wrote, “Taking someone’s home should not be done lightly. And it should certainly be done in accordance with the law.” The letter also made reference to a Jacksonville foreclosure case that was dismissed with prejudice for document fraud. In that case, Chase had attempted to foreclose on a Jacksonville home when the mortgage note was actually owned by Fannie Mae.
The “foreclosure mills” currently under investigation account for approximately 80 percent of all foreclosure proceedings in Florida. Grayson’s staff has reportedly spoken with a number of Florida foreclosure defense attorneys and foreclosure specialists, prompting the Congressman to write, “If the reports I am hearing are true, the illegal foreclosures taking place represent the largest seizure of private property ever attempted by banks and government entities. This is lawlessness.”
A week after receiving the letter, the Florida Supreme Court said it could not halt foreclosures in Florida because it has no authority under the state’s constitution or court rules to intervene in pending cases on the basis of fraud or wrongdoing. The Court referred Grayson to The Florida Bar, which handles attorney misconduct complaints.
Greg Gilbert
Keith Maynard
