Here, the Court considered whether a debtor may keep property secured by a mortgage to the credit union even if the debtor does not either reaffirm, surrender or redeem the obligation.   In this case, GNC Credit Union held a mortgage issued by the debtors and secured by their home. The balance on the loan was […]

Bankrupt Debtor may only redeem collateral in one payment. Redemption installment payments prohibited if debtor elects to retain vehicle.     Here, debtor sought to redeem Ford Motor Credit collateral by paying installment payments for the value of the vehicle, instead of one lump-sum redemption payment. Section 722 of the Bankruptcy Code provides, in pertinent part: An individual debtor may, whether or not the […]

In some jurisdictions, but not in Michigan, Bankrupt debtors must either redeem, reaffirm or surrender the collateral and cannot keep the collateral and otherwise continue making payments. When a debtor files a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the Bankruptcy Code provides that the debtor(s) must either: 1) “reaffirm” their secured obligations and keep the collateral pledged on the […]

Federal Right of Rescission applies to additional funds advanced with refinance.   The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) was adopted by Congress to promote the informed use of consumer credit. Consumers may rescind a credit transaction within three business days of its consummation where the lender acquires a mortgage interest in the debtor’s principal dwelling as security. […]

Borrower moving collateral to another State dissolved security interest when creditor did not file a financing statement in Georgia within four months after the debtor moved to that state. Facts: 1. Debtor, Specialty Contracting and Supply Company, granted a security interest in its equipment, among other items of collateral, to one Richard Fraley; Fraley was an officer […]

This California Appellate Panel rendered an opinion favoring creditors who refinance a debt in reliance upon a fraudulent financing statement, even though no new money is advanced. In this case, debtors had an existing loan with the bank and were unable to make the agreed payments. Debtors requested an extension of time to repay the […]

Here, the Court held that the Credit Union’s mortgage on a member’s real estate, inadvertently marked as “cancelled” when the loan was not paid, was still enforceable. This mortgage, sold by the Credit Union to the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., was accidentally stamped as “cancelled” or paid. The mortgage was foreclosed upon and the […]

General Motors Acceptance Corporation issued a loan to debtor secured by debtor’s new automobile. The debtor purchased disability insurance through GMAC which provided that payments on the loan would be made to GMAC by the insurance company if the debtor became disabled. Debtor did, indeed, become disabled when she suffered a stroke. A claim was […]

Here, the debtor, a former police officer, applied for and was approved for a loan from Hartford Police Federal Credit Union for $150,000. The debt was intended to be utilized to pay off an existing second mortgage on debtor’s residence and for the purchase of a balloon business. At the closing on the credit union’s […]

This Court ruled that the lender’s Notice of Mortgage Acceleration Notice was fatally defective.   Here, Gerardo Pico borrowed money from First Union National Bank of Florida and secured the loan with a mortgage on his real estate.   The loan was two months in default and the bank notified debtor that he must cure […]