About Timothy McCandless Esq.

court

I am merely an attorney who like so many others is overwhelmed by the onslaught of millions of defaults, modifications, foreclosures, trustees sales, notices to vacate ,unlawful detainers and sheriff’s lockouts.

Our legal system is a rigged game favoring the capital of a capitalist system. In California a nonjudicial state a foreclosure can occur on the mere word of a lender without the original note or assignment of the original deed of trust. A then former homeowner can then be evicted by giving notice to vacate constructively (without notice) have a summons “Posted and Mailed” (again no actual notice) a default judgment taken (no trial) and a writ issued and the Sheriff’s instruction to evict issued and enforced.

I am about fighting this process, by 1. providing as much information as possible to allow homeowners to fight this process and 2. by litigation to protect those rights allegedly guaranteed by our constitution.

While I am an attorney the sheer number of cases no individual firm that I know of is capable handling competently. Most all non-profit foreclosure and legal aid service can provide only limited services. We have much to talk about this year as we push forward. By all accounts, the economy, the dollar, the foreclosures, the job situation etc are all getting worse by the minute.

Even if Obama is a magician it will be 2 years before there is a glimmer of hope. The homeowner aid programs are window dressing. Even the Sheila Bair one from FDIC/Indy Mac while well-intentioned does little for most homeowners. The ONLY hope for homeowners and the only hope for our economy is if we face the music and take the free market enthusiasts at their word, to wit: everyone agrees they artificially inflated real estate values and those values are still too high for the market to support. The only reason the “values” are stated so high is that the sellers are still deluding themselves in their asking prices. There is at least another 20% to go. As the Niel Garfield Continuum says, we are only in about the 2nd or 3rd inning of a 9 inning game that might go into overtime.

Loan Mod’s that leave homeowners under water simply will not work. People are not that stupid. It is easier to walk from the house and rent or buy another at real (lower) values.

Thus Litigation against the lender plan is the only viable option — get rid of the note, obligation and mortgage altogether or at least force a modification that will bring the obligation to around 80% of true fair market value. Only a credible threat to the financial services sector pushing foreclosures will result in this relief. The threat comes from understanding and enforcing the basic law applicable to these mortgages — they screwed up and now they want borrowers to sign new paper that clears up their screw up and leaves the borrower in a horrible position.

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE FINDINGS

1. Recently, the California Legislature found and declared the following in enacting California Civil Code 2923.6 on July 8, 2008:

(a) California is facing an unprecedented threat to its state economy because of skyrocketing residential property foreclosure rates in California. Residential property foreclosures increased sevenfold from 2006 to 2007, in 2007, more than 84,375 properties were lost to foreclosure in California, and 254,824 loans went into default, the first step in the foreclosure process.

(b) High foreclosure rates have adversely affected property values in California, and will have even greater adverse consequences as foreclosure rates continue to rise. According to statistics released by the HOPE NOW Alliance the number of completed California foreclosure sales in 20′07 increased almost threefold from 2002 in the first quarter to 5574 in the fourth quarter of that year. Those same statistics report that 10,556 foreclosure sales, almost double the number for the prior quarter, were completed just in the month of January 2008. More foreclosures means less money for schools, public safety, and other key services.

(c) Under specified circumstances, mortgage lenders and servicers are authorized under their pooling and servicing agreements to modify mortgage loans when the modification is in the best interest of investors. Generally, that modification may be deemed to be in the best interest of investors when the net present value of the income stream of the modified loan is greater than the amount that would be recovered through the disposition of the real property security through a foreclosure sale.

(d) It is essential to the economic health of California for the state to ameliorate the deleterious effects on the state economy and local economies and the California housing market that will result from the continued foreclosures of residential properties in unprecedented numbers by modifying the foreclosure process to require mortgagees, beneficiaries, or authorized agents to contact borrowers and explore options that could avoid foreclosure. These Changes in accessing the state’s foreclosure process are essential to ensure that the process does not exacerbate the current crisis by adding more foreclosures to the glut of foreclosed properties already on the market when a foreclosure could have been avoided. Those additional foreclosures will further destabilize the housing market with significant, corresponding deleterious effects on the local and state economy.

(e) According to a survey released by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) on January 31, 2008, 57 percent of the nation’s late-paying borrowers do not know their lenders may offer alternative to help them avoid foreclosure.

(f) As reflected in recent government and industry-led efforts to help troubled borrowers, the mortgage foreclosure crisis impacts borrowers not only in nontraditional loans, but also many borrowers in conventional loans.

(g) This act is necessary to avoid unnecessary foreclosures of residential properties and thereby provide stability to California’s statewide and regional economies and housing market by requiring early contact and communications between mortgagees, beneficiaries, or authorized agents and specified borrowers to explore options that could avoid foreclosure and by facilitating the modification or restructuring of loans in appropriate circumstances.

2. “Operation Malicious Mortgage’ is a nationwide operation coordinated by the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI to identify, arrest, and prosecute mortgage fraud violators.” San Diego Union Tribune, June 19, 2008.

3. “Home ownership is the foundation of the American Dream. Dangerous mortgages have put millions of families in jeopardy of losing their homes.” CNN Money, December 24, 2007.

4. “Finding ways to avoid preventable foreclosures is a legitimate and important concern of public policy. High rates of delinquency and foreclosure can have substantial spillover effects on the housing market, the financial markets and the broader economy. Therefore, doing what we, can to avoid preventable foreclosures is not just in the interest of the lenders and borrowers. It’s in everybody’s best interest.” Ben Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman, May 9, 2008.

5. “Most of these homeowners could avoid foreclosure if present loan holders would modify the existing loans by lowering the interest rate and making it fixed, capitalizing the arrearages, and forgiving a portion of the loan. The result would benefit lenders, homeowners, and their communities.” CNN Money, id.

6. On behalf of President Bush, Secretary Paulson has encouraged lenders to voluntarily freeze interest rates on adjustable-rate mortgages. Mark Zandl, chief economist for Mood’s commented, “There is no stick in the plan. There are a significant number of investors who would rather see homeowners default and go into foreclosure.” San Diego Union Tribune, id.

7. “Fewer than l%• of homeowners have experienced any help “from the Bush-Paulson plan.” San Diego Union Tribune, id.

8. The loss belongs where it was created — on Wall Street and Main Street Banks that rented their charter to Wall Street operatives who caused an unprecedented collapse of loan underwriting standards and crossing the line into fraud, forgery, and creation of false documentation. Companies SHOULD fail. Banks SHOULD fail. Borrowers CANNOT fail — because they are the backbone of the country and the economy.

9. There are plenty of lenders, investment bankers and money managers who did not play the game and are perfectly healthy. Bailout money should go to the players who played by the rules and are healthy. They are the ONLY ones who can and will lend, thus freeing up, somewhat, the tightening death grip of no credit and thus no commerce.

When title to the property is still in dispute ie. the foreclosure was bad. They (the lender)did not comply with California civil code 2923.5 or 2923.6 or 2924. Or the didn’t possess the documents to foreclose ie. the original note. Or they did not possess a proper assignment 2932.5. at trial you will be ignored by the learned judge but if you file a Motion for Summary Judgmentevans sum ud
template notice of Motion for SJ
TEMPLATE Points and A for SJ Motion
templateDeclaration for SJ
TEMPLATEProposed Order on Motion for SJ
TEMPLATEStatement of Undisputed Facts
you can force the issue and if there is a case filed in the Unlimited jurisdiction Court the judge may be forced to consider title and or consolidate the case with the Unlimited Jurisdiction Case

2nd amended complaint (e) manuel
BAKER original complaint (b)
Countrywide Complaint Form
FRAUDULENT OMISSIONS FORM FINAL
sample-bank-final-complaint1-2.docx
California stop foreclosure and get your own shortsale COMPLAINT
elderabusecomplaint
And in some cases an injunction is in order
Foreclosure injunction TRO
and a Lis Pendence

Lastly I am devoted to fighting this process by 1. Providing as much information, pleadings, discovery, publication of relevant cases as possible to allow homeowners to fight this process 2. Through the judicial process attempt to protect those rights allegedly guaranteed by our Constitution.Southern California (760)733-8885 in Northern California(916)361-6583

32 responses

6 01 2009
Mortgage Auditor

Timothy,

I find your blog very informative and appreciate the content you share with your readers. I am a mortgage auditor in Maryland helping distressed borrowers facing foreclosure by examining their loan documents for TILA violations, fraud and predatory lending practices. I am always looking for skilled lawyers who can help my clients and I will place you on my list of attorneys for referral.

Dean

http://www.nationalloanaudits.com

8 08 2009
Tammy

I’ve been served with a Writ of Possession and my eviction date is 8/20. I was working with another attorney who was trying to arrange for me purchase the house from the bank since it went back to them at the auction. The house is in my husbands name and I have been approved to purchase it. Now the attorney told me that I can’t because it’s an FHA loan and has to be delivered vacant but I could always buy it back after I move out. I’m also pretty sure they can’t produce the original note. It has changed 3 times and only documented one of those times. They filed a loss note affadavit and now I’ve discovered the Loss Note Defense in regards to the TILA. Since the eviction has already been scheduled do I have any way of filing a motion to stay or extend? I’m certainly willing to pay an attorney. It is a good idea to request a Mortgage Audit (forensic) or am I too late for that too? I really don’t want to lose the house and thought I was going to be able to buy it back until today. I think my attorney didn’t specialize in Foreclosures possibly. Dean are you aware of any cases like this and since you’re in Maryland can you recommend a good attorney? Thank, Tammy

26 01 2009
badbizfinder

Mr. McCandless,

We aprreciate your shining the light on corrupt loan modification companies in California. Bad Biz Finder is on the same page.

Loan modification scams have reached an all-time high in California. And Bad Biz Finder is reporting about it at WordPress. We welcome you to review the blogs at http://www.badbizfinder/wordpress.com.

There is a trend developing where law firms are “sponsoring” loan modification companies to circumvent The California Foreclosure Consultant Act, Civil Code Section 2945-2945.11. They believe that by asking their customers to sign “law firm retainer fee agreements,” that they are exempt from the Act and don’t have to be licensed by the California Dept. of Real Estate or follow strict guidelines set forth in the Act.

However, these “law firms” have no attorneys; the work is being performed by foreclosure consultants, and consequently, the law firms are breaking the law by sharing legal fees with non-attorneys since the only revenue to the “law firm” is legal retainer fees.

It is a gigantic fraud and very complex but we are unraveling it for our most vulnerable consumers today on our blog and since January 9 have had over 1000 hits. We have been tracking about 56 companies since November in Orange County, San Diego County, Los Angeles County, Riverside County and San Bernardino County.

We made an example of Parsa Law Group and National Loan Modification Center as they were one of the first companies we received complaints about and to date seem to be the most egregious. Beginning this week, we will begin releasing the evidence we have collected on other companies but we wanted to set a foundation of facts prior to that time so consumers could put the scams in 1 of 2 categories:

1. Loan modification companies not in compliance with The California Foreclosure Consultant Act; or

2. Loan Modification firms posing as law firms to circumvent The California Foreclosure Consultant Act.

Bad Biz Finder is a non-profit anonymous consumer advocacy organization based in Fremont, California with chapters all over the state. By the end of February we will have a location in Orange County to handle the overwhelming demand we are facing with this cause.

We hold true one singular mission: To offer consumers a source of unbiased facts vital to making informed decisions about everyday issues facing them everyday.

The organization seeks to unearth unethical, illegal and unconscionable practices by individuals, businesses, and organizations and sets the record straight so those who have been harmed have a remedy and those who have not are warned.

Its roots go back to the 1980s when the founder began to become vocal about the vulnerability of consumers and the companies, individuals and agencies that preyed on this vulnerability. Over the past three decades, Bad Biz Finder has championed hundreds of causes and has been an agent for positive change so that the so-called “little guy,” becomes a giant with purpose and power.

Since the late 1980s due to the constant and unnerving legal and personal threats against the organization and its volunteers, Bad Biz Finder has moved locations, changed names, added volunteers and consumer rights attorneys to better serve the public. It is for these reasons that it prefers its anonymity and maintains a simple email address badbizfinder@aol.com.

Bad Biz Finder is self-supporting and asks for nothing in return. Not one day goes by that the organization has not helped scared and hopeless consumers gain footing again, armed with facts that empower them, and for that we are proud.

We do not accept payment, donations, or gifts. In order for our work to be effective, we must be free of bias and completely objective. We simply ask the people we help to “pay it forward,” and help someone else for free that is in perhaps the same dire straits they once were and pass along our name as a trusted resource.

Bad Biz Finder

3 04 2009
Morgan

Please email me and send your contact information. We are looking for an attorney on a annunities case and would like to speak with you asap.

Morgan

6 05 2009
Pamela Zander

Desperate for help. I am facing $250,0000 loss in my home. Sale date is June 1, o9. My #760
244.6248

18 05 2009
Gardener J. Doane

what happens if trustee does not publish a notice of sale in the local newspaper in accordance with CA statues 33-808 A(4)

20 05 2009
timothymccandless

THE SALE COULD BE SET ASIDE AND OR STOPPED WITH AN INJUNCTION

31 05 2009
Delia Aguilar

Dear Mr. Timothy McCandless:

Thank you! Thank you!, Thank you! so much for standing up to the Pittsburg Superior Court in the Contra Costa County. The homeowners you represented last Friday, were amazed and impressed on how you stood up and fearlessly faught for their rights.

This court has been ordering evictions like traffic tickets and treating homeowners as if we are the criminals.

Again, Thank You Mr. McCandless
From Contra Costa County, CA

8 06 2009
Joe

Hi Tim,

Thanks for the depth of information on this site. I am facing eviction and have to send an answer to the Unlawful Detainer to the Pittsburg Superior Court tomorrow at 3PM (June 8, 2009). I am hopeless. I have my invalid father as a tenant..can he be used as a last resort to get some breathing space before being evicted?

15 06 2009
Terry DiSandro

Dear Tim,
I have been talking to a group that is moving to
educate it’s members to sue their lender for “the
note”, “the gaap” etc. In my effort to find case law
I came across your site. What is your opinion of
someone representing themselves?
Thanks, Terry

15 06 2009
timothymccandless

Obviously this is a self serving statement but if you have passion and can spend countless hours researching all the areas of law applicable to your situation and the law in this area is evolving every 6 months. If you could also hire a paralegal to get you through the Civil procedure you could do it but be prepare to devote every waking hour of the day to the task. Also so many people get so devoted to the task they fail to realize that the overwhelming odds are on settlement and representing ones self tends to overlook the possibility of a settlement that would be satisfactory. Bottom line if you represent your self you may get frustrated because the is no one trying to settle the case. One must look at this litigation thing as means to an end. Ask yourself what am i trying to achieve. Get the house a today’s value at an interest rate of 5% or less is a reasonable objective, get you house free and clear of the note maybe not so.

23 06 2009
TG

THANK YOU SIR, for your education sight, that you for the resources that you provide to homeowners like ourselves. Your information has contributed greatly to our victory against the lender in a UD trail. The law concerning the declaration that you laid out in the trail brief hit the nail on the head. NO POSSESION for the bank! Now we pursue them in the unlimited courts. They tried to fight tooth and nail, they tried to intimidate use because we are pro per, but they found no favor with the judge thanks to your site. You are doing a good work, thank you.

25 06 2009
EP

I did not have any success in court. The judge at the UD trial did not “hear” me to he ordered the writ of possession to the bank, BUT I already have filed a Wrongful foreclosure and quite title. I need to use this my advantage, but I am not sure how to maneuver… any insight would be tremendous. I must have something in place my 7/10 or the sheriff will come knocking…

25 06 2009
Denise

Dear Tim I so desperately need some help, we have a case of lender, tila, fraud,broker,wrongful foreclosure and sale,identity thief by lender,insurance fraud,appraiser fraud, please email me with your involement to cases? do you advise or take clients. please let me know thank you

9 07 2009
Jimmy

Hi Tim

I live in California, and the sale date on my house is July 27, 09. Homeq is my mortage holder, I did a loan mod in Aug of o8, but due to the economy I still can’t make my payments, I had a company did a forisic loan audit and it have quit a few TILA violations, but this company dont have a attorney, so they simply give the file back to me and say good luck, Homeq have a policy of not doing 2 loan mods in one year, since we are in July already is there anything I can do to stay in my house, file a lawsuit? please advise me if possible.

19 07 2009
TG

Hi Tim

Please share your thoughts concerning this incident. We won a UD trial last month, yesterday we found a letter in our door from a debt collector NCCI. It wasnt post marked just in an envelope. In the envelope was a hardship letter from the servicing company who serviced the loan Wilshire out of Oregon. The letter doesnt have any contact information for NCCI just Wilshire. Why are they attempting to get us to complete paperwork and they already completed the sale, the property is currently in the name of the supposed beneficiary? Why are they trying to collect a debt after the property has been sold back to the supposed beneficiary, doesn’t this violate the anti deficiency statute? Please help me to make sense of this if you can. I can only imagine the amount of call you get during a day, because of the amount of fraud concerning the wrongful foreclosure we are taking them to civil court. We fought the ud trial pro per but we are considering receiving the assistance of legal counsel for the next round. I have been on Garfield’s site about lawyers who get it, no offense but some just plain dont get it, or are to busy to care about the details, but I believe the homeowner has some degree of responsibility to to be actively involved in their case. If you know of any attorneys that get it. Please email the names to me. Thank you for your time.

28 07 2009
Leslie Marks

WOW. I have been fighting my lenders since 2006. I am not an attorney, so it has been a long hard fight. Thank God a friend sent me this blog. In 2006 no attorney would help me. I have become a paralegal since then and now I work with attorneys to help others and gain paralegal experience. My lender was New Century now in Chap. 11. New Century transferred my mortgage to OCWEN on the SAME DAY it filed Chap. 11 April 2, 2007. In the meantime I sued Ocwen and put a lis pendens on my property. I am still in my home and not in forclosure, but I believe I am at a point where an attorney may need to step in and close the deal. I won a small amount against New century’s employee who defrauded me. I recently filed an adversay in Delaware. After reviewing this site, I am hoping my complaint is not too defective. I do not expect a favorable ruling so I am preparing to appeal it. There is so much obvious corruption I almost feel like giving up. But this is ONE house these thieves ain’t getting. I was in Federal Court in SF. I recently filed Chapter 13 so the same benefits New Century is getting under the law, will be available to me as well. I will keep reviewing the good information here, and spread the word to those who truly want to help homeowners who have been duped, hookwinked, bamboozled and defrauded. Kudos. (there are tears in my eyes) Nite.

29 07 2009
Leslie Marks

Mr. McCandless, you have NO IDEA the amount of time I spend doing legal research tring to represent myself. But I am not in forclosure. However, my Lender illegally transferred my property the day it filed Chap 11, while in active litigation with me in federal court, and outside of its then counsel of record. I believe Free and Clear is an option for me. What do you think. Please respond.

31 07 2009
timothymccandless

Oh I have a very good idea. I’ve been doing this for 19 years and still spend every waking moment trying to discover new ways the pretender lenders are trying to stick it to the consumer and the American taxpayer and getting away with it. As to getting your house free and clear I don’t think that is achievable unless the lender were to default in a quiet title action. Hopefully you can settle with your lender at something you feel is equitable.

7 08 2009
Tammy

I’ve been served with a Writ of Possession and my eviction date is 8/20. I was working with another attorney who was trying to arrange for me purchase the house from the bank since it went back to them at the auction. The house is in my husbands name and I have been approved to purchase it. Now the attorney told me that I can’t because it’s an FHA loan and has to be delivered vacant but I could always buy it back after I move out. I’m also pretty sure they can’t produce the original note. It has changed 3 times and only documented one of those times. They filed a loss note affadavit and now I’ve discovered the Loss Note Defense in regards to the TILA. Since the eviction has already been scheduled do I have any way of filing a motion to stay or extend? I’m certainly willing to pay an attorney. It is a good idea to request a Mortgage Audit (forensic) or am I too late for that too? I really don’t want to lose the house and thought I was going to be able to buy it back until today. I think my attorney didn’t specialize in Foreclosures possibly. Thanks, Tammy

24 08 2009
Leslie Marks

Tim are you aware that sub prime banks were allowed an exemption to California Civil Code Section 2923.52(a) the Moritorioum on Forclosures? All the subprime big boys are on the list. what a crock.

http://www.corp.ca.gov/FSD/CFP/pdf/ExemptList.pdf Check it out.

26 08 2009
Leslie Marks

Tim there is NOTHING equitable. However, I will keep you posted. I got AHEAD of the foreclosure, not behind it. I am in Delaware in an adversary against New Century now and I am in the the NORTHERN district with my own chapter 13. All my research has paid off. In my case – because I did not wait till the last minute to save my house. Remember i am not in foreclosre, and I have NOT paid mortgage since 2006. Ocwen has FAILED to service my long since they fraudulently acquired it. New Century no longer is licened to do mortgages in Cali. I won $25,000 against the NC employee who defrauded me. The property value is so low, it would be more feasible for them to give me my property than to amass the litigation fees I am more than capable of making them rack up. I am sick of this crap Tim. Read your blog, there is no relief for the consumer. I may not be able to help the world but i hope that winning my case will encourge other NOT to walk but fight for their properties.

11 09 2009
Alicia

Hello,

I am behind on my home 7months, am i able to obtain a modifcation? or should I just walk away

Alicia

30 09 2009
Michael P

Hello Timothy,

I have come acrossed your site and can only wish that I found it long ago..
My home was auctioned, and it went back to the beneficiary.
There was clearly 200k in equity available with a opening and closing bid of 131k..
I have some issues with the way that the auction was held and subjects surrounding this topic..
I believe they tried to serve me a UD yesterday and from what I read i need to stay in posession of the house to make something work.. I heard from a friend of the benficiary that he has a buyer and plans to sign papers anyday, what can I file with the courts myself while I get the money together for professional representation.. ??
Thank you for response and all info,
Mike

2 10 2009
Kelli Garner

Thats very good to know… thanks

7 10 2009
Joe

Timothy, regarding California Civil Code 2923.6, if a lender was mandated by that law to accept the homeowners modification (provided the offer shows the NPV of the income stream of the modified loan to be greater than the amount that would be recovered through the sale of the property), is the lender mandated to forgive the deficit balance, or will the deficit balance be deemed as an unsecured debt that is pursuable by the lender. Under 2923.6, is the lender also mandated to waiver the 1099C on the deficit or will the IRS still add the deficit balance as borrowed income to the homeowner, increasing the homeowners personal federal tax liability?

7 10 2009
timothymccandless

This area is in a state of flux. The Federal courts a declaring that the Federal Banks cannot be regulated by state…State court Judges are declaring the will not intervene in a contract that is clear on its face. Best approach 2923.5 and attack the procedure 90% are not complying… they have taken a calculated risk… to comply it would cost toooo much plus they make more from insurance the feds etc. by foreclosing so you must attack the procedure….

21 10 2009
Nicki Tompkins

Dear Timothy,

We have Demanded the Original Promissory Note, filed Rescission documents which removed us from the sales and are looking for a final solution to end the foreclosure since they have already been paid by our signature. Any help you can offer in South Carolina would be most appreciative.

22 10 2009
David

Hi Tim,

Interesting Question. With all this straw man and MERS stuff going on, if i keep making payments on my house, at the end of it all, how can they assure me a marketable deed in the end ? My mortgage was sold off my original bank unknown where it is or what state, but if its been securitized, how do I know i will ever have a marketable title. Even if in practice i can sell teh house, could this line of reasoning be used to sue the bank to get costs back out of the property and roll back the original purchase?

4 11 2009
Bandara Roy

Are there any legitimate loan modification consultants in California? I live in the SF Bay area and am desperate to find folks. A couple of attorneys said that they are exempt from SB 94 because they break up the process into different stages. Is this legitimate? Please help. Thanks.

bandara

4 11 2009
timothymccandless

SB 94 prevented the payment for modification services. Therefore the only services an attorney can offer is litigation. I personally am litigating the issues presented by civil code 2923.5 which are the mandates of modification before a foreclosure can be deemed legitimate. I have an office in Rancho Cucamonga and in Northern California in Martinez the northern Office Number is 925-957-9797 Southern 909-941-8300

31 07 2009
timothymccandless

A template is ok… but really each hardship is unique and to say you should follow a template would be bad advise you can find “examples” if you go to the search portion of this site and enter “hardship”

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