Bank of New York v. Parnell
Bank of New York v. Parnell
070rehearing
On Application for Rehearing
| Rehearing granted in part and otherwise denied.
This matter is before the court on rehearing in part for consideration of whether this court erred in disposing of Kathleen Parnell’s claim for wrongful seizure. After considering the limited nature of The Bank of New York’s writ application, we find merit in Parnell’s argument on this issue. Accordingly, Parnell’s application for rehearing is granted in part to remove any reference in the original opinion relating to the dismissal of her claim for wrongful seizure. In all other respects, the rehearing is denied.
Therefore, the language on pages 14 and 15 of the slip opinion, beginning with the last sentence before the “CONCLUSION,” is modified as follows:
Accordingly, the trial court’s grant of summary judgment as to Parnell’s HOEPA claims was legally correct. [Footnote omitted.]
CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, the portion of the appellate court decision that reversed the trial court’s granting of summary judgment in favor of the Bank as to Parnell’s HOEPA is reversed. With respect to that claim, the judgment of the trial court is reinstated.
REVERSED; TRIAL COURT JUDGMENT REINSTATED IN PART.
. Retired Judge Philip C. Ciaccio, assigned as Justice ad hoc, sitting for Chief Justice Catherine D. Kimball; Retired Judge Robert J. Klees, assigned as Justice ad hoc, sitting for Justice Greg Guidry, recused.
Opinion of the Court
| jThis matter is before the court for a determination of whether the court of appeal erred in finding that a yield spread premium paid by the lender to a mortgage broker is part of the “total points and fees payable by the consumer at or before closing” within the meaning of 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa)(l)(B) of the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act. For reasons that follow, we conclude that the appellate court legally erred in finding that a lender-paid yield spread premium constitutes points and fees. Accordingly, we reverse the court of appeal’s decision on that issue and reinstate the judgment of the trial court.
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
On May 9, 2001, Kathleen Johnson Parnell (Parnell) executed an adjustable rate promissory note in the amount of $63,200 at an initial yearly interest rate of 12.65 percent. This note was secured by a mortgage on Parnell’s home. The HUD-1 |2Settlement Statement prepared in connection with the closing of the loan reveals
In a notice dated June 19, 2008, Parnell invoked her right to rescind the security interest under the Truth in Lending Act.
Beginning in September 2003, Parnell allegedly failed to make monthly installment payments that became due on her loan. Parnell’s requests in her June 19, 2003 letter were denied by the lender in a letter dated September 24, 2003, because her loan did not meet the threshold requirement of HOEPA as the total amount of points and fees was only 6.7 percent. Installment payments remitted by Parnell after that date were returned to her pending the resolution of the matter.
| oThe Bank of New York, acting solely in its capacity as Trustee for EQCC Trust 2001-2 (Bank), filed a petition for executo-ry process on April 16, 2004, seeking to seize and sell Parnell’s home in light of her alleged failure to make installment payments on her promissory note that were due in September 2003 and afterwards. A writ of seizure and sale was issued on April 19, 2004, and the property was constructively seized.
On May 17, 2004, Parnell filed a “Petition for an Order Suspending the Seizure and Sale Order and/or Preliminary Injunction and/or Permanent Injunction and/or for Damages and/or for the Return of the Seized Properties” in the Bank’s executory process proceedings, alleging among other matters a violation of HOEPA for failing to provide statutorily-required disclosures.
The property was not sold, and Parnell was never dispossessed of the property. The loan, evidenced by the note and secured by the mortgage, was paid in full on June 26, 2006, from insurance proceeds following Hurricane Katrina. A notice of mortgage cancellation was filed on or about October 5, 2006.
On September 11, 2008, the Bank filed a motion for summary judgment, seeking the dismissal of all of the claims asserted in Parnell’s petition. In relevant part, the Bank urged that Parnell’s loan was not subject to HOEPA since the YSP paid by the lender is not included in the points and
The pertinent issue presented by the Bank’s motion for summary judgment was whether the YSP is included in HOEPA’s “points and fees” calculation. See 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa)(l)(B) & (aa)(4). Relying on Schuetz v. Banc One Mortgage Corporation, 292 F.3d 1004 (9th Cir. 2002), cert. denied, 537 U.S. 1171, 123 S.Ct. 994, 154 L.Ed.2d 913 (2003), the Bank urged that the YSP is a payment by a lender to a mortgage broker for obtaining a loan at an interest rate above the minimum interest rate approved by a lender for a particular loan. Although the consumer may ultimately be responsible for payment of the YSP in terms of the payment of a higher interest rate, such payment occurs over the life of the loan; therefore, the Bank urged that the YSP was not payable by the consumer at or before the closing.
Following the hearing on the Bank’s motion, the trial court found that the YSP paid by the lender to the mortgage broker outside of closing is not included in HOE-PA’s “point and fees” calculation because it was not paid or payable by Parnell at the time of closing. The trial court noted that the YSP was not factored into the principal amount loaned to Parnell. Rather, the YSP resulted from a separate agreement between the broker and the lender because of a higher interest rate, which could have been declined by Parnell. She could have sought financing through another entity. Therefore, the Bank’s motion for summary judgment was granted, and Parnell’s petition was dismissed with prejudice.
| r,Concerning her challenge of the trial court’s ruling on the HOEPA claim,
The Bank then filed a writ application with this court contending that the appellate court erred as a matter of law in its interpretation of 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa)(l)(B) by construing the phrase “total points and fees payable by the consumer at or before closing” to include a YSP paid by the lender to a mortgage broker outside of closing such that Parnell’s mortgage would be subject to HOE-PA.
DISCUSSION
The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) was enacted in 1968. Its declared purpose is “to assure a meaningful disclosure of credit terms so that the consumer will be able to compare more readily the various credit terms available to him [or her] and avoid the uninformed use of credit, and to protect the consumer against inaccurate and unfair credit billing and credit card practices”. 15 U.S.C. § 1601(a); Beach v. Ocwen Federal Bank, 523 U.S. 410, 412, 118 S.Ct. 1408, 1409-10, 140 L.Ed.2d 566 (1998). Accordingly, TILA requires creditors to provide borrowers with clear and accurate disclosures of terms addressing matters such as finance charges, annual percentage rates of interest, and the borrower’s rights. Beach, 523 U.S. at 412, 118 S.Ct. at 1410; see 15 U.S.C. §§ 1631, 1632, 1635, 1638.
HOEPA is an amendment to TILA, enacted in 1994 in response to increasing reports of abusive practices in home mortgage lending. Cooper v. First Gov’t Mortgage and Investors Corp., 238 F.Supp.2d 50, 54 (D.D.C. 2002). At its core, HOEPA “creates a special class of regulated loans that are made at higher interest rates or with excessive costs and fees.” In re Community Bank of Northern Virginia, 418 F.3d 277, 304 (3d Cir. 2005). “As such, Congress has determined that HOEPA loans are subject to special disclosure requirements above and beyond the disclosure requirements of TILA, and the statute imposes liability (upon creditors and assignees of creditors making such loans) in instances where material disclosures compliant with HOEPA are not timely made.” In re Balko, 348 B.R. 684, 690 (Bankr.W.D.Pa. 2006), citing 15 U.S.C. §§ 1639, 1641.
Because of complexity and variety, credit transactions defy exhaustive regulation by a single statute. Congress therefore delegated expansive authority to the Federal Reserve Board (Board) to elaborate and expand the legal framework governing commerce in credit. Ford Motor Credit Co. v. Milhollin, 444 U.S. 555, 559-60, 100 S.Ct. 790, 794, 63 L.Ed.2d 22 (1980), citing 15 U.S.C. § 1604. “The Board executed its responsibility by pro
In considering the issue presented to this court, we are mindful that “TILA is a remedial statute and should be construed liberally in favor of the consumer.” Bizier v. Globe Financial Services, Inc., 654 F.2d 1, 3 (1st Cir. 1981). “[T]he purpose of TILA, to assure meaningful disclosure of credit terms to consumers, would arguably be better served by requiring full disclosure of the YSP.” In re Mourer, 309 B.R. 502, 505 (W.D.Mich. 2004). “[Although the courts are obliged to construe the law so as to effectuate its purpose, this duty does not include license to ignore the law’s clear and unambiguous terms or to refrain from enforcing the law in accordance with its plain meaning.” Mourer, 309 B.R. at 505, citing United States v. Miami University, 294 F.3d 797, 812 (6th Cir. 2002).
At the time of Parnell’s loan, 15 U.S.C. § 1602, in pertinent part, provided:
(aa)(l) A mortgage referred to in this subsection means a consumer credit transaction that is secured by the consumer’s principal dwelling, other than a residential mortgage transaction, a reverse mortgage transaction, or a transaction under an open end credit plan, if—
[[Image here]]
(B) the total points and fees payable by the consumer at or before closing will exceed the greater of-
(i) 8 percent of the total loan amount; or
(ii) $400.
[[Image here]]
(4) For purposes of paragraph (1)(B), points and fees shall include—
(A) all items included in the finance charge except interest or the time-price differential;
(B) all compensation paid to mortgage brokers[.] [Emphasis added.]
According to 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa)(l)(B), HOEPA’s application to a particular mortgage loan is triggered if “the total points and fees payable by the consumer at or before closing will exceed the greater of (i) 8 percent of the total loan amount; or (ii) $400.” See 12 C.F.R. § 226.32(a)(ii) of Regulation Z. Under HOEPA, the phrase “points and fees” includes all compensation paid to mortgage brokers and excludes 1 ginterest. See 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa)(4)(A) & (B); 12 C.F.R. § 226.32(b)(l)(i) & (ii). However, all “points and fees” must be “payable by the consumer at or before closing.” (Emphasis added.) 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa)(l)(B); 12 C.F.R. § 226.32(a)(1)(h).
The Bank argues that the plain language of the statute unambiguously excludes amounts not paid by the consumer and amounts paid over the course of the loan. In support of its argument, the Bank cites In re Balko, 348 B.R. 684. In In re Balko,
The district court in In re Mower found that the bankruptcy court erred in including the YSP in the points and fees calculation of the eight percent trigger of 12 C.F.R. § 226.32(a)(l)(ii) since there was no evidence that the consumer paid the YSP at or before closing.
Parnell cites Macheda v. Household Finance Realty Corporation of New York, 631 F.Supp.2d 181 (N.D.N.Y. 2008), Hodges v. Swafford, 863 N.E.2d 881 (Ind.App. 2007), reh’g granted on other grounds, 868 N.E.2d 1179 (Ind.App. 2007), and Short v. Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A., 401 F.Supp.2d 549 (S.D.W.Va. 2005), in support of her position that the YSP was payable by her at or before closing.
In Short, the closing fees were financed by the borrower and added to the principal of the loan. After noting that the facts in the case made it unnecessary for the court at the summary judgment stage to further interpret the phrase “payable by the consumer at or before closing” in 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa), the court in Short stated that the term “payable” should be interpreted as meaning “legally enforceable” or “obligation to pay.” Short, 401 F.Supp.2d at 562. Moreover, the court stated that “it appears from the Federal Reserve Board’s Official Staff Interpretation of 12 C.F.R. § 226.32(b)(1)(h) that fees paid to a mortgage broker directly or indirectly are included in the calculation of fees and points.” Id. Finally, the court noted that TILA |n“was designed to protect consumers like the plaintiff here, not more sophisticated lending and financial institutions,
Parnell relies on Macheda, Hodges, and Short to show that the YSP, although not paid in cash by her at the time of closing, was still payable by her at or before closing. She urges that such a finding is supported by the Federal Reserve Board’s Official Staff Commentary of Regulation Z, which provides, in pertinent part:
In determining “points and fees” for purposes of this section, compensation paid by a consumer to a mortgage broker (directly or through the creditor for delivery to the broker) is included in the calculation whether or not the amount is disclosed as a finance charge. Mortgage broker fees that are not paid by the consumer are not included.
112Off trial Staff Commentary, 12 C.F.R. Part 226, Supp. I § 226.32(b)(l)(ii).
Furthermore, the issue presented in this case is distinguishable from the issue resolved by the courts in Macheda, Hodges, and Short. See Short, 401 F.Supp.2d at 562 n. 4. The YSP in this case, like in In re
|1sAs stated by the court in Short, lenders generally pay the YSP to the brokers without any guarantee that the fees will be recouped, given that the borrowers have the legal right to pay their loans off early (which Parnell did in this case) and, thus, the borrowers are not legally obligated to reimburse their lenders for paying the fees in question. See Short, 401 F.Supp.2d at 562 n. 4. Thus, even Short supports the Bank’s argument that the YSP paid by the lender in connection with Parnell’s loan was not “payable by the consumer at or before closing,” and, therefore, is not included in the “points and fees” calculations. Nor do we find under the facts of this case that the inclusion of the prepayment penalty in the promissory note guaranteed at the time of the closing that Parnell would have to account for the YSP in the event that she paid off her loan early.
To find that the YSP paid by the lender to broker, and ultimately to be paid by the borrower to the lender over the course of the loan (in the form of an enhanced interest rate on the borrowed principal), is a fee “payable by the consumer at or before loan closing” under 12 C.F.R. § 226.32(a)(l)(ii) would be to overlook the letter of the | Mlaw in order to enforce the spirit of the law. See In re Mourer, 309 B.R. at 504; accord, In re Collins, 310 B.R. at 302; In re Sigle, 310 B.R. at 307. Only those fees that are “payable by the consumer at or before closing” are to be included. See 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa)(l)(B). Where the YSP is paid by the lender to the broker at the time of closing and the borrower’s obligation is payable in the form of a higher interest rate, not at or before the closing, but over the course of the loan, the YSP is not properly included in the calculation of the eight percent trigger. See In re Mourer, 309 B.R. at 504; accord, In re Collins, 310 B.R. at 302; In re Sigle, 310 B.R. at 307. Therefore, the YSP in this case was not payable by Parnell at or before closing as required by the applicable version of 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa)(l)(B). This conclusion is supported by the majority of cases that have considered this issue and is bolstered by the fact that Congress, after years of unsuccessful attempts, has recently passed
CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, those portions of the appellate court decision that reversed the trial court’s granting of summary judgment in favor of the Bank as to | isParnell’s HOEPA and wrongful seizure claims are reversed. With respect to these two claims, the judgment of the trial court is reinstated.
REVERSED; TRIAL COURT JUDGMENT REINSTATED.
. Retired Judge Philip C. Ciaccio, assigned as Justice ad hoc, sitting for Chief Justice Catherine D. Kimball; Retired Judge Robert J. Klees, assigned as Justice ad hoc, sitting for Justice Greg Guidry, recused.
. A YSP is a lump sum paid by a lender to a broker at closing when the loan originated by the broker bears an above-par interest rate. Schuetz v. Banc One Mortgage Corporation, 292 F.3d 1004 (9th Cir. 2002), cert. denied, 537 U.S. 1171, 123 S.Ct. 994, 154 L.Ed.2d 913 (2003).
. See 15 U.S.C. § 1635.
.Parnell also alleged a violation of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, 12 U.S.C. § 2605, a violation of the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, LSA-R.S. 51:1401, et seq., and a wrongful constructive seizure claim based on alleged errors in the foreclosure process.
. Parnell did not directly pay any amount at the time of the loan closing. All closing costs were financed by her.
. In addition to the HOEPA issue, the trial court rejected all of the other issues that had been raised in Parnell’s petition.
. Parnell also assigned error as to the trial court’s grant of summary judgment as to all of the other claims that had been raised in her petition.
. Zeno involved an action to rescind a loan under HOEPA for inclusion of a prepayment penalty in the loan document. In deciding the matter, the court in Zeno observed that HOEPA and Regulation Z should be interpreted in favor of the consumer. Zeno, 08-246 at 11, 4 So.3d at 100.
.See Macheda v. Household Finance Realty Corp. of New York, 631 F.Supp.2d 181 (N.D.N.Y. 2008); Hodges v. Swafford, 863 N.E.2d 881 (Ind.App. 2007), reh'g granted on other grounds, 868 N.E.2d 1179 (Ind.App. 2007); Short v. Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A., 401 F.Supp.2d 549 (S.D.W.Va. 2005).
. The court of appeal affirmed the trial court’s grant of summary judgment on the claims for violation of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act and Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
. Many provisions of TILA, including 15 U.S.C. § 1602, were amended by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Pub.L. No. 111-203, H.R. 4173 (July 21, 2010).
. In re Mourer, 287 B.R. 889 (Bankr.W.D.Mich. 2003), vacated, 309 B.R. 502, 505 (W.D.Mich. 2004).
. In In re Mourer, the YSP had been paid by the lender at the time of the closing of the loan, and the consumer’s obligation to ultimately pay the YSP was payable in the form of a higher interest rate over the course of the loan. In re Mourer, 309 B.R. at 505.
.The Wingert court held that even if the YSP were viewed as having been paid by the consumer over the course of the loan through a higher interest rate, that premium would not be paid at or before closing. Wingert, 2004 WL 2915306 at *6.
. Short, 401 F.Supp.2d at 562. This determination is at odds with the court’s decision in Terry v. Community Bank of Northern Virginia, 255 F.Supp.2d 811 (W.D.Tenn. 2003), which declared that 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa)(l)(B) clearly requires that points and fees be payable "at or before closing,” not over the course of the loan. Because the origination and title fees had been paid by the borrower and added to the principal of the loan, the court in Terry found that they were not payable at or before closing. Terry, 255 F.Supp.2d at 816-17. The Short court disagreed, stating that Terry and its progeny have been wrongly decided. See Short, 401 F.Supp.2d at 562-63.
. See 61 Fed.Reg. 14952-01 (April 4, 1996).
. Parnell's promissory note provided:
I may make a full or partial prepayment; however, if such a prepayment is made within 3 years of the date of this Note, the Note Holder may charge me for the privilege of prepayment a prepayment charge equivalent to 3 months interest at the rate set forth above on the amount of the principal balance prepaid.... No prepayment charge may be collected if the loan is accelerated due to my default, your exercise of any due-on-sale clause in the Security Instrument securing this loan, or if this loan is renewed or refinanced by you, or if this loan is prepaid from proceeds of any loan [made] in the future by Lender to me.
Parnell’s loan was made on May 9, 2001, and was paid off, after default, more than three years later on June 26, 2006; therefore, she would not have been liable for the prepayment penalty under the terms of the promissory note.
. The 2010 legislation amended 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa)(l) replacing "points and fees payable by the consumer at or before closing” with "points and fees payable in connection with the transaction.” See Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Pub.L. No. 111-203, H.R. 4173, § 1431 (July 21, 2010). Pursuant to the 2010 amendment to 15 U.S.C. § 1602(aa), points and fees now include:
all compensation paid directly or indirectly by a consumer or creditor to a mortgage originator from any source....
. The interpretation of a statute is a question of law subject to de novo review. Louisiana Municipal Association v. State, 04-0227, p. 35 (La.1/19/05), 893 So.2d 809, 836.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The BANK OF NEW YORK, Acting Solely in its Capacity as Trustee for EQCC Trust 2001-2 v. Kathleen Johnson PARNELL
- Cited By
- 4 cases
- Status
- Published