Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-05214/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-05214-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 220
Nature of Suit: Foreclosure
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-(Citizenship)

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Under the Local Rules of this District, any opposition was due no later than

December 2, 2015. See Civil L.R. 7-3(a) (providing “opposition must be filed and served

not more than 14 days after the motion [is] filed”).

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ELIZABETH MADERAL,

Plaintiff,

 v.

WELLS FARGO HOME MORTGAGE, LLC,

et al.,

Defendants.

 /

No. C-15-5214 MMC

ORDER GRANTING WELLS FARGO’S

MOTION TO DISMISS; DISMISSING

COMPLAINT; AFFORDING PLAINTIFF

LEAVE TO AMEND; VACATING

HEARING

Before the Court is the “Motion to Dismiss the Complaint,” filed November 18, 2015

by defendant Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (“Wells Fargo”), erroneously sued herein as Wells

Fargo Home Mortgage, LLC. Plaintiff Elizabeth Maderal has not filed opposition.1

 Having

read and considered the papers filed in support of the motion, the Court deems the matter

suitable for decision thereon, VACATES the hearing scheduled for January 22, 2016, and

rules as follows.

1. The First Cause of Action, in which plaintiff alleges Wells Fargo violated § 2923.5

and § 2923.55 of the California Civil Code by, inter alia, not contacting plaintiff prior to

recording a notice of trustee’s sale (see Compl. ¶ 40), is subject to dismissal, as plaintiff

fails to allege that the subject real property is her “principal residence.” See Cal. Civ. Code

Case 3:15-cv-05214-MMC Document 17 Filed 12/29/15 Page 1 of 2
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§ 2924.15 (providing that § 2923.5 and § 2923.55 “shall apply only . . . to deeds of trust that

are secured by . . . . property [that] is the principal residence of the borrower”).

2. The Second Cause of Action, in which plaintiff alleges Wells Fargo violated

§ 2923.6 of the California Civil Code, is subject to dismissal. Section 2923.6(c) prohibits

the recordation of a notice of trustee’s sale “while [a] complete first lien loan modification

application is pending,” see Cal. Civ. Code § 2923.6(c), and plaintiff’s conclusory allegation

that she submitted a “full and final application” to Wells Fargo prior to said recordation (see

Compl. ¶ 48), is insufficient to state a claim. See Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678

(2009) (holding “conclusory statements” insufficient to state claim for relief; explaining

courts “are not bound to accept as true a legal conclusion couched as a factual allegation”)

(internal quotation and citation omitted); Saridakis v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, 2015 WL

57016 (C.D. Cal. February 11, 2015) (holding allegation that lender recorded notice of

trustee’s sale after plaintiff “submitted a completed, legible and satisfactory loan

modification application” was “insufficient to plead a claim under § 2923.6(c)”).

3. The deficiencies identified above are equally applicable to RTS Pacific, Inc.,

which defendant is alleged to be Well Fargo’s trustee and has not yet appeared. 

Accordingly, the complaint is subject to dismissal as against said additional defendant. See

Silverton v. Dep’t of Treasury, 644 F.2d 1341, 1345 (9th Cir. 1981) (holding, where court

grants motion to dismiss complaint as to one defendant, court may dismiss complaint

against non-moving defendant “in a position similar to that of moving defendants”).

CONCLUSION

For the reasons stated above, Wells Fargo’s motion to dismiss is hereby GRANTED,

and the complaint is hereby DISMISSED. If plaintiff wishes to file an amended complaint to

cure the deficiencies identified above, plaintiff shall file a First Amended Complaint no later

than January 22, 2016.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 29, 2015 

MAXINE M. CHESNEY

United States District Judge

Case 3:15-cv-05214-MMC Document 17 Filed 12/29/15 Page 2 of 2