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Nature of Suit Code: 290
Nature of Suit: Other Real Property Actions
Cause of Action: 

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IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 16-10563

Summary Calendar

ERNEST C. SMALLWOOD, JR.; EARTHA Y. SMALLWOOD,

Plaintiffs–Appellants,

versus

BANK OF AMERICA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION;

BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

Defendants–Appellees.

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Northern District of Texas

USDC No. 3:15-CV-601

Before JOLLY, SMITH, and GRAVES, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

The magistrate judge aptly described this pro se action as follows: “In 

 

* Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not 

be published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH 

CIR. R. 47.5.4.

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

FILED

November 11, 2016

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 Case: 16-10563 Document: 00513756780 Page: 1 Date Filed: 11/11/2016
No. 16-10563

2

this garden-variety mortgage foreclosure case, Plaintiffs sought to avoid a 

threatened foreclosure sale of their home by contending that a transfer of 

interest between two entities was invalid due to an improper assignment of the 

note and/or deed of trust on the property. They requested quiet title in their 

favor, damages, a declaratory judgment, and an injunction preventing the 

foreclosure.” 

In a thorough and convincing eight-page analysis, the magistrate judge 

recommended that the district court grant the defendant banks’ motion to 

dismiss. The district court agreed, and the plaintiffs appeal.

We affirm, essentially for the reasons given by the magistrate judge. The 

assignment was authorized by well-established Fifth Circuit law. See, e.g.,

Ferguson v. Bank of N.Y. Mellon Corp., 802 F.3d 777, 780 (5th Cir. 2015); Reece 

v. U.S. Bank Nat’l Ass’n, 762 F.3d 422, 425 (5th Cir. 2014); Martins v. BAC 

Home Loans Servicing, LP, 722 F.3d 249, 253, 255 (5th Cir. 2013). The quiettitle theory fails because the plaintiffs had no sound title, having made their 

last mortgage payment in 2007. The plaintiffs’ other contentions are equally 

meritless, as the magistrate judge explained.

The judgment of dismissal is AFFIRMED.

 Case: 16-10563 Document: 00513756780 Page: 2 Date Filed: 11/11/2016