Source: https://mattweidnerlaw.com/foreclosure-case-killer-the-subpoena-duces-tecum/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 09:34:44+00:00

Document:
The cat is way out of the bag. The lenders and banks that brought our country to the verge of collapse with fraud, misrepresentation and lies have now brought these same practices into local courtrooms. Every day judges who sign foreclosure orders are confronted with legal pleadings that do not conform to the most basic requirements of professional standards, but who really cares about that…the real issue is that because the lenders cannot produce the evidence they need to proceed with their cases, they….produce the evidence they need to proceed with their cases.
3)False Affidavits of Amounts due and owing.
A Subpoena for Every Foreclosure!
Many times these documents are false on their face, but sometimes it takes a little digging to uncover the lies and misrepresentations….that’s where a subpoena comes in. The following is text of a subpoena I use. Next is a Motion to Strike Affidavit. Now there are going to be foreclosures that are proper (such as when original lenders foreclose) but in virtually every other case (especially when a pretender lender is a Plaintiff), when pressed, you’re going to find that the evidence submitted to the court is filled with mistakes lies or outright misrepresentations. Given what we’re learning about the scope of this problem…subpoenas should be dropped in every case for every fact witness, assignor, assignee and affiant. Please share results of your work with me! Together we’ll take my beloved courts back.
1. All books, papers, records, documents and other tangible things kept by LITTON LOAN SERVICING, LP concerning the transactions alleged in the complaint against Annabel E. Montgomery.
2. Any and all other books, papers, records, documents or tangible things that relate to HSBC BANK, USA, ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR THE ACE SECURITIES CORPORATION HOME EQUITY LOAN TRUST, SERIES 2005-AG1, ASSET BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES’ claim against ANNABEL E. MONTGOMERY.
3. All employment records that exist between Christopher Spradling and any employer who has employed Spradling within the last three years including current employers.
4. All records that purport to give Christopher Spradling the authority to sign or execute any documents on behalf of any person or entity.
5. All documents, records, books, evidence or instructions that you reviewed or relied upon in order to prepare the affidavit or assignment executed in this case.
These items will be inspected and may be copied at that time. You will not be required to surrender the original items. You have the right to object to the production pursuant to this subpoena at any time before production by giving written notice to the attorney whoose name appears on this subpoena. You may condition the preparation of the copies upon the payment in advance of the reasonable cost of preparation.
If you fail to: (a) appear as specified, or (b) furnish the records instead of appearing as provided above; or (c) object to this subpoena you may be in contempt of Court. You are subpoenaed by the attorneys whose names appear on this subpoena, and unless excused from this subpoena by the attorney or the Court, you shall respond to this subpoena as directed.
DATED on XXXX X, 2010.
This is an action for foreclosure of real property owned by the Defendant.
The named plaintiff in this case is HSBC BANK, USA, NATIONAL ASSOCATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE ACE SECURITIES CORPORATION HOME EQUITY TRUST, SERIES 2005-AG1, ASSET BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATE (hereinafter ” Plaintiff”).
On February 2, 2010 Plaintiff, by and through its counsel Florida Default Law Group, P.L. (hereinafter ” Florida Default Law Group”), gave Notice of Filing of Affidavit as to Amounts Due and Owing and the accompanying Affidavit (hereinafter ” Affidavit”).
Spradling, based upon his personal knowledge, averred in the Affidavit that: (1) the Plaintiff or its assigns was owed a total of $408,809.30; (2) the Plaintiff was entitled to enforce the Note and Mortgage; and (3) Plaintiff was entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. The Affidavit does not contain any mention as to who owes the Plaintiff the sum alleged save for one sentences line which cryptically state ” [s]pecifically, I have personal knowledge of the facts regarding the sums which are due and owing to Plaintiff or its assigns pursuant to the Note and Mortgage which is the subject matter of the lawsuit” and a second which states ” I am familiar with the books of account”¦concerning the transactions alleged in the Complaint.” Emphasis added.
Nowhere in the Affidavit was either Litton or Spradling identified as either the Plaintiff or the Plaintiff’s authorized agent.
Upon information and belief, Litton is simply a ” middleman” of sorts who is responsible for the transfer of funds between the various assignees of the underlying Mortgage and Note and has no knowledge of the underlying transactions between the Plaintiff and Defendant.
Upon information and belief, Spradling, as employee of Litton and not the Plaintiff, has no knowledge of the underlying transactions between the Plaintiff and Defendant.
Here, Spradling affirmatively states in the Affidavit that he is ” familiar with the books of account and have examined all books, records, and documents kept by LITTON LOAN SERVICING, LP concerning the transactions alleged in the Complaint.” Furthermore, Spradling averred that the ” Plaintiff or its assigns, is owed”¦$408,809.30.” Nevertheless, Spradling has failed to attach any of the books, records or documents referred to in the Affidavit. In addition, Spradling does not meet the definition of ” custodian,” which is ” a person or institution that has charge or custody (of”¦papers).” See Black’s Law Dictionary, 8th ed. 2004, custodian. By Spradling’s own admission ” [t]he books, records, and documents which [Spradling] has examined are managed by employees or agents whose duty it is to keep the books accurately and completely.” Emphasis added. Thus, Spradling has only examined the books, records, and documents which he refers to in the Affidavit while the true custodians of these documents are the employees or agents whose duty it is to keep the books accurately and completely. In essence, Spradling averred to records which he did not submit nor could he testify for the authenticity of just as the affiant in Zoda did.
Spradling’s failure to attach the documents referred to in the Affidavit without being custodian of same is a violation of the authentication rule promulgated in Fla. Stat. §90.901 (1989), which renders him incompetent to testify to the matters stated therein as the Second District in Zoda held. Therefore, the Affidavit should be struck in whole.
As previously demonstrated, Spradling referred to books, records, and documents kept by Litton which allegedly concerned the transaction referred to in the Complaint against the Defendant. Nevertheless, as previously demonstrated, Spradling has not attached any of these books, records or documents. This failure to do so is a violation of Fla. R. Civ. Pro. 1.510(e) and is grounds for a reversal of a summary judgment decision in favor of the Plaintiff. Therefore, the Affidavit should be struck in whole.
As a threshold matter, the admissibility of an affidavit rests upon the affiant having personal knowledge as to the matters stated therein. See Fla. R. Civ. Pro. 1.510(e) (reading, in pertinent part, that ” affidavits shall be made on personal knowledge”); Enterprise Leasing Co. v. Demartino, 15 So. 3d 711 (Fla. 2d DCA 2009); West Edge II v. Kunderas, 910 So. 2d 953 (Fla. 2d DCA 2005); In re Forefeiture of 1998 Ford Pickup, Identification No. 1FTZX1767WNA34547, 779 So. 2d 450 (Fla. 2d DCA 2000). Additionally, a corporate officer’s affidavit which merely states conclusions or opinion is not sufficient, even if it is based on personal knowledge. Nour v. All State Supply Co., So. 2d 1204, 1205 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986).
The Third District, in Alvarez v. Florida Ins. Guaranty Association, 661 So. 2d 1230 (Fla. 3d DCA 1995), noted that ” the purpose of the personal knowledge requirement is to prevent the trial court from relying on hearsay when ruling on a motion for summary judgment and to ensure that there is an admissible evidentiary basis for the case rather than mere supposition or belief.” Id at 1232 (quoting Pawlik v. Barnett Bank of Columbia County, 528 So. 2d 965, 966 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988)). This opposition to hearsay evidence has deep roots in Florida common law. In Capello v. Flea Market U.S.A., Inc., 625 So. 2d 474 (Fla. 3d DCA 1993), the Third District affirmed an order of summary judgment in favor of Flea Market U.S.A as Capello’s affidavit in opposition was not based upon personal knowledge and therefore contained inadmissible hearsay evidence. See also Doss v. Steger & Steger, P.A., 613 So. 2d 136 (Fla. 4th DCA 1993); Mullan v. Bishop of Diocese of Orlando, 540 So. 2d 174 (Fla. 5th DCA 1989); Crosby v. Paxson Electric Company, 534 So. 2d 787 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988); Page v. Stanley, 226 So. 2d 129 (Fla. 4th DCA 1969). Thus, there is ample precedent for striking affidavits in full which are not based upon the affiant’s personal knowledge.
Here, the entire Affidavit is hearsay evidence as Spradling has absolutely no personal knowledge of the facts stated therein. As an employee of Litton, which purports to be the servicer of the loan, he has no knowledge of the underlying transaction between the Plaintiff and the Defendant. Neither Spradling nor Litton: (1) were engaged by the Plaintiff for the purpose of executing the underlying mortgage transaction with the Defendant; or (2) had any contact with the Defendant with respect to the underlying transaction between the Plaintiff and Defendant. In addition, the Affidavit fails to set forth with any degree of specificity what duties Litton performs for the Plaintiff, save for one line which states that Litton ” is responsible for the collection of this loan transaction and pursuit of any delinquency in payments.” At best, Litton acted as a middleman of sorts, whose primary function was to transfer of funds between the various assignees of the underlying Mortgage and Note. Litton is not the named Plaintiff in this case, nor does the Affidavit aver that either Spradling or Litton is the agent of the Plaintiff.
Because Spradling has no personal knowledge of the underlying transaction between the Plaintiff and Defendant, any statement he gives which references this underlying transaction (such as the fact that the Plaintiff is allegedly owed sums of monies in excess of $400,000) is, by its very nature, hearsay. The Florida Rules of Evidence define hearsay as ” a statement, other than one made by the declarant while testifying at the trial or hearing, offered in evidence to prove the truth of the matter asserted.” Fla. Stat. §90.801(1)(c) (2007). Here Spradling is averring to a statement (that the Plaintiff is allegedly owed sums of money) which was made by someone other than himself (namely, the Plaintiff) and is offering this as proof of the matter asserted (that Plaintiff is entitled to enforce the Note and Mortgage and that Plaintiff is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.) At best, the only statements which Spradling can aver to are those which regard the transfer of funds between the various assignees of the Mortgage and Note.
[a] memorandum, report, record, or data compilation, in any form, of acts, events, conditions, opinion, or diagnosis, made at or near the time by, or from information transmitted by, a person with knowledge, if kept in the course of a regularly conducted business activity and if it was the regular practice of that business activity to make such memorandum, report, record, or data compilation, all as shown by the testimony of the custodian or other qualified witness, or as shown by a certification or declaration that complies with paragraph (c) and s. 90.902(11), unless the sources of information or other circumstances show lack of trustworthiness. Emphasis added.
There are, however, several problems with this argument. To begin, and as previously demonstrated, no memorandums, reports, records, or data compilation have been offered by the Plaintiff. Furthermore, the books, records, and documents referred to by Spradling in the Affidavit (which, of course, were not attached) were kept by Litton, who cannot be a person with knowledge as Litton does not have any personal knowledge of underlying transaction between the Plaintiff and the Defendant. Finally, Litton, as the source of this information, shows a lack of trustworthiness because Spradling failed to attach the books, records, and documents to the Affidavit and because neither Litton nor Spradling have knowledge of the underlying transaction between the Plaintiff and the Defendant.
Because Spradling’s statements in the Affidavit are not based upon personal knowledge, they are inadmissible hearsay evidence. As no hearsay exception applies to these statements, the Affidavit should be struck in whole.
An affidavit in support of a motion for summary judgment may not be based upon factual conclusions or opinions of law. Jones Constr. Co. of Cent. Fla., Inc. v. Fla. Workers’ Comp. JUA, Inc., 793 So. 2d 978, 979 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001). Furthermore, an affidavit which states a legal conclusion should not be relied upon unless the affidavit also recites the facts which justify the conclusion. Acquadro v. Bergeron, 851 So. 2d 665, 672 (Fla. 2003); Rever v. Lapidus, 151 So. 2d 61, 62 (Fla. 3d DCA 1963).
Here, the Affidavit contained conclusions of law which were not supported by facts stated therein. Specifically, Spradling averred that the Plaintiff was entitled to enforce the Note and Mortgage and that the Plaintiff was entitled to a judgment as a matter of law, two legal conclusions, but did not support this conclusion with statements which referenced exactly who the Plaintiff was entitled to enforce the Note and Mortgage against. In fact there is no mention of any of the parties in question save for one cryptic line in where Spradling states that ” [s]pecifically, I have personal knowledge of the facts regarding the sums which are due and owing to Plaintiff or its assigns pursuant to the Note and Mortgage which is the subject matter of the lawsuit” and another which states ” I am familiar with the books of account”¦concerning the transactions alleged in the Complaint.” Nowhere in the Affidavit does Spradling state that the Plaintiff is entitled to enforce the Note and Mortgage against the Defendant nor does Spradling state that the Plaintiff is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law because the Defendant owes the Plaintiff money. At best the Affidavit accuses someone of owing the Plaintiff $408,809.30 and that the Plaintiff should be able to enforce some Note and Mortgage against that particular someone. By not clearly identifying the parties in question, Spradling has not adequately supported his two legal conclusions.
Because the Affidavit contained impermissible conclusions of law which were not supported by facts stated therein, the Affidavit should be struck in whole.
[i]f it appears to the satisfaction of the court at any time that any of the affidavits presented pursuant to this rule are presented in bad faith or solely for the purpose of delay, the court shall forthwith order the party employing them to pay to the other party the amount of the reasonable expenses which the filing of the affidavits caused the other party to incur, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, and any offending party or attorney may be adjudged guilty of contempt. Emphasis added.
The undersigned counsel has expended considerable time and resources preparing to defend against an affidavit which has, on its face, no basis in law. Both Florida Default Law Group and the Plaintiff both knew that Spradling’s affidavit lacked authenticity and reliability yet still chose to file it with the Court. In addition, this is not Florida Default Law Group’s first time filing affidavits in bad faith. Recently, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida sanctioned both Florida Default Law Group and its client, WELLS FARGO, $95,130.45 for false representations made in affidavits in that court as well as other bankruptcy courts in Florida. See In re: Fazul Haque, Case No. 08-14257-BKR-JKO (Order Granting Wells Fargo, N.A.’s Motion for Relief from Stay and Imposing Sanctions for Negligent Practice and False Representations, Oct. 28, 2008). This is indicia of a modus operandi on Florida Default Law Group’s part to present misrepresentations and false affidavits to the Court which make an award of attorney’s fees and costs an appropriate sanction.
WHEREFORE, Defendant asks this Court to GRANT its MOTION TO STRIKE AFFIDAVIT OF CHRISTOPHER SPRADLING and enter an ORDER granting ATTORNEY’S FEES AND COSTS and any other relief the Court deems just and proper.
 See Affidavit As to Amounts Due and Owing, pg. 1.
when is the best time to subpoena bank..
PREPARE BY BUTLER & HOSCH.
I’ve got some of my paperwork with Kimberly Dawson and Mary Chavarria on it. Would like to see signatures of yours. I’ve got some other of my paperwork with different signatures for same person.
Unbelievable post you could have created right here! The internet is overflowing of dangerous writing and I used to be grabbed by your lucidity. Your selections are true and I’ll straight subscribe to your rss feed to remain updated along with your up following posts. Thanks!
I have aq uestion regarding the “lender” of our mortgages. I have learned from research that the “banks” did not lend us any of there own money. either our mortgages were funded by investor pooled money or our signature releases “our” federal reserve money. (http://viewzone.com/collateralx.html). so the so called “originator” on our mortgages were truly just entities that used their name fraudulently on mortgages and promossory notes. that brings me to line #22 in fannie mae uniform mortgage. was this literally a typo? or was this truly not suppose to be uncovered. we had a deep sense of trust in these banks. In foreclosure we have seen so many frauds is ssickening to ones heart that you trusted these people with your money/savings (now i am in a credit union, removed all monies from wells fargo the dau before they switched names from wachovia) frauds like mortgage application, appraisal, modification, robo signing/stamping and inducement into default. so line #22 states “lender” can accelerate mortgage. so if the servicers are not the lenders, isnt his fraud on the court? why are the judges not judicating contract law? i have already been induced into default by wells fargoo bank telling us not to pay our mortgage, “but what do you mean I am current , I only want to apply for a hamp loan” i had to be 3 months behind before they would take my application. i trusted the bank , i would get my modification. once they had all my paperwork and new i would qualify, I was called that someone moved my file out of review. so how does this persuasive fraud continue?
i have a question.. i did not file my answer/affirmative defense, however i have, for the past 18 months been able to get granted continuances on the fact that i m enrolled and in litigation for a loan modification with wellsfargo. it has to date worked, however i know this cant go on forever and month after month i am being requested more and more information from the modification department which can not seem make a decision in over 2 yrs, now the plaintiffs attorneys have filed another affidavit of amounts due and owing, this time i want to file a motion to strike based on the fact that the affiant is not the custodian among other reasons that i have discovered! i want to know if i should file the affirmative defense first then the motion to strike or at this point just the motion to strike?? please help you seem to be rite on!!
Can you please help me with docs for California?
Thank you for this information. Here in Mahoning County, Ohio our court system is full of corruption and incompetence which makes it harder when fighting the fraud and abuse of OCWEN and DEUTSCHE – but with the help of this site and thousands of others out here in cyberland my laywer and myself are putting up a spirited fight. Keep up the pressure on the banks, Wall Street, the mortgage servicers and the politicians – the schnooks are fighting and winning.
Any body know of an honest Attorney in southern California that knows how to do this, because I have to take this third party Trustee to Court because of a non-judicial foreclosure.
Try Deborah Bronner in the Culver City area. Google for her phone nom and web site.
Anybody in Indiana sued American Home Mortgage Servicing? or Option One? I am betting half the foreclosures in Marion County, Indiana are illegal because there was no service; delinquent homeowners did not even know they were being sued for foreclosure until it was too late. AHMSI and their bottom-feeding collection attorneys did that to me a couple years ago, but I motioned for a hearing with strong evidence and good documents. I got my foreclosure overturned, and now they are doing a loan mod pursuant to the HAMP.If this doesn’t work, I want to sue them!
Do you have a Duces Tecum for Indiana?
Can the subpoena duces tecum be issued with the motion to dismiss before filing an answer or do you have to have a hearing to issue, thanks in advance, your site is great thanks for helping the little ones determined to fight!!!!
All documents of importance that I’ve tried to get from the supposed lender are claimed to be held by a third party (MERS) or objected to on basis that “the question asked is irrelevant and not reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence”. I’m basically being ignored. I want to subpoena MERS but all I have is a P.O. box and if I find a real address and get them served, I believe they won’t respond to the subpoena. MERS is not foreclosing but they hold the documents that reveal the true owner and the foreclosing party is obviously not going to give up that information.
Anybody have info on Kondaur Capital? I’m looking to fight them in foreclosure on my house. I was in an on going mod review with Wells Fargo when they sold me to Kondaur. They only want to foreclose. Any info on this scum bag company.
Neither party is the owner of your loan. Read this post and use it against Kondaur.
I just did a quick search on Kondaur. I found so many connections between Kondaur and Wells Fargo I didn’t want to take time to research them all before I finished this. I’ll do a post on ARE YOU A VICTIM OF WELLS FARGO’S PAIN?
Did you write, “Are You a Victim of Wells Fargo’s Pain” What did you find out in your research?
805-451-4040 to discuss this further. If anyone else has been a victim of Kondaur Capital, please contact me or e-mail tiffany@wjbarneslaw.com Thank you.
i find all this multi party plaintiff strategy to be deeply troubling and problematic….not viable and potential very harmful to consumers…but I only practice in florida and provide no advice anywhere else.
Who would you recommend in CA to get advice from regarding wrongful foreclosure litgation?
Excellent job as always. We have been working on the exact issue here at Foreclosure Fighters Law Center in Ft. Lauderdale however we did not include the prayer for attorneys fees under FRCP 1.510 (g). Also your research has helped us tighten up our motion with much less effort.
I’m in Oklahoma Ms. Kimberly Dawson (Countrywide Home Loans) signed the Transfer of Mortgage and the Petition for Foreclosure was prepared by and Verified by an attorney at the law firm that is handling the case. My understanding is that the attorney has no personal knowledge of the case and can therefor not do that. Am I correct?
In Florida at least, there is an inherent conflict of interest for an attorney to sign such evidence to support his case. There are likely similar conflicts that would prohibit such evidence from being relied upon. It is up to you to contest and challenge such details.
How would I contest the Attorney’s Petition for Foreclosure and Verification? Motion to Dismiss, Motion to Strike, etc?
Check out Trinsey v. Pagliaro D.C.Pa. 1964, 229 F. Supp. 647.
Attorneys cannot testify. They are either advocates or witnesses but not both. It would be a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct for an attorney to testify and there are case laws supporting this….
Your blog is spot on! A deposition will certainly impeach affiant’s affidavit (which was written by opposing counsel and signed by “record clerk”). However, please clarify – will a successful motion to strike be fatal to Plaintiffs case in chief? Or will Plaintiff merely find a new affiant with “sharper” recollection skills?Would a conjunctive motion, that is a motion to strike affidavit in conjunction with a motion for summary judgment a possible gambit? Thank you!
Fantastic Depo. finally an Att. getting to the nitty gritty on the Att., Banks and Att. Employee’s fraudulent practices… I don’t believe; she has no idea as to what she was doing for 1 minute… It seems to ok, for them to do this stuff but, if I did something like this I would be under the jail.. Why aren’t they?
Also, do you have anything on Marshall C. Watsons Office out of Ft. Lauderdale, Fl.. I understand he is a fraudster as well.
I would love to anything and everything on his office that inplicates fraud…practices.

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