Opinion ID: 874019
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Court declines to review the remainder of Trotter's arguments.

Text: Trotter's arguments that (a) MERS had no authority to assign the deed of trust to Bank of New York, and (b) his loan obligation may have been satisfied by an insurance policy, thereby precluding foreclosure, are not supported with relevant legal authority. The Idaho Appellate Rules require an appellant to support its contentions with citations to the authorities, statutes and parts of the transcript and the record relied upon. I.A.R. 35(a)(6). Thus, it is well settled that an issue on appeal will not be considered if it is not supported by propositions of law, authority, or argument. Bowles v. Pro Indiviso, Inc., 132 Idaho 371, 376, 973 P.2d 142, 147 (1999) (quoting State v. Zichko, 129 Idaho 259, 263, 923 P.2d 966, 970 (1996)). Even where an issue is explicitly set forth in the party's brief as one of the bases for appeal, if it is only mentioned in passing and not supported by any cogent argument or authority, it cannot be considered by this Court. Dawson v. Cheyovich Family Trust, 149 Idaho 375, 382-83, 234 P.3d 699, 706-07 (2010) (citing Inama v. Boise Cnty. ex rel. Bd. of Comm'rs, 138 Idaho 324, 330, 63 P.3d 450, 456 (2003)). Trotter has not provided any controlling precedent to support his assertion that MERS, as the lender's nominee, could not assign its interest in the deed of trust. Rather, his argument relies on two memorandum decisions from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Idaho that are inapplicable here. Those cases are related to standing in bankruptcy proceedings and whether MERS met the statutory, constitutional, and prudential requirements to bring a motion in bankruptcy court. See Sheridan, 2009 WL 631355, at ; Wilhelm, 407 B.R. at 398. Neither case supports Trotter's assertion that under Idaho law, MERS could not assign its interest in the deed of trust. In addition to the lack of cited legal authority, Trotter does not point to any language in the deed of trust itself that would support his argument that MERS is not the beneficiary. The record on appeal does not include the deed of trust, and therefore it cannot be considered on appeal. Chisholm v. Idaho Dep't of Water Res., 142 Idaho 159, 162, 125 P.3d 515, 518 (2005). However, the district court found that MERS was the beneficiary named in the deed of trust. Because it is the appellant's burden to produce a record demonstrating error, if a party appealing an issue presents an incomplete record, this Court will presume that the absent portion supports the findings of the trial court. State v. Willoughby, 147 Idaho 482, 488, 211 P.3d 91, 97 (2009) (citations omitted). We therefore presume that the deed of trust supports the district court's finding that MERS could assign its interest to Bank of New York. Because Trotter has not presented any argument or authority supporting his claim that MERS had no authority to assign the deed of trust, he has waived the issue. Trotter also mentions in his initial brief that summary judgment was not appropriate because his loan obligation may have been satisfied by insurance payments after it was securitized and placed in a mortgage loan trust. In support of this assertion of error, Trotter cites no legal authority, but instead refers the Court to the allegations in his original complaint. This is insufficient to satisfy I.A.R. 35(a)(6). Because he mentions this argument only in passing and without supporting argument or authority, the argument is waived and we decline to consider it.