The following Press Release is from the NYS Unified Court System:

New York Courts First in Country to Institute Filing Requirement to Preserve Integrity of Foreclosure Process

NEW YORK – The New York State court system has instituted a new filing requirement in residential foreclosure cases to protect the integrity of the foreclosure process and prevent wrongful foreclosures. Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman today announced that plaintiff’s counsel in foreclosure actions will be required to file an affirmation certifying that counsel has taken reasonable steps – including inquiry to banks and lenders and careful review of the papers filed in the case – to verify the accuracy of documents filed in support of residential foreclosures. The new filing requirement was introduced by the Chief Judge in response to recent disclosures by major mortgage lenders of significant insufficiencies – including widespread deficiencies in notarization and “robosigning” of supporting documents – in residential foreclosure filings in courts nationwide. The new requirement is effective immediately and was created with the approval of the Presiding Justices of all four Judicial Departments.

Chief Judge Lippman said, “We cannot allow the courts in New York State to stand by idly and be party to what we now know is a deeply flawed process, especially when that process involves basic human needs – such as a family home – during this period of economic crisis. This new filing requirement will play a vital role in ensuring that the documents judges rely on will be thoroughly examined, accurate, and error-free before any judge is asked to take the drastic step of foreclosure.”

Under the new requirement, plaintiff’s counsel in foreclosure matters must submit the affirmation at one of several stages. In new cases, the affirmation must accompany the Request for Judicial Intervention. In pending cases, the affirmation must be submitted with either the proposed order of reference or the proposed judgment of foreclosure. In cases where a foreclosure judgment has been entered but the property has not yet been sold at auction, the affirmation must be submitted to the court referee, and a copy filed with the court, five business days before the scheduled auction. Counsel is also obligated to file an amended version of the affidavit if new facts emerge after the initial filing.

View the affirmation form.

As always, The Foreclosure Defense Law Firm of VAUGHN & WEBER, PLLC is here to assist you. We are conveniently located in the heart of Nassau County, Long Island, at 217 Willis Avenue in Mineola, NY 11501. Contact us at (516) 858-2620 to arrange a consultation with a foreclosure defense lawyer.

Please visit our Foreclosure category to learn more about foreclosure issues.

News: Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act

On October 9, 2010, in Foreclosure, Message/News Board, by Robbie L. Vaughn, Esq.

There has been recent debate over the Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act which was quietly passed by the U.S. House and Senate, but was pocket vetoed by President Obama.

This bill would require “any Federal or State court to recognize any notarization made by a notary public licensed by a State other than the State where the court is located when such notarization occurs in or affects interstate commerce.”

Many foreclosure defense attorneys challenge the legitimacy of documents presented to the court based on the notarization of  the documents. Thus, it appears that this bill, if signed into law, would make it much more difficult to challenge the authenticity of documents based on their notarization.

The Bill:

H.R.3808 — Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act of 2010 (Enrolled Bill [Final as Passed Both House and Senate] – ENR)

–H.R.3808–

H.R.3808

One Hundred Eleventh Congress

of the

United States of America

AT THE SECOND SESSION

Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,

the fifth day of January, two thousand and ten

An Act

To require any Federal or State court to recognize any notarization made by a notary public licensed by a State other than the State where the court is located when such notarization occurs in or affects interstate commerce.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the `Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act of 2010′.

SEC. 2. RECOGNITION OF NOTARIZATIONS IN FEDERAL COURTS.

    Each Federal court shall recognize any lawful notarization made by a notary public licensed or commissioned under the laws of a State other than the State where the Federal court is located if–
    • (1) such notarization occurs in or affects interstate commerce; and
    • (2)(A) a seal of office, as symbol of the notary public’s authority, is used in the notarization; or
    • (B) in the case of an electronic record, the seal information is securely attached to, or logically associated with, the electronic record so as to render the record tamper-resistant.

SEC. 3. RECOGNITION OF NOTARIZATIONS IN STATE COURTS.

    Each court that operates under the jurisdiction of a State shall recognize any lawful notarization made by a notary public licensed or commissioned under the laws of a State other than the State where the court is located if–
    • (1) such notarization occurs in or affects interstate commerce; and
    • (2)(A) a seal of office, as symbol of the notary public’s authority, is used in the notarization; or
    • (B) in the case of an electronic record, the seal information is securely attached to, or logically associated with, the electronic record so as to render the record tamper-resistant.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
    • (1) ELECTRONIC RECORD- The term `electronic record’ has the meaning given that term in section 106 of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (15 U.S.C. 7006).
    • (2) LOGICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH- Seal information is `logically associated with’ an electronic record if the seal information is securely bound to the electronic record in such a manner as to make it impracticable to falsify or alter, without detection, either the record or the seal information.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.

Please visit our Foreclosure category to learn more about foreclosure issues.

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