Real Estate & Property Law

Lawyer Accused of Hiding Money Had Nearly $1M in Cash in His Law Office Closet

A South Carolina lawyer known for his TV commercials and billboards has turned over $994,000 in cash kept in a closet of his Myrtle Beach law office after a court-appointed bankruptcy investigator stressed the important of disclosing his assets. Harry Pavilack, who urged clients to “Call Pavilack Today!” in his…

Nov 2, 2010 1:03 PM CDT

New Question About MERS Mortgage System: Does It Owe Money for Unpaid Fees?

In the latest challenge to a controversial nationwide method of registering mortgage ownership, a Virginia lawmaker is requesting an opinion from the state attorney general on whether Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems is required to pay a fee every time a home loan is transferred. MERS is the glue that holds…

Nov 1, 2010 11:15 PM CDT

Election Roundup: Judge Who Is Sib of Gubernatorial Candidate Allegedly Involved in Sign Dispute

As election day nears, political campaign sign wars are at white heat. Among those at whom the finger is pointing is a New Hampshire judge and brother of a Republican candidate for state governor who has been accused of threatening a Democratic campaign volunteer for putting up signs, according to…

Nov 1, 2010 4:52 PM CDT

Election Round-Up: Fed’l Judge Smacks Down Conn.‘s Potentional Ban of WWE Garb at Polls

For Connecticut voters who want to wear a Stone Cold Steve Austin costume to the polls on Tuesday, in a nod to Halloween and the retired professional wrestling star, the Christian Science Monitor has good news: They will apparently be allowed to do so, under a federal judge’s ruling that…

Oct 28, 2010 9:00 AM CDT

Foreclosure Defense Boot Camp Offers Advice and Scotch to Lawyers Who Pass Security Check

A bankruptcy lawyer’s remote 160-acre farm in North Carolina is, to some, ground zero in the battle against foreclosures. O. Max Gardner III, 65, gives four-day, $7,775 seminars to consumer attorneys there, teaching them how to defend against lender tactics and look for defective documentation of loans. Attendees must first…

Oct 27, 2010 6:04 PM CDT

NYC Tree House Prevails in Legal Battle, Winning Permit in Historic District

Score another win for a tree house. A neighbor in her historic New York City neighborhood objected. But artist Melinda Hackett, 49, has won a permit from the Landmarks Preservation Commission for the circular, roofed structure with a spiral staircase wrapped around a tree trunk after months of legal battling,…

Oct 27, 2010 5:46 PM CDT

BP Corner-Cutting Led to Gulf Oil Disaster, Says Ex-EPA Lawyer; PBS Program Tonight Details Claims

A “corrupt culture” at BP concerning the oil giant’s compliance with safety regulations is responsible for the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill earlier this year, a retired Environmental Protection Agency attorney claims in an article related to a documentary to be aired tonight on PBS’ Frontline. Attorney Jeanne Pascal…

Oct 26, 2010 10:58 PM CDT

Town Agrees to Dim Lights to Protect Sea Turtles

Bowing to pressure from federal and state officials, a south Florida town has agreed to dim the lights along its beachfront to protect nesting sea turtles. Local government along with local businesses in Hollywood will bear the expense of retrofitting or replacing too-bright lights along the Atlantic coast that distract…

Oct 25, 2010 5:15 PM CDT

Another 198 Layoffs Follow Business Slowdown at Foreclosure Firm Under Fire

A litigation support company for a South Florida law firm known for its high number of foreclosure filings has announced another 198 layoffs, after losing business following criticism of its document practices. That brings to nearly 300 the total number of layoffs at DJSP Enterprises after David Stern’s law firm…

Oct 25, 2010 4:23 PM CDT

Backlog Worsens For U.S. Courts As Foreclosure Proceedings Face Scrutiny

A tsunami of 33,000 foreclosure cases flooding his former court prompted retired Pasco County Judge Wayne L. Cobb to return to the bench, where he sat for 32 years. However, as banks continue to cancel hundreds of hearings due to shoddy foreclosure procedures, the backlog has stagnated, the Wall Street…

Oct 22, 2010 8:12 PM CDT

Ga. County Uses Inmates to Clean Up Homes in Foreclosure

A county in Georgia is using inmates to clean up the yards of properties in foreclosure in a program that may be one of the first of its kind. Inmates in Clayton County have so far cleaned up 60 out of 390 homes, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The county bills…

Oct 22, 2010 3:53 PM CDT

US Agency Hires Quinn Emanuel in Probe of Mortgage-Backed Securities

Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan has avoided taking on banking clients since the mortgage meltdown began, making it a go-to law firm for plaintiffs suing banks. Now the law firm’s strategy has brought a new, high-profile client—the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the regulator that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,…

Oct 21, 2010 4:45 PM CDT

How a BigLaw Refugee Spurred a Foreclosure Uproar

A small bankruptcy law firm housed in a Florida strip mall next to a dentist helped uncover foreclosure paperwork problems that led GMAC to suspend foreclosure sales and spurred a nationwide uproar over “robo-signers.” The Ice Law Firm in Royal Palm Beach was founded in 2008 by former BigLaw refugee…

Oct 21, 2010 1:30 PM CDT

Banks Draw Scrutiny From Feds and Chicago-Area Sheriff

A sheriff in Chicago says he’ll halt evictions by three lenders until they submit affidavits confirming that the paperwork was done properly. Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said his foreclosure moratorium applies to Bank of America, J.P Morgan Chase and GMAC/Ally Financial, according to the Associated Press, Bloomberg and the…

Oct 20, 2010 4:05 PM CDT

Bedbug Disclosure Becomes Part of NY Real Estate Deals

Bedbugs have infiltrated homes and even lawyer’s offices in New York, and they are also creeping into sales and rental contracts. Renters are protected under a new law that requires landlords in New York City to disclose bedbug infestations, the New York Times reports. The state’s Division of Housing and…

Oct 20, 2010 11:00 AM CDT