Fergerstrom v. PNC Bank, N.A., CIVIL NO. 13-00526 DKW-RLP

• Decision Date: 18 September 2018
• Docket Number: CIVIL NO. 13-00526 DKW-RLP
• Citation: 342 F.Supp.3d 1029
• Parties: Wayne FERGERSTROM, Shenandoah Kaiama, and Windy Kaiama, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, v. PNC BANK, N.A., Defendant.
• Court: U.S. District Court — District of Hawaii

342 F.Supp.3d 1029

Wayne FERGERSTROM, Shenandoah Kaiama, and Windy Kaiama, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs,

v.PNC BANK, N.A., Defendant.

CIVIL NO. 13-00526 DKW-RLP

United States District Court, D. Hawai‘i.

Signed September 18, 2018

Brandee J. Faria, John F. Perkin, Perkin & Faria, Van-Alan H. Shima, Affinity Law Group, Bridget G. Morgan, James J. Bickerton, Bickerton Lee Dang & Sullivan, Honolulu, HI, Stanley H. Roehrig, Law Office of Stanley H. Roehrig, Hilo, HI, for Plaintiffs.

Brett J. Natarelli, Manatt Phelps & Phillips, Chicago, IL, Edmund K. Saffery, Lauren K. Chun, Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel LLP, Scott K.D. Shishido, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, Reid Davis, Richard E. Gottlieb, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP, Los Angeles, CA, for Defendant.

ORDER (1) GRANTING DEFENDANT'S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT; AND (2) DENYING PLAINTIFFS' MOTION TO CERTIFY CLASS

Derrick K. Watson, United States District Judge

INTRODUCTION

PNC seeks dismissal of the claims for wrongful foreclosure and violation of Hawaii Revised Statutes ("HRS") Chapter 480 brought by putative class representatives Shenandoah and Windy Kaiama, and Wayne Fergerstrom, arising from nonjudicial foreclosure sales conducted by PNC in 2009 and 2010. For their part, Fergerstrom and the Kaiamas move for certification of the proposed class, and three subclasses, of consumers who were subjected to notices of foreclosure sale under HRS § 667-5, prepared by the law firms of Routh Crabtree Olsen, P.S. or RCO Hawai‘i LLC (together, "RCO") on behalf of PNC.

Because Plaintiffs were required to assert their claims alleging defects in their particular foreclosure proceedings, and seeking to void the foreclosure sales, prior to the entry of new Transfer Certificates of Title by the Land Court, and did not do so, both Fergerstrom's and the Kaiamas' individual claims are barred. As a matter of Hawai‘i law, the Land Court's entry of Certificates of Title is conclusive and unimpeachable evidence of the subsequent owners' title to the properties, and Plaintiffs' claims, which seek to impeach the foreclosure proceedings, and demand damages to compensate for the loss of title and possession, are statutorily precluded. See Aames Funding Corp. v. Mores , 107 Hawai‘i 95, 101, 110 P.3d 1042, 1048 (2005) (citing HRS § 501-118 ). Accordingly, the Court GRANTS PNC's Motion for Summary Judgment. Further, because the prospective class representatives have no remaining claims, the Court DENIES Plaintiffs' Motion for Class Certification, as detailed below.

BACKGROUND

I. Factual Background

A. Fergerstrom Foreclosure

On May 3, 2007, Fergerstrom executed a mortgage in favor of PNC's predecessor, National City Bank ("NCB"), as security for his performance under an unrecorded promissory note in the amount of $585,000 secured by real property at 1066 Kina St., Kailua, Hawaii 96734 ("Fergerstrom Property"). The Fergerstrom mortgage was recorded as Land Court No. 3599690. Decl. of Dorothy J. Thomas ¶ 6, Dkt. No. 101-1; Ex. A. (Fergerstrom Mortgage), Dkt. No. 101-3. Fergerstrom defaulted on his loan in February 2009, and PNC commenced nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings under the power of sale provision contained in the mortgage.

On August 3, 2009, PNC published a Notice of Mortgagee's Intention to Foreclose Under the Power of Sale ("Notice of Sale") on the Fergerstrom Property. Thomas Decl. ¶ 13; Ex. J (Aff. of Foreclosure). The Notice of Sale gave notice of a foreclosure auction of the Fergerstrom Property that would take place on September 9, 2009. Id. At Fergerstrom's request, PNC postponed the September 9, 2009 sale and attempted to resolve the loan delinquency through a forbearance agreement. Thomas Decl. ¶ 14. Under the agreement, the lender agreed to forbear from conducting a foreclosure sale during the term of the agreement until an event of default. Ex. F (Forbearance Agreement); Dkt. No. 102-1. Although Fergerstrom made some payments under the forbearance agreement, he failed to cure his default, and, as a result, PNC proceeded with the foreclosure sale on April 12, 2010.¹ Thomas Decl. ¶ 15. PNC was the successful bidder at the foreclosure auction with a credit bid of $639,637.97, the amount then owed by Fergerstrom under the Note and Mortgage. Id.

PNC conveyed the Fergerstrom Property to the Federal National Mortgage Corporation ("Fannie Mae"), the investor on the Fergerstrom Loan, by a quitclaim deed recorded on May 13, 2010. Thomas Decl. ¶ 16, Ex. G (5/13/10 Quitclaim Deed), Dkt. No. 102-3. On May 13, 2010, the Land Court entered Certificate of Title No. 981,816, certifying that Fannie Mae was the fee-simple owner of the Fergerstrom Property, transferring title from Certificate No. 757,612. Decl. of Reid Davis, Ex. K (TCT No. 981,916), Dkt. No. 103-11. Fannie Mae thereafter conveyed the Fergerstrom Property to the current, third-party owners by Limited Warranty Deed, which was filed in the Land Court on December 3, 2010, as Document 4026085 on Certificate of Title No. 981,816, and reflects the issuance of a new Transfer Certificate of Title ("TCT") No. 1,005,710.² Ex. L (12/3/10 Warranty Deed), Dkt. No. 102-7. The new TCT No. 1,005,710 indicates that it was issued and entered as of December 3, 2010, and also reflects that it was transferred "from Certificate No. 981,816, registered 05/13/2010." Ex. M (TCT No. 1,005,710), Dkt. No. 102-8.

B. Kaiama Foreclosure

On September 26, 2006, National City Mortgage, a division of NCB, executed a mortgage loan to Shenandoah and Windy Kaiama in the amount of $248,000 secured by property at 642 Mikia Place, Kaunakakai, Molokai, Hawaii 96748 ("Kaiama Property"). Ex. C (Kaiama Mortgage). PNC business records reflect that the Kaiama loan became delinquent in June 2009 and was never brought current. Thomas Decl. ¶ 10; Ex. E, Dkt. No. 101-7. PNC commenced foreclosure proceedings pursuant to the power of sale provision contained in the mortgage, and on October 27, 2009, PNC published a Notice of Sale. Ex. N (Aff. of Foreclosure), Dkt. No. 102-9. The Notice of Sale identified the foreclosure sale auction date as November 13, 2009 for the Kaiama Property and set forth the terms and conditions of the sale. Id. PNC postponed the sale scheduled for November 13, 2009 until November 30, 2009. Thomas Decl. ¶ 18.

At the November 30, 2009 foreclosure auction, PNC was the successful bidder with a credit bid of $178,200, less than the $258,302.16 owed by the Kaiamas on that date. Thomas Decl. ¶ 19; Ex. E. PNC conveyed the Kaiama Property to itself by a quitclaim deed recorded on April 15, 2010 in the Land Court as Document No. 3955690 on Certificate No. 779,406. Ex. O (4/15/10 Quitclaim Deed), Dkt. No. 102-10. On April 15, 2010, the Land Court issued and entered Certificate of Title No. 978,781, certifying that PNC was the fee-simple owner of the Kaiama Property. Ex. P (TCT No. 978,781), Dkt. No. 102-11. On September 2, 2011, PNC sold the Kaiama Property to a third-party purchaser for $90,000. Thomas Decl. ¶ 20. PNC conveyed title to the subsequent purchaser by Limited Warranty Deed filed in the Land Court on September 2, 2011, as Document No. 4095680, which notes the issuance of a new Certificate of Title No. 1,031,006. Ex. Q (9/2/11 Limited Warranty Deed), Dkt. No. 102-12. The new TCT No. 1,031,006 reflects that it was issued and entered as of September 2, 2011, and includes the notation "Transfer from # 978781, registered 04/15/2010." Ex. R. (TCT No. 1,031,006), Dkt. No. 102-13.

II. Procedural Background

A. Plaintiffs' Claims

On September 16, 2013, Fergerstrom filed the original complaint, alleging wrongful foreclosure against PNC and requesting monetary damages.³ On May 18, 2018, Fergerstrom and the Kaiamas filed their First Amended Complaint ("FAC"), asserting claims for wrongful foreclosure and violation of HRS Chapter 480, and seeking to void the foreclosure sales, restore title and possession,⁴ and recover monetary damages. Plaintiffs' claims against PNC are predicated on certain defects contained in the Notice of Sale, and on PNC's alleged failure to properly publish the Notice of Sale. FAC ¶¶ 30–33, 39–42.

The FAC asserts claims on behalf of Plaintiffs and all others similarly situated under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23. Plaintiffs allege that PNC "breached its duties to act in good faith to sell the properties to the owners' best advantage and to use reasonable diligence to secure the best possible price, because [it] adopted foreclosure policies and practices designed and intended to deter public participation and ‘chill’ bid prices at non-judicial auctions."⁵ FAC ¶ 6.

Count I asserts a wrongful foreclosure claim based upon PNC's practice of advertising that the property would be sold only by quitclaim deed, FAC ¶ 45, but conveying the property in certain instances to third-party bidders by limited warranty deed, FAC ¶ 46, contrary to a foreclosing mortgagee's duties under the power of sale and HRS §§ 667-5 and 667-7. FAC ¶ 48. Plaintiffs also allege that PNC violated publication notice and postponement requirements contained in the power of sale clauses in the mortgages and statutes. FAC ¶¶ 51–64. Plaintiffs assert that the foreclosure sales of the Fergerstrom Property, Kaiama Property, and "the sales of all properties of the Class members were void, or at the very least voidable" under the common law and by statute, and that "Plaintiffs and the Class are entitled to appropriate damages remedies as a result, including restitution and/or rescissory damages designed to restore the equivalent of the Properties to Plaintiffs and the Class." FAC ¶ 73.

Count II alleges both unfair and deceptive trade practices ("UDAP") and unfair methods of competition ("UMOC") claims under HRS § 480-2. Plaintiffs contend that PNC's conduct violated HRS § 480-2 in the following manner—

(a) it violated a clear and established public policies [sic]: (1) against "chilling the bidding", (2) in favor of the "widest publicity," (3)

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