SENATE DOCKET, NO. 125        FILED ON: 1/13/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 852

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Thomas P. Kennedy

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act to amend the foreclosure statute to require judicial foreclosure.

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PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Thomas P. Kennedy

Second Plymouth and Bristol

Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.

26th Middlesex

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Bristol


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 125        FILED ON: 1/13/2015

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 852

By Mr. Kennedy, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 852) of Thomas P. Kennedy, Timothy J. Toomey, Jr., Michelle M. DuBois, Frank I. Smizik and others for legislation to amend the foreclosure statute to require judicial foreclosure.  The Judiciary.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Eighty-Ninth General Court
(2015-2016)

_______________

 

An Act to amend the foreclosure statute to require judicial foreclosure.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Chapter 244 is hereby amended by inserting after Section 1 the following section:–

SECTION 2: Foreclosure by Complaint: All foreclosures of residential mortgages on 1-4 family owner-occupied properties shall be initiated by the filing of a foreclosure complaint against the mortgagor in the Superior Court for the county in which the property is located. A defendant-residential mortgagor may raise all legal and equitable claims and defenses against the mortgagee or any predecessor in interest, assignee, agent or any person or entity acting on behalf of such mortgagee. The court shall have the authority to modify the mortgage or grant any other appropriate relief as to the mortgagor but nothing in this section shall affect the rights of tenants or other legal occupants residing in the property that is the subject of the complaint.  The court may set aside a default judgment for good cause shown.