HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2766        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2349

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Frank I. Smizik

_________________

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.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Frank I. Smizik

15th Norfolk

1/20/2017

John H. Rogers

12th Norfolk

 

Sarah K. Peake

4th Barnstable

 

Bud Williams

11th Hampden

 

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

 

Marjorie C. Decker

25th Middlesex

 

Denise Provost

27th Middlesex

 

Mike Connolly

26th Middlesex

 

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

 

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

 

Barbara A. L'Italien

Second Essex and Middlesex

 

Mary S. Keefe

15th Worcester

 

David M. Rogers

24th Middlesex

 

Elizabeth A. Malia

11th Suffolk

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2766        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2349

By Mr. Smizik of Brookline, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2349) of Frank I. Smizik and others for legislation to require judicial review of foreclosures on residential mortgages.  The Judiciary.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 1599 OF 2015-2016.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

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.