South Florida Courts Swamped with Foreclosure Cases
South Florida courts are swamped with foreclosure cases. The wind is changing with mandatory mediation being enforced from July. One of those going through the grind is Lori Rodriguez who lost her job two years previously endangering her home ownership. But her judge compelled the lender to negotiate new terms. Soon she will have a new set of papers enabling her to mange with an affordable payment from her new job.
Although Rodriguez has been lucky others have not been so fortunate in the counties of Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade. They are still trapped within the court system clinging on to hopes of retaining their homes. It is doubtful if changes being brought about will reduce the staggering backlog of cases.
In the past two years over 700,000 foreclosures have been filed in Florida State. Of these a quarter are in the counties of Broward and Palm Beach. The case numbers relating to foreclosures have gone up ten times during the previous five years.
In 2009 in Broward County 52,000 cases were noted. In 2004 there were 5,300 cases. There were 30,000 foreclosure filings in Palm Beach County. Five years previously the number was 3,200.
Judge Jack Tutor of Broward Circuit Court said that the courts were simply overwhelmed. He calculated that the judges are each handling 5,000 or 6,000 cases at one time. The result is evident for all to see in the daily activities of the courts.
Lawyers are lugging new case boxes four times a week. Thirteen judges are pouring over dozens of foreclosure cases in a single day. Many of the borrowers have not paid their mortgage dues for a year at least. The lawyers representing the lenders are juggling with the number of cases although none agree to talk about the foreclosure crisis.
DJSP Enterprises provides services to a law firm of lawyer David Stern. The firm acts on behalf of three top servicing companies of America. Over 1,000 employees are engaged in operations that stretch beyond the borders to Philippines. The revenue it earned in the first quarter of 2010 was $71.6 million – it being 30% more gains from the previous year.
The foreclosure sales have now been automated in the two counties – making the movement swifter online. The hearing dates can be decided without calling the already stressed clerks.
A single judge deals with only foreclosure cases while another devotes half the week for these in Palm Beach County.
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