In a ruling likely to create more headaches for lenders, a state appeals court Wednesday ruled that judges can’t give banks the go-ahead to foreclose until they respond to defenses raised by homeowners.
A three-judge panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal said that Broward Circuit Judge Peter Weinstein erred when he granted Deutsche Bank a $337,000 summary judgment against Margate residents Judith Alejandre and Sergio Terron, even though the bank ignored their defenses. His decision allowed Deutsche to take title to the couple’s property and evict them in February.
