Plascencia et al v. Lending 1st Mortgage et al

Filing 429

ORDER by Judge Claudia Wilken granting 404 Joint Motion for Preliminary Approval of Partial Class Action Settlement (Attachments: # 1 Settlement Notice) (cwlc2S, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 12/28/2012)

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1 BERNS WEISS LLP Jeffrey K. Berns (SBN 131351) jberns@bernsweiss.com 20700 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 140 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 Tel.: (818) 961-2000 Fax: (818) 936-0232 WILLIAMS CUKER BEREZOFSKY Mark R. Cuker (admitted pro hac vice) mcuker@wcblegal.com Michael J. Quirk (admitted pro hac vice) mquirk@wcblegal.com 1515 Market Street, Suite 1300 Philadelphia, PA 19102 Tel.: (215) 557-0099 Fax: (215) 557-0673 10 SMOGER & ASSOCIATES Gerson H. Smoger (SBN 79196) gerson@texasinjurylaw.com Steven M. Bronson (SBN 246751) bronsonlaw@gmail.com 3175 Monterey Blvd Oakland, CA, 94602-3560 Tel.: (510) 531-4529 Fax: (510) 531-4377 ARBOGAST BOWEN LLP David M. Arbogast (SBN 167571) david@arbogastbowen.com Chumahan B. Bowen (SBN 238168) cbowen@arbogastbowen.com 11400 W. Olympic Blvd., 2nd Floor Los Angeles, CA 90064 Tel.: (310) 477-7200 Fax: (310) 943-2309 11 [Additional counsel listed on signature page] 12 Attorneys for Plaintiffs and the Class 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 13 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 14 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA – OAKLAND DIVISION 15 16 17 ARMANDO PLASCENCIA and MELANIA PLASCENCIA, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiffs, 18 19 20 CLASS ACTION NOTICE OF PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AND FINAL APPROVAL HEARING v. LENDING 1ST MORTGAGE, LENDING 1ST MORTGAGE LLC, EMC MORTGAGE CORPORATION, and DOES 1 through 10 inclusive, Case No. 4:07-cv-04485-CW 21 22 23 24 25 Settlement Notice Date: _______, 2013 Objection Deadline: ______ , 2013 Final Approval Hearing: Defendants. Courtroom: Judge: Complaint Filed: Trial Date: May 2, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. 2 – 4th Floor Hon. Claudia Wilken August 29, 2007 November 5, 2012 26 27 28 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AND FINAL APPROVAL HEARING 2 PLEASE READ THIS SETTLEMENT NOTICE CAREFULLY. THIS IS NOT A LAWSUIT AGAINST YOU. 3 YOU MAY BENEFIT FROM READING THIS SETTLEMENT NOTICE AND YOUR RIGHTS MAY BE AFFECTED BY THE LAWSUIT AND THIS STIPULATION OF SETTLEMENT 4 5 6 7 8 THIS NOTICE OF PROPOSED SETTLEMENT IS SENT TO YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE FOLLOWING CLASS: 9 All individuals who, between August 29, 2003 and May 12, 2011, have or have had a 10 Monthly Option ARM loan, secured by real property located in the United States, that 11 was originally made by LENDING 1st MORTGAGE within the state of California and 12 then sold or owned by LENDING 1st MORTGAGE or EMC MORTGAGE 13 CORPORATION. 14 I. WHY DID YOU GET THIS SETTLEMENT NOTICE? This Notice of Proposed Settlement (“Settlement Notice”) is given pursuant to an order of the 15 16 United States District Court for the Northern District of California (the “District Court”). This 17 Settlement Notice informs you that there is a pending partial settlement in a class action lawsuit that 18 may affect you. The lawsuit is entitled Plascencia, et al v. Lending 1st Mortgage, et al, Case No. 19 4:07-cv-04485-CW (the "Action") filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of 20 California. 21 This Settlement Notice provides notice to you of the terms of the proposed partial settlement in 22 the Class Action, so that if the partial settlement is approved by the Court, it can be implemented and a 23 cash payment can be made to you in accordance with the procedures set forth herein. 24 II. WHAT IS THE CLASS ACTION ABOUT? 25 The Class Action was brought on behalf of a class of borrowers who received an Option ARM 26 loan through Lending 1st Mortgage and Lending 1st Mortgage, LLC (collectively “Lending 1st”) from 27 August 29, 2003 through May 12, 2011, the date of the Class Notice (as defined below). The Class 28 Action alleges, among other things, that Lending 1st, EMC Mortgage Corporation (“EMC”), and 1 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 2 3 certain unnamed defendants violated California state law (located at Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200 and the following), and committed fraud. Lending 1st raised its defenses in an answer to Plaintiffs’ Third Amended Complaint filed on July 31, 2008. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 After lengthy good faith bargaining, the Plaintiffs and Class Representatives Armando Plascencia and Melania Plascencia (referred to as “Class Representatives”) and Lending 1st (Class Representatives and Lending 1st together referred to as the “Parties”) have reached a proposed settlement in the Action (the “Settlement”), which Class Representatives, the attorneys acting on behalf of the Class (“Class Counsel”) and Lending 1st believe is fair and reasonable under the circumstances. The proposed Settlement between the Parties is a compromise of disputed claims, and takes into account the fact that Lending 1st is no longer in business, and has no assets to pay any claims. The Parties have negotiated the Settlement in order to avoid further costs, expenses, and uncertainties of continuing the lawsuit, and in view of Lending 1st’s extremely limited ability to pay. The proposed Settlement does not mean, and will not be construed to mean, that Lending 1st has or has not committed any wrongdoing or that the Class would or would not be able to recover anything from Lending 1st if the Action was not settled. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Defendant EMC Mortgage Corporation is not a party to this Settlement, and remains a defendant in the Action. This Settlement Agreement is not intended to, and does not, release any claims against EMC. III. WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE ACTION? On or about May 12, 2011, a notice was sent to Class members, pursuant to the Court’s approval on April 13, 2011, notifying members of the Class that the Court certified this Action as a class action pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 23(b)(3) (“Class Notice”). After extensive court proceedings and bargaining, the parties reached an Agreement and Stipulation of Partial Settlement of Class Action (“Settlement Agreement”) stating the terms and conditions of the Settlement of the Action with Lending 1st, subject to approval by the Court. The parties filed a Motion for Preliminary Approval of the Settlement on September 10, 2012 (the “Motion”). 28 2 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 2 3 4 The Court held a preliminary approval hearing on the Motion on December 6, 2012, and on __________, 2012 it entered an order preliminarily approving the Settlement (the "Preliminary Approval Order") and ordering that this Settlement Notice be sent to all Class members. IV. 5 The Court has defined the Class as follows: 6 All individuals who, between August 29, 2003 and May 12, 2011, have or have had a 7 Monthly Option ARM loan that: 8 (a) was originated by LENDING 1st MORTGAGE and then sold or owned by 9 LENDING 1st MORTGAGE OR EMC MORTGAGE CORPORATION; 10 (b) was secured by real property in the United States; and 11 (c) was originated or otherwise approved by Defendant LENDING 1st MORTGAGE 12 within the State of California. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 WHO IS IN THE CLASS? All people who meet these criteria and who have not excluded themselves from the Class in accordance with the Class Notice are the “Class members.” V. WHAT ARE THE TERMS OF THE SETTLEMENT? The following description of the proposed Settlement is only a summary. If there is any difference between this summary and the terms of the Settlement Agreement (a copy of which was attached as Exhibit A to the Declaration of Jeffrey K. Berns In Support of the Joint Motion for Preliminary Approval of Partial Class Action Settlement), the terms of the Settlement Agreement shall control. You may obtain a copy of the complete Settlement Agreement by contacting the Settlement Administrator at the address set forth in Section XII, below, or by visiting the Settlement Website located at __________________. The proposed Settlement described in this Settlement Notice is being considered for final approval by the Court. If the Court approves the Settlement, the claims against Lending 1st will be dismissed so that they cannot be brought again. Class members who had not previously timely and validly excluded themselves from the Class will be bound by the terms of the Settlement Agreement as described below. 28 3 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 As more fully explained in the Settlement Agreement, and if the Court finally approves it, the parties have agreed to a settlement as outlined below: A. Establishment of a Settlement Fund. Lending 1st has agreed to deposit $150,000.00, minus certain ongoing expenses of this lawsuit, (the “Settlement Proceeds”) with the Settlement Administrator, Epiq Class Action and Claims Solutions, Inc., to set up a Settlement Fund. This will be accepted as full and complete satisfaction of the claims made in the Action against Lending 1st. Lending 1st shall make the first payment of $10,000 to the Settlement Administrator within ten (10) days of the Preliminary Approval Order. Lending 1st shall pay the rest of the Settlement Proceeds to the Settlement Administrator within five (5) days after the Final Approval Order Date. Lending 1st’s payment of the Settlement Proceeds will fulfill Lending 1st’s financial responsibility under the Settlement Agreement, and Lending 1st will have no further obligation to pay any additional money in Settlement of the Action. All payments to the Class members, the Class Representatives, and/or the Settlement Administrator will be paid out of the Settlement Fund. B. Payment to Class Members. The Settlement Administrator, on behalf of Lending 1st, shall pay all Class members an equal portion of the Settlement Fund, after deducting from the Settlement Fund: (1) the payment to the Settlement Administrator of up to $30,000.00; and (2) the payment of up to $5,000.00 each to the Class Representatives, if the Court approves, for the services they provided to the Class in connection with the prosecution of the Action. Payment of the Class members’ shares of the Settlement Fund shall be made by a check from the Settlement Administrator to each Class member (the “Settlement Check”), or jointly to multiple Class members (“Co-Class members”) if the loan was made to more than one borrower. Only one Settlement Check will be issued per loan. Neither Lending 1st nor the Settlement Administrator shall have liability to any person arising from any claim regarding the division of any payment made under the Settlement Agreement among Co-Class members or be responsible to any person for any disputes over who should receive any payment made pursuant to the Settlement Agreement. 28 4 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Settlement Checks will be issued and mailed to Class members within thirty (30) days after the Final Approval Order Date (as defined in the Settlement Agreement). Settlement Checks can be cashed for ninety (90) days after they are issued and after that, they will be void (“Void Date”). If a Settlement Check is not cashed by the Void Date, the Class member shall forfeit his or her right to payment and will not be entitled to have a Settlement Check reissued or to any further distribution from, or to any further recourse against, Lending 1st or the Settlement Administrator. The Settlement Check will not be deemed to be abandoned property subject to payment to the State. The Settlement Agreement will in all other respects be fully enforceable against the Class member. NOTHING IN THE SETTLEMENT RELIEVES ANY CLASS MEMBER FROM HIS OR HER DUTY TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON THE MORTGAGE LOAN OBTAINED THROUGH LENDING 1ST. C. Payment to the Class Representatives. Subject to approval by the Court, the Class Representatives, Armando Plascencia and Melania Plascencia, will each receive up to $5,000.00 in settlement of their individual and class claims against Lending 1st and in recognition of their services as Class Representatives. D. Class Counsel’s Attorneys’ Fees and Costs. Class Counsel will not be seeking compensation for Class Counsel’s services or for costs and expenses relating to the prosecution of the claims of the Class Representatives and Class members against Lending 1st in this action. E. Distribution of Remainder. Any check to a Settlement Class member that is returned to the Settlement Administrator with a forwarding address will be re-sent to the address provided and the Settlement Administrator’s database will be updated with the current address information. If any check to a Settlement Class member is uncashed sixty (60) days after the date of the check, the Settlement Administrator shall send a reminder letter to that Settlement Class member. The total amount of all checks that are returned as undeliverable, with no forwarding address, or still uncashed ninety (90) days after the date the check is written shall become part of a fund to be given to The National Consumer Law Center. 28 5 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 F. Release. Under the Settlement Agreement, all Class members who had not previously timely and validly excluded themselves from the Class will be bound by the terms of the Settlement Agreement if the Settlement is approved. Additionally, upon final approval of the Settlement, the Class Representatives and the Class members will be bound by the Release provisions of the Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement provides that: 1. For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Class Representatives and Class members, their respective coborrowers, spouses, or former spouses, who may have or have had an interest in the loan that is the subject of this Settlement Agreement, and the present, former and future respective heirs, executors, administrators, representatives, agents, attorneys, partners, successors, predecessors-in-interest, assigns, employees, and insurers of the Class Representatives and the Class members (collectively, the "Releasing Parties"), hereby remise, release, and forever discharge Lending 1st, and each of its present, former, and future direct and indirect parent companies, including but not limited to its shareholders, directors, officers, insurers, affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, officers, employees, agents, attorneys, directors, shareholders, assignors, and predecessors-ininterest (but excluding any assignees or purchasers of loans to Class members) (collectively the "Released Parties") from any and all duties, obligations, claims, counterclaims, judgments, demands, lawsuits, actions, causes of action or liabilities, relating to the failure to disclose that the subject loans guaranteed negative amortization. This release shall apply whether arising under local, state, or federal law, whether by statute, contract, common law, or equity. The foregoing Release shall also apply to any and all claims of the Releasing Parties that would be barred by the doctrines of res judicata and collateral estoppel had the issues in this case been litigated by each Class member to a final judgment on the merits, and to any and all past, present, and future claims, administrative or otherwise, actions, causes of action, rights, 28 6 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 or liabilities, known or unknown, based on or arising from the allegations that are 2 contained in the Complaint, or that could have been asserted in the Complaint, against 3 any of the Released Parties, provided, however, that nothing in this Settlement 4 Agreement shall limit or curtail any Class member’s rights with respect to any claims 5 that he or she may have against any assignee or purchaser of Class member’s loans that 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 is not a Released Party. 2. Without limiting the foregoing, the Released Claims specifically extend to and include any claims relating to the origination of the loans that the Class Representatives, Class members, and the Releasing Parties do not know, or suspect to exist in their favor at the time that the Settlement Agreement is executed, or at the time that the Settlement Agreement and the Releases contained therein become effective (i.e., the Final Approval Order Date), which, if known, might have affected their decision to enter into the Settlement Agreement. The Class Representatives, Class members, and the Releasing Parties intentionally and knowingly waive any and all provisions, rights, and benefits conferred by any law of the United States, any state or territory of the United States, or any law or principle of common law or equity that governs or limits a person’s release of unknown claims. The Class Representatives, Class members, and the Releasing Parties understand and acknowledge that they may discover facts in addition to or different from those that are currently known or believed to be true with respect to the subject matter of the Released Claims but that it is their intention to fully, finally, and forever settle and release all of the Released Claims, known and unknown, suspected or unsuspected, without regard to the subsequent discovery or current existence of any such additional or different facts, and in furtherance of such intention, the release of these Released Claims shall remain in effect notwithstanding the discovery or existence of any such additional or different facts. The provisions of this paragraph include, without limitation, an express, knowing, and voluntary waiver, to the fullest extent permitted by law, by the Class Representatives and all Class members 28 7 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 and Releasing Parties, of any and all rights or benefits conferred under Section 1542 of 2 the California Civil Code, which provides that: 3 A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor does not know or 4 suspect to exist in his or her favor at the time of executing the release, which if 5 known by him or her must have materially affected his or her settlement with 6 the debtor. 7 The Class Representatives, Class members, and the Releasing Parties understand and 8 acknowledge the significance of this waiver of Section 1542 of the California Civil 9 Code. In addition, the Class Representatives and all Class members and Releasing 10 Parties also expressly, knowingly, and voluntarily waive any and all provisions, rights, 11 and benefits conferred by any law of the United States, any state or territory of the 12 United States, and any law or principle of common law or equity, which is similar, 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 comparable, or equivalent to Section 1542 of the California Civil Code. VI. FINAL APPROVAL HEARING The hearing for final consideration and approval of the Settlement (i.e., the Final Approval Hearing), is scheduled to occur on May 2, 2013, at 2:00 p.m. in Courtroom 2 on the 4th Floor of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California at 1301 Clay Street, Oakland, California 94612. The date or time of the hearing may be changed without further notice being sent directly to you. However, if the hearing date or time is changed, notice of the new date and time will be posted online on the settlement website at ____________________________. You may also contact Class Counsel using the contact information set forth in Section VIII below to find out if the hearing date or time has been changed. At the Final Approval Hearing, the Court will hear any objections and arguments concerning the fairness of the proposed Settlement, including any objections and arguments by those Class members who comply with the provisions of the Settlement Agreement as noted in Section VII(B), below. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ATTEND THIS HEARING UNLESS YOU OBJECT TO THE 27 28 8 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 2 SETTLEMENT AND WISH TO APPEAR IN PERSON. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO APPEAR IN PERSON IN ORDER TO MAKE AN OBJECTION. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 If the Court approves the Settlement, payment to the Class members will be completed within approximately one (1) month after the entry of an order finally approving the Settlement, unless an appeal is taken. If an appeal is taken, there will be a delay in any payment, and there is the possibility that the Court may not approve the Settlement. If the Settlement is not approved, the Class Action will proceed as if no Settlement Agreement had been attempted, and there will be no payments provided at all. There can be no assurance that if the Settlement is not approved and the Class Action continues to proceed, the Class would recover more than what is provided in the Settlement Agreement, or indeed, recover anything at all. VII. WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS? A. Do Nothing. If you are satisfied with the proposed Settlement, you do not need to do anything. Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement and after the Court’s final approval of it, Class members shall receive their share of payment from the Settlement Fund as set forth in Section V(B) above. Please ensure that the Settlement Administrator has your current address, as set forth below in Section X. B. Right to Object. If you believe that the proposed Settlement is unfair or inadequate, you may submit an objection to the Court. However, Class members who had previously opted out of the Class have no right to file or present any objection. If you wish to submit an objection, you must send a written objection to the Settlement ("Written Objection") to the Clerk of the District Court, 1301 Clay Street, Oakland, California 94612 no later than sixty (60) days after the date of the Settlement Notice (i.e., Written Objections must be sent to the Court on or before __________, 2013). Your objection should reference the name of the case as Plascencia, et al v. Lending 1st Mortgage, et al, and the Court’s Case number, 4:07-cv-04485CW. Copies of your written objection must be mailed to Class Counsel and Lending 1st’s Counsel postmarked by the same date to the addresses listed in Sections VIII and IX, below. 27 28 9 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 2 3 4 5 6 The Written Objection must contain: (i) a statement of your objection, including the specific grounds for the objection and any other reasons why you desire to be heard; (ii) any legal support you wish to bring to the Court’s attention; and (iii) any evidence, documents or writing that you wish to introduce in support of the Written Objection. You may appear at the Final Approval Hearing in person or through counsel at your own expense. If you want to appear in person or through counsel at the Final Approval Hearing, your written objection must also include notice of your intent to appear. 7 8 9 10 A copy of the Parties’ Joint Motion for Final Approval of the Settlement, which will include any request that the Court grant a service award to the Class Representatives, will be posted to the settlement website no later than two weeks before the deadline for you to submit objections (or by _________, 2013). 11 12 13 14 The Final Approval Hearing will be the only opportunity for any Class member who objects to the proposed Settlement, the Settlement Agreement, the release of the Released Claims, or the entry of an order directing payment from the Settlement Fund, to appear and be heard. VIII. WHO REPRESENTS THE CLASS? 15 16 17 The law firms of Berns Weiss LLP, Smoger & Associates, Arbogast Bowen LLP, Seeger Weiss LLP, Williams Cuker Berezofsky, and Spiro Moore LLP represent the Class Representatives and the Class. 18 19 20 All notices to Class Counsel as required or permitted to be given by law or by the terms of the Settlement Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by first class United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows: 21 Jeffrey K. Berns BERNS WEISS LLP 20700 Ventura Blvd., Suite 140 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 (818) 961-2000 22 23 24 25 IX. WHO REPRESENTS LENDING 1ST? 26 The following attorneys represent Lending 1st in connection with this Settlement Agreement. 27 All notices to Counsel for Lending 1st as required or permitted to be given by law or by the terms of 28 10 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 2 the Settlement Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by first class United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed as follows: 3 Mark S. Tratten ERICKSEN ARBUTHNOT 100 Howe Avenue, Suite 110 South Sacramento, CA 95825 4 5 6 X. CORRECT ADDRESS If this notice was sent to you at an address that is not current, or if it was otherwise forwarded 7 8 to you by the U.S. Postal Service, you should immediately send a letter to the Settlement 9 Administrator, Epiq Class Action and Claims Solutions, Inc., at P.O. Box 4079, Portland, Oregon 10 97208-4079, stating the name of the case and your past and current address. It is important for you to 11 provide your current address to the Settlement Administrator to ensure that you receive your 12 settlement check, if the Settlement is approved by the Court. 13 XI. AVAILABILITY OF FILED PLEADINGS 14 This description of the Class Action is general and does not cover all of the issues and 15 proceedings thus far, and provides only a summary of the basic terms of the proposed Settlement. The 16 complete terms and conditions of the proposed Settlement are contained in the Settlement Agreement 17 on file with the Court. All papers filed in the Class Action, including the Settlement Agreement, are 18 available for you to inspect and order copies at your expense at the office of the Clerk of the Northern 19 District Court, 1301 Clay Street, Oakland, California 94612. Certain documents, including the 20 Settlement Agreement and the Motion, are also available online on the settlement website at 21 ____________________________. You can also request a copy of the Settlement Agreement or the 22 Motion by contacting the Settlement Administrator as set forth in Section XII below. 23 XII. 24 WHO CAN HELP YOU WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION? Any questions you have concerning this Settlement Notice, the Class Action, or the Class 25 Claim should be directed to the Settlement Administrator, Epiq Class Action and Claims Solutions, 26 Inc., at P.O. Box 4079, Portland, Oregon 97208-4079, phone: (877) 867-7648. All requests for more 27 information, including a copy of the Settlement Agreement or the Motion, should be sent by first class 28 11 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 mail to the address indicated above. Please include the case name, case number, and your name and return address on any letters that you send. While the Court has approved the sending of this Settlement Notice, it does not mean, and is not intended to mean, that the Court has any opinion as to the claims or defenses asserted by the parties in the Class Action. PLEASE DO NOT TELEPHONE, SEND INQUIRIES, OR ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CASE TO LENDING 1ST MORTGAGE, LENDING 1ST MORTGAGE, LLC, EMC MORTGAGE CORPORATION, THE CLERK OF THE COURT, OR THE JUDGE 9 ASSIGNED TO THIS CASE. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 DATED: ___________ BERNS WEISS LLP By: Lee A. Weiss (admitted pro hac vice) lweiss@bernsweiss.com 626 RXR Plaza Uniondale, New York 11556 Tel.: (818) 961-2000 Fax: (818) 936-0232 and BERNS WEISS LLP Jeffrey K. Berns (SBN 131351) jberns@bernsweiss.com 20700 Ventura Blvd., Suite 140 Woodland Hills, CA 91364 Tel.: (818) 961-2000 Fax: (818) 936-0232 SPIRO MOORE LLP J. Mark Moore (SBN 180473) mark@spiromoore.com 11377 W. Olympic Blvd., 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90064 Tel.: (310) 235-2468 Fax: (310) 235-2456 WILLIAMS CUKER BEREZOFSKY Mark R. Cuker (admitted pro hac vice) 12 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW 1 2 3 4 mcuker@wcblegal.com Michael J. Quirk (admitted pro hac vice) Mquirk@wcblegal.com 1515 Market Street, Suite 1300 Philadelphia, PA 19102 Tel.: (215) 557-0099 Fax: (215) 557-0673 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 ARBOGAST BOWEN LLP David M. Arbogast (SBN 167571) david@arbogastbowen.com Chumahan B. Bowen (SBN 238168) cbowen@arbogastbowen.com 11400 W. Olympic Blvd., 2nd Floor Los Angeles, CA 90064 Tel.: (310) 477-7200 Fax: (310) 943-2309 SMOGER & ASSOCIATES Gerson H. Smoger (SBN 79196) Gerson@texasinjurylaw.com Steven M. Bronson (SBN 246751) steven.bronson@gmail.com 3175 Monterey Blvd Oakland, CA, 94602-3560 Tel.: (510) 531-4529 Fax: (510) 531-4377 SEEGER WEISS LLP Christopher A. Seeger (admitted pro hac vice) Cseeger@seegerweiss.com 77 Water Street, 26th Floor New York, NY 10005 Tel.: (212) 584-0700 and SEEGER WEISS LLP Jonathan Shub (SBN 237708) jshub@seegerweiss.com 1818 Market Street, 13th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19103 Tel.: (610) 453-6551 Attorneys for Plaintiffs and the Class 27 28 13 Notice of Proposed Settlement and Final Approval Hearing - 4:07-cv-04485-CW

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