Lopa v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. et al

Filing 37

ORDER granting 29 Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction; finding as moot 32 Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim; granting 32 Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction; finding as moot 33 Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim; granting 33 Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction. Ordered by Judge Edward R. Korman on 2/7/2017. (Kolodin, Zachary)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

NOT FOR PUBLICATION

FRANK LOPA, JR.,
Plaintiff,
MEMORANDUM & ORDER
– against –
WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,
WACHOVIA MORTGAGE CORPORATION,
and
STEPHEN J. FIALA, CLERK OF THE
COUNTY OF RICHMOND, NEW YORK,

15-CV-6513 (ERK) (VMS)

Defendants.

Korman, J.:
Frank Lopa, Jr. defaulted on the mortgage on his home located at 388 Edinboro Road,
Staten Island, New York. In May 2012, a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale was entered against
Lopa in Richmond County Supreme Court. The relief he seeks in the complaint filed here is to
have vacated the judgment of foreclosure, and have the mortgage on his home declared null and
void, along with related relief.
Under the Rooker–Feldman doctrine, federal district courts lack jurisdiction over cases
that essentially amount to appeals of state court judgments. See Exxon Mobil Corp. v. Saudi
Basic Indus. Corp., 544 U.S. 280, 283–84, 125 S.Ct. 1517, 161 L.Ed.2d 454 (2005). “There are
four requirements for the application of Rooker–Feldman: (1) the federal-court plaintiff lost in
state court; (2) the plaintiff complains of injuries caused by a state court judgment; (3) the
plaintiff invites review and rejection of that judgment; and (4) the state judgment was rendered
before the district court proceedings commenced.” Vossbrinck v. Accredited Home Lenders,
Inc., 773 F.3d 423, 426 (2d Cir. 2014) (internal citations and marks omitted). As Wells Fargo

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points out, and Lopa fails to contest, all of the Rooker-Feldman requirements are met by Lopa’s
attempt to vacate the judgment of the state court, and have his mortgage declared null and void.
Indeed, “[c]ourts in this Circuit have consistently held that any attack on a judgment of
foreclosure is clearly barred by the Rooker-Feldman doctrine.” Gonzalez v. Ocwen Home Loan
Servicing, 74 F. Supp. 3d 504, 514 (D. Conn. 2015) (collecting cases). The complaint is
dismissed.

SO ORDERED.
Brooklyn, New York
February 7, 2017

Edward R. Korman
Edward R. Korman
United States District Judge

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