By Mr. Smizik of Brookline, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 4735) of Frank I. Smizik and  others for legislation to require judicial review of foreclosures on residential mortgages. The Judiciary.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:

Frank I. Smizik

James B. Eldridge

Robert M. Koczera

Linda Dean Campbell

Mary E. Grant

Barbara A. L'Italien

Robert P. Spellane

Kathi-Anne Reinstein

Alice K. Wolf

Carl M. Sciortino, Jr.

Steven J. D'Amico

Sean Garballey

Stephen L. DiNatale

Patricia D. Jehlen

Edward M. Augustus, Jr.

Eric Turkington

William Lantigua

Peter V. Kocot

Matthew C. Patrick

Robert A. O'Leary

Anne M. Gobi

Thomas P. Kennedy

Paul McMurtry

James R. Miceli

Rachel Kaprielian

Byron Rushing

Sarah K. Peake

Willie Mae Allen

Louis L. Kafka

Anthony J. Verga

Gloria L. Fox

John P. Fresolo

James J. O'Day

Benjamin Swan

Elizabeth A. Malia

William N. Brownsberger

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In the Year Two Thousand and Eight.

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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 property located in the commonwealth can only be initiated by the filing of a foreclosure complaint in the Superior or Housing Court for the county in which the property is located. A residential mortgagor may raise any and all available defenses to the foreclosure and to the contract for the underlying mortgage loan, in law and in equity. The court shall have the authority to modify the mortgage or grant any other appropriate relief. Mortgagors shall have a right of redemption for six months after the entry of judgment.