The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act of 1940 has been affected by Chapter 496 of the Acts of 1990 and by Chapter 142 of the Acts of 1998.
The passage of the above acts has brought about the following changes in our procedure.
There is no longer the necessity for bringing an action to establish compliance with the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act of 1940, as amended, if the record ownership is held by the following:
- A corporation - either domestic or foreign.
- A limited partnership, limited liability partnership or limited liability company - either domestic or foreign.
- A trust under a written declaration, the beneficial interest under which is divided into transferable certificates of participation or shares - sometimes referred to as a Business Trust.
- A general partnership or joint venture of which all the general partners appear of record to be one or more of the foregoing types of entities.
In these cases, when the record owner in the certificate of title is one of the above entities and you are presented with the entry, the deed, and the Affidavit of Sale, you should proceed as follows: Check such instruments carefully according to the check list enclosed.
If in proper form then: Register and note such documents on the outstanding certificate(s) of title and issue a new certificate of title based upon the foreclosure deed.
Caveat: This only applies to mortgage foreclosures initiated after January 1, 1991. There is no Court involvement. The only review of documents will be made at the registry counter.
In all other cases, i.e., record owner is an individual or a trust without transferable shares, etc., registry personnel should proceed as follows:
A judgment by the Court that no person is entitled to the benefits of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Relief Act of 1940, as amended, should be registered and noted before or simultaneously with the acceptance of foreclosure papers.
There will be no Court approval of the documents presented under the new statute. We will rely on the District’s careful use of the checklist.
Register and note the documents on the outstanding certificate(s) of title, and then issue a new certificate of title based on the foreclosure deed.
Attached with this memo is the checklist to be used by counter personnel in taking for record foreclosure documents.
Certificate of Title No. [Title Number]
Foreclosure of mortgage under power of sale in registered Document No. [document number] as appearing in Foreclosure Deed and Affidavit, being Document No. [document number] to which this sheet is annexed.
[check if applies] 1. Are Grantor and affiant the same party described as mortgagee in original mortgage, or an assignee of said party under assignment or assignments duly registered and endorsed on Certificate of Title No. [certificate of title number] (being the present outstanding certificate)?
[check if applies] 2. Is the description in the Foreclosure Deed, the Notice of Sale and the original mortgage the same, or substantially the same, as in said certificate?
[check if applies] 3. Does the Affidavit allege a default which, so far as appears of record, may under the terms of the original mortgage, then exist, and indicate a sale at public auction to the highest bidder?
[check if applies] 4. Is the notice printed in a newspaper published or having a general circulation in the town or city where the land lies?
[check if applies] 5. Is the notice published in accordance with the requirements in the original mortgage?
[check if applies] 6. Are authority to sell, the Notice of Sale and the Deed subject to the same encumbrances, if any, as stated in the original mortgage? (In answering the question, a statement that the sale is to be made subject to any unpaid taxes and tax title or similar language, may be disregarded.)
[check if applies] 7. Is the place of sale appearing in the notice authorized by the original mortgage, and does the Affidavit show that sale was made at the time and place advertised, at public auction? (If more than one lot covered by said mortgage, does publication state on which lot sale is to take place?)
[check if applies] 8. Was the first date of publication 21 days before the day of sale, and was the notice published once a week for at least 3 successive weeks?
[check if applies] 9. Is there a statement to the effect that notice of sale was sent registered mail to the owner or owners of record of the equity of redemption as of thirty days prior to the date of sale to the last address of the owner or owners of the equity of redemption and to any person of record as of thirty days prior to the date of sale holding an interest in the property junior to the mortgage being foreclosed? If there is a statement in the Affidavit that notice was not given to the owner or owners of record of the equity of redemption or to all persons of record as of thirty days prior to the date of sale holding an interest in the property junior to the mortgage, the Affidavit should be accompanied by a waiver from said owner or said persons holding an interest in the property who did not receive notice. The Affidavit should include the following language:
"I also complied with Ch. 244, § 14 of Massachusetts General Laws, as amended, by mailing the required notices certified mail, return receipt requested, with the exception of [name(s) of person(s) giving assent and waiving notice] whose assent(s) to the sale and waiver(s) of the notice [is/are] attached hereto as [designation(s) of assent(s) and waiver(s)]."
[check if applies] 10. If the highest bid has been assigned, the Foreclosure Deed should run to the assignee of the Assignment of Bid. The Affidavit of Sale should include the following language:
"I sold the mortgaged premises at [mortgaged premises address] by [name of auctioneer], an auctioneer, to [name of high bidder] (above named) for [amount of high bid written out and in numbers] bid by [name of high bidder], being the highest bid made therefor at said auction, which bid was later assigned to [name of assignee], as is evidenced by the Assignment of Bid to be recorded herewith."
An Assignment of Bid should be filed with the Affidavit of Sale. Said Assignment of Bid should run from the original high bidder to the assignee.
Checked by [Name of registry employee]
Date [month] [day], [year]