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Thursday, August 11, 2011

Boschma v. Home Loan Center: Compliance with Truth in Lending Act Does Not Provide Safe Harbor in Fraud and UCL Action

Just a brief note on this case. In Boschma v. Home Loan Center, Inc. (8/10/11) 198 Cal.App.4th 230, the plaintiffs were borrowers who brought an action against a mortgage lender for fraudulent omissions and violations of Unfair Competition Law (UCL). Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code 17200. Specifically, the plaintiffs alleged that the lender's loan documents failed to disclose the essential terms of the loans, "namely that plaintiffs would suffer negative amortization if they made monthly payments according to the only payment schedule provided to them prior to the closing of the loan."

The trial court (Orange County Superior, Judge Andler) sustained the lender's demurrer without leave to amend, and the borrowers appealed. The Court of Appeal reversed, holding that the borrowers adequately alleged fraud and violation the UCL to withstand demurrer based on defendant’s allegedly misleading, incomplete, and/or inaccurate disclosures. 

The opinion is available here.

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