Greenwich v. Countrywide
Greenwich v. Countrywide
Greenwich v. Countrywide
Defendants.
________________________
David J. Grais
J. Bruce Boisture*
Owen L. Cyrulnik
*
Admitted only in Connecticut.
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
-against-
COUNTRYWIDE FINANCIAL
CORPORATION, COUNTRYWIDE HOME
LOANS, INC., and COUNTRYWIDE HOME
LOANS SERVICING LP,
Defendants.
Plaintiffs allege:
up to $8.4 billion. Most of these loans are owned not by Countrywide, but rather by trusts
to which Countrywide sold the loans in the process of securitization. To pay Countrywide
for the loans, those trusts in turn sold securities (often called “certificates” and sold in
different classes or “tranches”) to investors. Countrywide plans not to absorb the $8.4
billion reduction in mortgage payments itself (even though it was Countrywide’s own
conduct of which the Attorneys General complained in the proceedings that Countrywide
has now settled), but rather to pass most or all of that reduction on to the trusts that
purchased mortgage loans from Countrywide. If the trusts are forced to absorb the
reduction in payments occasioned by Countrywide’s settlement of the allegations against
it, then the value of the securities that those trusts sold to investors will decline.
agreements that govern the administration of the loans that Countrywide sold to trusts in
these two series of securitizations (including the trust that issued the securities that
agrees to reduce the payments. Plaintiffs make no complaint about the settlement
between the Attorneys General and Countrywide, nor do plaintiffs take any position
about whether the cost of reducing payments on loans other than those that
Countrywide sold in the CWL and CWALT securitizations may be passed to the
trusts that purchased those loans. The sole object of this action is a declaration that,
under the substantially identical agreements that govern the trust that sold the
securities owned by plaintiffs and the 373 other trusts in the CWL and CWALT
securitizations that sold the securities owned or held by other members of the
THE PARTIES
is a limited liability company organized under the laws of Delaware with its principal
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5. Plaintiff QED LLC is a limited liability company organized under the laws
under the laws of Delaware with its principal place of business in California. This
Financial and all its subsidiaries and affiliates are referred to together as Countrywide.
under the laws of New York with its principal place of business in California. This
organized under the laws of Texas with its principal place of business in Texas. This
10. This Court has jurisdiction of this action under CPLR § 301 because
Countrywide Home Loans is a New York corporation and has appointed an agent for
service of process and has consented to the jurisdiction of courts within the State. In
addition, defendants are registered and/or licensed to do business within the State and
have agreed to the jurisdiction of the courts within the State over matters arising out of
their activities within the State. Defendants have offices and regularly transact business
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within the State, and defendants have participated in negotiations and other activities
within the State that led to the transactions that give rise to the claims in this complaint.
plaintiffs assert, and defendants deny, that either defendant Countrywide Home Loans or
defendant Countrywide Servicing is required to purchase all loans in the CWL and
“modified loans [pursuant to the settlement with the State Attorneys General] are not
declaratory judgment will materially affect the value of certificates owned by plaintiffs
and members of the class on whose behalf plaintiffs bring this action.
12. Plaintiffs bring this action as a class action under CPLR § 901 on behalf of
a class consisting of all persons or entities that own or hold certificates in one or more of
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CWL 2005-SD3 CWL 2006-26 CWL 2007-12
CWL 2006-1 CWL 2006-3 CWL 2007-13
CWL 2006-10 CWL 2006-4 CWL 2007-2
CWL 2006-11 CWL 2006-5 CWL 2007-3
CWL 2006-12 CWL 2006-6 CWL 2007-4
CWL 2006-13 CWL 2006-8 CWL 2007-5
CWL 2006-14 CWL 2006-9 CWL 2007-6
CWL 2006-15 CWL 2006-ABC1 CWL 2007-7
CWL 2006-16 CWL 2006-BC1 CWL 2007-8
CWL 2006-17 CWL 2006-BC2 CWL 2007-9
CWL 2006-18 CWL 2006-BC3 CWL 2007-BC1
CWL 2006-19 CWL 2006-BC4 CWL 2007-BC2
CWL 2006-2 CWL 2006-BC5 CWL 2007-BC3
CWL 2006-20 CWL 2006-IM1 CWL 2007-QH1
CWL 2006-21 CWL 2006-QH1 CWL 2007-QH2
CWL 2006-22 CWL 2006-QH2 CWL 2007-QX1
CWL 2006-23 CWL 2007-1 CWL 2007-S1
CWL 2006-24 CWL 2007-10
CWL 2006-25 CWL 2007-11
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CWALT 2005-11CB CWALT 2005-58 CWALT 2006-OA16
CWALT 2005-12R CWALT 2005-59 CWALT 2006-OA17
CWALT 2005-13CB CWALT 2005-59R CWALT 2006-OA18
CWALT 2005-14 CWALT 2005-60T1 CWALT 2006-OA19
CWALT 2005-16 CWALT 2005-61 CWALT 2006-OA2
CWALT 2005-17 CWALT 2005-62 CWALT 2006-OA21
CWALT 2005-18CB CWALT 2005-63 CWALT 2006-OA22
CWALT 2005-19CB CWALT 2005-64CB CWALT 2006-OA3
CWALT 2005-20CB CWALT 2005-65CB CWALT 2006-OA6
CWALT 2005-21CB CWALT 2005-66 CWALT 2006-OA7
CWALT 2005-22T1 CWALT 2005-67CB CWALT 2006-OA8
CWALT 2005-23CB CWALT 2005-69 CWALT 2006-OA9
CWALT 2005-24 CWALT 2005-70CB CWALT 2006-OC1
CWALT 2005-25T1 CWALT 2005-71 CWALT 2006-OC10
CWALT 2005-26CB CWALT 2005-72 CWALT 2006-OC11
CWALT 2005-27 CWALT 2005-73CB CWALT 2006-OC2
CWALT 2005-28CB CWALT 2005-74T1 CWALT 2006-OC3
CWALT 2005-29CB CWALT 2005-75CB CWALT 2006-OC4
CWALT 2005-30CB CWALT 2005-76 CWALT 2006-OC5
CWALT 2005-31 CWALT 2005-77T1 CWALT 2006-OC6
CWALT 2005-32T1 CWALT 2005-79CB CWALT 2006-OC7
CWALT 2005-33CB CWALT 2005-80CB CWALT 2006-OC8
CWALT 2005-34CB CWALT 2005-81 CWALT 2006-OC9
CWALT 2005-35CB CWALT 2005-82 CWALT 2006-2CB
CWALT 2005-36 CWALT 2005-83CB CWALT 2006-4CB
CWALT 2005-37T1 CWALT 2005-84 CWALT 2006-5T2
CWALT 2005-38 CWALT 2005-85CB CWALT 2006-6CB
CWALT 2005-40CB CWALT 2005-86CB CWALT 2006-7CB
CWALT 2005-41 CWALT 2006-HY10 CWALT 2006-8T1
CWALT 2005-42CB CWALT 2006-HY11 CWALT 2006-9T1
CWALT 2005-43 CWALT 2006-HY12 CWALT 2006-11CB
CWALT 2005-44 CWALT 2006-HY13 CWALT 2006-12CB
CWALT 2005-45 CWALT 2006-HY3 CWALT 2006-13T1
CWALT 2005-46CB CWALT 2006-J1 CWALT 2006-14CB
CWALT 2005-47CB CWALT 2006-J2 CWALT 2006-15CB
CWALT 2005-48T1 CWALT 2006-J3 CWALT 2006-16CB
CWALT 2005-49CB CWALT 2006-J4 CWALT 2006-17T1
CWALT 2005-50CB CWALT 2006-J5 CWALT 2006-18CB
CWALT 2005-51 CWALT 2006-J6 CWALT 2006-19CB
CWALT 2005-52CB CWALT 2006-J7 CWALT 2006-20CB
CWALT 2005-53T2 CWALT 2006-J8 CWALT 2006-21CB
CWALT 2005-54CB CWALT 2006-OA1 CWALT 2006-22R
CWALT 2005-55CB CWALT 2006-OA10 CWALT 2006-23CB
CWALT 2005-55CW CWALT 2006-OA11 CWALT 2006-24CB
CWALT 2005-56 CWALT 2006-OA12 CWALT 2006-25CB
CWALT 2005-57CB CWALT 2006-OA14 CWALT 2006-26CB
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CWALT 2006-27CB CWALT 2007-HY7C CWALT 2007-6
CWALT 2006-28CB CWALT 2007-HY8C CWALT 2007-7T2
CWALT 2006-29T1 CWALT 2007-HY9 CWALT 2007-8CB
CWALT 2006-30T1 CWALT 2007-J1 CWALT 2007-9T1
CWALT 2006-31CB CWALT 2007-J2 CWALT 2007-10CB
CWALT 2006-32CB CWALT 2007-OA10 CWALT 2007-11T1
CWALT 2006-33CB CWALT 2007-OA11 CWALT 2007-12T1
CWALT 2006-34 CWALT 2007-OA2 CWALT 2007-13
CWALT 2006-35CB CWALT 2007-OA3 CWALT 2007-14T2
CWALT 2006-36T2 CWALT 2007-OA4 CWALT 2007-15CB
CWALT 2006-39CB CWALT 2007-OA6 CWALT 2007-16CB
CWALT 2006-40T1 CWALT 2007-OA7 CWALT 2007-17CB
CWALT 2006-41CB CWALT 2007-OA8 CWALT 2007-18CB
CWALT 2006-42 CWALT 2007-OA9 CWALT 2007-19
CWALT 2006-43CB CWALT 2007-OH1 CWALT 2007-20
CWALT 2006-45T1 CWALT 2007-OH2 CWALT 2007-21CB
CWALT 2006-46 CWALT 2007-OH3 CWALT 2007-22
CWALT 2007-AL1 CWALT 2007-1T1 CWALT 2007-23CB
CWALT 2007-HY2 CWALT 2007-2CB CWALT 2007-24
CWALT 2007-HY3 CWALT 2007-3T1 CWALT 2007-25
CWALT 2007-HY4 CWALT 2007-4CB
CWALT 2007-HY6 CWALT 2007-5CB
Although plaintiffs do not know the exact number of members of the proposed class,
plaintiffs believe that there are thousands of them, because there are hundreds of
14. There are questions of law or fact common to the class which predominate
over any questions affecting only individual members. Among the questions of law or
(a) Whether, under the agreements governing the trusts that sold
certificates owned or held by members of the plaintiff class, either Countrywide Home
Loans or Countrywide Servicing must purchase every loan that Countrywide modifies;
and
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(b) The price at which Countrywide Home Loans or Countrywide
15. Plaintiffs’ claims are typical of the claims of the class, because all
members of the class would be similarly affected by the declaratory judgment sought in
this action.
16. Plaintiffs will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the members of
the class and have retained counsel competent and experienced in class litigation.
17. A class action is superior to other available methods for the fair and
action.
18. In most securitizations (including all that are covered by this action), a
contract known as a Pooling and Servicing Agreement (or PSA) governs the rights and
19. Section 10.08 of the PSAs that govern the CWL and CWALT certificates
states:
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rights of the Holders of any other of the Certificates, or to obtain or seek to obtain
priority over or preference to any other such Holder or to enforce any right under
this Agreement, except in the manner herein provided and for the common benefit
of all Certificateholders.
20. Plaintiffs bring this action as a class action for the common benefit of all
21. The declaratory judgment sought in this action will apply equally to all
certificateholders in the plaintiff class, and, therefore, will not affect, disturb, or prejudice
22. For these reasons, the requirements of Section 10.08 do not apply to this
action.
securitized some of its loans. When loans are securitized, they are sold to a trust. When
borrowers then pay interest and principal on their mortgage loans, those payments go to
the trust, rather than to the lender that made the mortgage loans initially but then sold
24. To raise the money to pay for the loans, the trust sells certificates to
investors. (These certificates are securities, hence the term “securitization.”) Each
certificate entitles its owner to payment of the principal, or face, amount of the certificate,
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25. Certificates are divided into classes, or tranches. The certificates in
different classes give their owners different claims on the cash that is flowing into the
trust from payments of interest and principal on the mortgage loans that the trust owns.
26. In addition to the mortgage lender, the trust, and the investors in the
certificates, there are other participants in a securitization. One is the master servicer,
27. This action relates to 374 securitizations in the two series known as CWL
servicer. Representative examples of the PSAs that govern the CWL and CWALT
Illinois, and at least five other States filed lawsuits accusing Countrywide of violating
laws against predatory lending. Their complaints allege that Countrywide engaged in
many deceptive sales practices, charged unlawful fees and interest rates, and made
mortgage loans that Countrywide had no reasonable basis to think that the borrowers
could afford, all in violation of the predatory lending laws of the United States and those
five States. The complaints against Countrywide filed by the States of California and
Illinois are attached as Exhibits C and D. The Attorneys General of at least eight States in
addition to the five that sued Countrywide were also investigating Countrywide’s lending
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as Exhibit E. Final judgments embodying the Term Sheet have been entered against
Countrywide by the courts of California, Illinois, and several other States. Copies of the
30. Under the Term Sheet and the judgments that embody it, Countrywide is
required to modify numerous mortgage loans (at least 50,000 by March 31, 2009, and
potentially as many as 400,000) that (i) Countrywide services and (ii) meet agreed
financial criteria. Countrywide services all loans in the CWL and CWALT
securitizations, in which plaintiffs and members of the plaintiff class own or hold
certificates. Thus, under the Term Sheet and judgments, Countrywide may well be
modifying the loans in those securitizations that meet the criteria agreed to in the Term
Sheet.
31. For example, the Term Sheet and the judgments require Countrywide to
restore low introductory interest rates (so-called “teaser” rates) on certain categories of
loans that are currently subject to substantially higher interest rates and to write down the
payments due on that loan. Reducing or delaying those payments in turn entails a reduced
or delayed flow of funds into the trusts to which those loans were sold in securitizations.
A reduced or delayed flow of funds into those trusts reduces the value of the certificates
that those trusts sold to investors. Plaintiffs believe and allege that, depending on the
resolution of the questions on which they seek a declaratory judgment, the value of all
certificates held by members of the plaintiff class will be affected by billions of dollars.
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*
33. Under the PSAs that govern the CWL securitizations, any mortgage loan
that is modified must be purchased from the trust. Section 3.12(a) of most of these PSAs
states: “The Master Servicer may agree to a modification of any Mortgage Loan (the
Modified Mortgage Loan from the Trust Fund immediately following the
modification … .” The PSAs that govern certain of the CWL certificates contain an
alternate form of Section 3.12(a) that requires modified loans to be purchased by the
Master Servicer (Countrywide Servicing) rather than Countrywide Home Loans. In these
PSAs, Section 3.12(a) states: “The Master Servicer may agree to a modification of any
Mortgage Loan (the ‘Modified Mortgage Loan’) if … the Master Servicer [Countrywide
Servicing] purchases the Modified Mortgage Loan from the Trust Fund … .” No
Loans to modify any loan without triggering the requirement that either Countywide
34. Under the PSAs that govern the CWALT securitizations, any mortgage
loan that is modified must be purchased from the trust. Section 3.11(b) of most of these
PSAs states: “Countrywide may agree to a modification of any Mortgage Loan (the
from the Trust Fund … .” The PSAs that govern certain of the CWALT certificates
contain an alternate form of Section 3.11(b) that requires modified loans to be purchased
by the Master Servicer (Countrywide Servicing) rather than Countrywide Home Loans.
In these PSAs, Section 3.11(b) states: “The Master Servicer may agree to a modification
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of any Mortgage Loan (the ‘Modified Mortgage Loan’) if … the Master Servicer
purchases the Modified Mortgage Loan from the Trust Fund … .” No provision of any of
the PSAs permits Countrywide Servicing or Countrywide Home Loans to modify any
loan without triggering the requirement that either Countywide Home Loans or
35. Plaintiffs and all other members of the plaintiff class are entitled to a
judgment pursuant to CPLR § 3001 declaring that, under the PSA governing each of
plaintiffs’ certificates and each other trust that sold certificates owned or held by any
member of the plaintiff class, Countrywide Home Loans or Countrywide Servicing must
purchase every loan that Countrywide Servicing or Countrywide Home Loans modifies.
37. The PSAs that govern the CWL and CWALT certificates define the
“Purchase Price” at which modified mortgage loans must be repurchased from the trusts
as “an amount equal to the sum of (i) 100% of the unpaid principal balance ... of the
Mortgage Loan as of the date of such purchase, [plus] (ii) accrued interest thereon … .”
38. Plaintiffs and all other members of the class are entitled to a judgment
pursuant to CPLR § 3001 declaring that the price at which Countrywide Home Loans or
Countrywide Servicing must purchase every modified loan is not less than 100% of the
unpaid principal balance of, and any accrued interest on, that loan immediately before
modification.
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(a) declaring that under the PSAs governing the trusts that sold certificates
owned or held by members of the plaintiff class, either Countrywide Home Loans or
Countrywide Servicing must purchase every loan that Countrywide Home Loans or
Countrywide Servicing must purchase every modified loan is not less than 100% of the
unpaid principal balance of, and any accrued interest on, that loan immediately before
modification;
(c) allowing recovery of attorneys’ fees from the opponents of the class
(d) granting such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and
proper.
_________________________
David J. Grais
J. Bruce Boisture*
Owen L. Cyrulnik
*
Admitted only in Connecticut.
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