Judge: Lee W. Tsao, Case: 23NWCP00224, Date: 2023-09-14 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 23NWCP00224    Hearing Date: February 7, 2024    Dept: C

quality loan service corp. v. all claimants

CASE NO.:  23NWCP00224

HEARING 2/7/24 @ 9:30 AM

#12

 

1.    Movant Asset Recovery, Inc.’s Motion for Disbursement of Surplus Funds is GRANTED.

2.    Movant Jennifer Rivera’s Motion for Disbursement of Surplus Funds is GRANTED.

Moving Party to give NOTICE.

 

Background

Jennifer Rivera and Asset Recover Inc. (Asset Recovery) have both made claims to the excess funds from the foreclosure sale by Petitioner Quality Loan Service. Jennifer Rivera makes a claim for 60 percent of the surplus based on a 20 percent claim for herself and the assigned 20 percent claims of both Erika Curp and Victor Ayala. Asset Recovery Inc. makes a claim for “all or a portion” of the surplus based on an assignment of Anthony Ayala Jr.

Legal Standard

“The trustee, or the clerk of the court upon order to the clerk pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 2924j, shall distribute the proceeds, or a portion of the proceeds, as the case may be, of the trustee's sale conducted pursuant to Section 2924h in the following order of priority:

(1) To the costs and expenses of exercising the power of sale and of sale, including the payment of the trustee's fees and attorney's fees permitted pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2924d and subdivision (b) of this section.

(2) To the payment of the obligations secured by the deed of trust or mortgage which is the subject of the trustee's sale.

(3) To satisfy the outstanding balance of obligations secured by any junior liens or encumbrances in the order of their priority.

(4) To the trustor or the trustor's successor in interest. In the event the property is sold or transferred to another, to the vested owner of record at the time of the trustee's sale.

(CCP § 2924k(a).)

Discussion

Quality Loan Service conducted a non-judicial foreclosure sale of real property commonly known as 8151 Evergreen Avenue, South Gate, 90280 on March 10, 2023 (the Property). The Property was previously owned by Anthony Ayala Sr. (Decedent) prior to his passing on April 24, 2020. There was no proceeding conducted for the administration of Decedent’s estate. (Fox Decl., Ex. B.) Thus, Decedent’s estate would pass equally to his issue. There was initially conflicting evidence regarding Decedent’s issue. Based on the additional declarations, both Claimants agree that Decedent had five children. The children are Jennifer Rivera, Erika Curp, Victor Ayala, Anthony Ayala Jr., and Alexander Ayala.

Rivera is making a claim for 60 percent of the surplus funds consisting of 20 percent on her behalf, 20 percent on behalf of Erika Curp, and 20 percent on behalf of Victor Ayala. Erika Curp and Victor Ayala assigned their right to collect from the surplus to Rivera. (Rivera Decl., Exs. 1 and 2.) Asset Recovery is making a claim for Anthony Ayala Jr.’s interest. Anthony Ayala Jr. assigned his right to collect form the surplus to Asset Recovery. (Ayala Decl., Ex. E.) Each heir is to take equally, thus, Asset Recovery is entitled to a 20 percent share of the surplus funds. Here, $165,947.40 in funds were deposited with the Clerk of Court as surplus from the trustee’s sale. The surplus was calculated after the accounting for costs pursuant to Civil Code § 2924k(1) and (2). Thus, Rivera is entitled to $99,568.44 and Asset Recovery is entitled to $33,189.48.

 

Accordingly, Rivera’s Motion for Disbursement of Surplus Funds is GRANTED in the amount of $99,568.44 and Asset Recovery’s Motion for Disbursement of Surplus Funds is GRANTED in the amount of $33,189.48.