Feds seek sanctions, say lender abused bankruptcy lawsUnlike many families caught up in the mortgage meltdown, the Atchleys did not lose their house because they couldn't make their mortgage payments.
They lost it because of the expense and frustration of trying to force Countrywide to comply with bankruptcy laws that are supposed to offer a safe harbor to committed homeowners.
The massive California-based lender and its Atlanta law firm, McCalla Raymer, went to bankruptcy court twice within three months seeking permission to foreclose, claiming the Atchleys had not paid the mortgage. But the Atchleys' lawyer produced receipts in both cases proving that the Atchleys had indeed made their payments.
The problems didn't end there. The family says that Countrywide repeatedly billed them for inappropriate fees and charges that pushed the cost of the mortgage beyond their reach. About the time their children hesitated to ask for lunch money, Robin and John Atchley decided enough was enough.
...
The Justice Department's United States Trustee in Atlanta attracted national attention in late February by going to court asking for sanctions against Countrywide for its actions in the Atchley case.
AJCCW predatory practices never stopped. As indicated here, CW is still actively forcing families out of their homes while CEOs from CW win million dollar bonuses.