PHH suffered one outrageous atrocity after another on the homeowner. Jury disgusted and awarded a $16.2 million.
The other day a caller said “I used a document preparer or bankruptcy petition preparer. Certainly they have obligations to keep my social security number confidential?” Unfortunately I had to say “Oh how wrong you are.”
Loan modification – PHH Mortgage – July 18, 2014 PHH Mortgage Services, a loan servicer in N.J. learned that the Yuba Superior Court jury was not sympathetic to its failure to act in a reasonable manner with regards to the modification of a home loan. PHH suffered one outrageous atrocity after another on the homeowner. It turned into a $16.2 million jury verdict against a nationwide loan-servicing company comprised of $514,000 in compensatory damages and $15.7 million in punitive damages. The plaintiff’s attorney ranked this verdict the highest jury award in years. Andre Chernay and Jon Oldenburg of the United Law Center in Roseville took on a Goliath and won.
We all should thank them for their service.
The plaintiff’s attorney ranked this verdict the highest jury award in years.
Think about the information you are giving this stranger: all your financial information, your children’s names, bank accounts and your social security number. You do this without the slightest guarantee that the information will be kept safe.
The story is one that thousands of homeowners have experienced over the last 8 years: job loss, financial collapse, and possible bankruptcy. The homeowner diligently works with the lender to reduce payments, following the lender/servicer’s instructions only to find complete mismanagement by the lender/servicer to properly document agreements and then the initiation of a foreclosure.
Should jail time be part of the punishment? That issue would have to be taken up by a separate arm of the legal system, but I doubt it will happen. Personally, I believe many of the management of many of the banks and servicers should face jail time for the nightmare they visited on homeowners and their families.
We have several videos on this site.
This is one “Suggestions on How to Hire an Attorney”
Diane is a well respected Arizona bankruptcy and foreclosure attorney. As a retired law professor, she believes in offering everyone, not just her clients, advice about bankruptcy and Arizona foreclosure laws. Diane is also a mentor to hundreds of Arizona attorneys.
*Important Note from Diane: Everything on this web site is offered for educational purposes only and not intended to provide legal advice, nor create an attorney client relationship between you, me, or the author of any article. Information in this web site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from an attorney familiar with your personal circumstances and licensed to practice law in your state. Make sure to check out their reviews.*
In Case You Missed It
Published On: May 25, 2026
Debt Decisions Have Consequences: Slow Down Before You Act When money is tight, fear can take over. You feel as if a debt storm has caught you. People may feel pressured to make fast decisions: [...]
Published On: May 25, 2026
When the Economy Feels Unstable: How to Protect Yourself From Debt in an Unstable Economy Many families feel squeezed right now. Prices remain high, borrowing money is expensive, and many people are using credit cards [...]
Published On: November 18, 2025
Article from the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice, November 18, 2025 Use this action plan to avoid scams Scammers tell lots of different stories to try to get your money or personal information. They might lie and say [...]
Published On: February 23, 2025
The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) is warning that the Trump Administration's actions to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will devastate working families, honest businesses, and the economy. "Millionaires and billionaires are [...]
