Roy Oppenheim From the Trenches: The re-emergence of the rocket docket

Much has been written and said about the state of the nation’s foreclosure crisis. South Florida has served as ground zero for much of the mess in the past few years and only recently is starting to dig out from under the mountain of foreclosure filings.

New South Florida foreclosures are down. After reporting the No. 1 foreclosure rate for two consecutive months, the metro area covering Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties fell to third in April, according to RealtyTrac Inc.

Nationwide, foreclosure activity fell to its lowest level in six years.

Meantime, several of the big banks have actually halted foreclosure sales to ensure they are complying with federal guidelines.

In his most recent “From the Trenches” video, Oppenheim about the newly passed foreclosure legislation – HB 87 – which is awaiting Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s signature. Roy wrote a letter to Scott asking him not to sign the bill, pointing out that if passed it could push homeowners out of their residences without the due process to which they are entitled.

There also has been a re-emergence of the so-called “rocket docket” with the Florida Supreme Court giving its blessing to a plan that allows for lawyers to serve as general magistrates to help push the hundreds of thousands pending foreclosures through the court system.

What are the implications of this decision? Watch the video to find out.

Real estate and foreclosure defense attorney, Roy Oppenheim left Wall Street for Main Street, founding Oppenheim Law along with his wife Ellen in 1989 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He also is vice president of Weston Title and creator of the South Florida Law Blog, named the best business and technology blog by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Follow Roy on Twitter at @OpLaw or like Oppenheim Law on Facebook