The panel appointed to study the viability and effectiveness of the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation program has recommended that the Florida Supreme Court end the program, rather than tweak or make wholesale changes to the program. The panel, consisting of five judges and a court administrator, cited homeowner mistrust and lender resistance as two of the major reasons the program has been ineffective. Only 3/6% of of cases referred to mediation from March 2010 and ending March 2011 settled during mediation.
Proponents of the program say that statistic is skewed in that it doesn't take into account settlements reached after mediation. In addition, program advocates state lenders have intentionally sabotaged the program and did not follow the spirit of mediation. Many wanted the program to continue but with some changes. Instead of cases being automatically referred to the RMFM program, the panel recommended each of the state's 20 circuit courts make mediation decisions on a case-by-case basis or allow them to join a new program yet to be created. The recommendations of the panel have been forwarded to the Florida Supreme Court but there is no timetable for the end of the program or the creation of another.
To date, there are roughly 350,000 foreclosures backlogged in Florida's court system. If you are facing a Florida Foreclosure Lawsuit, contact a Jacksonville Foreclosure Lawyer or a Florida Foreclosure Defense Lawyer today to determine what foreclosure alternatives may be available to you.
