Money

Expiring Foreclosure Court Money in Florida May Help and Hurt Homeowners

Florida’s foreclosures courts are bracing for the loss of millions of dollars dedicated to tackling a once-formidable backlog of home repossession cases that has plummeted 66 percent in two years.

More than $21 million budgeted statewide in 2013 for added judicial muscle expires June 31. The special allotment, which came from the National Mortgage Settlement, allowed the state’s 20 circuit courts to increase foreclosure court technology, and add senior judges, case managers and magistrates.

The loss of funds could mean short-term turmoil for homeowners as foreclosure cases are divvied out to other divisions with judges who may not be familiar with foreclosure law, defense lawyers said.

The longer term impact may be an advantage to borrowers who are more likely to have a single judge dedicated to hearing their case.

But while pending foreclosure cases have been whittled statewide from 329,171 in 2013 to 109,706 as of January, Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Jorge Labarga said in a letter to lawmakers this month that it would be hasty to declare the housing market completely healed.

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