Dear John
Dunlap, IL--Returning home from work one day John found this note
tacked to the door:
"John, sold the place. I filed for divorce. The marriage
is over. You have 30 days to get out! Good Bye, Jan."
He didn't know where she'd gone, and after a few
weeks he forgot about the note. Then one day while napping on
the couch John was awakened by voices. There in his living room
were Mr. & Mrs. Schaer, who claimed to be new owners of
his home.
When John objected to them moving in, the Schaers retreated
to make a claim under their title policy. First American hired
an attorney to represent them. |
Self Help -- She wanted
a divorce, without the hassle. |
It turned out that Jan had sold the property for $30,000, and forged
John's signature to a deed. Then she moved to a mobile home park
in nearby Peoria.
 |
Since the Schaers' deed was hopelessly defective, First American
paid them the policy amount of $30,000. Then the Company made
claims for reimbursement against Jan and the hapless notary
on the forged signature. This turned out to be an expensive
quest. |
Ultimately, John agreed to pay for Jan's half interest in the property
by giving a note and mortgage to First American (as successor to
Jan). Then John filed a chapter 13 bankruptcy and things got complicated
again.
Although the Company recovered most of the $30,000 it had paid,
unrecoverable legal expenses totaled more than $50,000.
MORAL: After a split-up, exes sometimes leave
title to property that was once jointly owned now open to question.
Of course, Janis overdid it--and she faced criminal charges. Title
insurance is great protection against becoming entangled in the
personal problems of others.
|
