SUP CT Emergency Motion For Stay
SUP CT Emergency Motion For Stay
SUP CT Emergency Motion For Stay
FAROOQ ALI
Defendant / Appellant
____________________________________/
Now comes Farooq Ali, et. al., (Hereinafter Petitioners) hereby moves for an
emergency motion for stay of the eviction and writ of possession; stay of the State Court
Action pending the outcome of the appeal and litigation in the US District Court. The
lower court refused to grant the stay and the Court of Appeals similarly denied the stay.
Petitioner’s doctor has advised that if he moves, the stress of the same could cause
his death. Real Property is unique and by virtue of the sequence of events, the only holder
and owner of the subject property is the Appellant. Appellant is literally at risk of losing
The emergency stay is authorized pursuant to state law which permits the Court to
stay any eviction for six months or within the discretion of the Court based on the medical
necessities of the Plaintiff / Petitioner. Here, the Petitioner has suffered severe cardiac
issues which resulted in a medical procedure and any additional stress could literally prove
to be fatal. Pending the outcome of these proceedings, the court should stay the eviction so
irreparable harm does not occur to the Plaintiff / Petitioner. Relief is further sought on the
basis that the appeal is brought in good faith, has merit, and will likely succeed on appeal.
The Defendant Ali Farooq and Shazia Mehr are requesting an emergency stay of
any writ given Ali Farooq’s severe medical condition. Ali Farooq is suffering with a
serious heart and medical condition. He is in no physical condition to relocate his family
if he is disposed of their homestead home before the wrongful foreclosure can be undone.
GOOD CAUSE EXISTS FOR THE APPEAL AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS ON
Plaintiff ’s home was foreclosed upon by Bank of America. Prior to the foreclosure
being instigated, the property was sold to US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC by the
county tax assessor for unpaid property taxes. Bank of America admits that a tax deed has
priority over the recorded mortgage. The tax deed specifically states that “I Judith
Vassallo…, do certify that on the 4th day of December, 2013 at a public sale of lands for
delinquent liens, pursuant to the Revised Statutes of New Jersey, 1937, Title 54, Chapter
5, and the amendments and supplements thereto, I sold to US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A,
The Bank of America foreclosure was not instigated until AFTER the sale and US
BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC was NOT named in the foreclosure action by Bank of
America. Clearly, they were a necessary party to the action who Bank of America chose
NOT to sue and further did not disclose their existence to the foreclosure court.
AFTER the foreclosure judgment was final, Ali Farooq repaid the taxes paid by US
BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC, redeemed the property and then he obtained a quitclaim
deed (EXHIBIT 3 – QUITCLAIM DEED) from US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC.
this case, FAILED TO SERVE THE REAL PARTY IN INTEREST, US BANK CUST / TLCF
2012A, LLC, WHO ACQUIRED THE title BEFORE the foreclosure was ever filed and
REFUSING TO EVEN PUT THE TAX DEED IN ITS LIST OF EXHIBITS IN THEIR
THIS COURT. Bascom Corp. v. CHASE MANHATTEN BANK, 832 A. 2d 956 - NJ:
What’s worse, is that the note and mortgage upon which the wrongful foreclosure
was based is a forged document. The signatures do not even belong to the Appellant. The
CONCLUSION
WHEREFORE, Defendant Ali Farooq and his spouse, Shazia Mehr, respectfully pray
that the court vacate the existing writ, and stay the issuance of any new writ of possession
until such time as the Court of Appeals rules on the appeal currently being prepared by
the Defendant Ali Farooq on the above-cited grounds in Appellate Docket Number A-
002411-17T1.
Dated: _________
Respectfully submitted:
______________________
Farooq Ali All Rights Reserved
_______________________
Shazia Mehr All rights Reserved
36-38 Washington Ave.
North Plainfield, NJ 07060
DEFENDANT / APPELLANT PRO SE
TEL: 917 584-7173
EMAIL: KFAALI@GMAIL.COM
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
FAROOQ ALI
Defendant / Appellant
____________________________________/
APPEAL.
INTRODUCTION
The Defendant Ali Farooq and Shazia Mehr are requesting an emergency stay of any
writ given Ali Farooq’s severe medical condition. Ali Farooq is suffering with a serious
disposed of their homestead home before the wrongful foreclosure can be undone. The case
is very simple. Bank of America had no interest that they could convey because the
property was sold at tax sale prior to the foreclosure action even being filed. As a result,
Bank of America did not name a necessary party and Bank of America had no standing to
foreclose. The property had already been sold at a tax sale. Since that time, the property
which was sold by tax sale to US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC, was REDEEMED by
the Defendant Ali Farooq and Defendant Ali Farooq has in his possession a quitclaim deed
from (EXHIBIT 3 – QUITCLAIM DEED) the prior purchasers, re-conveying the property
two documents (the tax deed which says, “I Judith Vassallo…, do certify that on the 4th day
of December, 2013 at a public sale of lands for delinquent liens, pursuant to the Revised
Statutes of New Jersey, 1937, Title 54, Chapter 5, and the amendments and supplements
thereto, I sold to US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC… the land and known as 36-38
Washington Avenue… This is a tax deed, not some sale of a right to collect, but the land. I
do not want to die and I do not want to lose my property. I am begging the court to stay
Said quitclaim deed (EXHIBIT 3 – QUITCLAIM DEED) was executed and recorded
AFTER the wrongful foreclosure judgment, cutting off any right that Bank of America had
to foreclose.
This underlying foreclosure judgment is VOID as Bank of America, the plaintiff in this
case, FAILED TO SERVE THE REAL PARTY IN INTEREST, US BANK CUST / TLCF
2012A, LLC, WHO ACQUIRED THE title BEFORE the foreclosure was ever filed and
TO EVEN PUT THE TAX DEED IN ITS LIST OF EXHIBITS IN THEIR MOTION TO
Under State law, a trial judge, guided by principles of equity, has the sound
Little, 135 N.J. 274, 283 (1994). A final judgment can be set aside if it was void or has been
discharged. R. 4:50-1(d) and (e). A motion seeking relief under Rule 4:50-1(d) or (e) gener-
ally must be filed "within a reasonable time." R. 4:50-2. The fundamental proposition is
both of long standing and easily stated: "the judgment of a tribunal lacking jurisdiction to
enter such judgment is utterly void." Id. at 153, 1 A.2d 445. The court had no jurisdiction
Party; Bank Of America Had No Standing To Sue; The Mortgage Documents Were
Forgeries; Bank Of America Concealed From The Court The Tax Deed; And Appel-
lant Re-Acquired Title From US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC After The Fore-
closure Judgment, Leaving The Appellants As The True Owners Of The Property
BANK OF AMERICA concealed from the State Court the tax deed and did not name
US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A in the action. (“[T]he failure to provide anywhere for ade-
quate notice was a jurisdictional defect which made the lower court's judgment in that case
void. See Driscoll v. Burlington-Bristol Bridge Co., 8 N.J. 433, 492-93 (1952).” That tax
deed made the entire foreclosure action void ab initio. The controlling case in this matter
is Bascom Corp. v. CHASE MANHATTEN BANK, 832 A. 2d 956 - NJ: Appellate Div. 2003.
There, the court held that the tax deed took priority over the foreclosure judgment, and the
foreclosure judgment was void. The Tax deed that was issued is an exhibit attached hereto
MANHATTAN) That tax deed and US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC, however, is MISS-
ING FROM THE FORECLOSURE CASE. That, in order to perpetrate the fraud fully, not
only did Bank of America conceal from the lower court the tax deed that was issued prior
to recording the lis pendens, Bank of America used a series of fraudulently executed as-
signments in order to fabricate standing to sue. The only thing they could not do was fix
the tax deed, so they simply did not disclose it either to this court or the lower court.
The procedures that govern tax foreclosure are set down in the Tax Sale Law,
N.J.S.A. 54:5-1 et seq. “Also, we conclude the request to eliminate the judgment from the
public records is not subject to the reasonable-time requisites of Rule 4:50-2, because the
defect in the judgment's entry is non-waivable.” Bascom Corp., supra, 363 N.J. Super. at
TAN)
POINT TWO
SUPERIOR TITLE TO THAT OF THE APPELLEE AND THUS THE STAY SHOULD
BE GRANTED.
The simple fact is, that after the foreclosure judgment, Plaintiff purchased the
property back from the real party in interest, US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC and
received his quit claim deed from the non-party, US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC. It
CORPORATION v CHASE MANHATTAN) and the two documents (the tax deed which
says, “I Judith Vassallo…, do certify that on the 4th day of December, 2013 at a public sale
of lands for delinquent liens, pursuant to the Revised Statutes of New Jersey, 1937, Title
54, Chapter 5, and the amendments and supplements thereto, I sold to US BANK CUST /
TLCF 2012A, LLC… the land and known as 36-38 Washington Avenue… This is a tax deed,
not some sale of a right to collect, but the land and the reconveyance back to the Plaintiff,
that he has a very real chance of success on this appeal.
The power of our courts at the instance of a party to open a final judgment in a civil
action upon good cause shown has long been settled beyond controversy. Assets
Development Co. v. Wall, 97 N.J.L. 468 (E. & A. 1922). Rule 3:60-2 merely declares the
"On motion and upon such terms as are just, the court may relieve a party or his
legal representative from a final judgment, order or proceeding for the following reasons:
(1) mistake, inadvertence, surprise, or excusable neglect; (2) newly discovered evidence
which would probably alter the judgment, order or proceeding and which by due diligence
could not have been discovered in time to move for a new trial under Rule 3:59-2; (3) fraud
misconduct of an adverse party; (4) the judgment or order is void; (5) the judgment or order
has been satisfied, released, or discharged, or a prior judgment or order upon which it is
based has been reversed or otherwise vacated, or it is no longer equitable that the judgment
or order should have prospective application; or (6) any other reason justifying relief from
the operation of the judgment or order. The motion shall be made within a reasonable time,
and for reasons (1), (2) and (3) not more than one year after the judgment, order or
proceeding was entered or taken. A motion under Rule 3:60-2 does not suspend the
operation of any judgment, order or proceeding or affect the finality of a final judgment.
This rule does not limit the power of a court to entertain an independent action to relieve
a party from a judgment, order or proceeding; nor does it limit the court's power to set aside
a judgment, order or proceeding for fraud upon the court. Writs of coram nobis, coram vobis,
audita querela, venire facias de novo, motions to award a repleader, to arrest a judgment
or, to give judgment notwithstanding a verdict, bills of review, bills in the nature of a bill
of review and petitions for rehearing are superseded, and the procedure for obtaining a
new trial or any relief from a judgment or order shall be by motion as prescribed in these
The rule simplifies the procedure and permits the exercise of the power to open a
final judgment, for the reasons specified in subdivisions (1), (2) and (3), upon motion made
within a reasonable time not more than one year after the entry of the final judgment [see,
however, as to this time limit, Klapprott v. U.S., 335 U.S. 601, 69 S.Ct. 384, 93 L.Ed. 266
(1949), remand modified in 336 U.S. 942, 69 S.Ct. 384, 93 L.Ed. 1099 (1949), and Wilford
v. Sigmund Eisner Company, 13 N.J. Super. 27 (App. Div. 1951)], and, for the reasons
specified in subdivisions (4), (5) and (6) and for fraud upon the court, without limitation as
to time. The proceeding by motion in the cause, although not limiting the power of the court
ancillary common law and equitable procedures listed in the rule and is declaratory of the
long standing policy of our law to require that relief from a final judgment of a court of this
State be sought in the action in which the judgment was rendered when that remedy is
adequate. Kearns v. Kearns, 70 N.J. Eq. 483 (Ch. 1905). The motion procedure applies to
relief sought upon the ground of fraud upon the court, differing from the requirement under
the comparable amended Federal Rule 60(b) that relief on that ground must be the subject
of an independent action. Tentative Draft, Rules Governing all of the Courts of New Jersey,
However, relief for any reason allowed by Rule 3:60-2 rests in the sound discretion
of the trial court, controlled by established principles. Equitable principles are the guide in
equity require that relief be granted or denied. La Bell v. Quasdorf, 116 N.J.L. 368 (Sup.
Ct. 1936).
The Bank of America s stating that they had standing to bring this action and that
“no other interested party existed”. They specifically knew this statement to be false,
because the US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC tax Deed specifically stated the contrary
and it was recorded in the official records at the time. Bank of America knew that if they
disclosed this deed to the Court, they would not be entitled to proceed with the foreclosure
The true facts were, that they did not have standing to sue and lost it when US
BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC bought the property at the tax sale. The Extrinsic fraud
is the concealment by the Bank of America of the existence of the tax deed. They did not
name a real party in interest. They did not file suit prior to the tax sale. No one notified
the Plaintiff herein of the existence of the tax sale and he did not receive actual notice from
the city.
That, not being enough, Bank of America wanted to be sure of success in the
foreclosure action, so they used a forged note and mortgage as evidence. They had no
POINT THREE
This court also has authority to grant the relief sought under subsection (e) on the
circumstances since the entry of the foreclosure judgment was the grant of the quit claim
In applying subsection (f) we have stated that "[t]he very essence of (f) is its
capacity for relief in exceptional situations. And in such exceptional cases its
boundaries are as expansive as the need to achieve equity and justice." Ibid.
(quoting Court Inv. Co. v. Perillo, 48 N.J. 334, 341, 225 A.2d 352 (1966)); see
also Manning Eng'g, Inc. v. Hudson County Park Comm'n, 74 N.J. 113, 122,
376 A.2d 1194 (1977)(stating that courts have authority under subsection (f)
to grant relief where it is "necessary to achieve a fair and just result"). Similar
to subsection (e), because of the importance in the finality of judgments, relief
under subsection (f) is available only when "truly exceptional circumstances
are present." Housing Auth., supra, 135 N.J. at 286, 639 A.2d 286 (citing Bau-
mann v. Marinaro, 95 N.J. 380, 395, 471 A.2d 395 (1984))(emphasis added).
Regardless of the basis, vacation of a judgment under Rule 4:50-1 should be
granted sparingly. Pressler, Current N.J. Court Rules, comment 1.1 on R.
4:50-1 (2001).
It is clearly no longer equitable to enforce the foreclosure judgment against the Appellant. The
Appellant re-acquired his interest to the property from the only entity that had ownership. It was US
BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC. The Quitclaim Deed from US BANK CUST / TLCF
2012A, LLC to Appellant makes it inequitable to enforce the foreclosure judgment because
US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC was not a party to the foreclosure.
POINT FOUR
Here, the documentary evidence speaks for itself. The sale to US BANK CUST / TLCF
2012A, LLC via a tax deed transpired PRIOR to the foreclosure followed with a
conveyance from US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC to the Appellant. The Case law
clearly shows that the foreclosure is VOID since it transpired AFTER the tax sale. The
coup de gras, however, is the reconveyance from US Bank of the Tax Deed BACK to the
Appellant via quit claim deed AFTER the foreclosure. As a result, the ONLY PERSON
Any failure to stay the state court action could result in the untimely DEATH OF THE
unique. The land being stolen from the Appellant is in his name and conveyed to him by
US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC AFTER the foreclosure case was concluded. His
interest is therefore two fold. First, the interest from his deed; the second arises after
the foreclosure judgment by means of a quit claim deed from the purchaser at the tax
sale, US Bank.
If this court stays any further state court proceedings pending the outcome of this
action, the Defendant will not be harmed. The Defendant’s interest is tenuous at
best. The Defendant is a huge bank with billions if not trillions in assets
conduct of the Defendant. Furthermore, the issue is so clear, that the stay will
D. THE PUBLIC INTEREST LIES IN ENFORCING THE LAWS REGARDING THE SALE
The tax deed, on its face, says that title was acquired by US Bank. This is not title of a
right to repayment of tax, but TITLE TO THE PROPERTY. That title was then conveyed
to the Appellant. The Tax deed had priority over the interest in the mortgage lender, and
that tax deed was then reconveyed to the Appellant, who now is the sole owner of the
property. It is in the public interest to protect the homeowner from the wrongful
foreclosure of a tax deed without notice to the real party in interest (US Bank).
CHASE MANHATTAN) not only stands for the proposition that the foreclosure
judgment was superseded by the tax sale, making the foreclosure judgment void, but
also, “Tax foreclosure law, affecting as it does, the security of title to real estate involves
"an essential state interest" and "the power to ensure that security `inheres in the very
nature of [state] government.'" BFP v. Resolution Trust, 511 U.S. 531, 544, 114 S.Ct.
1757, 1764-1765, 128 L.Ed.2d 556, 558 (1994). The Court, therefore, has an interest in
POINT FIVE
A stay is authorized under New Jersey Law. “A:18-59.1. Terminally ill tenants
Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, the Superior Court may
authorize and review one year stays of eviction during which the tenant shall be
entitled to renew the lease at its term of expiration, subject to reasonable changes
a. The tenant fulfills all the terms of the lease and removal is sought under subsection
a. of N.J.S.2A:18-53 where a residential tenant holds over after written notice for
b. The tenant has a terminal illness which illness has been certified by a licensed
physician; and
c. There is substantial likelihood that the tenant would be unable to search for,
rent and move to a comparable alternative rental dwelling unit without serious
d. The tenant has been a tenant of the landlord for a least two years prior to the
consider whether the granting of the stay of eviction would cause an undue
hardship to the landlord because of the landlord's financial condition or any other
factor relating to the landlord's ownership of the premises. HERE, there would be
Furthermore, the Appellant is the owner of the subject property, not the Appellee.
The Appellant has a quit claim deed from the entity that acquired the title prior to
the foreclosure, and the Appellees’ own pleadings prove that the tax sale has priority
over any forged (or even real) mortgage belonging to the Appellee. The tax sale
occurred prior to the foreclosure. The tax DEED specifically states in unequivocal
foreclosure took place and the Appellee did not disclose the TAX SALE which had
Court requires a bond, the Appellant would be willing to deposit into the court
CONCLUSION
I do not want to die and I do not want to lose my property or even the equity in my
property. I am begging the court to stay the status quo until the outcome of this case. It is
readily apparent from the attached Bascom case (EXHIBIT 4 – BASCOM CORPORATION
v CHASE MANHATTAN) and the two documents (the tax deed which says, “I Judith
Vassallo…, do certify that on the 4th day of December, 2013 at a public sale of lands for
delinquent liens, pursuant to the Revised Statutes of New Jersey, 1937, Title 54, Chapter
5, and the amendments and supplements thereto, I sold to US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A,
This is a tax deed, not some sale of a right to collect, but the land. After US BANK
CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC acquired my land, I bought it back from them and received a
quit claim deed. In between that time, the Defendant filed a foreclosure, and they did not
Irreparable harm will occur on two fronts if a stay is not issued against the Appellee
seeking to evict the Appellant from his property. First, the Appellant could likely DIE, all
in the pursuit of saving his own property. Secondly, the property, which is unique, could be
lost. Both can be easily avoided by a short stay pending the outcome of this litigation;
pending Federal Court action, the Appellee herein is asking for a delay to answer the
complaint, while pressing to evict the Appellant (apparently hoping he will die from the
The Court should issue an order against the Appellee, ordering them to stay any
further attempts to evict the Appellant pending the outcome of these proceedings; further
order them to answer the complaint forthwith so the Appellant may proceed with a motion
for summary judgment in that action; this Court should vacate the void foreclosure
judgment on the grounds that the real party in interest, US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A,
LLC was not named in the foreclosure action; and deem the judgment void ab initio. This
Dated: ___________
Respectfully submitted,
______________________
Farooq Ali All Rights Reserved
_______________________
Shazia Mehr All rights Reserved
36-38 Washington Ave.
North Plainfield, NJ 07060
DEFENDANT / APPELLANT PRO SE
TEL: 917 584-7173
EMAIL: KFAALI@GMAIL.COM
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
FAROOQ ALI
Defendant / Appellant
____________________________________/
Farooq Ali, et. al., (Hereinafter Petitioners), if called to testify, could competently
1. I hereby move for a stay of the eviction of the State Court Action pending the outcome
of this litigation; this Court should issue an order against the Appellee, ordering
them to stay any further attempts to evict the Appellant pending the outcome of
these proceedings; further order them to answer the complaint forthwith so the
Appellant may proceed with a motion for summary judgment in that action; this
Court should vacate the void foreclosure judgment on the grounds that the real party
in interest, US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC was not named in the foreclosure
3. I went to the State Courthouse and personally looked at the note and mortgage that
4. They were forgeries, and I have never had the opportunity to see them as they were
filed and I was not given the opportunity to inspect them prior to the entry of the
foreclosure judgment.
5. The emergency stay is authorized pursuant to state law which permits the Court to
stay any eviction for six months or within the discretion of the Court based on the
7. Here, the Petitioner has suffered severe cardiac issues which resulted in a medical
procedure and any additional stress could literally prove to be fatal to me.
9. Pending the outcome of these proceedings, the court should stay the eviction so
10. Real property is also unique and the loss of it will cause irreparable harm.
11. I reviewed the docket and recorded documents in the state court and county records
12. I also attached a true and correct copy of the quitclaim deed (EXHIBIT 3 –
QUITCLAIM DEED) I received from US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC conveying
13. US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC acquired title to the property via the tax deed,
14. Because I acquired the title back from them, US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC
15. I request that pending the outcome of this case (after Bank of America answers, I
intend to file a motion for summary judgment based on the face of the exhibits, or in
the alternative, summary adjudication) that this Court order Bank of America not
to proceed.
16. It is clearly no longer equitable to enforce the foreclosure judgment against the
Appellant. The Appellant re-acquired his interest to the property from the only
entity that had ownership. It was US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC. The
Quitclaim Deed from US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC to Appellant makes it
19. Plaintiff ’s home was foreclosed upon by Bank of America. Prior to the foreclosure
being instigated, the property was sold to US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC by
20. Bank of America admits that a tax deed has priority over the recorded mortgage.
21. The tax deed specifically states that “I Judith Vassallo…, do certify that on the 4th
day of December, 2013 at a public sale of lands for delinquent liens, pursuant to the
Revised Statutes of New Jersey, 1937, Title 54, Chapter 5, and the amendments and
supplements thereto, I sold to US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC… the land and
22. The Bank of America foreclosure was not instigated until AFTER the sale and US
BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC was NOT named in the foreclosure action by Bank
of America.
23. Clearly, they were a necessary party to the action who Bank of America chose NOT
to sue and further did not disclose their existence to the foreclosure court.
24. AFTER the foreclosure judgment was final, Ali Farooq repaid the taxes paid by US
BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC, redeemed the property and then he obtained a
2012A, LLC.
26. This underlying foreclosure judgment is VOID as Bank of America, the plaintiff in
this case, FAILED TO SERVE THE REAL PARTY IN INTEREST, US BANK CUST
/ TLCF 2012A, LLC, WHO ACQUIRED THE title BEFORE the foreclosure was ever
court, REFUSING TO EVEN PUT THE TAX DEED IN ITS LIST OF EXHIBITS IN
MANHATTAN)
28. What’s worse, is that the note and mortgage upon which the wrongful foreclosure
31. I am begging the court to stay the status quo until the outcome of this case.
32. It is readily apparent from the attached Bascom case (EXHIBIT 4 – BASCOM
CORPORATION v CHASE MANHATTAN) and the two documents (the tax deed
which says, “I Judith Vassallo…, do certify that on the 4th day of December, 2013 at
a public sale of lands for delinquent liens, pursuant to the Revised Statutes of New
Jersey, 1937, Title 54, Chapter 5, and the amendments and supplements thereto, I
sold to US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC… the land and known as 36-38
Washington Avenue…
33. This is a tax deed, not some sale of a right to collect, but the land.
34. After US Bank acquired my land, I bought it back from US BANK CUST / TLCF
35. In between that time, the Defendant filed a foreclosure, and they did not name US
36. That there is ample equity in the property that a bond should not be required as the
property itself is worth more than that amount claimed, AND, according to the quit
claim deed from US BANK CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC, the prior purchaser, the
37. That unless restrained the FAROOQ ALI & SHAZIA MEHR, Pro Se will suffer
38. A stay would be the best remedy in this situation until the appeal can fully be heard.
DATED: ________
Respectfully submitted,
______________________
Farooq Ali All Rights Reserved
_______________________
Shazia Mehr All rights Reserved
36-38 Washington Ave.
North Plainfield, NJ 07060
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
FAROOQ ALI
Defendant / Appellant
____________________________________/
Stern, Lavinthal, Frankenberg & Norgaard, Livingston, attorneys for appellant Chase
Manhattan Bank (Robert A. Pinel, of counsel and on the brief).
Robert A. Del Vecchio, attorney for respondent Bascom Corporation (Susan B. Fagan-
Limpert, of counsel and on the brief).
These appeals, which arise out of the same series of transactions and which we consolidate
for purposes of this opinion, have their genesis in a mortgage foreclosure proceeding
brought by Chase Manhattan Bank (Chase) to foreclose the mortgage it had granted Fan-
nie Askew on property owned by her in Paterson and in a tax foreclosure proceeding
brought by Bascom Corporation to foreclose a tax sale certificate it held on the same prop-
erty. The appeal under Docket No. A-2485-02T5 arises out of the tax foreclosure proceed-
ing. Chase, a defendant in that action, appeals from an order of the Chancery Division
denying its motion pursuant to R. 4:50-1 whereby it sought to have the tax foreclosure
judgment set aside on the ground of voidness by reason of asserted violation of the bank-
ruptcy automatic stay. The appeal under Docket No. A-3332-02T5 arises out of the mort-
gage foreclosure proceeding. Chase, the plaintiff in that action, appeals from an order of
the Chancery Division entered on Askew's motion enjoining it from proceeding to sheriff's
sale of the property because its interest therein had already been foreclosed. We affirm
both orders appealed from.
The complaint in the tax foreclosure action was filed in May 2001 after Askew's failure to
respond to Bascom's pre-action notice served and filed in compliance with N.J.S.A. 54:5-
97. Chase was joined as the first mortgagee.[1] Both Chase and Askew were properly served.
Neither answered, and the action proceeded entirely uncontested. Bascom obtained an or-
der entered on September 4, 2001, duly served upon both Askew and Chase, fixing the
amount, time and place of redemption. See N.J.S.A. 54:5-98. Neither responded or made
any attempt to redeem. The final judgment foreclosing Askew and Chase from all right and
equity of redemption and vesting title in fee simple in Bascom was entered on October 24,
2001. Thereafter the property was sold to Bascom at a sheriff's sale. It appears that at least
as of the date of the entry of the orders under appeal Bascom had not yet resold the prop-
erty.
We turn now to the mortgage foreclosure action. Chase commenced its foreclosure action
in June 2000. Final judgment of foreclosure was entered in December 2000. Chase did not
immediately proceed to sheriff's sale because of Askew's intervening petition in bank-
ruptcy. In the meantime, Bascom, in February 2001, purchased from the City of Paterson
the tax sale certificate which was the subject of its foreclosure action. It further appears
that in preparation for its mortgage foreclosure sale, Chase had ordered a title search and
that its searcher missed Bascom's purchase of the tax sale certificate. Accordingly Chase's
title company issued an indemnification to Chase in May 2001 which made no reference to
it. Chase made no attempt to enforce its foreclosure judgment against Askew until October
2002, a year after Bascom's final judgment of foreclosure. A sheriff's sale was held on Oc-
tober 22, 2002, at which Chase was the highest bidder.
The proceedings now under review followed. Askew filed a pro se motion in the mortgage
foreclosure action seeking to set aside Chase's sheriff's sale on the ground that the property
had already been sold. Chase then filed a motion in the tax foreclosure action seeking to
set aside the tax foreclosure judgment under R. 4:50-1. The two motions were heard to-
gether by the Chancery Division, which granted Askew's and denied Chase's. We point out
that if Chase's motion was properly denied, 959*959 then patently Askew's motion was
properly granted since the tax foreclosure judgment foreclosed Chase's interest in the prop-
erty and its effect, as the Chancery judge concluded, was to require vacation of the mort-
gage foreclosure judgment.
The issue thus before us is whether the Chancery Division properly denied relief to Chase
pursuant to R. 4:50-1. The basis of Chase's assertion of a right to relief is its claim that the
tax foreclosure judgment was void because the order setting the amount, time and place of
redemption had been entered during the period of a bankruptcy court automatic stay. 11
U.S.C.A. § 362(a). It is, indeed, undisputed that Askew's response to the tax foreclosure
proceeding was the filing for protection under Chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code on July
16, 2001, a month after she was served with the tax foreclosure complaint. Although she
noticed Chase, she did not notice Bascom who remained unaware of the bankruptcy pro-
ceeding. In any event, the automatic stay was in effect from that filing date until Askew's
petition was dismissed on October 6, 2001, two days after entry of the order fixing the terms
of redemption. Askew had, in fact, filed two subsequent petitions in bankruptcy, one on
November 19, 2001, which was dismissed on January 11, 2002, and the next on March 25,
2002, which was dismissed on October 31, 2002. As noted, however, the final judgment of
tax foreclosure was entered on October 24, 2001, after dismissal of the first petition and
prior to filing of the second. There was consequently no impediment in terms of the auto-
matic stay to the entry of a valid final judgment of foreclosure.
Chase argues that because the order fixing the terms of redemption violated the automatic
stay, the final judgment was void, entitling it to relief pursuant to R. 4:50-1(d), which au-
thorizes the court to grant relief from a void judgment. In addressing Chase's argument,
the court was of the view that it did not need to consider the effect of a violation, if any, of
the bankruptcy automatic stay but rather that Chase should seek any remedy to which it
might be entitled by reason thereof in the bankruptcy court.[2] Rather, the court viewed the
matter before it as implicating questions of state law only and concluded that Chase was
not entitled to relief under the court rule because of its failure to seek relief within a rea-
sonable time. The court stated its reasons for so concluding as follows:
4:50-1 and 2 permits a motion to be filed for relief from a judgment but that motion has to
be filed within a reasonable time. I find that this motion was not filed within a reasonable
period of time. It was filed by a party that was properly served with the complaint, that
defaulted, that did absolutely nothing to defend itself and did absolutely nothing to bring
to Bascom's attention the pendency of any bankruptcy action and did not file this motion
until more than a year had passed after Bascom received its final judgment in foreclosure.
There has been absolutely no showing in this matter of any excusable neglect by Chase. It
has been admitted that Chase received the summons and complaint in Bascom's tax fore-
closure action and no evidence has been placed before me at all to explain why Chase did
not defend itself in the tax foreclosure action. I find, therefore, that the conclusion is simply
unavoidable, that Chase simply sat on its rights during Bascom's 960*960 tax foreclosure
action and withheld the bankruptcy issue during the entire course of that tax foreclosure
case.
I also find that in that connection, that Bascom properly served Chase with the order set-
ting amount, time and place of redemption and, therefore, they had knowledge of that ap-
plication. And if they wanted to raise the defense of the bankruptcy stay at that time, they
could have certainly raised that defense during the course of Bascom's tax foreclosure ac-
tion.
Rather, as I said, rather than doing any of that, for whatever reason, Chase sat back and
let Bascom obtain a judgment without alerting them to the bankruptcy action of which
Bascom had no notice but which Chase was fully knowledgeable about. For those reasons,
I conclude that Chase has unclean hands in this matter and has not shown grounds for
relief under 4:50-1.
Neglect and failure to act sooner are inexcusable on this record. Further, it has failed to
show any grounds why it meets the standards for moving to vacate the tax foreclosure
judgment under the applicable statute which is N.J.S.A. 54:5-87.
[11/22/02 Transcript, pgs. 15-17] The record amply supports the judge's conclusions. We
note that although a claim of voidness of the judgment under section (d) of 4:50-1 is not
subject to the one-year limitation applicable to sections (a), (b), and (c) imposed by R. 4:50-
2, that rule nevertheless requires all motions under R. 4:50-1 to be brought within a rea-
sonable time. Since our decision in Garza v. Paone, 44 N.J.Super. 553, 556-560, 131 A.2d
32 (App.Div.1957), our courts have uniformly held that the reasonable-time requirement
applies to judgments alleged to be void because of a failure of in personam jurisdiction. See,
e.g., Citibank, N.A. v. Russo, 334 N.J.Super. 346, 352, 759 A.2d 865 (App.Div.2000);
Wohlegmuth v. 560 Ocean Club, 302 N.J.Super. 306, 312, 695 A.2d 345 (App.Div.1997);
Berger v. Paterson Veterans Taxi Serv., 244 N.J.Super. 200, 204, 581 A.2d 1344 (App.
Div.1990); Last v. Audubon Park Assoc., 227 N.J.Super. 602, 606-607, 548 A.2d 236
(App.Div.1988), certif. denied, 114 N.J. 491, 555 A.2d 613 (1989). We point out, however,
that lack of personal jurisdiction is a waivable defense. See, e.g., Hupp v. Accessory Dis-
trib., Inc., 193 N.J.Super. 701, 711, 475 A.2d 679 (App.Div.1984). There is thus a concep-
tual symmetry in a rule which limits a challenge to a judgment on that ground to a reason-
able time thereafter. That is to say, just as the defense to the action itself may be waived,
so may the right to attack an ensuing judgment on that ground be deemed waived if not
exercised within a reasonable time.
The difficulty here is that we are not dealing with a waivable defect, and hence the trial
court should not, in our view, have declined to consider the consequence of the asserted
defect. In our view, determination of the effect of the asserted violation was necessary to
the ultimate decision. We decide that issue now on the basis of the undisputed record.
A state court judgment entered while the automatic stay is in place renders that judgment
void ab initio, see, e.g., Cho Hung Bank v. Ki Sung Kim, et al., 361 N.J.Super. 331, 339,
825 A.2d 566 (App.Div.2003), subject, however, to retroactive annulment by the bank-
ruptcy court under 11 U.S.C.A. § 362(d). See In re Siciliano, 13 F.3d 748 (3d Cir.1994).
Unless cured by annulment, the defect in the judgment is not waivable because it goes to
the authority of the court to render the final judgment and is consequently more nearly
akin to a non-waivable lack of subject matter jurisdiction. See, e.g., Macysyn 961*961 v.
Hensler, 329 N.J.Super. 476, 481, 748 A.2d 591 (App.Div.2000). Our courts have not yet
spoken directly to a non-waivable defect in the context of time constraints on a motion for
relief brought pursuant to R. 4:50-1(d). It is, however, evident that if the final tax foreclo-
sure judgment here had been entered while the automatic stay was in effect, the judgment
would have been void ab initio and the issue of reasonable-time prerequisite for the attack
under R. 4:50-1(d) would have been far from clear.
The point here, however, is that the final judgment of tax foreclosure was entered after the
Chapter 13 petition was dismissed, and there was then no stay in effect. Consequently, it
is not the final judgment that was void. What was void was the order fixing the terms of
redemption, the only action in the proceeding that occurred while the stay was in effect.
Hence, as we view the issue, the question is not whether the final judgment is void ab initio
but rather whether a void interlocutory order, as a matter of federal bankruptcy law, au-
tomatically vitiates the final judgment as well. We conclude that it does not.
We do not believe that federal law is offended when the final judgment itself is free of the
impediment of the automatic stay. Tax foreclosure law, affecting as it does, the security of
title to real estate involves "an essential state interest" and "the power to ensure that se-
curity `inheres in the very nature of [state] government.'" BFP v. Resolution Trust, 511
U.S. 531, 544, 114 S.Ct. 1757, 1764-1765, 128 L.Ed.2d 556, 558 (1994). In our view, there-
fore, since foreclosure law is a matter uniquely within the state's competence, the state is
free to make its own determination as to the effect of the entry of a void interlocutory order
irrespective of the reason it is void.
As a matter of state law, we recognize that the order fixing the terms of redemption is a
necessary step in the processing of a tax foreclosure action. But we think it plain that the
function of the order was entirely fulfilled. Both the property owner and the mortgagee
were appropriately, accurately, and fully apprised of the amount, time and place for re-
demption. Both chose to ignore the information. Neither has ever asserted that the reason
for so choosing was a belief in or reliance on the voidness of the order. Chase's decision to
ignore the order fixing the terms of redemption was, rather, in keeping with its overarching
decision to ignore the entire tax foreclosure proceeding for whatever reason it may have
had. In sum, we are persuaded that in the circumstances here the validity of the final
judgment was in no way impaired by the voidness, under federal bankruptcy law, of the
interlocutory order. Accordingly plaintiff's attack under R. 4:50-1(d) fails. Beyond that and
for the reasons expressed by the trial judge, we are satisfied that plaintiff is not entitled to
relief under any other section of R. 4:50-1.
[1] Chase was joined as Trustee of IMC Home Equity Loan Trust 1997-5 under the Pooling
and Servicing Agreement dated September 1, 1997. IMC Home Equity was the assignee of
the original Askew mortgage and assigned by it to Chase under the Pooling Agreement.
For convenience Chase is referred to as the mortgagee.
[2] We note that it is not only Chase which might have a remedy in the bankruptcy court.
Bascom as well was free to seek from the bankruptcy court an annulment of the automatic
stay if such is deemed necessary. See 11 U.S.C.A. § 362(d).
EXHIBIT 5 – DISPOSITION ON APPLICATION FOR EMERGENT MOTION
EXHIBIT 6 – SINGLE JUSTICE DISPOSITION
EXHIBIT 7 – WRIT
EXHIBIT 8 – CERTIFICATION IN SUPPORT OF WRIT
EXHIBIT 9 – CFPB COMPLAINT
EXHIBIT 10 – ORDER ON EMERGENT APPLICATION
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
FAROOQ ALI
Defendant / Appellant
____________________________________/
ORDER (PROPOSED)
eviction pending the outcome of these proceedings. The matter having been submitted,
and good cause having been shown, the Court hereby grants the motion on the
The Court further finds that the judgment of foreclosure in Case No. F-015414-
14 is void ab initio and stricken from the record. The Tax deed issued to US BANK
CUST / TLCF 2012A, LLC. preceded the foreclosure judgment, and by virtue of the quit
claim deed granted to the Appellant, the rights, if any, of Bank of America have been
cut off.
proceeding with any eviction proceedings against the Plaintiff. They no longer possess
IT IS SO ORDERED:
PROPOSED ORDER submitted by Farooq Ali
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I certify that true and correct copies of the foregoing APPELLANT’S NOTICE OF
EMERGENCY MOTION FOR STAY OF EVICTION PENDING OUTCOME OF APPEAL
WITH INCORPORATED MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES was sent
to all of the Defendants listed below. Sent this day ________of_____________, 2018.
BANK OF AMERICA
c/o Zucker, Goldberg, & Ackerman
Attorney for Defendants Jamie Ackerman
200 Sheffield St. Suite 301
Mountainside, New Jersey07092
Respectfully submitted,
______________________
Farooq Ali All Rights Reserved
_______________________
Shazia Mehr All rights Reserved
36-38 Washington Ave.
North Plainfield, NJ 07060
DEFENDANT / APPELLANT PRO SE
TEL: 917 584-7173
EMAIL: KFAALI@GMAIL.COM