SAN FRANCISCO (CN) – A federal judge Thursday said he does not believe Wells Fargo breached contracts or misled homebuyers, but he’s not sure he can deny borrowers class certification on that basis.
Karen and Jeffrey Lucia et al. say Wells Fargo failed to offer permanent loan modifications to homeowners who participated in the federal Home Affordable Mortgage Program from April 2009 to March 2010.
A trial period agreement required the bank to notify borrowers if they qualified for permanent loan changes within three months, the plaintiffs say.
In August 2013 the Ninth Circuit reversed dismissal of two class actions accusing Wells Fargo of offering temporary loan modifications with no intention to make them permanent. Offering borrowers permanent loan modifications was one of two conditions the bank agreed to when it accepted federal bailout money in 2008, according to the lawsuits .
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria heard…