Maine Revised Statutes Title 33 Sec. 553-A – Discharge by attorney
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1. Affidavit. A recorded mortgage on a residential owner-occupied one-to-4-family dwelling may be discharged in the office of the registry of deeds by an attorney-at-law licensed to practice in the State if the mortgagee, after receipt of payment of the mortgage in accordance with the payoff statement furnished to the mortgagor by the mortgagee, fails to make that discharge or to execute and acknowledge a deed of release of the mortgage. The attorney shall execute and record an affidavit in the registry of deeds affirming that:
A. The affiant is an attorney-at-law in good standing and licensed to practice in the State; [PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
B. The affidavit is made at the request of the mortgagor or the mortgagor’s executor, administrator, successor, assignee or transferee or the transferee’s mortgagee; [PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
C. The mortgagee has provided a payoff statement with respect to the loan secured by the mortgage; [PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
D. The mortgagee has received payment that has been proved by a bank check, certified check or attorney client funds account check negotiated by the mortgagee or by evidence of receipt of payment by the mortgagee; [PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
E. More than 30 days have elapsed since the payment was received by the mortgagee; and [PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
F. The mortgagee has received written notification by certified mail 15 days in advance, sent to the mortgagee’s last known address, that the affiant intends to execute and record an affidavit in accordance with this section, enclosing a copy of the proposed affidavit; the mortgagee has not delivered a discharge or deed of release in response to the notification; and the mortgagor has complied with any request made by the mortgagee for additional payment at least 15 days before the date of the affidavit. [PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
[PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
Terms Used In Maine Revised Statutes Title 33 Sec. 553-A
- Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
- Attorney-at-law: A person who is legally qualified and licensed to practice law, and to represent and act for clients in legal proceedings.
- Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Executor: A male person named in a will to carry out the decedent
- in writing: include printing and other modes of making legible words. See Maine Revised Statutes Title 1 Sec. 72
- Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
- Mortgagee: The person to whom property is mortgaged and who has loaned the money.
- Mortgagor: The person who pledges property to a creditor as collateral for a loan and who receives the money.
2. Name; address; mortgagee; mortgagor. The affidavit must include the names and addresses of the mortgagor and the mortgagee, the date of the mortgage, the title reference and similar information with respect to recorded assignment of the mortgage.
[PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
3. Copy. The affiant shall attach to the affidavit the following, certifying that each copy is a true copy of the original document:
A. Photostatic copies of the documentary evidence that payment has been received by the mortgagee, including the mortgagee’s endorsement of a bank check, certified check or attorney client funds account check; and [PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
B. A photostatic copy of the payoff statement if that statement is made in writing. [PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
[PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
4. Effect. An affidavit recorded under this section has the same effect as a recorded discharge.
[PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW).]
5. Exception. A mortgage may not be discharged as provided by this section if the holder of the mortgage at the time a discharge is sought is a financial institution or credit union authorized to do business in the State as defined in Title 9?B, section 131, subsection 12?A or 17?A.
[PL 1995, c. 94, §1 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1993, c. 534, §2 (NEW). PL 1995, c. 94, §1 (AMD).