SC20817 - M&T Bank v. Lewis ("This foreclosure appeal presents
two questions, namely, (1) whether the administrative
law filed rate doctrine implicates the trial court’s subject matter jurisdiction, and (2) whether allegations of
impropriety in a mortgagee’s force placement of property insurance arise from the making, validity or enforcement of the mortgage for purposes of a special defense
to a foreclosure action. The defendant, Robert R. Lewis, appeals from the judgment of foreclosure by sale in
favor of the plaintiff, M&T Bank. The defendant claims
that the trial court improperly granted the plaintiff’s
motion to strike two of the defendant’s special defenses
arising from the plaintiff’s conduct in its force placement of flood insurance on the property at issue, alleging that the plaintiff has unclean hands and breached
the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing on
the ground that those defenses do not arise from the
making, validity or enforcement of the mortgage. The
plaintiff contends to the contrary, and also argues that
the regulatory approval of the premium rate for the property insurance at issue renders the defendant’s special
defenses moot under the filed rate doctrine. Having
concluded that the filed rate doctrine does not implicate
the court’s subject matter jurisdiction, we agree with the
defendant’s claims with respect to his special defenses.
Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the trial court.")