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Mortgages -- Foreclosure -- Consumer law -- Motion to dismiss defendant's
non-party counterclaims against law firm representing plaintiff in foreclosure
action alleging that firm violated federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and
Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and committed abuse of process
by creating false assignment of mortgage and note and false affidavit -- Litigation
privilege does not bar FDCPA claims -- It would be premature to dismiss state law
claims based on litigation privilege where complaint does not show conclusive
applicability of that defense -- Where claims against plaintiff for use of false
documents are interrelated with alleged actions of law firm employees in creating
those documents, law firm's presence is needed to grant complete relief to
defendant, and motion to dismiss counterclaims as improper third-party claims is
denied -- No merit to argument that foreclosing mortgage is not collection of debt
for purposes of FDCPA -- Limitation of actions -- FDCPA counterclaim is not
barred by statute of limitations where it was filed within one year of execution of
false documents -- Defendant is consumer covered by FDUTPA, even if law firm did
not provide services to her -- Allegation that law firm engaged in trade or commerce
in connection with defendant's loan by transferring mortgage to plaintiff sufficiently
states cause of action under FDUTPA -- Abuse of process claim is dismissed where
initial service of process was used for intended purpose of foreclosing loan, and issue
of whether underlying documents were legal may be addressed in other claimsc c
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