Quick reference for “does this look normal?”
This does not decide your case. It helps you see where to ask better questions.
Use this as a one-page note you can keep near your timeline and document folder.
1. Service & Notice – quick checks
- Does the affidavit of service describe:
- A person or place that doesn’t match your reality?
- A date/time when you know you weren’t there?
- Did you actually learn about the case another way (family, mail, CFPB, servicer portal)?
If “yes, that’s off,” mark Service as a pattern to discuss with counsel.
2. Assignments & Standing – quick checks
- Have you seen multiple different “owners” named over time?
- Are there assignments dated after the lawsuit was already filed?
- Are some assignments in PDF exhibits but not in public records?
- Do signatures / names repeat in ways that feel mechanical?
If something feels “out of order,” mark Assignments/Standing as a pattern to discuss.
3. Timelines & Time Limits – quick checks
- Is this at least your second foreclosure on the same loan?
- Did years pass between the first full acceleration and this case?
- Were prior cases dismissed without clear explanation to you?
- Have they started and stopped multiple times?
If the story feels like restart after restart, mark Timelines as a pattern to explore.
4. Behavior & Pressure – quick checks
- Have you been repeatedly told:
- “You’re just delaying”?
- “Nothing you raise will matter”?
- “Sign now or lose everything”?
- Do you leave interactions feeling more confused and ashamed than when you walked in?
- Did anyone use your fear (of homelessness, family shame, etc.) to push you into signing something?
If yes, note Behavior/Pressure as a pattern, not a personal failing.
5. How to use this sheet
When you:
- Update your timeline, and
- Add to your document folder
…quickly scan this cheat sheet and mark:
Service– ☑ or ?Assignments/Standing– ☑ or ?Timelines– ☑ or ?Behavior/Pressure– ☑ or ?
Then, when talking to any attorney or legal aid, you can say:
“I’m not saying I know the law on this, but these are the areas where the story feels off to me—service, assignments, timelines, and behavior. Can we walk through those with the documents I brought?”
That’s exactly the kind of focused, grounded conversation these guides are meant to help you have.