Summary:

Arthur and Lisa Perry claim that a mystery deed of trust appeared in the public records against their home—one tied to a loan that Arthur Perry insists he never applied for, never authorized, and never received. According to the complaint, Mr. Perry purchased the property in 2005 with a legitimate mortgage, but in 2006 a second deed of trust was recorded in favor of Corinthian Mortgage (d/b/a SouthBanc Mortgage).

Summary:

Bankruptcy exemption planning often walks a fine line between legitimate preparation and avoidable transfer. In In re Albrecht, Judge Pamela W. McAfee of the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina addressed where that line falls when a debtor converts jointly owned real property into a tenancy by the entirety shortly before filing bankruptcy.

Summary:

Bankruptcy exemption planning often walks a fine line between legitimate preparation and avoidable transfer. In In re Albrecht, Judge Pamela W. McAfee of the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina addressed where that line falls when a debtor converts jointly owned real property into a tenancy by the entirety shortly before filing bankruptcy.

Summary:

Summary:

In Oliver v. Navy Federal Credit Union, the Fourth Circuit waded into a recurring procedural skirmish in class litigation: when, and how, may a district court knock out class allegations before any discovery? The answer, according to Judge Heytens for the majority, is both simple and consequential—look only at the complaint, and deny certification at the pleading stage only if Rule 23 is unsatisfied as a matter of law.

In Harris v. McLeod (N.C. Ct. App. Feb. 4, 2026) (unpublished), the Court of Appeals reversed summary judgment in a dispute over whether an elderly homeowner’s deed to his nephew was an outright conveyance or merely security for a small tax debt—an equitable mortgage in substance if not in form.