Court Ruling in Massachusetts on Foreclosures Could Affect Florida

The Washington Post reports that a ruling issued by the Massachusetts Supreme Court on Friday voiding foreclosures in two cases has the potential to affect foreclosure proceedings in the rest of the country, especially in states like Florida with high foreclosure rates and a courts-only process for handling foreclosures.

In the ruling, the court found that the banks -- U.S. Bancorp and Wells Fargo -- didn't provide sufficient evidence to prove they held the mortgages on the houses at the time of foreclosure.

Many banks halted foreclosure proceedings late last year when it was discovered that many were using faulty paperwork to rush foreclosures through the courts.