Court complicates Bondi's foreclosure probe

By The Associated Press
Published: February 02, 2012

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TALLAHASSEE — An appellate court has denied a request from Florida's attorney general to allow further appeal of a decision that could have helped the state continue investigating fraudulent foreclosures.

The 4th District Court of Appeal today ruled on its own previous decision in April.

The court had said Attorney General Pam Bondi's office couldn't subpoena records of the now-closed Plantation-based Law Offices of David J. Stern to see if false or improper affidavits in foreclosures were filed and whether employees signed documents without reading them.

The court now says its prior decision is not a "question of great public importance" reviewable by the Florida Supreme Court.

A spokeswoman says Bondi now will review all seven pending investigations into law firms to determine how else to pursue foreclosure-related misconduct.