Sec. 49-31l. Notice of foreclosure mediation program. Request form.

      Sec. 49-31l. Notice of foreclosure mediation program. Request form. (a) Prior to July 1, 2010, when a mortgagee commences an action for the foreclosure of a mortgage on residential real property with a return date on or after July 1, 2008, the mortgagee shall give notice to the mortgagor of the foreclosure mediation program established in section 49-31m by attaching to the front of the foreclosure complaint that is served on the mortgagor: (1) A copy of the notice of the availability of foreclosure mediation, in such form as the Chief Court Administrator prescribes, and (2) a foreclosure mediation request form, in such form as the Chief Court Administrator prescribes.

      (b) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, a mortgagor may request foreclosure mediation by submitting the foreclosure mediation request form to the court and filing an appearance not more than fifteen days after the return day for the foreclosure action. Upon receipt of the foreclosure mediation request form, the court shall notify each appearing party that a foreclosure mediation request form has been submitted by the mortgagor.

      (2) The court may grant a mortgagor permission to submit a foreclosure mediation request form and file an appearance after the fifteen-day period established in subdivision (1) of this subsection, for good cause shown, except that no foreclosure mediation request form may be submitted and no appearance may be filed more than twenty-five days after the return date.

      (3) No foreclosure mediation request form may be submitted to the court on or after July 1, 2010.

      (c) If at any time on or after July 1, 2008, but prior to July 1, 2010, the court determines that the notice requirement of subsection (a) of this section has not been met, the court may, upon its own motion or upon the written motion of the mortgagor, issue an order that no judgment may enter for fifteen days during which period the mortgagor may submit a foreclosure mediation request form to the court.

      (d) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes or any rule of law to the contrary, prior to July 1, 2010, no judgment of strict foreclosure nor any judgment ordering a foreclosure sale shall be entered in any action instituted by the mortgagee to foreclose a mortgage on residential real property unless: (1) Notice to the mortgagor has been given by the mortgagee in accordance with subsection (a) of this section and the time for submitting a foreclosure mediation request form has expired and no foreclosure mediation request form has been submitted, or if such notice has not been given, the time for submitting a foreclosure mediation request form pursuant to subsection (b) or (c) of this section has expired and no foreclosure mediation request form has been submitted, or (2) the mediation period set forth in section 49-31n has expired or has otherwise terminated, whichever is earlier.

      (e) None of the mortgagor's or mortgagee's rights in the foreclosure action shall be waived by the mortgagor's submission of a foreclosure mediation request form to the court.

      (P.A. 08-176, S. 16.)

      History: P.A. 08-176 effective July 1, 2008.