Estate of Johnson CA1/3

I. INTRODUCTION

In this probate matter, appellant Josiena Brown, individually and as administrator of the estate of her mother, Edith Johnson, filed petitions alleging respondents MTC Financial Inc. (MTC), Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corporation (FFSFC), Financial Freedom Acquisition, LLC (FFA) and Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (MERS) engaged in racial discrimination in connection with their efforts to foreclose on real property owned by Johnson’s estate. The trial court sustained, without leave to amend, MTC’s demurrer to Brown’s second amended petition (SAP). The court later sustained, without leave to amend, the demurrers of the remaining respondents to Brown’s third amended petition (TAP). Brown filed two appeals, challenging the dismissal of her claims against MTC (No. A134733) and the dismissal of her claims against the other respondents (No. A135452). In addition, Brown’s attorney, Richard Canatella, appealed a trial court order imposing sanctions on him for making a false allegation in the TAP (No. A136389). We consolidated the three appeals for purposes of oral argument and

2 decision.1 We affirm the trial court’s dismissal of the SAP (as to MTC)…