A federal judge on Friday dissolved a court order that had stopped one of the country's largest banks from selling foreclosed homes in Utah.
U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups, after hearing legal arguments Thursday, has granted a Bank of America request a to cancel the preliminary injunction against its trustee sales in the state.
Waddoups' decision wipes out the injunction issued May 22 by 5th District Court Judge James L. Shumate. That order had halted hundreds of Utah foreclosure sales by Bank of America and its subsidiary ReconTrust.
The injunction was issued in a case brought by St. George resident Peni Cox, who lost her home to foreclosure earlier this year.
Bank of America said Friday it was pleased with the court's ruling.
In a statement, the bank said its first priority was to help customers keep their homes. Officials pointed to what they characterize as extensive efforts, since the housing crisis worsened in 2008, to modify troubled loans.
ReconTrust, BofA's foreclosure arm, says on its website that it is currently pursuing at least 977 foreclosures in Utah. The Salt Lake Tribune
