Towd Point Mortgage dismisses Chang appeal, 1st Circuit
Summary
The Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals granted an Amended Stipulation for Dismissal with Prejudice filed by mortgage servicer Towd Point Mortgage Trust and borrowers Lawrence and Teodora Chang, dismissing the appeal in the underlying mortgage dispute. All stipulating parties, including the United States and Hawaiian Tel Federal Credit Union, shall bear their own attorneys' fees and costs. The court construed the stipulation as an unopposed motion and denied additional relief.
What changed
The court granted the Amended Stipulation for Dismissal with Prejudice, dismissing the appeal and ordering each party to bear their own attorneys' fees and costs. The court denied additional relief requested in the stipulation.
For mortgage servicers and borrowers in Hawaii litigation, this order demonstrates that appellate courts will construe stipulations as unopposed motions to dismiss even when not all parties sign, provided no party files a response. Legal counsel should ensure all parties to an appeal sign stipulations or demonstrate that non-signing parties are nominal parties to avoid partial denials of stipulated dismissal requests.
What to do next
- Monitor for similar stipulated dismissals in Hawaii appellate courts
- Review HRAP Rule 42(b) procedures for future stipulations
Archived snapshot
Apr 8, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER ʻ Electronically Filed Intermediate Court of Appeals CAAP-25-0000023 08-APR-2026 08:07 AM Dkt. 64 OGMD NO. CAAP-25-0000023 IN THE INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF HAWAIʻI TOWD POINT MORTGAGE TRUST 2017-4, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE, Plaintiff/Counterclaim Defendant-Appellee,
LAWRENCE EMILIO CHANG; TEODORA MIHAYLOVA CHANG, Defendants/Counterclaimants-Appellants, and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; HAWAIIAN TEL FEDERAL CREDIT UNION; THE ASSOCIATION OF OWNERS OF KAHAKA KUA aka KAHALA KUA COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION, Defendants-Appellees, and JOHN DOES 1-50; JANE DOES 1-50; DOE PARTNERSHIPS 1-50; DOE COREPORATIONS 1-50; DOE ENTITIES 1-50; AND DOE GOVERNMENTAL UNITS 1-50, Defendants. APPEAL FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIRST CIRCUIT (CASE NO. 1CCV-22-0001191) ORDER DISMISSING APPEAL (By: Nakasone, Chief Judge, Wadsworth and Guidry, JJ.) Upon consideration of the Amended Stipulation for Dismissal with Prejudice of Appeal (Amended Stipulation), filed February 12, 2026, by Plaintiff/Counterclaim Defendant-Appellee Towd Point Mortgage Trust 2017-4 (Towd), the papers in support,
I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAIʻ and the record, it appears that (1) the appeal has been docketed; (2) Towd, Defendants/Counterclaimants/Crossclaim Defendants-Appellants Lawrence Emilio Chang and Teodora Mihaylova Chang (together, the Changs), Defendant/Crossclaim Defendant-Appellee United States of America, and Defendant/ Crossclaim Defendant-Appellee Hawaiian Tel Federal Credit Union stipulate to dismiss the Changs' appeal with prejudice, under Hawaiʻi Rules of Appellate Procedure (HRAP) Rule 42(b), and each party shall bear their own attorneys' fees and costs; (3) the Amended Stipulation is dated and signed by counsel for the stipulating parties, but not by counsel for Defendant/ Counterclaimant/Cross-Claimant Association of Owners of Kahala Kua (Association); (4) no party filed a response to the Amended Stipulation; (5) the Amended Stipulation fails to demonstrate the Association is a nominal appellee that need not sign the Amended Stipulation; and (6) nonetheless, the court will construe the Amended Stipulation as an unopposed motion to dismiss the appeal, under HRAP Rule 42(b). Therefore, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Amended Stipulation, construed as a motion to dismiss the appeal, is granted in part and denied in part as follows: 1. The appeal is dismissed with prejudice. 2. The parties shall bear their own attorneys' fees and costs. 3. All additional relief requested is denied. DATED: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, April 8, 2026. /s/ Karen T. Nakasone Chief Judge /s/ Clyde J. Wadsworth Associate Judge /s/ Kimberly T. Guidry Associate Judge 2
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