Opinion
1401-2021
05-25-2022
MAZERLINE MADISON, et al. v. HICKORY TSF, LLC, et al.
Circuit Court for Baltimore City Case No. 24-C-19-006295
Graeff, Zic, Moylan, Charles E., Jr. (Senior Judge, Specially Assigned), JJ.
OPINION
PER CURIAM.
Mazerline Madison, appellant, appeals from an order issued by the Circuit Court for Baltimore City which foreclosed the right of redemption in her property following a tax sale. For the reasons that follow, we shall affirm the judgment of the circuit court.
In May 2019, Henry J. Raymond, Director of Finance and Collector of Taxes for the City of Baltimore, issued a "Certificate of Tax Sale," in which he certified that Hickory TSF, LLC, appellee, had purchased "at public auction, property in the City of Baltimore known as 3921 Norfolk Avenue." The property, "having been assessed to" Ms. Madison, was sold for the sum of $61,047.25, $4,831.63 of which was "the total amount of taxes and other municipal liens due on the property at the time of the sale, together with interest and penalties thereon and expenses incurred in making the sale." Mr. Raymond certified that the property was "subject to redemption" if the "balance due on account of the purchase price and all taxes and other municipal liens, together with interest and penalties on them accruing subsequent to the date of sale, [were] paid to the Collector[.]"
In December 2019, Hickory TSF filed a "Complaint to Foreclose Rights of Redemption" against Ms. Madison and other defendants. After filing the complaint, Hickory TSF assigned the certificate of tax sale to 2015 REO, LLC. Ms. Madison did not file an answer to the complaint or any other pleading in the action. In November 2021, the court entered a judgment foreclosing Ms. Madison's right of redemption in the property. This appeal followed.
On appeal, Ms. Madison claims that she was "unaware the taxes [were] not being paid." She further asserts that she did not realize that her home was being foreclosed because "all the documents [that were] mailed to [her] kept showing mom's name" and because her mother was deceased, she "did not know [those documents were] referring to taxes on her home." These contentions are not properly before us, however, as they were not raised first in the circuit court. See Maryland Rule 8-131(a) ("Ordinarily, the appellate court will not decide any [ ] issue unless it plainly appears by the record to have been raised in or decided by the trial court[.]"). Consequently, we shall affirm the judgment.
JUDGMENT OF THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR BALTIMORE CITY AFFIRMED. COSTS TO BE PAID BY APPELLANT.
This is an unreported opinion, and it may not be cited in any paper, brief, motion, or other document filed in this Court or any other Maryland Court as either precedent within the rule of stare decisis or as persuasive authority. Md. Rule 1-104.