Lawyers keep foreclosure efforts at bay

Homeowners facing foreclosure are turning to attorneys in greater numbers in last-ditch efforts to stave off the loss of their homes. Taking cases to court slows down proceedings and allows many people to avoid mortgage payments during their slow-moving legal tussles. Some South Florida lawyers say they’ve realigned their practices to concentrate on foreclosure defenses, which can take months or even years to conclude. Because Florida is a ”judicial foreclosure” state, a lender has to sue to force the sale of a property. Most cases are tried without the borrower arriving in court.