The U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey denied a motion for default judgment by a couple who asserted legal malpractice and breach of contract claims against their attorney related to a foreclosure matter that ended unfavorably during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Raymond and Bonnie Miller are Florida residents who hired New Jersey attorney George Veitengruber III of Veitengruber Law to represent them in a foreclosure matter commenced by Wells Fargo against the couple. According to the opinion, the foreclosure action, which began in January 2018, proceeded to a sheriff’s sale a year later. In January 2019, the Millers’ property was conveyed to an entity called NSHR5. Veitengruber managed to negotiate a settlement to have the property returned to the Millers.