In the wake of the 2008 housing market crash, Operation Malicious Mortgage emerged as one of the most significant federal efforts to combat rampant mortgage fraud that contributed to the crisis. Spanning from March 1 to June 18, 2008, this operation was a multi-agency response to systemic corruption and fraudulent practices within the mortgage and real estate industries. Led by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the initiative exposed a nationwide epidemic of financial crimes, culminating in 406 defendants charged in 144 separate cases across the United States.
When engaging in a legal case, the type of appearance you make in court can have significant implications for your rights, jurisdictional objections, and overall strategy. This article examines the different types of appearances—general, special, conditional, and special limited appearances—with a focus on special limited appearance, a nuanced tool for addressing specific procedural issues without submitting to the court’s full jurisdiction.