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Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
We are party to various types of legal actions and proceedings, including actions brought on behalf of various classes of claimants. We also are subject to regulatory examinations, inquiries and investigations and other information gathering requests. In some of the matters, indeterminate amounts are sought. Modern pleading practice in the U.S. permits considerable variation in the assertion of monetary damages or other relief. Jurisdictions may permit claimants not to specify the monetary damages sought or may permit claimants to state only that the amount sought is sufficient to invoke the jurisdiction of the trial court. This variability in pleadings, together with our and our counsel’s actual experience in litigating or settling claims, leads us to conclude that the monetary relief that may be sought by plaintiffs bears little relevance to the merits or disposition value of claims.
On a quarterly basis, we review relevant information about all pending legal actions and proceedings for the purpose of evaluating and revising our contingencies, reserves and disclosures.
We have substantial and valid defenses to the claims in the proceedings described below and intend to defend these matters vigorously. However, legal actions and proceedings of all types are subject to many uncertain factors that generally cannot be predicted with assurance. Accordingly, the outcome of any given matter and the amount or range of potential loss at particular points in time is frequently difficult to ascertain. Uncertainties can include how fact finders will evaluate documentary evidence and the credibility and effectiveness of witness testimony, and how courts will apply the law. Disposition valuations are also subject to the uncertainty of how opposing parties and their counsel may view the evidence and applicable law. Further, FHFA adopted a regulation in 2011, which provides, in part, that while we are in conservatorship, FHFA will not pay claims by our current or former shareholders, unless the Director of FHFA determines it is in the interest of the conservatorship. The presence of this regulation and FHFA’s assertion that FHFA will not pay claims asserted in certain cases discussed below while we are in conservatorship creates additional uncertainty in those cases.
We establish a reserve for matters when a loss is probable and we can reasonably estimate the amount of such loss. For legal actions or proceedings where there is only a reasonable possibility that a loss may be incurred, or where we are not currently able to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of loss, we do not establish a reserve. We are often unable to estimate the possible losses or ranges of losses, particularly for proceedings that are in their early stages of development, where plaintiffs seek indeterminate or unspecified damages, where there may be novel or unsettled legal questions relevant to the proceedings, or where settlement negotiations have not occurred or progressed.
Given the uncertainties involved in any action or proceeding, regardless of whether we have established a reserve, the ultimate resolution of certain of these matters may be material to our operating results for a particular period, depending on, among other factors, the size of the loss or liability imposed and the level of our net income or loss for that period.
In addition to the matters specifically described below, we are involved in a number of legal and regulatory proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business that we do not expect will have a material impact on our business or financial condition. We have also advanced fees and expenses of certain current and former officers and directors in connection with various legal proceedings pursuant to our bylaws and indemnification agreements.
2008 Class Action Lawsuits and Related Proceedings
Fannie Mae is a defendant in two consolidated class actions filed in 2008 and currently pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York—In re Fannie Mae 2008 Securities Litigation and In re 2008 Fannie Mae ERISA Litigation. On February 11, 2009, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation ordered that the cases be coordinated for pretrial proceedings. In addition, two individual securities actions involving related facts and circumstances—Comprehensive Investment Services v. Mudd and Smith v. Fannie Mae—were later filed and ultimately transferred to the same court for coordination with the class actions.
In addition to these proceedings, certain underwriters have notified us that they have been named in various other actions arising out of certain of Fannie Mae’s preferred stock offerings and may seek indemnification for any losses arising out of those actions pursuant to the terms of our underwriting agreements with them.
In re Fannie Mae 2008 Securities Litigation
In a consolidated amended complaint filed on June 22, 2009, lead plaintiffs Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management Board and Boston Retirement Board (for common shareholders) and Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (for preferred shareholders) alleged that we, certain of our former officers, and certain of our underwriters violated Sections 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933. Lead plaintiffs also alleged that we, certain of our former officers, and our outside auditor, violated Sections 10(b) (and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Lead plaintiffs sought various forms of relief, including rescission, damages, interest, costs, attorneys’ and experts’ fees, and other equitable and injunctive relief. On October 13, 2009, the court entered an order allowing FHFA to intervene.
In 2009, the court granted defendants’ motion to dismiss the Securities Act claims as to all defendants. In 2010, the court granted in part and denied in part defendants’ motions to dismiss the Securities Exchange Act claims. As a result of the partial denial, some of the Securities Exchange Act claims remained pending against us and certain of our former officers. Fannie Mae filed its answer to the consolidated complaint on December 31, 2010.
Plaintiffs filed a second amended joint consolidated class action complaint on March 2, 2012, renewing the remaining claims and adding FHFA as a defendant. On August 30, 2012, the court denied defendants’ motions to dismiss the second amended complaint, allowing plaintiffs’ Securities Exchange Act claims premised on Fannie Mae’s subprime and Alt-A disclosures to proceed along with plaintiffs’ claims premised on Fannie Mae’s risk management disclosures. Fannie Mae filed its answer to the second amended complaint on October 29, 2012.
On July 15, 2014, the parties reached an agreement in principle to settle the litigation. The proposed settlement amount did not materially impact our results of operations or financial condition. On November 12, 2014, the court granted preliminary approval of the settlement. On January 16, 2015, lead plaintiffs filed a motion for final approval of the settlement and plan of allocation, as well as a motion for attorneys’ fees.
In re 2008 Fannie Mae ERISA Litigation
In a consolidated complaint filed in 2009, plaintiffs allege that certain of our current and former officers and directors, including members of Fannie Mae’s Benefit Plans Committee and the Compensation Committee of Fannie Mae’s Board of Directors during the relevant time periods, as fiduciaries of Fannie Mae’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”), breached their duties to ESOP participants and beneficiaries by investing ESOP funds in Fannie Mae common stock when it was no longer prudent to continue to do so. Plaintiffs purport to represent a class of participants and beneficiaries of the ESOP whose accounts invested in Fannie Mae common stock beginning April 17, 2007. Plaintiffs seek unspecified damages, attorneys’ fees and other fees and costs, and injunctive and other equitable relief. Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint on March 2, 2012 adding two current Board members and then-CEO Michael J. Williams as defendants. On October 22, 2012, the court granted in part and denied in part defendants’ motions to dismiss. The court dismissed with prejudice claims against seven former and current directors and officers who joined the Board of Directors or Benefit Plans Committee after Fannie Mae was placed into conservatorship. The court allowed plaintiffs’ breach of fiduciary duty and failure to monitor claims to go forward, but dismissed plaintiffs’ conflict of interest claim.
On October 31, 2014, we reached an agreement in principle with plaintiffs that would resolve this matter on behalf of all parties. The proposed settlement amount did not impact our results of operations or financial condition.
Comprehensive Investment Services v. Mudd
This individual securities action was originally filed on May 13, 2009, by plaintiff Comprehensive Investment Services, Inc. against certain of our former officers and directors, and certain of our underwriters in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. On July 7, 2009, this case was transferred to the Southern District of New York for coordination with In re Fannie Mae 2008 Securities Litigation and In re 2008 Fannie Mae ERISA Litigation. Plaintiff filed an amended complaint on May 11, 2011 against us, certain of our former officers, and certain of our underwriters. The amended complaint alleges violations of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder; violations of Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and violations of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, common law fraud, and negligent misrepresentation in connection with Fannie Mae’s May 2008 $2.0 billion offering of 8.25% non-cumulative preferred Series T stock. Plaintiff seeks relief in the form of rescission, actual damages, punitive damages, interest, costs, attorneys’ and experts’ fees, and other equitable and injunctive relief. Plaintiff filed a second amended complaint on March 2, 2012. On August 30, 2012, the court denied defendants’ motions to dismiss the second amended complaint, allowing plaintiff’s Securities Exchange Act claims premised on Fannie Mae’s subprime and Alt-A disclosures and risk management disclosures to proceed. The court granted defendants’ motions to dismiss the state law claims, as well as the federal claims based on alleged violations of GAAP, and also dismissed two of our former officers from the action. Fannie Mae filed its answer to the second amended complaint on October 29, 2012.
We do not expect that the reasonably possible loss or range of loss arising from this litigation will have a material impact on our results of operations or financial condition.
Smith v. Fannie Mae
This individual securities action was originally filed on February 25, 2010, by plaintiff Edward Smith against us, certain of our former officers, and certain of our underwriters, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. On April 12, 2010, this case was transferred to the Southern District of New York for coordination with In re Fannie Mae 2008 Securities Litigation and In re 2008 Fannie Mae ERISA Litigation. Plaintiff filed an amended complaint on April 19, 2011, which alleges violations of Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder; violations of Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; common law fraud and negligence claims; and California state law claims for misrepresentation in connection with Fannie Mae’s December 2007 $7.0 billion offering of 7.75% fixed-to-floating rate non-cumulative preferred Series S stock. Plaintiff seeks relief in the form of rescission, actual damages (including interest), and exemplary and punitive damages. Plaintiff filed a second amended complaint on March 2, 2012. On August 30, 2012, the court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss the second amended complaint, allowing plaintiff’s Securities Exchange Act claims premised on Fannie Mae’s subprime and Alt-A disclosures and risk management disclosures to proceed, but granted defendants’ motions to dismiss the state law claims. Fannie Mae filed its answer to the second amended complaint on October 29, 2012.
On December 9, 2014, Fannie Mae and plaintiff reached an agreement in principle to settle the litigation, subject to necessary approvals. The proposed settlement amount did not materially impact our results of operations or financial condition.
Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreements Litigation
A number of putative class action lawsuits were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against us, FHFA as our conservator, Treasury and Freddie Mac from July through September 2013 by shareholders of Fannie Mae and/or Freddie Mac challenging the August 2012 amendment to each company’s senior preferred stock purchase agreement with Treasury. These lawsuits were consolidated and, on December 3, 2013, plaintiffs (preferred and common shareholders of Fannie Mae and/or Freddie Mac) filed a consolidated class action complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia against us, FHFA as our conservator, Treasury and Freddie Mac (“In re Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreement Class Action Litigations”). The preferred shareholder plaintiffs allege that the net worth sweep dividend provisions of the senior preferred stock that were implemented pursuant to the August 2012 amendments to the senior preferred stock purchase agreements nullified certain of the shareholders’ rights, particularly the right to receive dividends. The common shareholder plaintiffs allege that the August 2012 amendments constituted a taking of their property by requiring that all future profits of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac be paid to Treasury. Plaintiffs allege claims for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing against us, FHFA and Freddie Mac, a takings claim against FHFA and Treasury, and a breach of fiduciary duty claim derivatively on our and Freddie Mac’s behalf against FHFA and Treasury. Plaintiffs seek to represent several classes of preferred and/or common shareholders of Fannie Mae and/or Freddie Mac who held stock as of the public announcement of the August 2012 amendments. Plaintiffs seek unspecified damages, equitable and injunctive relief, and costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees.
A non-class action suit, Arrowood Indemnity Company v. Fannie Mae, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on September 20, 2013 by preferred shareholders against us, FHFA as our conservator, the Director of FHFA (in his official capacity), Treasury, the Secretary of the Treasury (in his official capacity) and Freddie Mac. Plaintiffs bring claims for breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing against us, FHFA and Freddie Mac, and claims for violation of the Administrative Procedure Act against the FHFA and Treasury defendants, alleging that the net worth sweep provisions nullified certain rights of the preferred shareholders, particularly the right to receive dividends. Plaintiffs seek damages, equitable and injunctive relief, and costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees.
On September 30, 2014, the court dismissed both lawsuits and plaintiffs in both suits filed timely notices of appeal. On October 27, 2014, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit consolidated these appeals with appeals in two other cases involving the same subject matter, but to which we are not a party.
Given the stage of these lawsuits, the substantial and novel legal questions that remain, and our substantial defenses, we are currently unable to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of loss arising from this litigation.
Unconditional Purchase and Lease Commitments
We have unconditional commitments related to the purchase of loans and mortgage-related securities. These include both on- and off-balance sheet commitments. A portion of these have been recorded as derivatives in our consolidated balance sheets.
We lease certain premises and equipment under agreements that expire at various dates through 2029. Some of these leases provide for payment by the lessee of property taxes, insurance premiums, cost of maintenance and other costs. Rental expenses for operating leases were $43 million, $41 million and $41 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
The following table summarizes by remaining maturity, non cancelable future commitments related to loan and mortgage purchases, operating leases and other agreements as of December 31, 2014.
 
As of December 31, 2014
 
Loans and Mortgage-Related Securities(1)
 
Operating Leases
 
Other(2)
 
(Dollars in millions)
2015
 
$
56,333

 
 
$
39

 
$
209

2016
 

 
 
32

 
166

2017
 

 
 
27

 
59

2018
 

 
 
8

 
22

2019
 

 
 

 
14

Thereafter
 

 
 
3

 

Total
 
$
56,333

 
 
$
109

 
$
470

__________

(1) 
Primarily includes $56.2 billion that has been accounted for as mortgage commitment derivatives.
(2) 
Includes purchase commitments for certain telecom services, computer software and services, and other agreements and commitments.