Her house: what the court records show

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This page reports what recorded deeds, a circuit court judgment, an appellate opinion and news reports say about Mary Estimé-Irvin’s North Miami home. It does not give the street address. Each statement lists its source.

2014

• She bought the home from Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as trustee, for $154,000. The special warranty deed is dated Aug. 26, 2014 and was recorded Sept. 17, 2014. Source: Instrument 2014R646293, OR Book 29312, Page 2794, Miami-Dade official records.
• The court later found that the home “is and has been her homestead” and that she “has continuously occupied and maintained possession” of it since Aug. 26, 2014. Source: Amended Final Judgment Quieting Title, Case No. 2020-007239-CA-01, Instrument 2025R181739, OR Book 34653, Pages 3411-3414.

2018

• On April 30, 2018, VWC LLC made her a loan of $15,123.00, according to the court’s findings. Source: Amended Final Judgment Quieting Title, Case No. 2020-007239-CA-01, Instrument 2025R181739, OR Book 34653, Pages 3411-3414.
• On May 2, 2018 she signed a quitclaim deed of the home to VWC LLC for $10. It was recorded May 25, 2018. The deed does not mention a loan. Source: Instrument 2018R312092, OR Book 30990, Page 4193.
• The deed was prepared by Marcel Denis of ALPAM Group, Inc., in North Miami. The deed gives ALPAM Group's office address for VWC LLC. Sunbiz lists a different address for VWC LLC, in Miami. Denis is printed on the second witness line, and the notary also signed on the first witness line. The notary’s acknowledgment is dated May 23, 2018 and spells her name “Marie Estime-Irvin.” Source: Instrument 2018R312092, OR Book 30990, Page 4193; Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), VWC LLC, document no. L11000041195.
• A Notice of Federal Tax Lien for $1,326,066.24 was recorded in her name on Aug. 2, 2018. The notice lists the kind of tax as 6672, the trust fund recovery penalty. An earlier notice for $77,665.64 was recorded May 2, 2017. The records examined do not show whether either lien was released. Source: IRS Form 668(Y)(c) notices, CFN 2018R0468421, OR Book 31085, Page 3215 (2018), and OR Book 30517, Page 1801 (2017), Miami-Dade official records.
• The Miami Times reported “a $1.4 million IRS lien from business taxes and unpaid bills” in her record. Source: Mark Sell, “Spring elections heat up in City of North Miami,” Miami Times, April 13, 2021.

2019

• Michael Etienne, then the North Miami city clerk, ran against her for the District 3 council seat. He had been city clerk since 2011. Source: “North Miami seat in limbo,” Miami Times, May 22, 2019.
• The Miami Times reported that the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics had issued two counts against Etienne for “exploiting his official position in connection with city travel.” The sanctions were a reprimand, a $500 fine, $500 in investigative costs and $2,155.66 in restitution. Source: “Ethics, election issues dog some challengers,” Miami Times, May 8, 2019.
• She won the June 4, 2019 runoff, 714 votes (52.73%) to 640 (47.27%), a margin of 74. Source: Miami-Dade Elections official results (enr.electionsfl.org), North Miami District 3 runoff, June 4, 2019.

2020

• On Feb. 10, 2020, VWC LLC deeded the home to Etienne by quitclaim deed for $110,000. The deed is signed by Odilon Celestin and Bernalia Celestin as managers of VWC LLC. Etienne prepared the deed. Source: Instrument 2020R98281, OR Book 31814, Pages 1308-1310.
• Etienne sued in Miami-Dade circuit court, Case No. 2020-007239-CA-01. She counterclaimed to quiet title, and VWC LLC was named a third-party defendant. Source: Amended Final Judgment Quieting Title, Instrument 2025R181739, OR Book 34653, Pages 3411-3414.

2025

• Judge Charles Johnson entered a final judgment on Dec. 31, 2024. An amended final judgment quieting title was signed Feb. 28, 2025 and recorded March 11, 2025. Source: Instrument 2025R181739, OR Book 34653, Pages 3411-3414.
• The court found that VWC LLC made a $15,123 loan to her on April 30, 2018, and that she delivered the 2018 deed “with the intention of securing the payment” of that loan. Under Florida Statutes 697.01 and 697.02, the deed was “deemed and held as a mortgage.” Source: Instrument 2025R181739, OR Book 34653, Pages 3411-3414, paragraph 2.
• The court found that Etienne was not a bona fide purchaser for value without notice of her loan from VWC LLC, that he “never possessed legal title” to her homestead, and that he has no right of possession. Source: Instrument 2025R181739, OR Book 34653, Pages 3411-3414, paragraph 2.
• The court ordered that she is the fee simple owner of the home, effective April 30, 2018. It ordered that the 2018 and 2020 deeds “were and are nullities ab initio,” meaning void from the start. It permanently barred Etienne and VWC LLC from asserting any claim to the property. Source: Instrument 2025R181739, OR Book 34653, Pages 3411-3414, paragraphs 5-9.

2026

• Etienne appealed without a lawyer (“in proper person”). On Jan. 21, 2026 the Third District Court of Appeal issued a per curiam opinion in Case No. 3D25-0008 that says “Affirmed.” followed by a citation to Applegate v. Barnett Bank of Tallahassee, 377 So. 2d 1150, 1152 (Fla. 1979), which says that without a record of the trial proceedings an appellate court cannot properly resolve the underlying factual issues. There is no written opinion explaining the ruling. Source: Third District Court of Appeal, Etienne v. Estime Irvin, No. 3D25-0008, opinion filed Jan. 21, 2026.
• Her counsel on the appeal were Keystone Law Firm, P.A., Eliezer S. Poupko and Frank Wolland. Sunbiz lists Frank Wolland as the registered agent of VWC LLC. Source: 3D25-0008 opinion caption; Sunbiz, VWC LLC, annual reports 2018-2021.
• Etienne lost the May 11, 2021 North Miami mayoral election, 1,887 votes (36.14%) to Mayor Bien-Aime’s 3,334 (63.86%). The judgment’s service list gives him a Fort Pierce address. Source: “2021 North Miami mayoral election,” Wikipedia (official results not reviewed); Aaron Leibowitz, “Ex-city clerk taking on incumbent North Miami mayor,” Miami Herald, April 16, 2021; Instrument 2025R181739, OR Book 34653, Pages 3411-3414.

Open questions

• What were the terms of the $15,123 loan: the interest, the repayment schedule and the due date? The court found the loan but the judgment does not state them.
• How did the money move? The 2018 deed records $10 and does not show a payment to or from anyone.
• A blog reported that Etienne paid $14,687.20 in back taxes on the home (VotersOpinion, Sept. 28, 2020). The records reviewed do not confirm that figure.
• What did Etienne’s 2020 complaint ask for? The same blog described it as an eviction. The complaint was not reviewed for this page.
• Was either federal tax lien released? The records examined do not say.

How this connects to The Ledger

The Ledger video reports that Miami-Dade County sold tax certificates on her home in eight tax years: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. The court found that the home was hers, and her homestead, from Aug. 26, 2014 on. Source: Miami-Dade Tax Collector (county-taxes.net), account page read Oct. 6, 2026; Instrument 2025R181739, OR Book 34653, Pages 3411-3414.

Common questions

What did the court decide about her North Miami home?

In an amended final judgment recorded March 11, 2025 (Case No. 2020-007239-CA-01), the court found that she is the fee simple owner of the home, effective April 30, 2018. It ordered the 2018 deed to VWC LLC and the 2020 deed to Michael Etienne to be nullities ab initio and permanently barred Etienne and VWC LLC from claiming the property.

What was the $15,123 loan?

The court found that VWC LLC made her a loan of $15,123.00 on April 30, 2018, and that she delivered a quitclaim deed on May 2, 2018 with the intention of securing the payment. Under Florida Statutes 697.01 and 697.02 the deed was deemed and held as a mortgage. The judgment does not state the loan terms.

What does the 2018 deed show?

It is a quitclaim deed for $10, executed May 2, 2018 and recorded May 25, 2018 (Instrument 2018R312092). It was prepared by Marcel Denis of ALPAM Group, Inc., whose office address is the address the deed lists for VWC LLC. Denis is also printed on a witness line. The notary acknowledgment is dated May 23, 2018 and spells her name “Marie.”

Did the appeals court change the ruling?

No. On Jan. 21, 2026 the Third District Court of Appeal issued a per curiam opinion in Case No. 3D25-0008 that says only “Affirmed,” with a citation to Applegate v. Barnett Bank of Tallahassee. Michael Etienne appealed without a lawyer. There is no written opinion.

What federal tax lien notice was recorded in her name in 2018?

A Notice of Federal Tax Lien for $1,326,066.24 was recorded Aug. 2, 2018 (OR Book 31085, Page 3215). The notice lists the kind of tax as 6672, the trust fund recovery penalty. The records examined do not show whether it was released.

Sources

1. Instrument 2014R646293, special warranty deed, OR Book 29312, Page 2794, Miami-Dade County official records (recorded Sept. 17, 2014).
2. Instrument 2018R312092, quitclaim deed, OR Book 30990, Page 4193 (recorded May 25, 2018).
3. Instrument 2020R98281, quitclaim deed, OR Book 31814, Pages 1308-1310 (recorded Feb. 10, 2020).
4. Instrument 2025R181739, Amended Final Judgment Quieting Title, Case No. 2020-007239-CA-01, Miami-Dade Circuit Court, OR Book 34653, Pages 3411-3414 (recorded March 11, 2025).
5. Third District Court of Appeal of Florida, Etienne v. Estime Irvin, No. 3D25-0008, opinion filed Jan. 21, 2026.
6. Notices of Federal Tax Lien (IRS Form 668(Y)(c)): CFN 2018R0468421, OR Book 31085, Page 3215 (recorded Aug. 2, 2018); OR Book 30517, Page 1801 (recorded May 2, 2017).
7. Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz), VWC LLC, document no. L11000041195, including annual reports 2018-2021.
8. Miami-Dade Elections, official results, North Miami District 3 runoff, June 4, 2019 (enr.electionsfl.org/DAD/2976/Summary/).
9. “North Miami seat in limbo,” Miami Times, May 22, 2019.
10. “Ethics, election issues dog some challengers,” Miami Times, May 8, 2019.
11. Mark Sell, “Spring elections heat up in City of North Miami,” Miami Times, April 13, 2021.
12. Aaron Leibowitz, “Ex-city clerk taking on incumbent North Miami mayor. There’s no love lost between them.,” Miami Herald, April 16, 2021.
13. “2021 North Miami mayoral election,” Wikipedia.
14. Stephanie Kienzle, “Mary Estimé-Irvin, Clueless (and Shameless) in North Miami,” VotersOpinion, Sept. 28, 2020 (blog; cited only for the $14,687.20 figure and the eviction description in Open questions).
15. Miami-Dade Tax Collector (county-taxes.net), account page read Oct. 6, 2026.

Corrections: info@pfpnm.net. This page reports what the cited records and articles state.

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