A long time coming The approval of the deal came after months of hearings in a New York City courtroom, and weeks of deliberation by New York State Supreme Court Judge Barbara Kapnick. Teased out of the settlement were specific issues regarding loan modifications performed on some of the mortgages contained within the 530 trusts packaged by Countrywide, which Kapnick said trustee Bank of New York Mellon ( BK 0.37% ) neglected to appropriately address during negotiations between the parties.