bank several times, relief came from a rather unlikely knight in shining armor this man, judge arthur schackthe king's county supreme court. >> my role is to try to do justice, so if the little guy can stay in his house, that's great. >> reporter: lenders need judicial approval to foreclose on homeowners in new york. it's usually a routine process, though not in these chambers. is there a way to characterize the papers that you see overall? >> not-- not for publication. >> reporter: as foreclosure filings have mounted, so have mistakes. it reminds the judge of his days a a social studies teacher. >> students would ask me if spelling counts on a test. >> reporter: he's rejected more than 40 of the 100-plus foreclosure filings that have crossed his desk in the last two years because of what some call small errors in the bank's paperwork to incorrect dates to no proof of ownership. >> here's somebody who actually is doing something because he knows it's right. >> reporter: do you see yourself as-- on a personal mission to protect the little guy? >> no. i see myself on a person personal mission