Originally you asked who should go to jail.  No one should go to jail for this.

Then you asked who should be responsible for the fines.  I would say the clerk of the court.  Why the clerk?  The bank initiated the foreclosure auction, but they are not conducting the auction.  The bank is the buyer.  Buyers are not responsible for, or capable of, deeding property to themselves.  In a foreclsoure auction in Florida, the clerk of court deeds the property to the highest bidder (evidently the bank was the highest bidder in this case).  

Other people may answer differently based on the foreclosure process in their particular state.  I happen to live in Florida.

If the bank forecloses and kicks her out then does not file the deed or maintain, i would say the bank. However dealing with this here all the time, the courts rule who the deed reads is who owes. What they do here, is the city goes in and cleans and liens the property. They also can knock down hazardous or burnt out properties. They have 3 years to pay or the city takes the home. If and when the bank does file the deed, they pay the lien plus fees 

In my perfect World the home would be returned to Mrs. A, free of debt and the bank would be left holding the bag as the fines continue to accumulate. Irresponsible acts cannot move forward without just compensation. The gavel has struck on this foreclosure and we all know who should pay up!

I say they bank.  Plus they have deeper pockets than Mrs. A.

The bank.

The Bank. 

Going to jail ..... AHHAHAHAHHAHHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH

Yes, let's see that 

I bet no one goes to jail and no one pays the fines. The city waives the fines or fights with the county courthouse about them. $230K in fines for an unkept yard is ridiculous.

As Scott Godzyk said the laws of the state where the property is located will determine who is responsible.  Erie County and the City of Erie, Pennsylvania recently created a Land Bank to deal with abandoned properties. It's still a long process.

I would blame the bank as they have enough attorneys on retainer then the city as they tax us enough to have a code officer to have checked it out!

The bank is responsible and how diligent was the municipality. Just my 2 cents

Bank

bank

No one goes to jail for this kind of thing. Look to the bank and its representatives for restitution.

Karen Climer makes a very good argument here, unfortunately govt people never take responsibility for their actions or inactions.

The bank

I would say the bank for sure.

If Mrs. A has the papers proving foreclosure and that she was 'kicked out,' I'd say the bank...or the Register of Deeds for having miss-filed the foreclosure.

And, the city? Really? $230K in fines - that is a bit ridiculous - especially if their own employee in the Clerk's office made the filing mistake! 

Let’s be clear about this. No one is going to jail, and Mrs. A is not getting her house back free and clear. The new owner ( the Bank) is responsible for any costs or fines after the received ownership of the property. As far as the costs of the fines goes, the city is charging way too much! Yes, the bank needed to maintain the property, but 230K for 2 years? Really!!

The guilty party is whoever did the foreclosure closing; ownership should've been transferred properly.

The Bank will be held liable since they have money to pay. Constructive receipt will come into play! All about the money!

Very often that happened in Florida. 

The fine will be redused - new owner has to deal with it.

Bank. 

Hard to win now.

Title company as well, is responsible.

Mrs. A or her assigns needs an attorney to sue the bank. I'm on the jury the bank owes the fines and Mrs. A gets house back free and clear

The bank is responsible, of course!

I like Kevin J. May solution.  A

I would think the bank.  They did not complete the actions necessary to complete the foreclosure and maintain the property.

this is why buyers have real estate attorneys....

The bank failed to properly transfer title but was the legal owner. And the city failed in letting it get to the pint where it was such a nuisance.

The bank.  But I am surprised.  Most banks maintained their properties they acquired in foreclosure during the recession.  They now own the property and to keep their "investment" as valuable as possible, maintenance was a key.  That and getting the home ready for sale asap.

No one's going to jail. And I agree with Kevin! Let's manifest that!

If she was foreclosed on and evicted, that's a good reason to not be there maintaining the property.  Out here the bank owns the homes until you sell or pay off the mortgage, so I'd say the bank.

I am with Scott Godzyk on this one. The previous owner was forcibly evicted from her home under the Law. The fact that the bank failed to properly transfer title is not the fault of the previous owner and is a defective defense.