Acadiana Bank v. Foreman

343 So. 2d 1138
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 3, 1977
Docket5800
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 343 So. 2d 1138 (Acadiana Bank v. Foreman) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Acadiana Bank v. Foreman, 343 So. 2d 1138 (La. Ct. App. 1977).

Opinion

343 So.2d 1138 (1977)

ACADIANA BANK, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
Kimball Aubrey FOREMAN et al., Defendants-Appellees.

No. 5800.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

March 4, 1977.
Rehearing Denied April 5, 1977.
Writ Granted June 3, 1977.

*1139 Pucheu & Pucheu by Jacque B. Pucheu, Jr., Eunice, for defendant-intervenor-appellant.

Devillier & Ardoin by Anthony J. Fazzio, Eunice, for plaintiff-appellee.

Before WATSON, GUIDRY and FORET, JJ.

FORET, Judge.

On January 8, 1976, Acadiana Bank (hereinafter referred to as Acadiana) filed a petition for executory process against Kimball Aubrey Foreman and his wife (hereinafter referred to as the Foremans), under which a writ of seizure and sale was issued foreclosing on certain chattels of the Foremans. On April 7, 1976, the property seized was sold, and the proceeds of the sale were put into possession of the Sheriff of St. Landry Parish. On March 18, 1976, a petition of intervention was filed by Wilson J. Moosa (hereinafter referred to as Moosa), wherein intervenor claimed that his lessor's lien was superior to that of the chattel mortgagee, Acadiana, as his lessor's lien was recognized in a judgment rendered on February 17, 1976. Judgment herein was rendered on August 3, 1976, in which the trial court held that:

" . . . after January 1, 1975, the chattel mortgage held by Acadiana Bank primed the lessor's lien of Wilson J. Moosa, thereby entitling Acadiana Bank to receive the proceeds of the Sheriff's Sale. . ." (Tr. pg. 83)

From such judgment intervenor Moosa has filed this appeal.

Prior to September, 1974, Moosa leased certain premises located in Eunice, Louisiana, to a Mrs. Doty. The term of the lease, which was unrecorded, terminated on December 31, 1974. Prior to the expiration of such lease, defendants herein, the Foremans, purchased from Mrs. Doty the right of occupancy to the leased premises and all of her movables located therein. On or before September 18, 1974, the Foremans *1140 occupied the leased premises. On that date the Foremans executed a written lease with Moosa, which lease was recorded on September 20, 1974, the term of which commenced on January 1, 1975. (Court # 2; Tr. pg. 63-66) On that same date, September 18, 1974, the Foremans executed:

(1) a collateral chattel mortgage on the movables located in the leased premises, which chattel mortgage was recorded October 3, 1974 (Court # 1, Tr. pg. 61-61A) and
(2) a collateral mortgage note in the amount of $17,000.00, which note was paraphed and identified with a chattel mortgage, and which was delivered to Acadiana[1] and,
(3) a $12,000.00 hand note, a provision of which stated that the note

"and any extension or renewal thereof and any and every debt, liability or other obligation, direct or contingent, due or to become due, whether now existing or hereafter arising, by the undersigned, or any of them, to the said ACADIANA BANK, up to the sum of FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($450,000.00), are and the same shall be secured by the pledge of the securities or property listed and described as follows, vis: collateral chattel mortgage in the amount of $17,000.00." (Bank-1; Tr. pg. 68)

On August 14, 1975, the unpaid balance of the $12,000 note having been reduced to $5,000 and the Foremans wishing to pay smaller monthly installments, Mrs. Foreman re-negotiated and executed a $5,000 hand note. (This note was not filed in the record.) By October 6, 1975, the $5,000 note had been fully paid, and it was returned to the Foremans. On October 7, 1975, Mr. Foreman executed a $6,234.20 hand note, which note contained the same provision of pledge as does the $12,000 note. (Intervenor-3; Tr. pg. 43) (This is the note upon which the petition for executory process was filed.) At all times herein, the collateral mortgage note remained within the possession of Acadiana.

Intervenor-appellant Moosa alleges the following as errors of the trial court:

1. The ruling of the trial court as to the ranking of the lessor's lien and chattel mortgage;
2. The ruling of the trial court as to the efficacy of the pledge of the $17,000 negotiable promissory note, as to the date of its effectiveness, and, in particular, as to its securing the $6,234.20 hand note.
3. In applying the New Orleans Silversmith's decision rather than Odom v. Cherokee Homes, Inc., 165 So.2d 855 (La.App. 4 Cir. 1964); writs refused 167 So.2d 677.

I.

RANKING OF LESSOR'S LIEN AND CHATTEL MORTGAGE

For the payment of rent, the lessor has a right of pledge, a privilege, and a lien upon the movables of the lessee located within the leased premises. Such right exists as of the first date of the term of the lease and terminates as of the last date of the term of the lease. C.C. Art. 2705; In Re Ruston Creamery, Inc., 190 La. 681, 182 So. 715 (La.1938); Comegys v. Shreveport Kandy Kitchen, 162 La. 103, 110 So. 104 (1926); Morrison v. Faulk, 158 So.2d 837 (La.App. 4 Cir., 1963); writ refused, 245 La. 643, 160 So.2d 229; Thigpen v. Wall Printing Corp., 145 So. 714 (La.App. 2 Cir., 1933); Hardie v. Wright, 12 La.App. 52, 125 So. 312; (La.App., Orl.1929).

A chattel mortgage takes effect as against the world as of the date of its filing or recordation. Prior thereto, such legal instrument has effect only as between the parties thereto. LSA-R.S. 9:5354.

The issue of the ranking of the lessor's lien and the chattel mortgage in cases *1141 practically identical to the one at bar has been firmly and definitively decided by the Louisiana Supreme Court in the case of In Re Ruston Creamery, Inc., supra, and by the Louisiana Supreme Court's refusal to grant writs in the Orleans Appeals case of Hardie v. Wright, supra. In Ruston, one R. B. Knott had leased a building to C. A. Tooke and J. E. Reynolds. (Tooke and Reynolds subsequently formed a corporation known as Ruston Creamery, Inc.) The initial lease was for a period of five years beginning August 1, 1927. Ruston Creamery, Inc. took over the creamery on February 8, 1932, approximately six months before the expiration of the term of the prior lease given by Knott to Tooke and Reynolds. Ruston Creamery subsequently leased the building from R. B. Knott for a period of five years to begin at the expiration of the prior lease i. e. August 1, 1932. At the time of the execution of the second lease the machinery and fixtures were in the building where they remained until they were sold by receivers (Ruston Creamery, Inc. having been placed in receivership). The lease from R. B. Knott to Ruston Creamery was filed and recorded on April 1, 1932. On April 27, 1932, Ruston Creamery, Inc. executed chattel mortgage notes to its own order for $10,000 secured by a chattel mortgage on all the machinery and equipment in the building, which mortgage was filed and recorded on that same date. Also on that date, that is, April 27, 1932, the notes and chattel mortgage were transferred to T. L. James & Company, Inc. The question presented during the receivership was which of these privileged claims, R. B. Knott's landlord's lien and privilege or T. L. James & Co.'s chattel mortgage privilege would be given preference or priority over the other.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Thompson v. H & S Packing Co., Inc.
540 So. 2d 371 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1989)
Mardis v. Hollanger
426 So. 2d 392 (Louisiana Court of Appeal, 1983)
Acadiana Bank v. Foreman
346 So. 2d 216 (Supreme Court of Louisiana, 1977)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
343 So. 2d 1138, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/acadiana-bank-v-foreman-lactapp-1977.