Anderson v. Industrial State Bank of Houston

478 S.W.2d 215, 1972 Tex. App. LEXIS 2712
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 8, 1972
Docket568
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 478 S.W.2d 215 (Anderson v. Industrial State Bank of Houston) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Anderson v. Industrial State Bank of Houston, 478 S.W.2d 215, 1972 Tex. App. LEXIS 2712 (Tex. Ct. App. 1972).

Opinion

*216 SAM D. JOHNSON, Justice.

This is a suit on a promissory note brought by the Industrial State Bank of Houston against Billy Anderson. On July 30, 1970, the note was executed by Anderson and such execution is admitted. It was due and payable on October 28, 1970, and was in the principal sum of $8,000.00. The note was not paid when it became due and the instant suit seeking principal, accrued interest and attorney’s fees as provided for in the note, was instituted. Summary judgment was granted for the plaintiff Industrial State Bank and the defendant Anderson perfects this appeal.

Some time prior to the time the note described above came into existence the defendant Anderson acquired a total of 9,100 shares of stock in Universal Electronics Corporation through a series of purchases. These purchases were made during the time a Mr. G. E. Helble was an officer of the Pasadena National Bank. Anderson alleged that a loan was acquired from the Pasadena Bank enabling him to make the initial purchase and all subsequent purchases of the Universal Electronics Corporation stock. The defendant Anderson subsequently obtained a loan in the sum of $8,170.00 from a second bank, the International Bank of Houston, giving his Universal Electronics Corporation stock as security and thus retiring his loan at the Pasadena Bank.

In June of 1969 Mr. Helble moved from the Pasadena National Bank to the plaintiff Industrial State Bank. It appears that Mr. Helble and Mr. Anderson knew each other for a number of years on a social basis and through banking affairs and therefore after Helble’s move they continued to see each other from time to time. When the defendant Anderson’s note thereafter matured at the second bank, International, he alleged that he considered selling his Universal Electronics stock to pay off his debt there. According to the allegations of the defendant Anderson it was at this time that Helble, now an officer of the third bank, the plaintiff Industrial State Bank, stated in substance that there was no use in selling his stock, that it was going up, and that the plaintiff bank would loan Anderson the money to pay off his loan at the International Bank.

According to the allegations of the defendant Anderson it was under these circumstances that he obtained the original instant loan on June 17, 1969. It is to be noted that such date is well after Anderson’s final purchase of Universal Electronics stock and occurred at a time when he was at complete freedom to do anything with his stock that he wanted to do. The loan acquired by Anderson at the plaintiff bank was renewed on September IS, 1969, December 14, 1969, and again on July 30, 1970. No reduction in the principal of the loan was ever made and the final renewal, which had matured and become due, became the subject of this suit.

After attempts to collect on the note proved futile, the plaintiff bank filed suit for recovery, attaching a copy of the note to its pleadings. Anderson does not deny the essential elements of the note or the genuineness of his signature but attempts to assert defenses to recovery. The essence of his contention is that Helble’s action in allegedly dissuading him from selling his Universal Electronics stock was part of a large conspiracy to maintain the value of stock which was to inure to the benefit of the conspirators. The alleged conspiracy was asserted to have involved a number of people and a number of banks. Lastly, the stock of Universal Electronics was alleged to have become worthless.

The instant appeal is predicated on three points of error. The appellant prays for reversal because of (1) the existence of material fact questions, (2) the facts relied upon to support the judgment are insufficient in law since they are statements of interested persons, and (3) insufficient time was allowed to develop the facts.

The granting of summary judgment is proper if the pleadings, depositions, an *217 swers to interrogatories, admissions and affidavits show that there is'no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the movant is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. 166-A(c), Tex.R.Civ.P. The evidence which may be considered consists of depositions, answers to interrogatories, admissions and affidavits; verified pleadings do not constitute summary judgment evidence. Hidalgo v. Surety Savings and Loan Association, 462 S.W.2d 540 (Tex.Sup.1971). In the instant case the defendant Anderson filed an affidavit opposing the plaintiff bank’s motion for summary judgment. The affidavits filed in favor of the motion included those of John Devoke, G. E. Helble, G. W. Stelzig and A. J. East-ham. In addition the depositions of the defendant Billy Anderson and G. E. Helble appear.

It is to be recalled that the signature on the note in question was admitted. “When signatures are admitted or established, production of the instrument entitles a holder to recover on it unless the defendant establishes a defense”. Tex.Bus. & Comm.Code Ann. sec. 3.307(b), V.T.C.A., (1968). Plaintiff was therefore entitled to recovery upon presentation of the note, the showing of present ownership and holding of said note and the establishment of the defendant’s signature thereto, unless the defendant raised a defense. The defense alleged purported to be fraud and/or illegality. These are defenses which must be plead affirmatively. Rule 94, Tex.R.Civ.P. The record, by the introduction of depositions, answers to interrogatories, admissions, or affidavits, must show this affirmative defense, or plaintiff, who established a prima facie case for recovery under section 3.307(b), was entitled to recover on summary judgment. Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Co. v. McBride, 159 Tex. 442, 322 S.W.2d 492 (1958). The defendant’s attempt to raise this defense appears in his affidavit opposing the bank’s motion for summary judgment.

The issue before this Court is whether defendant’s affidavit raised a fact issue concerning its defenses against the note. The form, as set forth in Tex.R.Civ.P. 166-A(e), requires that “Supporting and opposing affidavits shall be made on personal knowledge, shall set forth such facts as would be admissible in evidence, and shall show affirmatively that the affiant is competent to testify to the matters stated therein.” The Supreme Court in Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Penn, 363 S.W. 2d 230, 233 (Tex.Sup.1962) construed this rule stating: “Although there is no express requirement that the affidavits state that they are made on the personal knowledge of the affiant, we think this is the in-tendment of the rule”. See also Tobin v. Garcia, 159 Tex. 58, 316 S.W.2d 396, 399 (1958).

Defendant’s affidavit, in opposition to plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment recites very dubious “facts as would be admissible in evidence.” Beyond this, defendant’s affidavit does not show affirmatively that the affiant is competent to testify even about them in that it is not shown to be made on his personal knowledge. Defendant fails to affirmatively set forth that these facts are within his knowledge and establish his competency to testify about them.

This, in itself, is sufficient reason to deny consideration of defendant’s only proof of a defense. See Melody v.

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Bluebook (online)
478 S.W.2d 215, 1972 Tex. App. LEXIS 2712, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/anderson-v-industrial-state-bank-of-houston-texapp-1972.