Citizens State Bank of Lometa v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver of North Central National Bank

946 F.2d 408, 1991 U.S. App. LEXIS 26152
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedNovember 4, 1991
Docket90-8607
StatusPublished
Cited by25 cases

This text of 946 F.2d 408 (Citizens State Bank of Lometa v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver of North Central National Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Citizens State Bank of Lometa v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation as Receiver of North Central National Bank, 946 F.2d 408, 1991 U.S. App. LEXIS 26152 (5th Cir. 1991).

Opinion

CHARLES SCHWARTZ, Jr., District Judge:

This appeal arises out of the insolvency and receivership of the North Central National Bank, Austin, Texas (“North Central”). The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) as receiver published notice of North Central’s failure immediately upon its closure on April 23, 1987. This raises questions regarding the rights of standby letter of credit beneficiary Citizens State Bank of Lometa (“Citizens”) in the bank insolvency proceedings. The parties filed cross motions for summary judgment. The FDIC appeals from the summary judgment entered against it as the receiver of the insolvent bank North Central.

The issues on appeal are: (1) whether the district court erred in finding three standby letters of credit issued by North Central in favor of Citizens, provable against the Receiver, FDIC, in light of the undisputed fact that Citizens did not attempt to draw on the letters of credit until after North Central was declared insolvent; and (2) whether post-judgment interest was properly awarded to Citizens under the National Bank Act.

The material facts bearing on the appeal which were the subject of joint stipulations of the parties are more fully discussed below.

I. FACTS.

On or about November 17, 1986, Lampa-sas 620 Joint Venture (“Joint Venture”) executed a promissory note in the principal amount of $295,200 (“Note”). The Note was made payable to Citizens. Three partners of the Joint Venture, Jason Kuenstler, Stan Meeks, and Decker McKim, signed the Note as makers and in their capacities as partners. Additionally, each of the signatories executed guaranty agreements in their individual capacities providing that they would individually guarantee portions of the Note — that is, individual guaranties of payment of the Note were made by Kuenstler in the amount of $18,000, Meeks in the amount of $46,800, and McKim in the amount of $64,800.

In consideration for the Note and the guaranties, and at the instance of the aforementioned three partners, North Central issued three letters of credit in favor of Citizens. The letters of credit, each dated October 15, 1986, issued in the following amounts: (1) $18,000 for the account of Kuenstler; (2) $46,800 for the account of Meeks; and (3) $64,800 for the account of McKim. Payment pursuant to the letters of credit by North Central to Citizens was predicated on its presentment of the following to North Central: (a) the original letter of credit; and (b) written notification for an officer of Citizens certifying that the $295,200 loan to the Joint Venture is in default. It was further provided in the letters of credit that upon presentment of a draft in compliance with the terms of the letters, North Central would honor the draft.

On April 23, 1987, the Comptroller of the Currency of the United States declared North Central insolvent, ordered it closed, and appointed the FDIC as Receiver. 2 All three October 15th, 1986 letters of credit were in existence prior to the closing of North Central. The FDIC immediately published the notice of North Central’s failure for the required three-month period in accordance with 12 U.S.C. § 1821(d).

On July 15, 1987, the Joint Venture, along with the three individual guarantors, defaulted on the Note and the individual guaranties. The Note is presently in default.

On August 13, 1987, Citizens sent to the FDIC the following documents: (1) copies of original letters of credit; (2) written *411 notice, certifying that the $295,200 loan to the Joint Venture was in default; and (3) drafts in the amount of the letters of credit. By its letter of October 8, 1987, the FDIC acknowledged receipt of the above-enumerated documents.

On October 13, 1987, Citizens sent to FDIC the following: (1) original proofs of claim on each of the letters of credit; (2) the original letters of credit; (3) written notice certifying that the loan to the Joint Venture was in default; and (4) drafts in the amounts of the letters of credit. By letter dated October 15, 1987, the FDIC notified Citizens that its claim had been rejected, stating that the Note was not in default prior to North Central’s failure. Subsequent correspondence of the FDIC dated May 26, 1988 and June 7, 1988, notified Citizens that the claims remained denied because they were not “provable claims” (i.e., they were not “fixed and certain” as of the date of North Central’s failure).

In 1988 and 1989, Citizens obtained judgments on the Note and guaranty agreements: (1) against the Joint Venture— $180,586.32, plus $13,000 reasonable attorney’s fees, plus interest on these amounts at 18% per annum from June 30, 1988 until paid; and (2) against Kuenstler, Meeks, and MeKim in the respective amounts of $21,098.80, $60,300.93, and $77,363.13, plus in each case interest and attorney’s fees.

FDIC has not made any distribution of assets in the receivership proceeding relating to North Central. The unpaid principal of the Joint Venture has at all times exceeded $150,000 and no term of the letters of credit issued by North Central has been altered or amended.

II. APPEAL OF FDIC.

A. Provable Claims under Section 194 of the National Bank Act.

As receiver of North Central, FDIC is responsible for marshalling the bank’s assets and distributing them ratably “on all such claims as may have been proved to [the receiver’s] satisfaction.” 3

The distribution of assets of an insolvent national bank by the FDIC is a matter of federal law:

Under the relevant provisions of the National Bank Act (12 U.S.C. §§ 191-200) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. §§ 1811-32) Congress has established a complete system for the administration and liquidation of insolvent banks for the benefit of creditors with the receiver acting as the administrative agent of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Acts constitute a complete plan for the establishment and government of national banks... . 4

When the FDIC acts in its corporate capacity as receiver of a national bank, federal law applies. 5

Relying on First Empire Bank-New York v. FDIC; 6 FDIC v. Liberty National Bank and Trust Co.; 7 and Inter- *412 first Bank-Abilene v. FDIC; 8 the district court in the case at bar held that Citizen’s claims, pursuant to the standby letters of credit issued by North Central, were “provable” against FDIC, within the meaning of Section 194 of the National Bank Act.

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946 F.2d 408, 1991 U.S. App. LEXIS 26152, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/citizens-state-bank-of-lometa-v-federal-deposit-insurance-corporation-as-ca5-1991.