City of Shamokin v. West End National Bank

29 Pa. D. & C.3d 338, 1983 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 199
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Northumberland County
DecidedNovember 10, 1983
Docketno. CV-82-59
StatusPublished

This text of 29 Pa. D. & C.3d 338 (City of Shamokin v. West End National Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Northumberland County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Shamokin v. West End National Bank, 29 Pa. D. & C.3d 338, 1983 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 199 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1983).

Opinion

RANCK, J.,

This case comes before us on the motion for summary judgment filed by defendant, West End National Bank of Shamokin (hereinafter bank). Plaintiffs complaint sets forth two causes of action in assumpsit arising out of the unauthorized redemption of certain Treasury Notes (hereinafter notes) belonging to the Police Pension and Retirement Fund of the City of Shamokin (hereinafter fund). The complaint avers that Robert S. Mattern, the City Controller and member of the Board of the Fund at the time of these occurrences, purchased the Notes for and on [339]*339behalf of the Fund and retained possession of the notes following their purchase. Mattern subsequently redeemed the Notes and failed to pay the proceeds thereof to the fund. The City of Shamokin (hereinafter Shamokin) contends that as a result of the Bank’s previous dealings with Mattern, the bank did not act with due care when it accepted the notes for redemption. In its answer and new matter, the bank denied that Allen S. Grow, its President and member of its board of directors, or any other person affiliated with the bank, aided in redeeming the notes or received proceeds resulting from the redemption of the notes on behalf of the bank with the knowledge that the notes were the property of the fund. The bank contends that Mattern, as city controller and member of the board of the fund, had sole and exclusive authority over investments by and on behalf of the fund. The bank filed a complaint against Mattern as additional defendant, claiming that if in fact Shamokin proves the notes were redeemed and disposed of by Mattern as alleged, such action was taken by Mattern in his individual capacity, or in his capacity as City Controller, but not with the knowledge of the bank.

The factual background as established by discovery and agreed upon by Shamokin and the bank is as follows:

(1) Mattern purchased and held the Notes in his capacity as City Controller and member of the Board of the Fund.

(2) The notes were purchased and held in the form of bearer instruments.

(3) In his capacity as cashier of the bank, and in breach of his duties as a bank employee, Mattern conducted certain transactions with regard to various accounts of bank customers intending to misrepresent the true nature of the accounts.

[340]*340(4) Grow required that Mattern cover any defalcations resulting to the customers’ accounts from Mattern’s acts or omissions in regard to said accounts.

(5) To partially satisfy the defalcations, Mattern redeemed through the Bank certain Treasury Notes, now alleged to have been the notes.

(6) The notes presented by Mattern for redemption were presented as bearer instruments, and were redeemed in the normal course of business in the banking industry.

(7) The notes were redeemed and paid by cashier’s check through the Bank to Mattern.

(8) Mattern then gave Grow the cash proceeds from the notes in partial satisfaction of the defalcations resulting from Mattern’s acts or omissions.

Procedurally, this case was initiated by a writ of summons in assumpsit issued January 13, 1982. Plaintiff filed its complaint on or about October 8, 1982. On December 3, 1982, a writ of summons in trespass and assumpsit was issued joining additional defendant, Robert S. Mattern. The answer and new matter of the bank was filed on December 7, 1982, and on December 20, 1982, the bank filed its complaint against additional defendant. On or about December 27, 1982, Plaintiff filed its reply to new matter. The motion of defendant West End National Bank for summary judgment was filed on April 22, 1983.

The bank’s basis for its motion for summary judgment is that since the notes were redeemed in the normal course of business in the banking industry, the bank received the notes in good faith and without notice of any adverse claim on behalf of Shamokin. The bank, through its agents and officers, had no reason to believe that the notes presented by Mattern were actually the property of the [341]*341fund. Accordingly, no genuine issue of material fact exists, and the bank is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law.

Conversely, Shamokin alleges that the bank, through its officers and agents, knew or should have known that the notes did not belong to Mattern as evidenced by its own collateral records as well as the bank’s knowledge of Mattern’s previous manipulations of various accounts at the bank. According to plaintiff, fact questions exist as to whether the bank had notice of the adverse claim or whether the notes were received in good faith, thereby precluding summary judgment as a matter of law.

A court may grant summary judgment when “. . . there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and . . . the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law ... .” Pa.R.C.P. 1035 (b). A court may only grant summary judgment in cases which are free and clear from doubt and where there are no controlling issues of fact raised by the pleadings. Fraim v. Katz, 68 D. & C. 2d 567, 574 (1975).

“When ruling on a motion for summary judgment, a court must accept as true all well pleaded facts and consider any admissions of record, but must resolve any doubts as to the existence of a genuine issue of a material fact against the moving party (citations omitted). We must view the record in the light most favorable to the non-moving party and give the non-moving party the benefit of all reasonable inferences (citations omitted).” First Pennsylvania Bank, N.A. v. Triester, 251 Pa. Super. 372, 378, 380 A.2d 826 (1977). The burden is on Shamokin to show that a genuine issue of material fact exists. Shamokin does not, however, in order to have the motion for summary judgment denied, [342]*342have to prove the fact itself. First Pennsylvania Bank, N.A. v. Triester, supra at 378.

The writings involved in this action are securities in bearer form as defined in Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). 13 Pa. C.S.A. §8102. Securities governed by Article 8 are negotiable instruments. 13 Pa. C.S.A. §8105. Writings, such as the notes in this case, which meet the requirements of both Article 8, Investment Securities, and Article 3, Commercial Paper, are governed by Article 8. 13 Pa. C.S.A. §8102; Oscar Gruss and Son v. First State Bank of Eldorado, 582 F.2d 424 (7th Cir., 1978); Morgan Guaranty Trust Co. of New York v. Third National Bank of Hampden County, 400 F. Supp. 383, 388 (D. Mass., 1975) affirmed 529 F. 2d 1141 (1st Cir., 1976). See also 12A P.S. §8-102, Comment.

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Bluebook (online)
29 Pa. D. & C.3d 338, 1983 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 199, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-shamokin-v-west-end-national-bank-pactcomplnorthu-1983.