Coastal Cement Sand Inc. v. First Interstate Credit Alliance, Inc.

956 S.W.2d 562, 1997 WL 166532
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedDecember 23, 1997
Docket14-95-00867-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by49 cases

This text of 956 S.W.2d 562 (Coastal Cement Sand Inc. v. First Interstate Credit Alliance, Inc.) 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
Coastal Cement Sand Inc. v. First Interstate Credit Alliance, Inc., 956 S.W.2d 562, 1997 WL 166532 (Tex. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinions

MAJORITY OPINION

YATES, Justice.

This is an appeal from an order granting summary judgment in favor of First Interstate Credit Alliance, Inc., now known as ORIX Credit Alliance (“ORIX”). Coastal Cement Sand, Inc., Consolidated Carriers, Inc., and Southwest Texas Ready Mix, Inc. (collectively appellants) filed suit against ORIX, alleging ORIX had contracted for usury. Appellants argue the trial court erred in granting summary judgment in favor of ORIX and in denying appellants’ cross-motion for partial summary judgment because 1) ORIX failed to state explicitly any grounds for summary judgment in its motion, 2) the trial court relied on improper summary judgment evidence, and 3) the contract was usurious. We conclude the contract is usurious on its face, and we reverse the judgment of the trial court.

Background

Between April 1984 and January 1991, each appellant executed a number of promissory notes and security documents in favor of ORIX. There are fifteen notes at issue in this appeal.1 One of the loans was repaid in full, and the others were refinanced, in some cases more than once. Despite the presence of an acceleration clause in each of these notes, ORIX did not unilaterally accelerate the maturity of any of these notes. Each of the refinanced loans matured as a result of appellants’ requests for refinancing, and ORIX collected only the principal and the accrued, earned interest. It never collected usurious interest.

Appellants sued ORIX, alleging that ORIX “contracted for” a usurious rate of interest, [565]*565and appellants sought damages under article 5069 of the Texas Revised Civil Statutes. Tbx.Rev.Civ. Stat. Ann. art. 5069, § 1.06 (Vernon 1987 & Supp.1996). Appellants argued ORIX contracted for usuiious interest because a contingency existed on the face of the notes that might allow ORIX to collect usurious interest if the notes were accelerated. ORIX moved for summary judgment, and appellants filed a partial cross-motion for summary judgment. The partial cross-motion for summary judgment reserved only the issue of attorneys’ fees. The trial court granted ORIX’s motion for summary judgment.

Summary Judgment Grounds

In the first point of error, appellants argue ORIX failed to expressly present any grounds in its motion for summary judgment. The relevant portions of ORIX’s motion state:

3. As ORIX will show in its Memorandum of Authorities in Support of its Motion for Summary Judgment (“Memorandum”), Plaintiffs’ theory of liability is incorrect as a matter of law. Although ORIX denies that the language of the promissory notes is sufficient under the authorities to render them usurious in the abstract, more importantly Texas law cleaxiy requires that the Court consider the terms of the entire contract between the parties, and not one isolated portion, to determine the true intent of the parties to the contract before considering whether this contract was usurious at the time it was made.
5. As the parties have agreed that there are no genuine issues of material fact, summary judgment is proper. Because a proper consideration of the summary judgment evidence and the law will reveal that Plaintiffs’ claim for usurious contracting against ORIX fails as a matter of law, ORIX is entitled to summary judgment that Plaintiffs take nothing.

ORIX filed a Memorandum of Authorities in Support of its Motion for Summary Judgment, detailing the reasons it believed it was entitled to summary judgment. The Memorandum sought the application of certain contract construction rules, and it argued the loans were not usurious. It also maintained that New York law, rather than Texas law, applied. Finally, it raised a number of defenses, including statute of limitations, novation, bona fide error, full performance, and a defense based on Southwest Texas Ready Mix, Ine.’s bankruptcy.

ORIX was required to state each of these grounds in its motion. The Texas Supreme Court has held a summary judgment motion “must expressly present the grounds upon which it is made.” McConnell v. Southside Independent Sch. Dist., 858 S.W.2d 337, 341 (Tex.1993) (plurality opinion). The motion must “stand or fall on the grounds expressly presented.” Id. Although a trial court may consider a brief or memorandum for guidance in making its determination whether the moving party is entitled to judgment, it may not refer to the brief or memorandum to determine whether the grounds are expressly presented. Id.

We agree with appellants that ORIX failed to present each of these grounds in its motion. The only possible ground inferred from ORIX’s motion is that the contracts were not usurious as a matter of law. ORIX certainly could have stated this ground much clearer, but we conclude the motion contained the “ground” that the ORIX notes were not usurious as a matter of law. “Grounds may be stated concisely, without detail and argument. But they must at least be listed in the motion.” McConnell, 858 S.W.2d at 340 (quoting Roberts v. Southwest Texas Methodist Hosp., 811 S.W.2d 141, 146 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1991, writ denied)).

On the other hand, nothing in the motion itself suggests that New York law applies or that ORIX asserted a number of defenses. Those grounds not explicitly stated within the motion will not be addressed in determining whether the trial court erred in granting the motion for summary judgment. See Sysco Food Servs., Inc. v. Trapnell, 890 S.W.2d 796, 805 (Tex.1994) (refusing to address collateral estoppel because it was not a ground in the motion, but addressing the other grounds presented).

ORIX argues its Memorandum was incorporated into its motion for summary judg[566]*566ment.2 ORIX further contends this incorporation is sufficient to meet the requirements of McConnell. ORIX relies upon a decision of the Amarillo Court of Appeals, which declared, “our reading of McConnell convinces us that grounds found in a brief that is incorporated, into a summary judgment motion should be deemed as being presented in the motion.” Howell v. Murray Mortgage Co., 890 S.W.2d 78, 85 (TexApp.—Amarillo 1994, writ denied) (emphasis added).

The result in Howell appears to contradict the mandate in McConnell. In McConnell, the summary judgment motion specifically referenced the supporting brief. McConnell, 858 S.W.2d at 344 (Hecht, J., dissenting). In his dissent, Justice Hecht argued “the motion may state the grounds for summary judgment by reference to other documents as long as the opposing party is provided with adequate information to oppose the motion, and the summary judgment issues are defined.” Id. at 345 (emphasis added). In a footnote, however, the plurality rejected this argument and reasoned such an approach would “inject an element of uncertainty into every rule, no matter how clearly stated.” Id. at 341 n. 4. The plurality then discussed the dangers of creating exceptions to the plain meaning of Rule 166a: ;

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
956 S.W.2d 562, 1997 WL 166532, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/coastal-cement-sand-inc-v-first-interstate-credit-alliance-inc-texapp-1997.