Commercial Credit Corp. v. National Credit Corp.

473 S.W.2d 881, 251 Ark. 702, 10 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 285, 1971 Ark. LEXIS 1206
Supreme Court of Arkansas·Decided December 20, 1971·No. 5-5662·Published·Cited by 4 cases

Opinion

Frank Holt, Justice.

The appellant and appellee are two competing creditors. They each claim superior liens on two automobiles, hereinafter referred to as the “Williams” and “Morgan” vehicles. The appellant was in possession of the vehicles and the appellee had possession of the certificates of title. Appellant demanded delivery of the titles and, upon refusal, it brought suit seeking a mandatory injunction requiring appellee to deliver the titles. Appellee filed a counterclaim seeking possession of the two vehicles. As to the Williams automobile, the chancellor found that appellant’s possession and subsequent bailment or storage of this vehicle with Mathews Motor Company did not constitute the actual or open possession required to perfect appellant’s security interest under Ark. Stat. Ann. § 75-160 (Repl. 1957) and provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code; therefore, appellee National’s security interest has priority and it is entitled to the proceeds of the mutually agreed sale of the Williams vehicle.

Commercial’s records show that on February 24, 1969, it purchased a security agreement, dated four days previously, from Howard Mathews Motor Company, the dealer, showing the sale of a 1966 Buick Electra, 4-door Hardtop, Motor No. 484376X138256, to Kenneth Williams. Williams made five payments on the vehicle before default. On October 29, 1969 Commercial repossessed a 1966 Buick LeSabre, 2-door hardtop sedan, Motor No. 452376X138256, by Williams’ wife bringing it to appellant. The latter vehicle was stored by appellant under a storage agreement, accurately describing the car, with Mathews Motor Company from October 29, 1969, to February 12, 1970, when Commercial again took physical possession of the vehicle. Commercial admittedly never had possession of the title to the automobile nor was its lien recorded pursuant to § 75-160.

National’s records and dealings with the 1966 Buick show that on December 8, 1969, for an advance of $3,-950, Mathews Motor Company executed a 90-day promissory note and a trust receipt to National for (among other vehicles) a 1966 Buick LeSabre, 2-door Hardtop, Motor No. 452376X138256, together with a bill of sale of the automobile. At that time the title certificate, signed in blank by Kenneth Williams, was delivered to National. On February 10, 1970, National contacted Commercial and advised that a number of National’s trust receipt units were missing. On February 22, 1970, National filled out the title certificate showing itself as owner and forwarded the certificate to the Motor Vehicle Division of the Arkansas Department of Revenues. The title certificate was issued in National’s name as owner on February 26, 1970. National’s floor plan financing arrangement with Mathews had extended over a number of years. Its financing statement under the Uniform Commercial Code in connection therewith was last filed on January 15, 1962.

By virtue of the five-year limitation period set out in Ark. Stat. Ann. § 85-9-403(2) (Supp. 1969), National does not have a perfected security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code in either the automobile or the chattel paper. Furthermore, having failed to comply with Ark. Stat. Ann. § 75-160 and § 75-161, National was not a lien encumbrancer insofar as third parties are concerned under the Motor Vehicle Registration requirements on February 12, 1970, the date that Commercial took possession of the Williams Buick. See West, Sheriff v. General Contract Purchase Corp., 221 Ark. 33, 252 S. W. 2d 405 (1952). In the absence of a lien either on the vehicle or the chattel paper, we must turn to the Uniform Commercial Code to determine the priority between the parties.

Under Ark. Stat. Ann. § 85-9-203(a) (Add. 1961) the security agreement need not be in writing where the collateral is in the possession of the secured party (see Comment 3).

Furthermore, § 85-9-305 provides:

“A security interest in letters of credit and advices of credit (subsection (2) (a) of Section 5-116 [§ 85-5-116]), goods, instruments, negotiable documents or chattel paper may be perfected by the secured party’s taking possession of the collateral. If such collateral other than goods covered by a negotiable document is held by a bailee, the secured party is deemed to have possession from the time the bailee receives notification of the secured party’s interest. A security interest is perfected by possession from the time possession is taken without relation back and continues only so long as possession is retained, unless otherwise specified in this Article [chapter]. The security interest may be otherwise perfected as provided in this Article [chapter] before or after the period of possession by tíre secured party. [Acts 1961, No. 185, § 9-305.1”

To avoid the effect of the foregoing provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code, National makes two arguments. The first is that there is no evidence that either Kenneth Williams, Howard Mathews Motor Company or anyone else consented or agreed that Commercial would have a lien on the 1966 Buick LeSabre 2-door Hardtop as distinguished from the 1966 Buick Electra 4-door Hardtop described in Commercial’s security agreement. This argument not only overlooks the provisions of § 85-9-203(a), supra, but also the evidence. While the testimony of Commercial’s managers may not be considered as undisputed, their testimony to the effect that the 1966 Buick LeSabre is the vehicle surrendered to them by Kenneth Williams’ wife after default in his car payments on the security agreement describing a 1966 Buick Electra and stored by Commercial with Mathews Motor Company is not controverted and there is nothing to indicate any lack of credibility. Furthermore, the parties stipulated at the beginning of the trial that the Buick LeSabre was in the possession of Commercial.

National’s second argument is that since Commercial’s lien was not perfected on December 8, 1969, when National acquired its security interest in the automobile, National takes priority under § 85-9-301 (l)(b) which provides:

“Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2), an unperfected security interest is subordinate to the rights of ### a person who becomes a lien creditor without knowledge of the security interest and before it is perfected; ***.”

National does not here stand in the position of a “lien creditor” as that term is defined in subsection (3) of § 85-9-301 which provides:

“A ‘lien creditor’ means a creditor who has acquired a lien on the property involved by attachment, levy or the like and includes an assignee for the benefit of creditors from the time of assignment and a trustee in bankruptcy from the date of the filing of the petition or a receiver in equity from the time of appointment.”

Under the record before us and the foregoing provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code, we conclude that Commercial, when it took possession of the Williams Buick from Mathews Motor Company, thereafter, at least, stood in the position of a secured party in possession pursuant to the provisions of § 85-9-203(a) and § 85-9-312(5)(b).

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

Commercial Credit Corp. v. National Credit Corp., 473 S.W.2d 881, 251 Ark. 702, 10 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 285, 1971 Ark. LEXIS 1206 (Ark. 1971).

473 S.W.2d 881 (Commercial Credit Corp. v. National Credit Corp.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

In Re Jackson
265 B.R. 176 (W.D. Arkansas, 2001)
Union National Bank v. Hooper
746 S.W.2d 550 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1988)
Draper Bank and Trust Co. v. Lawson
675 P.2d 1174 (Utah Supreme Court, 1983)