Corstvet v. Bank of Deerfield

263 N.W. 687, 220 Wis. 209, 1936 Wisc. LEXIS 236
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 4, 1936
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 263 N.W. 687 (Corstvet v. Bank of Deerfield) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Corstvet v. Bank of Deerfield, 263 N.W. 687, 220 Wis. 209, 1936 Wisc. LEXIS 236 (Wis. 1936).

Opinions

The following opinion was filed December 3, 1935 :

RosenbeRRY, C. J.

The plaintiff contends, first: That sec. 220.07 (16), Stats., does not apply to depositors who were such prior to the date of its passage, January 23, 1932; that if sec. 220.07 (16) is construed to apply to deposits made prior to the date of the act, it is unconstitutional and void because it impairs the obligation of the contract existing between the plaintiff and the bank. Second: The plaintiff likewise contends that so construed the statute is unconstitutional because in contravention of sec. 1 of the Fourteenth amendment of the constitution of the United States and sec. 13 of art. I of the constitution of this state, because it deprives the plaintiff of his property without just compensation and without due process of law. Third : Plaintiff contends that even if the statute be valid, the stabilization agreement entered into by the parties was not in conformity with the statutes, and therefore not operative.

A determination of the first question raised requires a careful consideration of the history of the applicable provisions of ch. 220, Stats. Under the law as it existed in October, 1931, the date of the first stabilization arrangement, five courses might be pursued with respect to a bank [218]*218whose capital was impaired: (1) The commissioner of banking might require the bank by order to make good such impairment. (Sec. 220.07, Stats. 1931.) (2) The board of directors of the bank had the power to make a pro rata assessment. (Sec. 220.07, Stats. 1931.) (3) The board of directors might place the bank in the hands of the commissioner for liquidation. (4) The commissioner of banking might upon the conditions prescribed in the statute if he was of the view that it was unsafe or inexpedient for the bank to continue business—

“forthwith take possession of the property and business of such bank or banking corporation, and retain such possession until such bank or banking corporation shall resume business, or its affairs be finally liquidated as herein provided.” (Sec. 220.08, Stats. 1931.)

(5) The provisions of sub. (15), sec. 220.08, enacted in 1927, might be invoked. This subsection is as follows:

220.08 (15), Stats. 1931: “Whenever the commissioner of banking, with a view of restoring the solvency of any bank of which he has taken charge pursuant to law, shall approve a reorganization plan entered into between the depositors and unsecured creditors of such bank and the bank or reorgan-izers thereof, which represent ninety per cent of the amount of deposits and unsecured claims of such banks, then and in such case all other depositors and unsecured creditors shall be held to be subject to such agreement to the same extent and with the same effect as if they had joined in the execution thereof, and their claims shall be treated in all respects as if they had joined in the execution of such articles or reorganization plan in the event of restoration of such bank to solvency, and the reopening of the same for business. All deposits made in any state bank subsequent to the passage of this section shall be subject to the conditions thereof.”

The banking situation in the state of Wisconsin was such as seriously to threaten the public welfare, and in December, 1931, the legislature was convened in special session to deal [219]*219with it. Among other things, there was created by ch. 15, Laws of Special Session 1931-32, sec. 220.07 (16), Stats., the material part of which is as follows :

“Whenever the commissioner of banking, with a view to stabilizing and readjusting the banking structure of any bank, shall approve a stabilization and readjustment agreement entered into between such bank and the depositors and unsecured creditors of such bank which shall represent eighty per cent of the amount of deposits and unsecured credits of such bank, then in such case, all other depositors and unsecured creditors shall be held to be subject to such stabilization and readjustment agreement to the same extent and same effect as if they had joined in execution thereof, and their claims shall be treated in all respects as if they had joined in the execution of such stabilization and readjustment agreement. . . . [Omitted part relates .to power of municipalities to consent to stabilization.] All deposits made in any state bank subsequent to the passage of this section shall be subject to the conditions thereof.”

The same act amended the last clause of sec. 220.08 (15), Stats. 1931, by changing the word “thereof” to “hereof.”

By ch. 10, Laws of Special Session 1931-32, there was created a banking review board. Its duties were to advise with the commissioner of banking and others with respect to improvement in the condition and service of banks and banking business, and to review the acts and decisions of the banking commissioner, and to perform such other review functions in relation to banking as may be provided by law.

By sec. 2, sub. (3), ch. 10, Laws of Special Session 1931-32, it was provided that any determination of the banking review board might be subject to review in an action in the circuit court for Dane county.

Ch. 15, Laws of Special Session 1931-32, originated as Senate Bill No. 14, S., and was entitled:

“A Bill to amend subsection (15) of section 220.08 of the statutes, relating to the reorganization of any bank which has been taken over by the commissioner of banking.”

[220]*220When it reached the assembly, Substitute Amendment No. 1, A., to Bill No. 14, S., was offered. That was an act entitled:

“To repeal subsection (7) of section 59.74 and to amend the introductory paragraph of section 20.53, subsection (1) of section 59.75, paragraph (b) of subsection (9) of section 157.11, subsection (2) of section 220.02 and subsections (4) and (15) of section 220.08 of the statutes, relating to the banking laws, and making an appropriation.”

Subsequently, Substitute Amendment No. 2, A., to Bill No. 14, S., was offered, and the following was added to the title:

“And to create section 220.065, subsection (4) of section 14.50 and subsection (16) of section 220.07 of the statutes, relating to the banking laws, and making an appropriation.”

Sec. 220.08 (15), which was enacted by the legislature of 1927, closed with the following provision :

“All deposits made in any state bank subsequent to the passage of this section shall be subject to the conditions thereof.”

In the second substitute amendment, sec. 220.07 (16) closes with this identical language. It is argued that the use of this language in sub. (16) amounts to a legislative declaration that the section was not to apply to any deposits except those made thereafter. It must be conceded that there is considerable force to this argument.

Some of the difficulty of construing the provisions of ch. 220, Stats., flows from our system of statutory revision. (Secs. 43.08, 35.08.) When a subsection of the statutes is created by an act of the legislature, it is worded ordinarily so as to fit into the language of the chapter or section of the statute which it amends or modifies.

The position given to a section may be very persuasive as to legislative intent. Montreal Mining Co. v. State, 155 Wis. 245, 144 N. W. 195; Hanauer v. Republic Building Co. 216 Wis.

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

Related

Federal Deposit Insurance v. American Bank Trust Shares, Inc.
460 F. Supp. 549 (D. South Carolina, 1978)
Nodell Investment Corp. v. City of Glendale
254 N.W.2d 310 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1977)
Berschens v. Town of Prairie Du Sac
250 N.W.2d 369 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1977)
Master Disposal, Inc. v. Village of Menomonee Falls
211 N.W.2d 477 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1973)
Tanck v. Clerk, Middleton Joint School District No. 3
210 N.W.2d 708 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1973)
Department of Natural Resources v. City of Clintonville
191 N.W.2d 866 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1971)
Haines v. State
1954 OK CR 85 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma, 1954)
City of Superior v. Committee on Water Pollution
56 N.W.2d 501 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1953)
Ferch v. Schroedel
6 N.W.2d 176 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1942)
Durkey v. Arndt
46 F. Supp. 256 (E.D. Wisconsin, 1942)
State Ex Rel. Martin v. City of Juneau
300 N.W. 187 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1941)
Banking Commission v. Jordan
300 N.W. 251 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1941)
Abelleira v. District Court of Appeal
109 P.2d 942 (California Supreme Court, 1941)
Oklahoma Public Welfare Commission v. State Ex Rel. Thompson
1940 OK 364 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1940)
Banking Commission v. First Wisconsin National Bank of Milwaukee
290 N.W. 735 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1939)
Paine v. Fox
112 S.W.2d 1 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1938)
Banking Commission v. Wiemann
271 N.W. 30 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1937)
State ex rel. Attorney General v. Fasekas
269 N.W. 700 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1937)
Shawano Oil Co. v. Citizens State Bank
269 N.W. 675 (Wisconsin Supreme Court, 1936)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
263 N.W. 687, 220 Wis. 209, 1936 Wisc. LEXIS 236, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/corstvet-v-bank-of-deerfield-wis-1936.