Delta Diversified, Inc. v. Citizens & Southern National Bank

320 S.E.2d 767, 171 Ga. App. 625, 1984 Ga. App. LEXIS 2303
CourtCourt of Appeals of Georgia
DecidedJune 20, 1984
Docket67551, 67552
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 320 S.E.2d 767 (Delta Diversified, Inc. v. Citizens & Southern National Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Delta Diversified, Inc. v. Citizens & Southern National Bank, 320 S.E.2d 767, 171 Ga. App. 625, 1984 Ga. App. LEXIS 2303 (Ga. Ct. App. 1984).

Opinion

Sognier, Judge.

Citizens & Southern National Bank (CSNB) sued Delta Diversi[626]*626fied, Inc., Delta Carpets, Inc. (hereinafter the corporations are referred to collectively as “Delta”); Delta’s principal shareholders and officers, James C. Barbre and Paul H. Chance; their wives, Barbara Barbre and Vivian Chance; and others not parties to this appeal, seeking to recover against Delta on separate series of notes and against the individuals on their guaranties (sureties). The Citizens & Southern Financial Corporation (CSFC), a wholly owned subsidiary of CSNB, was also named as a defendant to require it to marshal the assets of Delta, but was later dismissed.

Between 1974 and 1979, Delta had factoring agreements with CSFC under which CSFC agreed to purchase accounts receivable from Delta in exchange for a percentage of billings plus interest on amounts advanced. At the suggestion of CSFC, Delta undertook to procure long-term financing with CSNB as the lender under a federally-guaranteed loan program sponsored by the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA). In December 1976, the loan closed and Delta gave CSNB two promissory notes (Series A and B Notes) for principal amounts totaling 4 million dollars. James Barbre, Paul Chance, and Barbara Barbre executed an unconditional guaranty (surety) of the indebtedness. In 1978, Delta procured an additional $600,000 through the FmHA program, executing two additional promissory notes (Series C and D Notes). Barbre, Chance, and their wives executed an unconditional guaranty (surety) of these notes. The companies defaulted on the notes and in 1979, CSNB declared the entire amount of the outstanding balance of principal and accrued interest due and brought the instant action.

Delta went into voluntary liquidation under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code of 1978 and the action was stayed as to it. CSNB and defendants Barbara Barbre and Vivian Chance filed motions for summary judgment. The trial court denied the motion of CSNB as it related to issues arising out of two of defendants’ several defenses based on discharge and granted summary judgment in favor of CSNB as to all other issues and defenses, including the counterclaim of James Barbre and Paul Chance. The trial court denied the motions for summary judgment of Barbara Barbre and Vivian Chance. All defendants appeal (No. 67551); CSNB cross-appeals (No. 67552).

The Barbres and the Chances take the position that CSNB and its subsidiary, CSFC, secretly held the intent not to continue to extend ledger debt1 and financial support pursuant to the factoring agreements, but instead to arrange to have FmHA guarantee part of Delta’s debt, keep Delta in business long enough to have that portion [627]*627of the debt not guaranteed by FmHA paid out, then terminate credit and force Delta’s liquidation. Central to this position is the treatment of CSFC as the alter ego of CSNB, so that acts of CSFC are attributable to CSNB, which we will assume here for the purpose of argument since all inferences that may be drawn from the evidence must be construed in favor of the Barbres and Chances on motion for summary judgment. Holland v. Sanfax Corp., 106 Ga. App. 1, 5 (126 SE2d 442) (1962).

In writing this opinion, we acknowledge with gratitude the detailed analysis and rulings, supported by excellent authority, of the learned trial judge in his ably drafted order.

1. Appellants Barbara Barbre and Vivian Chance contend that the trial court erred by granting summary judgment in favor of CSNB on their defenses based on CSNB’s alleged violation of Chapter 22 of the Bank Holding Company Act, 12 USC §§ 1971-1978, which is directed at tying arrangements involving banks. Appellants rely on 12 USC § 1972 (1) (C), which provides:

“(1) A bank shall not in any manner extend credit ... on the condition or requirement —

“(C) that the customer provide some additional credit, property, or service to such bank, other than those related to and usually provided in connection with a loan, discount, deposit, or trust service”;

Appellants alleged that the requirement that they act as guarantors (sureties) of Delta’s obligations to CSNB constituted the imposition of unusual and unlawful requirements for the extension of credit which were inconsistent with normal banking and credit policies or practices and were, therefore, in violation of the Act.

The trial court determined that CSNB was in apparent violation of the Act, inasmuch as the evidence disclosed that the requirement of the wives’ sureties was not a usual or generally accepted prerequisite to the extension of credit and was inconsistently applied. We need not reach this question, however, as we hold that the trial court correctly ruled that the wives could not rely upon CSNB’s violation as a defense to their liability because they owned no stock in Delta and were not “customers” under 12 USC § 1972 (1) (C). Swerdloff v. Miami Nat. Bank, 584 F2d 54, 59 (8) (5th Cir. 1978). Thus, the trial court did not err in granting summary judgment in favor of CSNB on this issue.

2. Appellants contend that the trial court erred by granting summary judgment in favor of CSNB on the defense raised by all defendants that CSNB violated the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 USC § 1691 et seq. and Regulation B of the Federal Reserve Board, 12 CFR Part 202. These provisions provide, in pertinent part, as follows:

“(a) It shall be unlawful for any creditor to discriminate against any applicant, with respect to any aspect of a credit transaction —

[628]*628“(1) on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex or marital status . . . .” (Emphasis supplied.) 15 USC § 1691 (a) (1).

“(d) Signature of spouse or other person.

“(5) If, under a creditor’s standards of creditworthiness, the personal liability of an additional party is necessary to support the extension of the credit requested, [footnote omitted] a creditor may request that the applicant obtain a co-signer, guarantor, or the like. The applicant’s spouse may serve as an additional party, but a creditor shall not require that the spouse be the additional party.” (Emphasis supplied.) 12 CFR § 202.7 (d) (5).

Appellants rely on evidence that when the first loans were closed, CSNB required the surety signatures of Barbara Barbre and another shareholder’s wife who is not a party to this appeal, but did not require an additional surety of Paul Chance, who was at that time unmarried. When the second series of loans was closed, Chance was married, and the signature of his wife, as well, was required. Appellants contend that this constituted credit discrimination on the basis of marital status.

Pretermitting the question of whether appellants may interpose the Equal Credit Opportunity Act as a defense to CSNB’s claims against them (see discussion In re Remington, 19 BR 718, 719-720 (D. Colo. 1982)), we hold, as did the trial court, that appellants were not “applicants” as defined by either the statute, 15 USC § 1691a (b), or the regulation, 12 CFR § 202.2 (e). See Morse v. Mut. Fed. S&L Assn. of Whitman, 536 FSupp. 1271, 1278 (8) (D. Mass. 1982).

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Bluebook (online)
320 S.E.2d 767, 171 Ga. App. 625, 1984 Ga. App. LEXIS 2303, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/delta-diversified-inc-v-citizens-southern-national-bank-gactapp-1984.