DEUTSCHE BANK NAT. TRUST CO. v. Daniel

2009 OK CIV APP 13, 217 P.3d 127
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedAugust 12, 2008
Docket105,481. Released for Publication by Order of the Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma, Division No. 4
StatusPublished

This text of 2009 OK CIV APP 13 (DEUTSCHE BANK NAT. TRUST CO. v. Daniel) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
DEUTSCHE BANK NAT. TRUST CO. v. Daniel, 2009 OK CIV APP 13, 217 P.3d 127 (Okla. Ct. App. 2008).

Opinion

217 P.3d 127 (2008)
2009 OK CIV APP 13

DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, As Trustee of Ameriquest Mortgage Securities, Inc. Asset Backed Pass Through Certificates, Series 2006-R1 Under The Pooling and Servicing Agreement Dated as of February 1, 2006, Plaintiff,
v.
David DANIEL and Diana D. Nelson, husband and wife, Defendants/Third-Party Plaintiffs/Appellants, and
Occupants of the Premises, and Lance James Nelson and Jane, his spouse, if married, Defendants,
v.
Ameriquest Mortgage Company, Inc., Third-Party Defendant/Appellee, and
Nations Title Company, Third-Party Defendant.

No. 105,481. Released for Publication by Order of the Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma, Division No. 4.

Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma, Division No. 4.

August 12, 2008.
Rehearing Denied September 19, 2008.
Certiorari Denied January 12, 2009.

*128 David Daniel, Madill, OK, Appellant pro se.

Jon Epstein, Hall, Estill, Hardwick, Gable, Golden & Nelson, P.C., Oklahoma City, OK, for Appellee.

DOUG GABBARD II, Presiding Judge.

¶ 1 In this tort and contract action growing out of a foreclosure, Defendant/Third-Party Plaintiff/Appellant David Daniel (Borrower)[1] appeals a summary judgment granted in favor of Third-Party Defendant/Appellee Ameriquest Mortgage Company (Ameriquest). After review of the facts and the law, we affirm.

FACTS

¶ 2 On November 11, 2005, Borrower and Defendant/Third Party Plaintiff Diana D. Nelson (collectively, Borrowers) refinanced their Moore, Oklahoma, home with Ameriquest. They executed a $71,920 promissory note and a mortgage to Ameriquest in exchange for payment of their existing $42,408.65 mortgage balance owed to OCWAN Federal Savings, payment of nine separate credit card accounts, and $9,873.48 in cash.

*129 ¶ 3 The adjustable rate note provided for an initial interest rate of 8.75% for the first three years, and then a variable rate. Directly above their signatures on the note, Borrowers acknowledged that oral agreements, promises, or commitments to lend money are not enforceable and "[t]his written agreement contains all the terms the Borrower(s) and the Lender have agreed to." Another document, "Understanding Your Loan," advised Borrowers that they could have an attorney at the closing, further advised them, "Don't let anyone pressure you into obtaining a loan," recommended that they consult other lenders to confirm that the terms of the loan were acceptable, notified them they had seven days from the date of closing to cancel the loan for any reason, and further advised them that "[N]o money will be disbursed before 10:00 a.m. on the first business day after this period expires." Although Borrower asserts that he did not sign this document, it purportedly contains both Borrowers' signatures.

¶ 4 Borrowers failed or refused to pay on the note and mortgage after January 1, 2006. The note and mortgage were assigned to Plaintiff Deutsche Bank in February 2006. Pursuant to the terms of the mortgage, Deutsche Bank initiated a foreclosure action in June 2006. Borrowers answered and filed counterclaims against Deutsche Bank, asserting violation of the Federal Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act (HOEPA), fraud (by misrepresenting the costs, fees, and interest rate of the note and mortgage), emotional distress, breach of an oral contract regarding the interest rate of the note and mortgage, and negligence.

¶ 5 Deutsche Bank filed a motion for summary judgment, which the trial court granted. The trial court found Borrowers had executed the note and mortgage, failed to make the required payments, and were in default. The court also found:

It is undisputed that Daniel and Nelson knew the actual interest rate and payment amount prior to closing and chose to borrow the money on those terms. It is also undisputed that they were given another week to rescind the loan for any reason and did not do so. In any event, any alleged oral representation was superseded by the subsequent written agreements. 15 Okla. Stat. § 137. Any claim based on pre-closing oral comments purportedly made by Ameriquest are not actionable.

¶ 6 In appeal number 104,721, we summarily affirmed the trial court's judgment. Mandate was issued in December 2007.

¶ 7 The present appeal involves Borrowers' third-party petition against Ameriquest. In that petition, Borrowers asserted six causes of action against Ameriquest which are almost identical to their earlier claims against Deutsche Bank. Ameriquest filed a motion for summary judgment, which the trial court granted "as prayed in its [Ameriquest's] motion and brief." Borrower now appeals.[2]

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶ 8 Summary judgment may be granted when there is no substantial controversy as to any material fact. Rule 13(a), Rules for District Courts, 12 O.S. Supp.2007, Ch. 2, App. The granting of summary judgment upon undisputed material facts presents an issue of law and, therefore, requires a de novo review. Neil Acquisition, L.L.C. v. Wingrod Inv. Corp., 1996 OK 125, ¶ 5, 932 P.2d 1100, 1103. "An appellate court claims for itself plenary, independent and non-deferential authority to re-examine a trial court's legal rulings." Id. at n. 1; see also Salve Regina College v. Russell, 499 U.S. 225, 111 S.Ct. 1217, 113 L.Ed.2d 190 (1991).

ANALYSIS

¶ 9 Because Borrower's claims arise out of a real estate transaction involving a commercial lender and a closing agent,[3] it may be *130 helpful to review the basic elements of such a transaction.

¶ 10 Lending transactions involving nationwide commercial lenders such as Ameriquest often begin with a bulk mail, phone solicitation, or television commercial addressed to persons identified as prospective borrowers. The transaction is initiated when a prospective borrower contacts the lender and completes a loan application, in writing and/or by phone. After reviewing the application and completing a credit check, the lender may extend a loan offer with an estimated interest rate. Sometimes the offer will "lock in" the interest rate for a period reasonably necessary to close the loan. If the prospective borrower accepts the tentative loan offer, the lender will obtain information from the borrower regarding the property and, in case of a refinance, the existing mortgage. Usually, the lender then contacts a closing agent who lives near the borrower, and requests title work, an appraisal, inspections, and so forth.

¶ 11 The closing agent is usually an independent company which facilitates the loan transaction for both the lender and the borrower. The closing agent will prepare or order the title work, appraisal, and inspections, determine whether taxes have been paid, calculate estimated taxes, notify the lender of its own fees and costs, verify that the loan documents are consistent with the parties' agreement, and obtain the borrower's signature on the loan documents. Often, the closing agent will accept the loan funds from the lender, place them into an escrow account, and disburse them in accordance with the terms of the loan.

¶ 12 As quickly as it can, the closing agent provides the lender with property tax information and with other estimated costs and fees for the work ordered. The lender then prepares a good faith estimate of costs for the buyer, which includes all of these items, together with its own estimated costs and fees.[4]

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Salve Regina College v. Russell
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Benham v. Plotner
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Neil Acquisition, L.L.C. v. Wingrod Investment Corp.
1996 OK 125 (Supreme Court of Oklahoma, 1996)
Deutsche Bank National Trust Co. v. Daniel
2009 OK CIV APP 13 (Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma, 2008)

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Bluebook (online)
2009 OK CIV APP 13, 217 P.3d 127, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/deutsche-bank-nat-trust-co-v-daniel-oklacivapp-2008.