European American Bank v. Lofrese

182 A.D.2d 67
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedAugust 17, 1992
StatusPublished
Cited by31 cases

This text of 182 A.D.2d 67 (European American Bank v. Lofrese) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
European American Bank v. Lofrese, 182 A.D.2d 67 (N.Y. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

PlZZUTO, J.

The defendant Competition Motors, Ltd. (hereinafter Competition) was an automobile dealership whose stock was owned by the defendants Anthony D’Angelo and John Grecco. In order to obtain the necessary financing for the purchase of new and used vehicles, Competition entered into a type of [70]*70financing agreement known as an Automobile Dealer Floor Plan Loan Agreement with the plaintiff, the European American Bank (hereinafter EAB). Under the agreement, EAB, from time to time, made advances to Competition for the purchase of vehicles for retail sale. The vehicles so purchased would then be used as collateral to secure these advances. In addition, Anthony D’Angelo, and his wife Maureen D’Angelo, executed a personal guarantee whereby they "absolutely and unconditionally” guaranteed to make "prompt payment of claims of every nature and description of [EAB] against [Competition] * * * and any and every obligation and liability of [Competition] to [EAB] or another or others of whatsoever nature and howsoever evidenced, whether now existing or hereafter incurred”. A paragraph in the personal guarantee provided that termination of the guarantee must be by written notice to the bank. The defendant John Grecco signed a similar guarantee, and it is alleged that his wife Barbara Grecco also signed a similar guarantee.

In October 1987 John Grecco terminated his relationship with Competition and transferred all his stock to Anthony D’Angelo for consideration. However, he failed to apprise EAB of that fact. Subsequent to John Greece’s departure, the defendant Arthur Lofrese joined Competition and became its majority stockholder and president. Anthony D’Angelo became a minority stockholder and vice-president. Upon joining Competition, Lofrese executed a personal guarantee with EAB.

In 1989, EAB commenced the instant actions by motions for summary judgment in lieu of complaint (see, CPLR 3213), alleging that Competition has defaulted in the payment of principal and interest on advances made to it. Annexed to the motion papers were 47 trust receipts and security agreements which EAB alleged evidenced the outstanding loans. EAB also sought to recover the balance due on an installment note. Although the total amount allegedly due differed in the two actions, EAB conceded that it had erroneously or inadvertently failed to credit Competition’s account with certain payments made prior to and/or subsequent to the commencement of the actions. It explained that the total unpaid principal due after all payments had been credited was $356,028.72.

Lofrese submitted affidavits in his own behalf and on behalf of Competition in opposition to both actions. In the second action, John Grecco contended, inter alia, that he was not liable, since his association with Competition ended long be[71]*71fore the execution of the trust receipts, security agreements, and installment note sued upon. Barbara Grecco contended that she did not sign any guarantee and that her signature on the document was a forgery.

With respect to Competition, Lofrese, and John Grecco, the Supreme Court granted partial summary judgment on the issue of liability only and set the matter down for a trial on the issue of damages. It denied the motion with respect to Barbara Grecco, noting that she had raised a legitimate question of fact as to whether her signature was a forgery. The D’Angelos are not involved in these appeals.

The Greccos have abandoned their appeal from the orders, and therefore, their appeal is dismissed. However, on the appeals by Competition and Lofrese, we find that both orders were properly made and, therefore, affirm.

Lofrese and Competition contend that the 47 instruments sued upon call for something more than the payment of money only and, therefore, motions pursuant to CPLR 3213 were not proper. With respect to Lofrese, such a contention is misplaced, since the action against him is based on the personal guarantee executed by him. The unconditional guarantee executed by him is an instrument for the payment of money only within the meaning of CPLR 3213 (see, Council Commerce Corp. v Paschalides, 92 AD2d 579; Rhodia, Inc. v Steel, 32 AD2d 753). "A guarantee may be the proper subject of a motion for summary judgment in lieu of complaint whether or not it recites a sum certain. The need to refer to the underlying promissory notes to establish the amount of liability does not affect the availability of CPLR 3213” (Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co. v Green, 95 AD2d 737). Under the guarantee, Lofrese "absolutely and unconditionally” undertook to be liable for all liabilities of Competition to EAB "now existing and hereafter incurred”. The record does not reveal any irregularity in the guarantee. Lofrese does not deny that the loans were made to Competition. Nor does he deny that Competition defaulted on the loans which are now due and payable. Thus, he failed to raise any viable issue with respect to his liability under the guarantee (see, Manufacturers Hanover Trust Co. v Green, supra).

The EAB’s action against Competition is based on the • notes. A note qualifies for treatment under CPLR 3213 as an instrument for payment of money only if the plaintiff can establish a prima facie case via "proof of the note and a [72]*72failure to make the payments called for by its terms” (Seaman-Andwall Corp. v Wright Mach. Corp., 31 AD2d 136, 137, affd 29 NY2d 617). The 25 "trust receipts” in this case do not make reference to the terms of any other document and, therefore, clearly qualify as instruments for payment of money only within the meaning of CPLR 3213.

The 22 "Security Agreements—Wholesale”, however, recite that they arise out of a Dealer’s Floor Plan Agreement "to which reference is hereby made for a description of the nature and extent of the rights and obligations of the maker and of the payee or holder of this note”. While these security agreements make specific reference to the Dealer’s Floor Plan Agreement for the rights and obligations of EAB and Competition, they constitute promissory notes, and are self-standing documents establishing EAB’s right to payment of the sums stated therein, although that right could be defeated by a showing that EAB had not complied with some condition of the Dealer’s Floor Plan Agreement (see, Lyons v Cates Consulting Analysts, 88 AD2d 526, affd 64 NY2d 1025). A review of the Dealer’s Floor Plan Agreement, however, does not indicate that it in any way imposed an obligation on EAB to monitor any corporate official in order to determine whether he or she was embezzling funds. Indeed, the Dealer’s Floor Plan Agreement did not impose any obligation on EAB to conduct "floor checks” or to monitor Competition’s inventory in any way. Thus, the reference to the Dealer’s Floor Plan Agreement in the security agreements did not alter or qualify Competition’s obligation to pay (see, Gittleson v Dempster, 148 AD2d 578; Schwartz v Turner Holdings, 139 AD2d 458). In any event, Competition agreed in the Dealer’s Floor Plan Agreement that if at any time it "shall default in any payment due under the Instruments * * * then, and in any such event, all obligations of [Competition] held by [EAB], including all Instruments, shall, at [EAB’s] option, become immediately due and payable, notwithstanding any time or credit otherwise allowed and without presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind, all of which are expressly waived by [Competition]”.

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Bluebook (online)
182 A.D.2d 67, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/european-american-bank-v-lofrese-nyappdiv-1992.