Farmers National Bank v. Shirey

878 P.2d 762, 126 Idaho 63, 25 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 566, 1994 Ida. LEXIS 83
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedJune 20, 1994
Docket20379
StatusPublished
Cited by57 cases

This text of 878 P.2d 762 (Farmers National Bank v. Shirey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Farmers National Bank v. Shirey, 878 P.2d 762, 126 Idaho 63, 25 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 566, 1994 Ida. LEXIS 83 (Idaho 1994).

Opinions

CHAS. F. McDEVITT, Chief Justice.

Appellants, Charles and Shauna Shirey (“Shireys”), appeal from an order of the district court granting summary judgment in favor of respondent, Farmers National Bank (the “Bank”). The Bank sought and obtained a declaratory judgment from the district court declaring its security interest in specific property to be superior to that of the Shireys. The Bank also successfully persuaded the district court to dismiss the Shireys’ counterclaims of breach of contract, conversion, intentional interference with a contractual relationship, and fraud, based on the doctrine of res judicata. The Shireys appeal the order of summary judgment, asserting that a genuine issue of material fact exists as to which party’s security interest is superior. The Shireys also appeal the order dismissing their counterclaims, challenging the district court’s reliance on the doctrine of res judicata as the basis for its ruling.

BACKGROUND

In August 1984, Joseph and Carvel Allen (the “Allens”), and two corporate entities entered into an agreement with the Bank to secure a loan of $185,000 from the Bank, citing as collateral certain cattle and farm equipment to be purchased from the Shireys with the borrowed funds. The three parties met at the Bank on September 6, 1984, to execute the “Dairy Sales Agreement.” The sales agreement contained a provision stating that the loan was to be secured by “a first lien upon the cattle and equipment herein [66]*66conveyed. Accordingly it is agreed between the parties that Sellers’ security interest in said cattle and machinery shall be subordinate to that security interest of the Bank issued to secure the above described loan.” The Bank properly filed a financing statement covering both the cattle and the equipment on September 27, 1984. The Shireys’ financing statement covering the equipment was filed on October 1, 1984.

Over the next three years, the Bank extended more credit to the Allens. By October 1987, the Allens’ total debt to the Bank was approximately $560,000. On September 28, 1987, the Allens notified the Bank, which in turn notified the Shireys, of their intent to cease payment on the loan and to abandon the dairy operation. Upon receiving a written release of the collateral from the Allens, the Bank took temporary possession of the collateral.

The Allens filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy in October 1987, and L.D. Fitzgerald was appointed trustee. When the Bank tendered possession of the collateral to the trustee, the trustee requested the Bank to retain possession pending distribution. On October 19, 1987, the Bank submitted written creditors’ claims to the trustee, identifying itself as a secured creditor entitled to receive $560,958. The Shireys filed a similar claim on November 1, 1987, identifying themselves as secured creditors entitled to $306,184.

In order to expedite liquidation of the collateral still in its possession, the Bank contacted the Allens and the trustee and proposed the execution of stipulations to relieve the Bank from the 11 U.S.C. § 362 automatic stay invoked by the Chapter 7 filing. The Bank, the Allens, and the trustee executed and signed the stipulations, which were then submitted to the bankruptcy court for approval on November 23, 1987. The court approved the stipulations, lifting the automatic stay and authorizing the Bank to sell the collateral.

On November 25, 1987, thé Bank notified the Shireys of the court’s action and the Bank’s intention to sell the collateral. The Shireys’ attorney during the bankruptcy proceedings, Mr. Decker, admitted having received the notification as well as the stipulations and order at least three weeks before the sale. The Shireys submitted no objection to the sale to the bankruptcy court, nor did the Shireys ever submit their own request for relief from the stay until after the collateral was sold.

The cattle and equipment were sold at auction on December 11 and 12, 1987. The sale netted $272,376 available for application to the $560,000 debt owed to the Bank. After receiving notice that the Shireys claimed an interest in the collateral, the Bank set aside approximately $60,000 in a trust account, the balance remaining due from the Allens to the Shireys according to the escrow, pending resolution of the claim. On February 1, 1988, the Shireys submitted two additional creditors claims to the bankruptcy court identifying themselves as secured creditors entitled to $306,704. The trustee objected to their claims. On April 24,1989, the Shireys moved to continue a hearing set to entertain the trustee’s objection in order to amend their secured claim to an unsecured claim. On May 22, 1989, the court sustained the objection, but allowed the Shireys’ claim in its entirety as a general unsecured claim.

Unable to resolve the dispute concerning the $60,000, the Bank initiated this action in the district court, Judge Becker presiding, on April 1, 1988. The Bank sought declaratory relief that its security interest was superior to that claimed by the Shireys, entitling it to the $60,000, and injunctive relief to enjoin the Shireys from interfering with the quiet possession of the collateral sold at the auction. In their answer, filed June 10, 1988, the Shireys counterclaimed, claiming a superior interest in the collateral, breach of fiduciary duty, and violation of the Consumer Protection Act, alleging that the Bank committed conversion and fraud. The Bank filed a reply on June 21, 1988.

On April 24, 1989, after retaining new counsel, the Shireys filed a motion to amend the counterclaim. The court granted the motion over the Bank’s objection. The amended counterclaim added claims of intentional misrepresentation, deceit, breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, tortious interference with a [67]*67business relationship, requested damages for lost profits, and contained a demand for jury trial pursuant to I.R.C.P. 38(b). On May 11, 1989, the Shireys were allowed to file another amended counterclaim, and yet another on January 23, 1990. Both claims contained a demand for jury trial. In its reply to the amended counterclaims the Bank continuously denied that the Shireys were entitled to a jury trial. Finally, on April 20, 1990, the Bank moved to strike the demand for jury trial in the amended counterclaim. The district court denied the motion and set a date for jury trial.

On January 7, 1991, the Bank moved for summary judgment on the issue of the priority of the competing security interests. The district court granted the motion, ruling that the Bank had priority as a matter of law because its financing statements were filed prior to those filed by the Shireys. The district court extended the priority to include after-acquired property funded by the future advances of over $500,000 under I.C. § 28-9-312(7). Contemporaneously, the Bank moved for summary judgment on the counterclaim or, in the alternative, to dismiss the counterclaim. At the hearing on the motion, the Shireys stipulated to dismissal of the bad faith and breach of fiduciary duty claims, as well as the claim based on the Consumer Protection Act. The district court denied the Bank’s motion, ruling that genuine issues of material fact precluded summary judgment or dismissal.

On March 2,1991, the first day of the jury trial, the. court suppressed the admission of the “problem loan reports” generated by the Bank and offered by the Shireys.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
878 P.2d 762, 126 Idaho 63, 25 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 566, 1994 Ida. LEXIS 83, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/farmers-national-bank-v-shirey-idaho-1994.