Federal Deposit Insurance v. First Mortgage Investors

485 F. Supp. 445, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17216
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Wisconsin
DecidedFebruary 20, 1980
Docket78-C-212
StatusPublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 485 F. Supp. 445 (Federal Deposit Insurance v. First Mortgage Investors) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Wisconsin primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Federal Deposit Insurance v. First Mortgage Investors, 485 F. Supp. 445, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17216 (E.D. Wis. 1980).

Opinion

*448 MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

WARREN, District Judge.

This is an action seeking recovery on a note made by defendant First Mortgage Investors (“FMI”) payable to the American City Bank & Trust Company (“American”). On its face the note held by the plaintiff, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”), is a demand note in the principal sum of $1,000,000.00. The FDIC became a holder of the note when it purchased that note and other assets of American in order to supply the funds necessary to facilitate the assumption of certain American assets and liabilities by the Marine National Exchange Bank. There is no dispute that the FDIC properly acquired the note in issue.

The conflict in this litigation arises out of the tortured relationship between American and FMI. The parties in their briefs have reviewed the facts of this case at length in order to establish their positions on plaintiff’s pending motion for summary judgment. Defendant has gone so far as to assert that the law and the evidence requires not only denial of plaintiff’s motion, but also summary judgment in its favor.

Notwithstanding the parties’ lengthy review of the facts of this case, they are really quite simple. A representative for FMI, Mr. Joseph Gratton, contacted American in late 1973 and discussed establishing a line of credit with the bank. By letter of August 21,1973, Mr. Gratton set the ground rules for the credit. Among other things, Gratton promised that FMI would maintain a 10 percent compensating balance with American. He further indicated that the line of credit would not be used for approximately ten months. Consequently, about two weeks later, Gratton sent American a check for $100,000.00 to establish the account.

The line of credit was utilized sooner than expected because one of defendant’s biggest borrowers, Walter Judd Kassuba, had filed a bankruptcy petition. Therefore, on February 21, 1974, FMI drew down on its line of credit. There is no dispute between the parties on the facts leading up to the February 21, 1974 loan; rather, what occurred thereafter has caused this controversy.

Without question, the bankruptcy of Kas-suba had a profound effect on the financial condition of FMI. Thus, from February through June 6, 1974, FMI attempted to convince its creditors to enter into a revolving credit agreement (RCA). This arrangement would essentially permit FMI to defer payment of principal and merely pay interest charges during its period of financial strain. Of course, FMI through Gratton made overtures to American. The parties contest whether FMI and American reached some accord, but, at any rate, the debt incurred on February 21,1974 was due May 30,1974. Therefore, Gratton, by letter dated May 22, 1974, forwarded a demand note to replace the note due on May 30, 1974. Both the letter and the note itself indicate that the note was one due “on demand.”

The demand note constituted a renewal of the February 21, 1974 loan. According to Gratton, FMI and American had orally agreed (1) that FMI would keep interest current on the demand and (2) that FMI would pay principal consistent with the terms of the RCA. At this time, American was in financial trouble itself and it had a strong interest in keeping FMI from defaulting. There is some question of just when FMI was obligated to pay, but certainly it was not due immediately. Going further, based upon the assertions made by Gratton in his affidavit, taken as true by the Court on this motion for summary judgment, American entered into an agreement in May to accept only interest.

Interestingly, on June 4, 1974, the director’s loan committee of American met and approved the request of Messrs. Sinclair and Wilson, American employees, for American to participate in the RCA. However, the minutes of the July 17,1974 meeting of the board of directors indicates that American had declined to participate. (Hudson affidavit, exhibit H). Nevertheless, the testimony of Gratton by affidavit is contrary.

*449 In any event, the bank confiscated (set-off) the $200,000.00 compensating balance it held against the $1,000,000.00 debt and then it demanded payment which it did not receive. Suit was commenced in 1974. In August of 1974, the bank, however, apparently withdrew its demand for payment and instead offered to carry the note as current if FMI paid the accumulated interest due. FMI sent a check to cover the interest demanded for June and July and, in addition, covered the August interest. American accepted these payments.

Although the record in unclear as to why, American continued to pursue the litigation it had commenced. Furthermore, on the circuit level of the Wisconsin courts, American prevailed on a motion for summary judgment. The circuit court held that the evidence offered by FMI to vary the terms of the note was barred by the parol evidence rule and was, furthermore, insufficient to establish a contract.

FMI appealed the order granting summary judgment and the Wisconsin Supreme Court, after the FDIC had intervened, reversed the circuit court. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. v. First Mortgage Investors, 76 Wis.2d 151, 250 N.W.2d 362 (1977). The court found that where an agreement is partially integrated, “that is the parties reduced some provisions to written form and left others unwritten,” id. at 157, 250 N.W.2d at 1366, “it is proper to consider parol evidence which established the full agreement, subject to the limitation that such parol evidence does not conflict with the part that has been integrated in writing.” Morn v. Schalk, 14 Wis.2d 307, 314, 111 N.W.2d 80, 84 (1961) cited with approval in FDIC v. FMI, 76 Wis.2d at 157, 250 N.W.2d 362. Finding that by their nature negotiable instruments are generally only partial integrations of the parties full agreements, and finding that a key term, the interest rate, was absent, the court held that an issue of fact remained. Specifically, the factual issue was whether the note was intended as a complete or only a partial integration of the parties’ agreement. If the parties did not intend the instrument to be a complete integration of their agreement, “then the parol evidence would be [admissible] to show the parties’ true intent.” FDIC v. FMI, 76 Wis.2d at 164, 250 N.W.2d at 369.

On remand, the FDIC again moved for summary judgment. This time it relied upon 12 U.S.C. § 1823(e) which provides:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
485 F. Supp. 445, 1980 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17216, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/federal-deposit-insurance-v-first-mortgage-investors-wied-1980.