First National Bank of Denver City v. Brewer

775 S.W.2d 51, 1989 Tex. App. LEXIS 1914, 1989 WL 83137
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJuly 25, 1989
DocketNo. 07-88-0101-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 775 S.W.2d 51 (First National Bank of Denver City v. Brewer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
First National Bank of Denver City v. Brewer, 775 S.W.2d 51, 1989 Tex. App. LEXIS 1914, 1989 WL 83137 (Tex. Ct. App. 1989).

Opinion

REYNOLDS, Chief Justice.

With eight points of error, First National Bank of Denver City challenges the trial court’s judgment decreeing that Dallas M. Brewer’s security interest in proceeds from the sale of equipment had priority over its security interest in the same collateral. For the reasons to be stated, we will overrule the points and affirm.

Evidence adduced upon a bench trial was that in January of 1981, Dallas M. Brewer sold his 100% stock ownership in Westwind Gas Company, Inc. to Bill C. Hays for $215,000. Hays agreed to pay for his purchase of Westwind by advancing $62,350 in cash and delivering his 9 January 1981 promissory note for the balance of $152,650 to Brewer. Payment of the note was guaranteed by Westwind which, by Hays, pledged “all of its assets as additional security for the payment of the ... promissory note.” A financing statement described the collateral listed as security in this manner:

All assets of Westwind Gas Co., Inc., a Texas corporation, including, but not limited to the inventory, fixtures, machinery, rolling stock and a parcel of real estate located in the West 480 acres of Section 37, Block AX, PSL, Yoakum County, Texas.

Brewer filed the financing statement with the Texas Secretary of State on 22 January 1981.

Thereafter, on 23 July 1982, First National Bank of Denver City loaned West-wind $118,181.05. The promissory note created for the loan was signed by Hays as President of Westwind. The bank drafted, and Hays signed, a security agreement reciting that a security interest is granted in the following collateral:

Accounts receivable, Inventory, 75 propane tanks, 1973 GMC Truck ID # TCE61TU605099, one 48' x 64' metal building. See attached exhibit “A.” All inventory, raw materials, work in process or materials used or consumed in debtor’s business, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and all products thereof, whether in the possession of the debtor, or any other person or persons.

The bank filed its financing statement, covering the identical property just described, with the Secretary of State on 28 July 1982.

The bank renewed and extended the note on 28 January 1983, using the same security described in the original loan documents. Prior thereto, on 23 December 1982, the bank filed its last financing statement. Westwind made the “first few payments” on the loan and defaulted “on or about August of 1984.”

Hays also defaulted in his payment obligations to Brewer in 1984 and, on 24 May 1985, Hays transferred the stock ownership and Westwind’s assets back to Brewer. Brewer gave Hays a “General Release” from all actions and claims sustained in consequence of the sale of West-wind to Hays so that, in Brewer’s words, “[i]f Westwind Gas Company incurred any additional debts after [24 May 1985], then [Hays] was no longer responsible for those.”

Subsequently, on 5 June 1985, Hays filed his Chapter 7 petition in bankruptcy. By a joint motion filed in the bankruptcy court, Brewer and the bank agreed to sell the assets of Westwind at a private sale for $50,000, “and argue over who owns these proceeds at a later date.” The bankruptcy court approved the sale of Westwind’s assets. Later, the court, finding that the assets were not part of Hays’ bankruptcy estate, and that the creditors claiming a security interest in the property were relieved from the automatic stay of the Bankruptcy Code, ordered the trustee in bankruptcy to hold the proceeds, which he received on or about 7 November 1985, until they were interpleaded in a state court lawsuit.

The bank initiated a declaratory judgment action, seeking a judgment declaring that its security interest in the proceeds is valid and superior to any and all competing claims. There, the bank and Brewer each [53]*53claimed, as they each claim on appeal, the proceeds by virtue of the superiority of their competing priorities.

Upon submission of the controversy, the trial court decreed that Brewer’s secured claim is valid and superior to all competing claims, and ordered that the $50,000 proceeds, together with accrued interest, be paid to Brewer. At the bank’s request, the court made and filed findings of fact and conclusions of law.

Initially, the bank charges the court with error in awarding the $50,000 proceeds to Brewer since the undisputed evidence showed that Westwind, as guarantor, was released from liability to Brewer when Brewer agreed to take the Westwind stock from Hays in full satisfaction of the debt owed by Hays and guaranteed by Westwind. In this regard, the bank argues that Brewer’s release and discharge of Hays with respect to his 1981 note effectively exonerated Westwind from liability on the debt and, therefore, no debt existed to be secured by the equipment and assets of Westwind.

For the bank’s point to overcome the court’s adverse finding of priority of claims on which the bank assumed the burden of proof by its declaratory judgment action, two things must appear. First, there must not be any evidence in the record which supports the court’s finding that Brewer’s secured claim has priority; and, second, the record evidence must establish as a matter of law that the bank’s secured claim is superior. Thus, if there is any evidence of probative force which supports the court’s finding of priority, the bank’s point must fail. Holley v. Watts, 629 S.W.2d 694, 696-97 (Tex.1982).

The record reveals that Brewer’s security interest was perfected before the bank perfected its security interest. Then, Brewer’s security claim, which the bank concedes was a validly attached security interest in the assets and equipment of Westwind, had priority. Tex.Bus. & Com. Code Ann. § 9.312(e)(1) (Vernon Supp. 1989);1 In re McBee, 714 F.2d 1316, 1325 (5th Cir.1983).

Brewer’s security agreement was effective between him and Hays and against the bank according to its terms. Sec. 9.201. The security agreement provided that it was equally binding upon Hays and West-wind, and that in the event of a default, Brewer “shall have ... the rights and remedies provided in the Uniform Commercial Code in force in the State of Texas at the date of execution of this Security Agreement.” Accordingly, when Hays defaulted, Brewer was entitled to take possession of the collateral. Sec. 9.503; Kirkman v. North State Bank of Amarillo, 476 S.W.2d 958, 959 (Tex.Civ.App. — Amarillo 1972, writ ref’d n.r.e.).

The record contains Brewer’s testimony that Hays transferred the Westwind assets back to him the latter part of May, 1985 as a “voluntary foreclosure.” The court credited this testimony by making its eighth factual finding that on or about 24 May 1985, Hays voluntarily turned over to Brewer all of the stock and all of the assets of Westwind. This finding has not been challenged by the bank and, being supported by evidence, the finding is conclusive. Brooks v. Blue Ridge Ins. Co., 677 S.W.2d 646, 650 (Tex.App. — Amarillo 1984, writ ref’d n.r.e.).

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775 S.W.2d 51, 1989 Tex. App. LEXIS 1914, 1989 WL 83137, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/first-national-bank-of-denver-city-v-brewer-texapp-1989.