First State Bank v. Benson

613 S.W.2d 888, 1981 Mo. App. LEXIS 2692
Missouri Court of Appeals·Decided March 2, 1981·No. No. WD 30898·Published·Cited by 8 cases

Opinion

PRITCHARD, Presiding Judge.

The issue is whether appellants are liable on a written guaranty for a promissory note given by Certified Meats, Inc., to respondent because of alleged extensions given on the note after appellants had given notice of cancellation of the guaranty.

The facts are these: Appellant, Frank Benson, III, in 1972 began an association with Leonard Adkins with Certified Meats, Inc., a wholesale meat distribution company. Adkins desired to increase the scope of the operations of the company in part by purchasing and reselling at wholesale perishable pork products. Because the packers of that product demanded payment in advance in cash and because of high risk, there was necessitated a source of credit for Certified Meats, Inc. Benson approached respondent, and an agreement was reached where credit would be extended to Certified Meats, Inc., up to $100,000. As a part of the security, as requested by respondent, appellants signed a guaranty agreement for all loans made to Certified Meats, Inc., which it might not repay. The pertinent terms of the guaranty agreement were: The guarantors (Frank Benson, III and Levita Benson; Leonard G. Adkins and Mary Beth(?) Adkins), requested that respondent give credit to Certified Meats, Inc., from time to time, and on doing so “hereby promises and agrees to make to you prompt payment, as they severally mature, of all overdrafts by the borrower, of all loans made or which may be made by you to the borrower, and of all notes, acceptances and other paper which have been or may be by you discounted for the borrower, whether made, drawn, accepted, endorsed or not endorsed by the borrower, as well as any and all renewals thereof. This is intended to be a continuing promise and agreement, and shall apply to cover any and all such overdrafts, loans, discounts, and renewals made prior to notice in writing given your cashier that the undersigned will not be liable upon any such overdrafts, loans or discounts made after the receipt of such notice. When any such overdrafts, loans or paper, or any renewal thereof, shall become and remain due and unpaid, the undersigned will, on demand, pay the amount due thereon * * *; (to $100,000). Authority and consent are hereby expressly given said Bank from time to time, and without any notice to the undersigned, to give and make such extensions, renewals, indulgences, settlements and compromises, of overdrafts, loans or paper as it may deem proper with respect to any of the indebtedness, liabilities and obligations covered by this guaranty. * * The instrument is dated November 4, 1974.

[890] Thereafter, Certified Meats, Inc., borrowed money from respondent at various times at 1% over the prime rate of interest. All notes, being made on demand, were paid within a short time, the longest period of time being about four months. The last remaining note, which is the basis of this action is one in original amount of $20,000, dated June 13, 1975. It, like others, was signed “Certified Meats, Inc. By Frank Benson III Treasurer.”

On June 10, 1975, Frank Benson, III, accepted an offer of Certified Meats, Inc., made by Adkins as president, to buy his stock therein, agreeing to resign as officer and director thereof. He then left for a European vacation, and on returning, the Bensons gave written notice to respondent that as of the date of the letter, September 25, 1975, they were withdrawing their personal guarantee for Certified Meats, Inc. Respondent received the notice September 29, 1975. The letter informed respondent that the Bensons had sold their stock back to Certified Meats, Inc., and were then working for the corporation with no ownership of stock. At that time the principal balance on the demand note of June 13, 1975, was still $20,000. Thereafter, in July and August, 1975, three new loans were made to Certified Meats, Inc., apparently executed by Adkins as president, all of which were paid in full with interest by September 2, 1975.

From September 12,1975, payments were made on the principal of the June 13, 1975, note reducing its balance as of March 23, 1976, to $14,000. In answer to an interrogatory as to what the terms of the extension agreement pursuant to which payments were made after December 10,1975, respondent said, “On May 10, 1976, an agreement with Leonard G. Adkins, of Certified Meats, Inc., and Robert G. McCray, President of First State Bank, in that Certified Meats, Inc., would pay $1,000.00 a week, each Friday, beginning May 14, 1976, until paid in full, credit the $1,000.00 to principal and bill Certified Meats, Inc. for the interest.” Payments were made on the principal of the June 13,1975, note reducing it to $8,000. Action on appellants’ guaranty was then filed for that amount, and the trial court granted judgment for the principal and interest upon a directed verdict for $10,068.15 against them. Judgment on a cross-claim of appellants was for the same amount against Certified Meats, Inc. only.

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First State Bank v. Benson, 613 S.W.2d 888, 1981 Mo. App. LEXIS 2692 (Mo. Ct. App. 1981).

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