First United Bank & Trust Co. v. Penny

2010 OK CIV APP 120, 242 P.3d 593, 2010 Okla. Civ. App. LEXIS 103
CourtCourt of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedSeptember 23, 2010
Docket108,207. Released for Publication by Order of the Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma, Division No. 2
StatusPublished

This text of 2010 OK CIV APP 120 (First United Bank & Trust Co. v. Penny) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
First United Bank & Trust Co. v. Penny, 2010 OK CIV APP 120, 242 P.3d 593, 2010 Okla. Civ. App. LEXIS 103 (Okla. Ct. App. 2010).

Opinion

242 P.3d 593 (2010)
2010 OK CIV APP 120

FIRST UNITED BANK & TRUST CO., a state banking corporation, Plaintiff/Appellee,
v.
Glenn S. PENNY, Defendant/Appellant.

No. 108,207. Released for Publication by Order of the Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma, Division No. 2.

Court of Civil Appeals of Oklahoma, Division No. 2.

September 23, 2010.

Heather Burrage, Burrage Law Firm, Durant, OK, for Plaintiff/Appellee.

William A. Gossett, Duncan, OK, for Defendant/Appellant.

DEBORAH B. BARNES, Judge.

¶ 1 This accelerated appeal[1] involves a lender's action to collect on amounts owed by a debtor on a promissory note. Glenn S. Penny (Debtor) appeals the trial court's Journal Entry of Judgment, filed on March 17, 2010, granting appellee First United Bank & Trust Co.'s (Bank) motion for summary judgment. Debtor executed a promissory note (the Note) in favor of Bank in the amount of $4,306,510, secured by stock. Debtor defaulted within a few months. Although Bank liquidated the collateral, there remained $615,058.71, plus accruing interest *594 and reasonable attorney fees owed, as set forth in the Judgment.

¶ 2 On appeal, Debtor argues that the trial court erred in granting summary judgment in favor of Bank because genuine issues of material fact exist as to whether Bank failed to discharge the duty to liquidate collateral in a commercially reasonable manner by either failing to properly monitor the market price of certain shares of stock or by ignoring the decreasing market value thereof.[2] Upon our review of the record and applicable law, we find the trial court did not err in granting summary judgment in favor of Bank. We affirm.

UNDISPUTED MATERIAL FACTS

¶ 3 The following are the material facts as to which there is no substantial controversy:

1. On January 17, 2008, Debtor, for value received, made, executed and delivered to Bank, the Note of that date, in writing, whereby Debtor promised to pay the sum of $4,306,510, plus interest as stated, with a maturity date of January 17, 2009.[3]
2. Pursuant to the terms of the Note,[4] the loan was secured by a brokerage account in Debtor's name. The account contained $4,100,000 in cash.[5] Debtor also pledged to Bank as collateral 50,000 shares of a publicly traded company named Flotek Industries, Inc. (Flotek).[6]
3. The Note provides[7] that "Lender may delay or forgo enforcing any of its rights or remedies under this Note without losing them.... Lender may renew or extend (repeatedly and for any length of time) this loan or release any party or guarantor or collateral; or impair, fail to realize upon or perfect Lender's security interest in the collateral; and take any other action deemed necessary by Lender without the consent of or notice to anyone."
4. On April 17, 2008, Bank's officer, Jerrad Besch, sent an email to Debtor, requesting Debtor provide more shares for collateral for the loan. Besch notes the trading value of the Flotek stock and states that "we are currently short about $390K. Is it possible to send more [F]lotek shares either to myself or to Danny? At today's price you would need approx. 35,000 shares more."[8]
5. In the spring of 2008, Debtor became delinquent on payments due pursuant to the Note.[9] In an effort to assist Debtor, and at the request of Debtor, Bank worked with him to assist Debtor in bringing the loan current and allowed Debtor ample time to procure additional collateral to secure the Note.[10]
6. In October 2008, it became clear to Bank that Debtor would not bring the loan current or pledge additional collateral to secure the loan.[11]
7. Bank liquidated the stock by selling it on the open market for fair market value in late October 2008 and early November 2008, for $3.00 per share.[12]
8. The market price for the Flotek shares dropped after the Note was executed and *595 before Debtor defaulted.[13] The price ranged from a low of $10.00 per share to a high of over $21.00 per share during the time period from April 2008 until early October 2008.[14]
9. The proceeds of the sale of collateral were insufficient to cover the outstanding balance on the loan. As of December 11, 2008, Debtor was still indebted to Bank for $615,058,[15] with interest accruing at the agreed default rate of 21 percent per year.[16]
10. Bank sued Debtor on December 17, 2008, seeking payment of the $615,058 outstanding loan balance plus interest, as well as reasonable attorney fees and costs of collection.[17] Debtor answered and counterclaimed for "damages greater than the amount sued for by [Bank], with such difference being in the amount of more than $10,000.00."[18]

¶ 4 On January 13, 2010, Bank filed its motion for summary judgment, asserting there was no substantial controversy as to any material fact regarding its claim or Debtor's counterclaims, to which Debtor responded. The trial court granted Bank's motion for summary judgment in its Judgment filed on March 17, 2010, from which Debtor now appeals.

STANDARD OF REVIEW

¶ 5 Summary judgment may be granted when there is no substantial controversy as to any material fact. Rule 13(a), Rules for District Courts, 12 O.S. Supp.2002, ch. 2, app. The standard of review on the entry of judgment granting summary relief is de novo. Jennings v. Badgett, 2010 OK 7, ¶ 5, 230 P.3d 861, 864. We review rulings on issues of law pursuant to the plenary power of the appellate courts without deference to the trial court. Id.

ANALYSIS

¶ 6 Summary judgment is appropriate when the pleadings, affidavits, depositions, admissions or other evidentiary materials show there is no substantial controversy as to any material fact and one party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Tucker v. ADG, Inc., 2004 OK 71, ¶ 11, 102 P.3d 660, 665. A party opposing a motion for summary judgment must show "the reasonable probability, something beyond a mere contention, that the opposing party will be able to produce competent, admissible evidence at the time of trial which might reasonably persuade the trier of fact in his favor on the issue in dispute." Davis v. Leitner, 1989 OK 146, ¶ 15, 782 P.2d 924, 927. (Emphasis added.) Rule 13(b), Rules for District Courts, 12 O.S. Supp.2002, ch. 2, app., provides, in part, that "[a]ll material facts set forth in the statement of the movant which are supported by acceptable evidentiary material shall be deemed admitted for the purpose of summary judgment or summary disposition unless specifically controverted by the statement of the adverse party which is supported by acceptable evidentiary material." Where no effort has been made to refute an argument, the correctness of the argument may be deemed to be conceded. Sasseen v. State Board of Equalization, 1961 OK 152, ¶ 5, 363 P.2d 252, 253-54.

¶ 7 Sale of collateral must be conducted in a commercially reasonable manner. Title 12A O.S.2001 § 1-9-610(b) provides that: "Every aspect of a disposition of collateral, including the method, manner, time, place, and other terms, must be commercially reasonable."

¶ 8 Debtor specifically limits his collateral sale challenge on appeal. He states he does not challenge Bank's sale of the stock under 12A O.S.2001 § 1-9-627(b),[19]

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Related

Davis v. Leitner
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Sasseen v. State Board of Equalization
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Marriott Employees' Federal Credit Union v. Harris
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Tucker v. ADG, INC.
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Tucker v. New Dominion, L.L.C.
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Dunbar v. Commercial Electrical Supply Co.
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Robinson v. Hurley
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Capos v. Mid-America National Bank of Chicago
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Citibank, N.A. v. Data Lease Financial Corp.
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Bluebook (online)
2010 OK CIV APP 120, 242 P.3d 593, 2010 Okla. Civ. App. LEXIS 103, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/first-united-bank-trust-co-v-penny-oklacivapp-2010.