First Valley Bank v. Minninger

22 Pa. D. & C.3d 555, 1981 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 194
CourtPennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Northampton County
DecidedMay 29, 1981
Docketno. 1980-C-3745
StatusPublished

This text of 22 Pa. D. & C.3d 555 (First Valley Bank v. Minninger) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Northampton County primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
First Valley Bank v. Minninger, 22 Pa. D. & C.3d 555, 1981 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 194 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1981).

Opinion

WILLIAMS, P.J.,

This is an action in replevin to recover possession of an automobile in the hands of defendant, Ray Minninger. The matter was tried before Williams, Jr., P.J., on December 11, 1980. After the parties’ additional attempts at settlement failed, briefs were submitted and the matter is now ripe for decision.

From the testimony adduced at trial, we make the following:

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. On November 3, 1978, additional defendant, Terry W. Seifert, purchased a 1979 Pontiac Sunbird from Key Pontiac, Inc., who is not a party to this action.

2. The subject automobile was financed by an installment sale agreement whereby the seller reserved a security interest in the automobile until the entire purchase price was paid.

3. On November 3, 1978, Key Pontiac, Inc., assigned its interest in the installment sale agreement to plaintiff, First Valley Bank, which financed the purchase by Seifert.

4. Plaintiff’s encumbrance was noted on the certificate of title to the subject automobile.

5. In May, 1979, Seifert traded the Pontiac to additional defendant, Marshall Dodge, Inc., and purchased a new automobile.

6. At the time Seifert traded the Pontiac, Mar[557]*557shall Dodge, Inc. assured Seifert that it would pay plaintiff the balance due on the automobile.

7. The balance of the purchase price in this second transaction was financed by First Pennsylvania Bank, which is not a party to this action.

8. On June 20, 1979, defendant, Ray Minninger, purchased the Pontiac from Marshall Dodge, Inc., and financed the transaction through Bucks County Bank and Trust Company, which is not a party to this action. The purchase price for the Pontiac was $5,466.

9. At the time defendant Minninger purchased the automobile, Marshall Dodge, Inc., was a dealer in motor vehicles, the Pontiac automobile was part of its inventory and the purchase was made by Minninger in the ordinary course of business.

10. On June 21, 1979, Marshall Dodge, Inc., deposited the proceeds of the sale of the automobile to Minninger in one of its accounts at Continental Bank other than the “Title and Tag” account.

11. In June, 1979, Marshall Dodge, Inc., forwarded its check in the amount of $4,121.98 to plaintiff for the net balance due on the automobile.

12. The check was dated June 22, 1979, drawn on the “Title and Tag” account Marshall Dodge, Inc. had with additional defendant, Continental Bank, and there were sufficient funds in the account to cover the check.

13. In June, 1979, Continental Bank held a security interest in all inventory and general intangible, including all cash and non-cash, proceeds held by Marshall Dodge, Inc.

14. On June 26, 1979, Continental Bank found Marshall Dodge, Inc. to be in default and elected to set off the balances in Marshall Dodge’s bank accounts against the secured indebtedness. The check payable to plaintiff was returned by the drawee, Continental Bank, for insufficient funds.

[558]*55815. Plaintiff has not received the installment payments due it under the Key Pontiac/Seifert contract since June 10, 1979.

16. The unpaid balance of the Key Pontiac/ Seifert contract is $4,873.68.

17. Defendant Minninger is in possession of the subject automobile and has refused to return the automobile to plaintiff despite demands.

18. Additional defendant, Marshall Dodge, Inc., has not answered the complaint nor has an appearance been entered on its behalf.

DISCUSSION

The foregoing sequence of events raises an issue involving an interpretation of the Uniform Commercial Code, 13 Pa.C.S.A. § 1101 et seq. Although the issue apparently has not been raised in an appellate decision within the Commonwealth, numerous appellate decisions in other jurisdictions have addressed the problem.

The issue involves an interpretation of section 9307(a) and (b) of the Uniform Commercial Code, which provides:

“§9307. Protection of buyers of goods

“(a) Buyer in ordinary course of business. — A buyer in ordinary course of business (section 1201 (relating to general definitions)) other than a person buying farm products from a person engaged in farming operations takes free of a security interest created by his seller even though the security interestis perfected and even though the buyer knows of its existence.

“(b) Buyer of consumer goods and certain farm equipment. —In the case of consumer goods and in the case of farm equipment having an original purchase price not in excess of $2,500 (other than fix[559]*559tures, see section 9313), a buyer takes free of a security interest even though perfected if he buys without knowledge of the security interest, for value and for his own personal, family or household purposes or his own farming operations unless prior to the purchase the secured party has filed a financing statement covering such goods.”

Subsection (a) does not support defendant Minninger because it requires that the security interest be created by the seller. In the present case, the security interest in question was not created by defendant’s seller, Marshall Dodge, Inc., but rather by Key Pontiac, Inc. This interpretation is clear from the language of the statute and is supported by the policy behind section 9307(a). See Commercial Credit Equip. Corp. v. Bates, _Ga. App. _, 28 U.C.C. Rep. 675 (1980).

Subsection (b) of 9307 is equally of no help to defendant’s position. As is relevant to our consideration, section 9307(b) applies only in the case of consumer goods. It is undisputed that the subject automobile was a “consumer good” in the hands of defendant, as that term is defined by the code. Contrary to defendant’s argument, however, it is clear that section 9307(b) requires that the goods be consumer goods as to both buyer and seller. Any other interpretation would make the introductory phrase, “In the case of consumer goods . . .,” surplusage because the subsequent condition that the buyer take without knowledge, for value and for personal use is merely a repetition of the definition of “consumer goods” found in section 9109(1) of the code: Muir v. Jefferson Credit Corp., 108 N.J. Superior Ct. 586, 262 A. 2d 33 (1970).

The weight of authority in other jurisdictions is in accord. See Commercial Credit Equip. Corp. v. [560]*560Bates, supra; Milnes v. General Electric Credit Corp., 377 So. 2d 725 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App., 1979); Memphis Bank and Trust Co. v. Pate, 362 So. 2d 1245 (Miss., 1978); Lindsley v. Financial Collection Agencies, Inc., 97 Misc. 2d 263, 410 N.Y.S. 2d 1002 (1978); First American Bank v. Hunning, 218 Va. 530, 238 S.E. 2d 799 (1977); Black v. Schenectady Discount Corp., 31 Conn. Sup. 521, 324 A. 2d 921 (1974); Security Pacific National Bank v. Goodman, 24 Cal. App. 3d 131,100 Cal. Rep. 763 (1972); Muir v. Jefferson Credit Corp., supra; New England Merchants National Bank v. Auto Owners Finance Co., Inc., 355 Mass. 487, 245 N.E. 2d 437 (1969); Everett National Bank v. Deschuiteneer, 109 N.H. 112, 244 A. 2d 196 (1968).

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Related

Milnes v. General Elec. Credit Corp.
377 So. 2d 725 (District Court of Appeal of Florida, 1979)
Memphis Bank & Trust Co. v. Pate
362 So. 2d 1245 (Mississippi Supreme Court, 1978)
Muir v. Jefferson Credit Corp.
262 A.2d 33 (New Jersey Superior Court App Division, 1970)
Security Pacific National Bank v. Goodman
24 Cal. App. 3d 131 (California Court of Appeal, 1972)
New England Merchants National Bank of Boston v. Auto Owners Finance Co.
245 N.E.2d 437 (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, 1969)
Everett National Bank v. Deschuiteneer
244 A.2d 196 (Supreme Court of New Hampshire, 1968)
Black v. Schenectady Discount Corporation
324 A.2d 921 (Connecticut Superior Court, 1974)
Sherts v. Fulton National Bank
21 A.2d 18 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1941)
Lindsley v. Financial Collection Agencies, Inc.
97 Misc. 2d 263 (New York Supreme Court, 1978)
Ryan Bros. v. Curwensville State Bank
114 A.2d 178 (Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1955)
Middle Atlantic Credit Corp. v. First Pennsylvania Banking & Trust Co.
199 Pa. Super. 456 (Superior Court of Pennsylvania, 1962)
First American Bank of North Palm Beach, Florida v. Hunning
238 S.E.2d 799 (Supreme Court of Virginia, 1977)

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Bluebook (online)
22 Pa. D. & C.3d 555, 1981 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 194, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/first-valley-bank-v-minninger-pactcomplnortha-1981.