Forbes Credit Union v. Mewhinney

638 P.2d 383, 7 Kan. App. 2d 165, 1982 Kan. App. LEXIS 133
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedJanuary 7, 1982
DocketNo. 52,911
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 638 P.2d 383 (Forbes Credit Union v. Mewhinney) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Forbes Credit Union v. Mewhinney, 638 P.2d 383, 7 Kan. App. 2d 165, 1982 Kan. App. LEXIS 133 (kanctapp 1982).

Opinion

Miller, J:

This case began as a lawsuit filed by the plaintiff, Forbes Credit Union, against the defendant, Ronnie C. Mewhinney, to recover on a promissory note for money loaned to defendant under plaintiff’s open-end credit plan. Defendant filed a counterclaim alleging violations of the Federal Truth in Lending Act. Both parties moved for summary judgment on the counterclaim, and this appeal arises from the decision of the trial court in granting summary judgment in favor of defendant on the counterclaim.

The trial court found that plaintiff had violated the disclosure requirements of the Truth in Lending Act in two separate respects, and entered judgment in favor of defendant on the counterclaim, by way of set-off against plaintiff’s claim, for twice the amount of the finance charges, including insurance charges, and for costs and attorney fees.

The Truth in Lending Act (15 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq.) was passed by Congress in 1968 and became effective on May 29, 1968. The requirements of the act are implemented by the provisions of 12 C.F.R. § 226, commonly known as Regulation Z. On January 1, 1974, the disclosure requirements of the Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z were incorporated into Kansas law by the adoption of the Uniform Consumer Credit Code (K.S.A. 16a-l-302, 16a-3-206).

The Truth in Lending Act was enacted by Congress in response to the divergent, and sometimes fraudulent, practices by which credit customers were apprised of the terms of the credit extended to them. These practices often prevented consumers from shopping for the best credit terms available, and sometimes led to them assuming liabilities they could not meet. Mourning v. Family Publications Service, Inc., 411 U.S. 356, 363, 36 L.Ed.2d 318, 93 S.Ct. 1652 (1973). The congressional intent underlying this legislation was not only to protect consumers from inaccurate and unfair credit billing and credit card practices but to avoid the uninformed use of credit by compelling a meaningful disclosure of credit terms so that the consumer would be able to compare more readily the various credit terms available to him. (15 U.S.C. § 1601.) This was sought to be done by requiring all creditors to disclose credit information in a uniform manner, and by requir[167]*167ing all additional mandatory charges imposed by the creditor as an incident to extending credit to be included in the computation of the .applicable percentage rate.

The Act and Regulation Z set out in precise form and content the credit information required to be given by a creditor to a consumer in conjunction with all credit transactions within the purview of the act. The courts have recognized that strict enforcement of these requirements is mandatory if the purpose of the Act is to be achieved. There is no requirement that a consumer must have been misled or deceived or otherwise injured in order to be entitled to the penalties, fees and costs provided for in the Act. Smith v. Chapman, 614 F.2d 968 (5th Cir. 1980), Ed Marling Stores, Inc. v. Miracle, 6 Kan. App. 2d 175, 627 P.2d 352 (1981).

It is in this context that we must examine the contentions of the parties here.

The facts pertinent to this appeal are not disputed. On November 8, 1976, plaintiff and defendant entered into an agreement denominated “Open End Promise to Pay to the Forbes Credit Union” whereby the defendant agreed to repay to plaintiff all sums loaned to defendant from time to time by the plaintiff.

On November 15, 1976, plaintiff made the first advance to defendant, pursuant to the open-end credit agreement, in the sum of $1,955.21, and obtained from defendant a security agreement on defendant’s car to secure repayment. Contemporaneously therewith, and in order to comply with the requirements of 12 C.F.R. § 226.7(a), plaintiff gave defendant a disclosure statement entitled “Credit Union Application — Notice of Terms — Disclosure Statement.”

Of the amount first advanced by plaintiff, $55.21 was for group creditors’ disability insurance which defendant purchased from plaintiff, although he was advised that such insurance was not required as a condition of the loan.

On March 25, 1977, plaintiff and defendant entered into another open-end agreement identical in terms to the agreement of November 8, 1976.

On March 28, 1977, plaintiff advanced to defendant an additional sum of $200.76. This sum was added to the outstanding balance of the original loan, creating a total balance of $1,857.90. Contemporaneously therewith, and in order to comply with 12 C.F.R. § 226.7(a), plaintiff gave defendant another disclosure [168]*168statement on a form identical to the one used on November 15, 1976.

At the same time the insurance coverage previously purchased by defendant was cancelled and defendant was refunded the unearned premium in the amount of $34.97. Defendant then purchased new insurance coverage sufficient to cover the new outstanding balance of his loan. Defendant was again advised that such insurance was not required by plaintiff.

The trial court found, first, that plaintiff had violated the disclosure requirement of 12 C.F.R. § 226.7(a)(7) which provides:

“§ 226.7 Open end credit accounts — specific disclosures.

(a) Opening new account. Before the first transaction is made on any open end credit account, the creditor shall disclose to the customer in a single written statement, which the customer may retain, in terminology consistent with the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section, each of the following items, to the extent applicable:

(7) The conditions under which the creditor may retain or acquire any security interest in any property to secure the payment of any credit extended on the account, and a description or identification of the type of the interest or interests which may be so retained or acquired.”

We agree. The disclosure statement given to defendant on November 15, 1976, at the time of the first advance on the loan, and again on March 28, 1977, at the time of the second advance, relating to the above regulation, reads in part as follows:

“Where a security agreement in the nature of a chattel mortgage has previously been given

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
638 P.2d 383, 7 Kan. App. 2d 165, 1982 Kan. App. LEXIS 133, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/forbes-credit-union-v-mewhinney-kanctapp-1982.