General Electric Credit Corporation v. Lunsford

167 S.E.2d 414, 209 Va. 743, 1969 Va. LEXIS 171
CourtSupreme Court of Virginia
DecidedApril 28, 1969
DocketRecord 6855
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 167 S.E.2d 414 (General Electric Credit Corporation v. Lunsford) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
General Electric Credit Corporation v. Lunsford, 167 S.E.2d 414, 209 Va. 743, 1969 Va. LEXIS 171 (Va. 1969).

Opinions

Snead, J.,

delivered the opinion of the court.

Elmer Lunsford and Nellie Lunsford, husband and wife, appellees, filed a petition in the court below praying that the clerk of the court be directed, as provided by Code, § 55-66.5 (b), to make a marginal release of a deed of trust on certain real property belong[744]*744ing to them. They alleged that the right of anticipation was reserved in the deed of trust securing a negotiable note held by General Electric Credit Corporation, appellant, and that they made tender of the amount due under an exercise of that right, which tender General Electric refused to accept. The case was heard ore terms on May 16, 1967, and by order dated June 3, 1967, the relief sought was granted. The case is before us on the following “Agreed Stipulation of Facts”.

“Elmer R. Lunsford and Nellie Lee Lunsford, husband and wife, were the owners of a one acre tract of unimproved land, lying and being in South River District, Augusta County, Virginia, as evidenced by that certain deed dated October 24, 1960 and recorded in the Clerk’s Office of the Circuit Court of Augusta County, Virginia in Deed Book 457, at page 539 on November 7, 1960.

“The said Elmer R. Lunsford and Nellie Lee Lunsford, husband and wife, conveyed the aforesaid property by deed of trust dated October 16, 1963, to Peter W. Runkle and/or William W. Woodward, Jr., both of Richmond, Virginia in trust to secure payment of one negotiable promissory note payable unto Le-Wood Homes, Inc., a Virginia Corporation [for] the sum of $16,383.88, payable in 144 monthly installments; 12 for $92.00,, 12 for $97.00, 24 for $107.00, 95 for $120.29, and 1 for $120.33, beginning January 3, 1964, copy of deed of trust and note are hereto attached and made a part hereof. This was a first lien purchase money deed of trust for a shell home purchased from Le-Wood Homes, Inc. and was recorded in the aforesaid Clerk’s Office in Deed Book 487, page 67 on November 6, 1963. The note was subsequently negotiated by endorsement to General Electric Credit Corporation, who presently holds said note, having purchased same by discount on December 12, 1963.

“The purchase amount of of (sic) $16,383.88 for the shell home was computed as follows: $9,200.00 principal; $7,137.88 being 6% add on rate for term of land [loan] and $46.00 for insurance coverage, a total of $16,383.88 representing total purchase price.

“By letter dated August 25, 1966, Lunsford was advised that payoff of his account was $13,366.88 and that the offer of this figure was good until September 3, 1966. By letter dated January 10, 1967 Mr. A. L. Larkum, attorney for Lunsford was advised that General Electric Credit Corporation had computed this payoff based upon the Rule of 78’s or sum of the digits methods which is commonly used by companies in the field of discounting paper.

“By letter dated January 4, 1967 from General Electric Credit Corporation Complainant was quoted a pay-off of $9,487.07, based [745]*745upon $13,045.88 principal, $3563.41 refunds and $4.60 late charges.

“By letter dated February 2, 1967, Larkum tendered a certified check to General Electric Credit Corporation for $7,121.00 as payment in full. By letter dated March 8, 1967 he volunteered to forward an additional $200.96 to cover earned insurance premium conditional upon General Electric Credit Corporation’s willingness to accept his offer of payment. By letter dated March 7, 1967, General Electric Credit Corporation refused this counteroffer and returned the check in the amount of $7,121.00 to Larkum. Demand was made for the balance due on the note.

“Larkum in this proceeding, moves this Honorable Court for judicial release of the said deed of trust in accordance with the provisions of the Code of Virginia § 55-66.5 (b) as amended.

“General Electric Credit Corporation demands the balance due upon its note in the amount of $13,045.88, being $16,383.88 less $3,338.00 paid by Lunsford, and requests this Honorable Court to rule as to the amount General Electric Credit Corporation is entitled to be paid as a condition precedent to the granting of the aforesaid judicial release as requested.”

The deed of trust contains this provision:

“* * * This deed of trust is made under the provisions of Sections 55-59 and 55-60 of the Code of Virginia of 1950, and shall be construed to impose and confer upon the parties hereto, including the beneficiary hereunder, all of the duties, rights and obligations therein prescribed, including # * * right of anticipation reserved # *

Code, § 55-60(6) provides:

“The words ‘right of anticipation reserve df or words of like purport, shall be construed as if the deed set forth: ‘The grantor reserves the right to anticipate the payment of the debt hereby secured, or any part thereof which is represented by a separate note (or other obligation) at any interest period by the payment of principal and interest to the date of such anticipated payment only.’ ”

Code, § 55-66.5, upon which the relief sought by the Lunsfords is based, reads:

“(a) Any person who owns or has any interest in real estate or personal property on which such encumbrance exists may, after twenty days’ notice thereof to the person entitled to such encumbrance, apply to the circuit or corporation court of the county [746]*746or corporation in whose clerk’s office such encumbrance is recorded or to the Chancery Court of the city of Richmond, if it be in the clerk’s office of such court, to have the same released or discharged; and upon proof that it has been paid or discharged * * * such court shall order the same to be entered by the clerk on the margin of the page in the book wherein the encumbrance is recorded, which entry, when so made, shall operate as a release of such encumbrance.
“(b) If it be made to appear to the court * # # that tender has been made of the sum due thereon but the same has been refused for any reason by the party or parties to whom due, the court may in its discretion order the sum due to be paid into court, to be there held as provided by law, and to be paid upon demand to the person or persons entitled thereto, and thereupon the court shall order the same to be recorded as provided in subsection (a) hereof, which entry shall operate as a release of the encumbrance.”

The trial court advised counsel by letter that it had concluded that the deed of trust should be released upon payment of $7,321.96 to General Electric, the noteholder. The court did not state how it arrived at that figure. Thereafter, General Electric petitioned the court for a re-hearing, which was denied. By order entered June 3, 1967, the court found, among other things, that the Lunsfords had paid into court $7,321.96, that being the amount of principal and interest due as of February 2, 1967, the date of tender. It directed the clerk to make a marginal release of the deed of trust and to pay the amount deposited to General Electric.

General Electric first contends that under § 55-66.5 the trial court was without jurisdiction to determine “collateral issues extending beyond the four corners of the instruments”. In support of its position, General Electric cites Wagner v. Peters, 142 Va. 412, 416, 417, 128 S.E.

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General Electric Credit Corporation v. Lunsford
167 S.E.2d 414 (Supreme Court of Virginia, 1969)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
167 S.E.2d 414, 209 Va. 743, 1969 Va. LEXIS 171, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/general-electric-credit-corporation-v-lunsford-va-1969.