Glenstone Block Co. v. Pebworth

330 S.W.3d 98, 2010 Mo. App. LEXIS 975, 2010 WL 2841333
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedJuly 21, 2010
DocketSD 29899
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 330 S.W.3d 98 (Glenstone Block Co. v. Pebworth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Glenstone Block Co. v. Pebworth, 330 S.W.3d 98, 2010 Mo. App. LEXIS 975, 2010 WL 2841333 (Mo. Ct. App. 2010).

Opinions

NANCY STEFFEN RAHMEYER, Judge.

Parkview Bay Development, Inc. (“Respondent”), a corporation in the business of building condominiums, hired Vincent K. Pebworth as a subcontractor to construct a block wall at a building site Respondent was developing into condominiums. Pebworth, in turn, hired Glenstone Block Company (“Appellant”) to manufacture and supply the blocks to make the wall. Appellant supplied the building materials for the construction of the wall between August and October of 2001. As further detailed below, Respondent paid for the development, in part, with funds secured from three loans. Because Appellant was never paid for some of the blocks, on February 1, 2002, Appellant filed a valid Amended Statement of Mechanic’s Lien for the amount of $21,072.77 plus interest on the unpaid account. At issue is whether that mechanic’s lien takes priority over a lien represented by the deed of trust. The trial court found the lien repre[100]*100sented by the deed of trust was a purchase money deed of trust and not a construction loan. We disagree and reverse the judgment in favor of Respondent.

This appeal marks the second time the case is before us. In Glenstone Block Co. v. Pebworth, 264 S.W.3d 703 (Mo.App. S.D.2008) (“Glenstone I ”), the issues were whether the mechanic’s lien was valid and if the loan secured by the deed of trust was a construction loan. Id. at 716. The only documentary evidence admitted into evidence at the first trial regarding the purpose of the loan, whether it was to be used for construction purposes or not, was a promissory note for $2,300,000 that was secured by a deed of trust, admitted as exhibit 1. Id. Both the deed of trust and the promissory note were silent on the issue of what the $2,300,000 was to be used for. Id. Furthermore, the only testimony relating to whether the underlying loan secured by the deed of trust was a construction loan was that there was construction of some nature occurring at the condominium complex during the time the block wall was being constructed.1 Id. Based on this evidence, the trial court determined that the mechanic’s lien was valid and awarded Appellant an $18,629.32 judgment, plus interest. Id. at 706. The trial court also determined that the loan secured by the deed of trust was a construction loan, and ruled that the mechanic’s lien was superior to the interests of Union Planters Bank. Id. at 716. On appeal, this Court remanded the case because we found there was insufficient evidence to support the trial court’s finding that the deed of trust was granted for a construction loan. Id.

In an effort to correct its sufficiency of evidence problem, on remand Appellant offered into evidence and the trial court admitted into evidence a First Loan Read-vance Agreement (“Readvancement”), a $250,000 loan purporting to relate back to the $2,300,000 deed of trust that also referenced a related 1996 loan for $912,117. The first page of the Readvancement indicates that Respondent secured three loans from Jefferson Financial, Inc.2 The first loan was for an initial principal sum of $912,117, given on September 26, 1996.3 The second loan was for $2,300,000, given on February 26, 2001, and secured by a deed of trust on the land, which also referenced the $912,117 loan. The deed of trust, on its face, states an intention to be governed by section 443.055,4 a statute set out below addressing the priority of future advances relating to deeds of trust that also defines the term construction loan. The final loan, the Readvancement, was given on February 8, 2002, to Respondent by Jefferson Financial, Inc.’s successor in interest, Union Planters Bank, and was for $250,000.

The $250,000 Readvancement was specifically earmarked for “the reconstruction [101]*101and completion of the [block] wall,” for which Appellant supplied the blocks. B.D. Van Stavern signed the Readvancement in his capacity as president of Respondent. The Readvancement, furthermore “shall be secured by, amongst other things, the aforementioned Deed of Trust.” Additionally, the Readvancement makes reference to both the first $912,117 loan and the second $2,300,000 loan. The Readvancement states the first $912,117 loan was “for the acquisition of land and the development and construction of condominium Building No. 1, Parkview Bay Condominiums[.]” Likewise, the Readvancement states that the second $2,300,000 loan was “for the acquisition of land and development and construction of Building No. 10 of Parkview Bay Condominiums!.]” Also on remand, Appellant called Van Stavern to testify, and the following exchange occurred:

[Appellant’s Counsel]: Is it a true statement, Mr. Van Stavern, that this deed of trust, Exhibit 1-A,[5] as further identified by the [Readvancement], is in fact a construction loan for the construction of a condominium on Lot 2, Parkview Bay North, First Addition?
[Van Stavern]: I believe that’s what it said, yes, sir.

Van Stavern was also called to the stand by Respondent, where the following exchange occurred:

[Respondent’s Counsel]: [C]an you tell me that — whether or not this purchase — whether or not that promissory note that’s secured by the deed of trust that’s been marked as Exhibit 1-A is a purchase money deed of trust to reimburse your daughter Liz?
[Van Stavern]: It was my belief that that’s correct, sir.”

Appellant’s sole point on appeal seeks reversal as it claims the judgment was against the weight of the evidence presented and unsupported by substantial evidence because Respondent’s liens under the loans waived their priority as to the mechanic’s lien. We agree.

In a bench trial, the judgment of the trial court will be affirmed unless it is not supported by substantial evidence, it is against the weight of the evidence, or it erroneously declares or applies the law. Tower Props. Co. v. Allen, 33 S.W.3d 684, 687 (Mo.App. W.D.2000). “A judgment should be set aside as being against the weight of the evidence only with caution and with a firm belief that the judgment is wrong.” Jerry Bennett Masonry, Inc. v. Crossland Const. Co., Inc., 171 S.W.3d 81, 88 (Mo.App. S.D.2005). “The trial court’s judgment is presumed valid and the burden is on the appellant to demonstrate its incorrectness.” Schaefer v. Rivers, 965 S.W.2d 954, 956 (Mo.App. S.D.1998).

A deed of trust is a form of a mortgage consisting of an instrument that “employ[s] an interest in real estate as security for the performance of some obligation.” Restatement (Third) of Property (Mortgages) Section 1.1 cmt. (1997). When a deed of trust is executed, legal title to real property is placed in one or more trustees, typically to secure the repayment of a sum of money. Id. Mechanic’s liens are legislatively created claims that give a security interest to mechanics and materialmen for labor and materials furnished in the improvement of property, property that often is already encumbered by a mortgage, deed of trust, or similar instrument.

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Bluebook (online)
330 S.W.3d 98, 2010 Mo. App. LEXIS 975, 2010 WL 2841333, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/glenstone-block-co-v-pebworth-moctapp-2010.