Hopewell Enterprises v. Trustmark Bank

680 So. 2d 812, 1996 WL 515578
CourtMississippi Supreme Court
DecidedSeptember 12, 1996
Docket93-CA-00661-SCT
StatusPublished
Cited by55 cases

This text of 680 So. 2d 812 (Hopewell Enterprises v. Trustmark Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Mississippi Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hopewell Enterprises v. Trustmark Bank, 680 So. 2d 812, 1996 WL 515578 (Mich. 1996).

Opinion

680 So.2d 812 (1996)

HOPEWELL ENTERPRISES, INC., Billy E. Hammons and Betty P. Hammons
v.
TRUSTMARK NATIONAL BANK.

No. 93-CA-00661-SCT.

Supreme Court of Mississippi.

September 12, 1996.

*813 Paul A. Koerber, Jackson, for appellant.

Olen C. Bryant, Jr., Hazlehurst, for appellee.

Before SULLIVAN, P.J., and McRAE and SMITH, JJ.

SMITH, Justice, for the court:

Trustmark National Bank, hereinafter (bank), brought a judicial foreclosure action against Billy and Betty Hammons, hereinafter (Hammons), in the Chancery Court of Copiah County due to a default on a note and deed of trust involving property which contained the Hammons' residence and a 1.5 acre adjoining tract of property upon which was located an artesian water well. The water well became the primary subject of this dispute.

The Hammons filed a counterclaim for breach of fiduciary duties, interference with an advantageous relationship, wrongful utilization of the bank's superior bargaining position, and reckless disregard of their rights and for gross negligence.

The Chancellor found no actual damage by Trustmark, but awarded nominal damages of $100 and $25,000 punitive damages to the Hammons. He also awarded Trustmark a judgment of $41,512 for the principal and interest on the note and $18,252.79 attorneys fees and court costs on the judicial foreclosure of the deed of trust. Aggrieved, the Hammons appeal to this Court and Trustmark cross appeals with the following issues presented:

*814 WHETHER A CONFIDENTIAL/FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIP EXISTED BETWEEN THE BANK AND THE HAMMONS, SO AS TO HAVE BEEN VIOLATED BY CERTAIN DISCLOSURES MADE BY THE BANK?

WHETHER TRUSTMARK WRONGFULLY INTERFERED WITH ANY BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP OF HAMMONS?

WHETHER TRUSTMARK ENTERED INTO AN ORAL LOAN AGREEMENT WITH THE HAMMONS?

WHETHER TRUSTMARK HAD A DUTY TO FURNISH TO HAMMONS A COPY OF THE ALLEGED APPRAISAL OF THE WATER WELL?

WHETHER HAMMONS SUFFERED ANY ACTUAL DAMAGE DUE TO TRUSTMARK'S ALLEGED ACTIONS, AND IF NOT, WHETHER PUNITIVE DAMAGES MAY BE SUPPORTED BY AN AWARD OF NOMINAL DAMAGES?

STATEMENT OF FACTS

In 1986, Billy and Betty Hammons purchased a certain tract of land which is the subject of this dispute. In the course of building a dwelling, Billy successfully drilled a water well. Billy had the water analyzed, and it was determined that the water was pure and drinkable straight from the well, thus making it commercially marketable and valuable.

The Hammons then decided to market their new found treasure. However, lacking business sophistication, they enlisted the help of Charles King and Tom Allain who purportedly promised to put up the necessary funds to pursue the marketing of the artesian well. In January 1989, the Hammons, King and Allain established Hopewell Enterprises, Inc. as the mechanism for selling the bottled artesian water. The Hammons maintained a fifty-one percent ownership of the stock of the corporation, and King and Allain collectively owned forty-nine percent. The well site was surveyed into a 1.5 acre tract of land and was deeded to Hopewell. This was done with the intent to procure a $250,000 loan from the Georgetown, Mississippi branch of Trustmark Bank, in order to market the water.

On February 13, 1989, Hopewell obtained a loan of approximately $12,000 from the Bank, and secured the indebtedness with a deed of trust on the 5500 gallon tank purchased with its proceeds. This loan was payable in 365 days from the date of the loan origination.

On April 3, 1989, the Hammons mortgaged their remaining land (i.e. not the 1.5 acres upon which the well is situated) for a loan of approximately $24,000. This loan was payable in 35 installments of $288.00 a month, with a balloon payment on April 10, 1992.

During 1989 King and Allain failed to live up to their end of the bargain to market the water. Their inaction resulted in a lawsuit in 1990 between the partners.

In the meantime, the Hammons began negotiations with Darryl Stripling in early 1990. Stripling was interested in purchasing the artesian well. Stripling offered to purchase all of the water flowing from the well at a price of five (.05) cents per gallon. On May 17, 1990, Stripling paid a visit to the Hammons. According to the Hammons, Stripling was knowledgeable concerning the balance for the amounts of monies due and owing by them to Trustmark, including interest and late fees. The Hammons then contacted Robert Bounds, the President of the Hazelhurst branch of Trustmark National Bank, whom the Hammons claimed apologized to them for having disclosed that information. Bounds admits that he divulged information to Stripling about the approximate amount of both the Hopewell debt, which was in default, and the Hammons debt, which was not in default. However, Bounds did not believe that he had disclosed any confidential information as both debts were a matter of public record. The Hammons further testified that Bounds challenged Stripling as to "why buy the well from the Hammons, when he could buy it from the bank on the courthouse steps?" Bounds denied making this statement. Robert Windham, a Trustmark Officer, testified that it was bank policy not to discuss the business of its customers with third parties. In any event, the discussions between the Hammons and Stripling never resulted in a contract.

*815 On May 2, 1990, Trustmark had already filed suit against Hopewell, King, Allain and the Hammons, on the $12,000 note which had matured in February 1990. A default judgment was taken against Hopewell, King and Allain. Trustmark claims that in order to stall the collection of the defaulted Hopewell note, Billy Hammons told the bank about his negations with Stripling. Thus, Bounds became aware of the Stripling offer, and gave the debt status to Stripling in an effort to consummate the deal between Stripling and the Hammons.

The Hammons sued King and Allain on March 13, 1990. The case between the Hammons, King, and Allain was not adjudicated until September 7, 1990, wherein it was agreed that King and Allain would transfer back their 49% interest to the Hammons in exchange for the amount of money they had invested into Hopewell. It was also agreed that the Hammons would assume the previously executed $12,000 note. The Hammons did not have sufficient funds to pay King and Allain and therefore, they paid $15,000 immediately, with $5,000 to be paid within one year of the judgment. King and Allain accepted the $15,000, and assigned the $5,000 amount to their attorney, Brent Bourland. To facilitate this September 7, 1990 judgment, Trustmark offered to restructure the loans. Trustmark claims that it did not resort to execution of the judgment on the Hopewell debt, because the bank had obtained partial satisfaction of the judgment through execution or garnishment issued against Allain and King.

A new loan which would pay off all amounts owed to King and Allain and consolidate any and all other indebtedness they had with Trustmark into one note was proposed. Trustmark secured this new indebtedness with deeds of trust on the tract of land containing the Hammons residence and upon the tract of land holding the artesian well.

On October 26, 1990, the Hammons executed a promissory note to Trustmark confirming a debt of $42,267.02, payable in 90 days. This note matured in January 1991. The Hammons subsequently paid the interest and the note was renewed with a May 1991 maturity date. After the note matured, the Hammons again paid the interest and the note was renewed for 116 days.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
680 So. 2d 812, 1996 WL 515578, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hopewell-enterprises-v-trustmark-bank-miss-1996.