In Re Bud Long Chevrolet, Inc.

39 B.R. 499, 38 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1354, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5800
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedApril 26, 1984
Docket19-10390
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 39 B.R. 499 (In Re Bud Long Chevrolet, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In Re Bud Long Chevrolet, Inc., 39 B.R. 499, 38 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1354, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5800 (N.M. 1984).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

MARK B. McFEELEY, Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter came before the Court upon the motion of General Motors Acceptance Corporation (GMAC) and First National Bank of Belen (FNB) to lift the automatic stay. GMAC and FNB are both secured creditors of the debtor, Bud Long Chevrolet, and claim a security interest in the equipment and inventory of the debtor. By agreement of the parties the trustee has sold the collateral, and the claims of GMAC and FNB have attached to the fund of approximately $47,000.00 which resulted from the sale of the collateral.

I.Facts

Based upon the evidence and exhibits admitted at trial, the Court makes the following findings of fact:

1. The debtor, Bud Long Chevrolet, Inc. was originally incorporated as Mountainair Chevrolet, Inc. That corporate name was later changed to Bud Long, Chevrolet, Inc., in compliance with the requirements of General Motors Corporation.

2. The debtor obtained a loan in the amount of $225,000.00 from FNB to finance purchase of the dealership. That loan was secured by a security interest in all inventory, equipment, fixtures, furniture and furnishings of the dealership. The security agreement and financing statement reflecting the loan and security interest were filed on April 23, 1981.

3. The security agreement filed April 23, 1981, contained a future advances clause.

4. Prior to the granting of the loan by FNB, the bank’s vice-president, James F. Atwood, had discussions with Mr. A.C. Morton of GMAC about the ability of GMAC to floor plan the vehicle inventory of what was then Mountainair Chevrolet. FNB could not advance the funds necessary to finance the vehicles, and wanted assurance that the financing would be available through GMAC. Through Mr. Morton and its dealings with Mr. Long and FNB, GMAC was aware that the debtor was then incorporated as Mountainair Chevrolet, Inc.

5. On or about June 5, 1981, documents were filed with the New Mexico Corporation Commission which amended the debt- or’s articles of incorporation to change the name of Mountainair Chevrolet to Bud Long Chevrolet, Inc.

6. On or about July 1, 1981, the debtor and GMAC entered into a loan agreement and wholesale security agreement, the debtor signed a note to GMAC in the amount of $3,000,000.00 and GMAC and *501 the debtor executed and filed a financing statement reflecting the transaction.

7. The description of the collateral in each of the documents executed by the debtor and GMAC were different. The GMAC loan agreement contemplates “personal property and other property acquired by the debtor”; the wholesale security agreement describes as collateral new and used vehicles as owned or acquired, and proceeds therefrom. The financing statement shows as collateral “motor vehicles, trailer and semi-trailers, and accessories; and the replacement parts for any of these...."

8. The financing statement of GMAC was filed of record on July 22, 1981.

9. On October 8, 1982, the debtor and FNB entered into an additional loan agreement. The $500,000.00 loaned at that time incorporated the unpaid balance of the April 1981 note.

10. A new security agreement was entered into which added the real estate of the' debtor as collateral, and the debtor executed a mortgage in favor of FNB.

11. On November 26, 1983, FNB extended further credit in the form of a revolving credit note to the debtor and filed another security agreement, securing amounts loaned by all tangible and intangible property of the debtor.

12. In January of 1983, the debtor filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. § 101, et seq; subsequently the case was converted to a Chapter 7 proceeding.

13. The debtor is in default on all notes to GMAC and FNB.

II. DISCUSSION

There are three issues raised by the facts as set forth above. The first in the order of priority of the GMAC and the financing statements FNB, based on the documents filed. Second, is the effect, if any, of the change of name by the debtor. Finally we must consider what collateral is secured to each of the parties in this proceeding.

A. ORDER OF PRIORITY OF SECURED PARTIES

As found above, the first financing statement and security agreement of FNB were filed on April 23, 1981. That security agreement by its terms secured payment of the $225,000.00 note executed by the debt- or, and extended to secure payment of any funds advanced in the future. This Court has previously ruled that where a “future advances” clause exists in a properly filed financing statement or security agreement, that is sufficient notice to any party of the present or future security interest in the collateral named in the financing statement. Waterfield v. Burnett (In re Burnett) 21 B.R. 752, 754 (Bkrtcy.D.N.M.1982). GMAC does not dispute the general rule that such a future advances clause would, under normal circumstances, protect FNB’s first priority position. However, GMAC urges that it is possible, through a pattern of conduct, to show that there is no intent that an earlier-filed security agreement should apply to a later loan, and that where that is the ease the earlier filed security agreement will not create a first priority for that creditor as to the funds later advanced.

GMAC cites three cases as support for the theory that conduct can “waive” a priority in collateral. Two must be removed from application in the instant case because in those cases the financing statement and security agreements in question contained no future advance clause. These are Coin-O-Matic Service Co. v. Rhode Island Hospital Trust Co., 3 U.C.C.Rep. 1112 (R.I.Super.Ct.1966) and Texas Kenworth Co. v. First National Bank of Bethany, 564 P.2d 222, 21 U.C.C.Rep. 1521 (Okl.1977). Certainly where there is no future advance clause it is a simple matter to find no intention that future advances be secured by the collateral in the original agreement. In the instant case, however, the language in the security agreement as to future advances is clear. The Court, and other creditors are not left to guess at ambiguous language. Consequently, Coin-O-Matic and Texas Kenworth are not applicable.

*502 The third case cited by GMAC is In re Hagler 10 U.C.C.Rep. 1285 (Bankr.E.D.Tenn.1972). In Hagler the first creditor, who had a filed and perfected security agreement which did contain a future advances clause, was paid in full by a second creditor when the second creditor made its own loan to the debtor and filed its own security agreement. Although the first creditor was paid in full, neither the second creditor nor the debtor demanded that the first security agreement be released. Sometime later, the first creditor made a new loan to the debtor, relying on the first security agreement. The Bankruptcy Court applied Tennessee law, which required that, when an obligation is paid in full, a creditor must release its security agreement.

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39 B.R. 499, 38 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. (West) 1354, 1984 Bankr. LEXIS 5800, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-bud-long-chevrolet-inc-nmb-1984.