In re Skyland, Inc.

31 B.R. 920, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5714
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Michigan
DecidedJuly 27, 1983
DocketBankruptcy No. HG 82 00926
StatusPublished

This text of 31 B.R. 920 (In re Skyland, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Skyland, Inc., 31 B.R. 920, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5714 (W.D. Mich. 1983).

Opinion

OPINION

USURY TIME PRICE DIFFERENTIAL

LAURENCE E. HOWARD, Bankruptcy Judge.

This matter is before the court on the debtor’s objection to a claim filed by Union Oil Company. Union Oil has claimed $119,-405.65 is due for various credit card purchases of oil and gasoline products. This amount includes $9,421.75 in finance charges for late payments. The debtor has objected to the finance charges as being usurious under Michigan Law. Pursuant to M.S.A. § 19.15(2) [M.C.L.A. § 438.32], the debtor contends Union Oil is not entitled to any interest on their claim. Union Oil counters that the interest charged is allowable under the corporate exception to the usury law, M.S.A. § 21.200(275) [M.C.L.A. § 450.1275], that state law has been preempted by the Federal Depository Institution Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980, specifically 12 U.S.C. § 86a, or that this situation fits within the time price differential exception to the usury laws. The matter was tried and argued before this court, and briefs were submitted.

From the testimony, it is not disputed that a local representative of Union Oil talked with the debtor’s president, Kenneth Keller, concerning the issuance of credit cards for the debtor’s truck fleet. At this interview, the Union Oil representative filled out a credit application. A notation on the application indicates the debtor’s president was advised of the payment terms and delinquency charges. The application form was not signed by Keller nor was there a space provided to do so. The Union Oil representative testified that he explained the finance charges to Keller. On March 31, 1980, Union Oil sent a letter to Keller thanking him for opening the account, and enclosing the credit cards. In addition, there was testimony that a card explaining all the financial charges was sent along with the credit cards. The Union Oil witness admitted they could not be sure the explanation was sent in this case, however it was their standard practice to do so. The parties agree that the debtor’s employees purchased petroleum products from Union Oil, and copies of signed unpaid charge slips were admitted into evidence. The amount of the debt is no longer in dispute; neither is the total finance charges.

The general rule in Michigan is that the maximum permissible rate of interest that can be charged on a written agreement is 7% per annum. MSA § 19.15(1) [M.C.L.A. § 438.31], However, this rule is subject to a plethora of exceptions. MSA § 21.-200(275) [M.C.L.A. § 450.1275] provides that:

A domestic or foreign corporation, whether or not formed at the request of a lender, may by agreement in writing, and not otherwise, agree to pay a rate of interest in excess of the legal rate and in such case the defense of usury is prohibited.

In Taines v. Munson, 19 Mich.App. 29, 41-42, 172 N.W.2d 217 (1969), the court considered MSA § 21.200(275) [M.C.L.A. § 450.1275] and the requirement that a corporate agreement to pay more than the legal rate must be “in writing and not otherwise.” The court stated:

This last-quoted language is the crucial part of the statute; it is forceful and unambiguous. The statute itself is in derogation of the common law and must be strictly construed.

The court went on to rule that an admission by a corporate officer that he orally agreed to an otherwise usurious rate was not sufficient.

Here, no corporate agreement to pay more than the legal rate of interest exists. The credit card application is not signed by any of the debtor’s officers, and the application does not set forth the financing. The credit application, disclosure of financing terms, and signed receipts are not sufficient to meet this exception to the usury law.

[922]*922Union Oil also argues that the Federal Depository Institution Deregulation and Monetary Control Act of 1980, specifically 12 U.S.C. § 86a preempts state usury law. That section provides, in part, that,

§ 86a. Interest on business and agricultural loans of $1,000 or more-Discount rate on ninety-day commercial paper

(a) If the applicable rate prescribed in this section exceeds the rate a person would be permitted to charge in the absence of this section, such person may in the case of a business or agricultural loan in the amount of $1,000 or more, notwithstanding any State constitution or statute which is hereby preempted for the purposes of this section, take, receive, reserve, and charge on any such loan, interest at a rate of not more than 5 per centum in excess of the discount rate, including any surcharge thereon, on ninety-day commercial paper in effect at the Federal Reserve bank in the Federal Reserve district where the person is located, (emphasis added).

“Person” is defined as “a natural person or organization.” 12 U.S.C. § 86a(b)(4). Union Oil contends this section allows it to charge an interest rate higher than allowed by state usury law on retail sales of petroleum products.

I do not believe the Federal Depository Institution Deregulation and Monetary Control Act is the proper basis for resolving the present issue. First, the section by its own terms only preempts state law where the rate provided for in the federal statute exceeds the rate that could otherwise be applied. As Judge Bobier correctly pointed out in Matter of Charay Industries, Inc., 23 B.R. 988, 996 (Bkrtcy.E.D.Mich.1982) under Michigan law a corporation can be charged up to 25% per annum by written agreement before the obligation would be considered subject to the criminal usury statute. M.S.A. § 19.15(51) [M.C.L.A. § 438.41], Since the formula provided for in § 86a never exceeded this amount, the federal statute works no preemption on state law.

Second, it is doubtful that small purchases of petroleum products can be aggregated and termed a “business loan in the amount of $1000 or more.” This provision providing for the preemption of state usury laws on business loans was added to the Deregulation Act to deal specifically with Arkansas usury limits. Arkansas had a constitutional usury ceiling of 10%, and to change that limit would require Arkansas to go through the rather lengthy procedure of amending their state constitution. As a way to provide Arkansas lenders with temporary relief until the constitution could be changed, this section was added. See, S.Rep. No. 368, 96th Cong., 2d Sess. 19-20, reprinted in 1980 U.S.Code Cong. & Ad. News 236, 255-256. Given this intent, and the terms of the section, one can only conclude that finance charges imposed by Union Oil on a revolving credit account were not affected by the new law.

Resolution of this matter depends on an analysis of the time price differential concept. Michigan law traditionally created a distinction between outright loans of money, and retail credit sales. Loans of money were strictly governed by usury laws. However, there was no law limiting the amount of time price differential which could be charged for paying for retail merchandise in installments. Thus, sellers were free to charge higher finance charges than lenders. Grigg v. Robinson Furniture, 78 Mich.App.

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Related

Silver v. International Paper Co.
192 N.W.2d 535 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1971)
Manufacturer's National Bank v. Burlison
245 N.W.2d 350 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1976)
Grigg v. Robinson Furniture Co.
260 N.W.2d 898 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1977)
Taines v. Munson
172 N.W.2d 217 (Michigan Court of Appeals, 1969)
Keefe v. Bush & Lane Piano Co.
225 N.W. 585 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1929)
Bandfield v. Bandfield
40 L.R.A. 757 (Michigan Supreme Court, 1898)

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Bluebook (online)
31 B.R. 920, 1983 Bankr. LEXIS 5714, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-skyland-inc-miwd-1983.