James Madison Ltd. ex rel. Hecht v. Ludwig

868 F. Supp. 3, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16855, 1994 WL 660555
CourtDistrict Court, District of Columbia
DecidedOctober 28, 1994
DocketCiv. A. No. 93-0792(RCL)
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 868 F. Supp. 3 (James Madison Ltd. ex rel. Hecht v. Ludwig) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
James Madison Ltd. ex rel. Hecht v. Ludwig, 868 F. Supp. 3, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16855, 1994 WL 660555 (D.D.C. 1994).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

LAMBERTH, District Judge.

This case comes before the court on defendants’ motions to dismiss the complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, Fed. R.Civ.P. 12(b)(1), failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, Fed. R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), or, in the alternative, for summary judgment under Rule 56(b).1 Upon consideration of defendants’ motions, plaintiff’s opposition thereto, and materials submitted by the parties in support of their positions, the defendants’ request for summary judgment will be granted.

I. Introduction

In their motions to dismiss, or in the alternative for summary judgment, defendants argue that this court lacks jurisdiction to review the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC) decision to declare banks owned by plaintiff James Madison Limited (JML) insolvent and place them in receivership. The court finds that it does have jurisdiction to review the OCC’s actions under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA); however, such review is limited to ascertaining whether the OCC actions were “arbitrary or capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law.” 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(A).

A. Summary Judgment Standard

The court treats defendants’ motions as a request for summary judgment under Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(b). The parties have had a “reasonable opportunity to present all material made pertinent to [the] motion by Rule 56,” Neal v. Kelly, 963 F.2d 453, 456 (D.C.Cir.1992), and indeed the parties have submitted affidavits, bank records, and other materials pertinent to the dispute. Summary judgment is appropriate where there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and the moving party is entitled to summary judgment as a matter of law. E.g., Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). Inferences drawn from the facts must be viewed in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion. E.g., Adickes v. S.H. Kress & Co., 398 U.S. 144, 157, 90 S.Ct. 1598, 1608, 26 L.Ed.2d 142 (1970).

B. Background

Plaintiff JML is a bank holding company which was the parent corporation of a number of banks, collectively referred to here as the “JML banks.” The JML banks first [6]*6came to the attention of the OCC in June of 1988, when OCC examinations of the banks revealed statutory and regulatory violations, problem loans, credit administration problems, and inadequate methodology for determining allowances for loan and lease losses (ALLL). The OCC concluded that there had been a serious deterioration in the financial position of the banks. The OCC notified bank officers that the banks would be subject to special supervisory attention, and in April of 1989 the banks entered into commitment letters with the OCC to address the OCC’s various concerns. Despite continuing efforts on the part of the JML banks and the OCC to address specific problems, the condition of the banks continued to deteriorate. In February of 1991, the OCC informed the banks that their Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System or “CAMEL” rating was being downgraded to 5, or “unsatisfactory.” A rating of 5 means that an institution has an extremely high short-term probability of failure, and that an immediate infusion of capital is required.

The OCC particularly noted that the banks’ approach to calculating ALLL2 demonstrated “continuing severe weaknesses,” and it concluded that the banks were persistently underestimating the risk of loss associated with their outstanding loans. After initiating an on-site examination of the JML banks, the OCC prepared its own ALLL analysis to determine whether the banks’ ALLL reserves were sufficient. In performing this analysis, examiners first reviewed a portion of the banks’ outstanding loans in order to categorize them according to their quality. Next, the examiners performed a “migration analysis” to estimate necessary reserve amounts based on projected future losses from bad loans. Throughout this process, the banks were given an opportunity to and did comment on the examiners’ classification of loans and their methodology in calculating ALLL.3 Nevertheless, the OCC’s determination of necessary ALLL reserves differed substantially from that of the JML banks and the banks’ own auditors. In fact, the OCC found that based on its analysis, the amount needed to replenish ALLL at the banks would substantially exceed the banks’ existing equity capital.

As a result of these findings, the OCC advised the banks on May 1, 1991, that additional loan loss reserves of $31.65 million would be required at the JML banks. These additional reserve requirements resulted in substantial equity capital deficits at the banks, and the OCC requested the banks to submit a proposed Capital Plan which would remedy this shortfall. JML submitted a plan which relied in large part upon funds “to be raised from private sources or from or together with FDIC open bank assistance.” The OCC rejected this plan on the grounds that it did not present firm sources of equity capital sufficient to meet the banks’ short term needs. On May 10, 1991, the OCC declared the JML banks insolvent and appointed the FDIC as receiver for the banks. The FDIC then entered into a Purchase and Assumption Agreement with Signet Bank, under which Signet agreed to purchase certain assets, deposits and liabilities of the JML banks.

In April of 1993 JML, through its assignee Mr. Norman Hecht, filed suit in this court seeking to have the actions of the OCC and the FDIC set aside. JML asserts that both the process by which the OCC calculated ALLL reserves for the JML banks and the OCC’s rejection of JML’s Capital Plan were improper. Also, JML claims that the FDIC wrongfully declined to provide it with funds in the form of Open Bank Assistance. Specifically, JML’s complaint alleges that these actions were arbitrary and capricious, constituted an abuse of discretion, and were done without observance of procedure required by law under § 706(2)(A) & (D) of the Administrative Procedure Act. JML has also filed a [7]*7motion for leave to amend its original complaint to add due process and Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) counts.

II. Procedural Issues

A. Jurisdiction

Defendant OCC argues that this court lacks subject matter jurisdiction because the Comptroller’s decision to declare a bank insolvent under § 191 of the National Bank Act, 12 U.S.C. § 191, is final and unreviewable. The court does not agree.

Persons adversely affected by the action of a federal agency normally have a limited right to judicial review under the APA. See

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Affinity Hospital, LLC v. Azar
District of Columbia, 2021
Hu v. Munita
W.D. Washington, 2020
United Western Bank v. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
928 F. Supp. 2d 70 (District of Columbia, 2013)
Branch v. Ernst & Young U.S.
311 F. Supp. 2d 179 (D. Massachusetts, 2004)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
868 F. Supp. 3, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16855, 1994 WL 660555, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/james-madison-ltd-ex-rel-hecht-v-ludwig-dcd-1994.