KeyBank, N.A. v. David

2024 Ohio 5333, 257 N.E.3d 1052
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedNovember 1, 2024
Docket24 MA 0028
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 2024 Ohio 5333 (KeyBank, N.A. v. David) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
KeyBank, N.A. v. David, 2024 Ohio 5333, 257 N.E.3d 1052 (Ohio Ct. App. 2024).

Opinion

[Cite as KeyBank, N.A. v. David, 2024-Ohio-5333.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO SEVENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT MAHONING COUNTY

KEYBANK, N.A.,

Plaintiff,

v.

SAMUEL J. DAVID, JR. et al.,

Defendant-Third Party Plaintiff-Appellee,

OHIO STATE HOME SERVICES, INC.

Third Party Defendant-Appellant.

OPINION AND JUDGMENT ENTRY Case No. 24 MA 0028

Civil Appeal from the Court of Common Pleas of Mahoning County, Ohio Case No. 2023 CV 01542

BEFORE: Carol Ann Robb, Cheryl L. Waite, Katelyn Dickey, Judges.

JUDGMENT: Reversed in Part and Remanded. –2–

No brief filed for KeyBank and

Atty. Scott C. Essad, for Defendant-Third Party Plaintiff-Appellee Samuel J. David, Jr. and

Atty. Michael C. DeJohn, for Third Party Defendant-Appellant Ohio State Home Services, Inc.

Dated: November 1, 2024

Robb, P.J.

{¶1} Appellant, Ohio State Home Services, Inc., appeals the judgment denying its combined motion to dismiss and motion to compel arbitration. Appellant argues the trial court erred by failing to enforce the parties’ arbitration agreement. For the following reasons, we reverse in part and remand for further proceedings. Statement of the Case {¶2} Plaintiff, KeyBank N.A., filed its complaint for foreclosure against Samuel J. David, Jr., his unknown spouse, and the Mahoning County Treasurer, in August of 2023. KeyBank’s complaint alleges it is the holder of a note in the amount of $40,613.38 plus 9.05% interest per year. KeyBank further alleges that David failed to pay the monthly payments and was in default. KeyBank claims that as a result of David’s default, it has the right to foreclose upon his real property, which was used to secure the loan. (August 4, 2023 Complaint.) {¶3} Appellee, Samuel J. David, Jr., filed his answer to the complaint in October of 2023 after securing leave to plead. Among other defenses, Appellee alleges in his answer the note and mortgage are invalid due to his lack of capacity to enter a contract. (October 9, 2023 Answer.) {¶4} In December of 2023, Appellee filed a counterclaim and third-party complaint. For his counterclaim, Appellee alleges three claims for relief: fraud, predatory lending, and declaratory judgment against the bank. He claims the right to rescind the note and mortgage and alleges the agreements are void. (December 16, 2023 Counterclaim & Third-Party Complaint.) {¶5} For his third-party complaint against Appellant, Appellee asserts that Appellant “strong armed” him into entering a contract for waterproofing work, which he

Case No. 24 MA 0028 –3–

did not need and could not afford. Appellee also claims Appellant directed him how to secure a bank loan to pay for its services. Appellee also avers he told Appellant he “wanted out of the agreement” within three days after signing the contract, but Appellant threatened to sue him. Appellee raises three counts against Appellant: fraud, violations of Ohio’s Consumers Sales Practices Act, and declaratory judgment. Appellee seeks rescission of his agreement with Appellant under the CSPA and claims it is void due to Appellee’s lack of contractual capacity. {¶6} For his declaratory judgment claim, Appellee asked the trial court to declare the parties’ contract void since he lacked capacity to enter a contract. His declaratory judgment claim also asked the trial court to determine “the parties’ respective rights, status, and other legal relations under the contract, if any.” He asked the court to declare the contract void; determine whether he had the capacity to enter an agreement; and decide whether it should be rescinded due to fraud and undue influence. Appellee sought compensatory and punitive damages and attorney’s fees. Appellee attached a copy of his agreement with Appellant as Exhibit One. Appellee’s counterclaim and third-party complaint includes a jury demand. (December 16, 2023 Counterclaim & Third-Party Complaint.) {¶7} Paragraph 14 of the contract’s terms and conditions states: “Any controversy or claim whether in this Agreement or in tort arising out of or relating to this contract, or the breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration before the American Arbitration Association, (A.A.A.) in accordance with the construction industry rules of the A.A.A. and judgment upon the award rendered by the Arbitrator(s) may be entered in any Court having jurisdiction thereof.” (December 16, 2023 Counterclaim & Third-Party Complaint, Ex. 1.) {¶8} Third-Party Defendant Appellant moved to dismiss under Civ.R. 12(B)(1) contending the trial court lacked subject matter jurisdiction. The motion is captioned as a motion to dismiss, but it also seeks to compel arbitration pursuant to the parties’ written agreement. Appellant contends arbitration was required pursuant to the parties’ contract. The motion does not request a hearing. (December 27, 2023 Motion.) {¶9} Appellee opposed the motion to dismiss and listed five reasons it should be overruled. First, he claimed judicial economy necessitated denying arbitration because

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the case was instituted by KeyBank, a nonparty to the contract. And because the parties’ allegations and arguments overlap, Appellee urged the court to find that the claims should be heard by the same tribunal. Second, Appellee asserted the service contract was fraudulently induced, and as such, the claims should not be arbitrated. Third, because Appellee sought declaratory judgment in part, he alleged this claim was not capable of being decided via arbitration. Fourth, Appellee claimed the motion to dismiss lacked a procedural basis and should have been a motion to stay the proceedings, not a motion to dismiss. Finally, Appellee asserted the motion should be denied because the underlying agreement and arbitration clause are unenforceable due to Appellee’s lack of capacity to contract and additionally, he claimed the arbitration clause was unconscionable. And because Appellant’s motion was styled as a motion to dismiss, he claims the trial court was required to accept all of the allegations in the third-party complaint as true when considering the merits of the motion. (December 29, 2023 Response.) {¶10} The trial court denied Appellant’s motion to dismiss. The court held it did not lack jurisdiction due to the arbitration clause in the parties’ agreement. Instead, the court emphasized that R.C. 2711.01(A) provides for an exception when “grounds exist at law or in equity for the revocation of any contract.” The trial court likewise overruled Appellant’s request for arbitration. It concluded, without analysis, that Appellee’s claims for declaratory judgment and fraud precluded arbitration. (January 30, 2024 Judgment.) Enforceability of Arbitration Clause {¶11} Appellant’s first assignment of error asserts: “The trial court erred in failing to enforce the arbitration agreement between Appellee and Appellant.” {¶12} Appellant does not challenge the trial court’s decision concluding it had jurisdiction to consider the parties’ arguments, and as such, we do not analyze this aspect of its decision. However, we note that contrary to Appellee’s argument, a motion to dismiss under Civ.R. 12(B)(1) for lack of jurisdiction does not require the court to accept all of the allegations in the complaint as true and draw all reasonable inferences from these facts in favor of the plaintiff. This is the standard that applies when ruling on a Civ.R. 12(B)(6) motion. See Mitchell v. Lawson Milk Co., 40 Ohio St.3d 190, 192 (1988).

Case No. 24 MA 0028 –5–

{¶13} Civ.R. 12(B)(1) provides for a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. The question when ruling on “a dismissal pursuant to Civ.R. 12(B)(1) is whether any cause of action cognizable by the forum has been raised in the complaint.” State ex rel. Bush v. Spurlock, 42 Ohio St.3d 77, 80 (1989). The Civ.R.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
2024 Ohio 5333, 257 N.E.3d 1052, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/keybank-na-v-david-ohioctapp-2024.