Lambert v. Firstar Bank, N.A.

127 S.W.3d 523, 83 Ark. App. 259, 2003 Ark. App. LEXIS 769
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arkansas
DecidedOctober 22, 2003
DocketCA 02-1271
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 127 S.W.3d 523 (Lambert v. Firstar Bank, N.A.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lambert v. Firstar Bank, N.A., 127 S.W.3d 523, 83 Ark. App. 259, 2003 Ark. App. LEXIS 769 (Ark. Ct. App. 2003).

Opinion

R. Baker, Judge.

This is an appeal involving application of the Arkansas Statutory Foreclosure Act, Ark. Code Ann. §§ 18-50-101 to 116 (Supp. 2001) (Act), to appellants Gary Lambert’s and Nedra Lambert’s attempt to reinstate their defaulted mortgage. The trial court granted appellee Firstar Bank’s motion for summary judgment and denied appellants’ motion for summary judgment. We affirm.

The parties stipulated to the facts of this case. On or about September 9, 1996, appellants executed a promissory note and mortgage, later assigned to appellee, covering property in Lincoln County, Arkansas. The note provided for a monthly payment of principal, interest, taxes, and insurance in the amount of $859.99. Appellants became delinquent in their monthly mortgage payments, and appellee sent a letter on August 4, 1999, informing appellants that they owed $2,579.97 for past-due payments and $61.28 for late charges for a total amount owing of $2,641.25. At the time of the August 4, 1999, letter, appellants were three months behind on their monthly mortgage payments. Appellee retained counsel to institute foreclosure proceedings on the mortgaged property.

As of December 1,1999, appellants were delinquent on their mortgage for six monthly payments and the December payment was due; the total mortgage payments due and late fees totaled $6,235.27. On December 15, 1999, appellee filed a Mortgagee’s Notice of Default and Intention to Sell; The notice provides in prominent, bold letters “YOU MAY LOSE YOUR PROPERTY IF YOU DO NOT TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION.” There is no evidence to show that the parties communicated at that time regarding a total amount claimed. A sale date for the mortgaged property was set for February 24, 2000. By letter dated January 12, 2000, appellee’s counsel sent to appellants via certified mail a copy of the Notice of Default and Intention to Sell. The notice did not contain a demand for specific payment. The letter was.returned, marked “unclaimed” on January 22, 2000.

On February 8, 2000, appellants tendered two cashier checks totaling $9,000 to appellee in an attempt to reinstate the mortgage. As of that date, the total of all delinquent mortgage payments, late fees, and the costs and fees accrued in the foreclosure proceeding totaled $9,813.72. There is no evidence indicating that the parties communicated regarding the total amount owing at this time. At the time appellants tendered the cashier’s checks, they were delinquent for eight monthly payments plus fees, costs and expenses associated with the delinquency and foreclosure, and February’s payment was due. There is no evidence to show that appellee communicated to appellants the insufficiency of the tendered payment to cover all fees and costs, and there is no evidence to show that appellants communicated with appellee to confirm whether the tendered payment would be sufficient to cover all fees and costs. The tendered amount was sufficient under terms of the mortgage to cover the February payment and past-due payments but insufficient to cover the additional fees, costs, and expenses associated with the foreclosure. The mortgage was not reinstated, and this information was not communicated to appellants until after the sale of the property. The sale of the mortgaged property took place on February 24, 2000, with appellee the successful bidder.

Appellants received a letter dated February 26, 2000, notifying them of the total amount claimed. The letter gave appellants two days to tender the money in full. Appellants’ cashier’s checks in the amount of $9,000 were returned to them, by certified mail, with a letter dated March 9, 2000. After attempts at delivery, the letter was returned, marked “unclaimed” on March 31, 2000. The cashier’s checks were returned to appellants on June 21, 2000, as soon as it was discovered where the checks should be sent. On March 9, 2000, a notice to vacate was sent to the occupants of the property. Appellants were served with a writ of assistance on April 14, 2000, and thereafter vacated the property.

Appellants filed their complaint on September 27, 2000, alleging that appellee failed to comply with the Act in that appellee’s notice did not contain the exact amount necessary to cure the default. The complaint sought an injunction preventing appellee from proceeding with the foreclosure and damages. Appellee answered, denying that it had failed to comply with the Act or that appellants had tendered sufficient funds to cure the default and reinstate the mortgage.

Appellee filed its motion for summary judgment, asserting that it was entitled to judgment as a matter of law because appellants had failed to comply with Ark. Code Ann. § 18-50-114(a) (Supp. 2001) by tendering the entire amount of payments, late fees, and attorney’s fees and costs and that Ark. Code Ann. § 18-50-116(d)(2) (Supp. 2001) barred appellants’ action.because suit was not filed until after the sale. Appellants filed their response to appellee’s motion for summary judgment, asserting that appellee arbitrarily imposed attorney’s fees and failed to advise appellants that the sum tendered was insufficient to cure the default. Meanwhile, appellants filed their motion and brief for summary judgment, asserting the same grounds as in their response to appellee’s motion.

The trial court issued a letter opinion in which it concluded that, before appellee had a duty to reinstate appellants’ mortgage, appellants had the duty to make inquiry as to the amount needed to reinstate the mortgage and to pay that full amount. The trial court found that appellants failed to do either. The trial court also concluded that appellants’ suit was untimely under Ark. Code Ann. § 18-50-116(d). The trial court then granted appellee’s motion for summary judgment and denied appellants’ motion. Judgment was entered accordingly on September 20, 2002, and this appeal followed.

Appellants argue two points: (1) that the trial court erred in concluding that appellee had complied with the Act and was not required to notify appellants that the sum tendered was insufficient; and (2) that the trial court erred in concluding that appellants’ action was barred as untimely.

Summary judgment is to be granted by a trial court only when it is clear that there are no genuine issues of material fact to be litigated and the party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Bond v. Lavaca Sch. Dist., 347 Ark. 300, 64 S.W.3d 249 (2001). Normally, in an appeal from a summary judgment, the evidence is viewed most favorably for the party resisting the motion, and any doubts and inferences are resolved against the moving party, but when the parties agree on the facts, we need only determine whether the appellee was entitled to judgment as a matter of law. See Aloha Pools & Spas, Inc. v. Employer’s Ins. of Wausau, 342 Ark. 398, 39 S.W.3d 440 (2000). When both sides move for summary judgment and thus, in essence, agree that there are no material facts remaining, summary judgment is an entirely appropriate means for resolution of the case. Id. The question in the case at bar is one of law — whether appellee was entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Id.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
127 S.W.3d 523, 83 Ark. App. 259, 2003 Ark. App. LEXIS 769, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lambert-v-firstar-bank-na-arkctapp-2003.