Mansura State Bank v. Southwest National Bank

549 So. 2d 1276, 1989 La. App. LEXIS 1676, 1989 WL 116269
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 4, 1989
DocketNo. 88-269
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 549 So. 2d 1276 (Mansura State Bank v. Southwest National Bank) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mansura State Bank v. Southwest National Bank, 549 So. 2d 1276, 1989 La. App. LEXIS 1676, 1989 WL 116269 (La. Ct. App. 1989).

Opinion

STOKER, Judge.

This suit arises out of a loan participation between five banks. No statement of the issues in this litigation may be stated at this point without a detailed statement of the facts. Based on the facts and lack of any settled principles of law, we conclude that the judgment of the trial court should be affirmed, although for different reasons than those assigned below. The relevant facts stipulated to between the parties are set forth below.

FACTS

I.

This lawsuit arises out of a loan in which Mansura State Bank (MSB) purchased a 20 percent participation interest from Hibernia National Bank (HNB) (formerly Southwest National Bank). The subject loan was made on October 23, 1983 to DMT Rental Tools, Inc. (DMT). Other participants in the loan include Claiborne Bank & Trust, American Bank & Trust and National Bank of Commerce, who purchased participation interests of 8 percent, 30 percent and 16 percent in the subject loan, respectively. HNB retained 26 percent of the DMT loan for itself.

On October 26, 1983 a loan in the amount of $2,500,000 was made to DMT evidenced by a promissory note to the order of HNB. As security, the October 26, 1983 promissory note had the endorsement of Powell Oil Company, Ashy Enterprises, Thomas Powell, Mitchell Ashy and Davis Gautreaux. This loan was and still is secured by the pledged collateral mortgage note in the amount of $2,500,000 executed by DMT, [1277]*1277which in turn is secured by a collateral chattel mortgage on inventory and equipment, and a collateral mortgage on a leasehold interest. At all times pertinent to this case, this loan was also secured by a pledge of a $100,000 certificate of deposit. In conjunction with the promissory note dated October 26, 1983 plaintiff advanced to HNB 20 percent of the funds loaned to DMT, pursuant to a “participation” relationship between plaintiff and HNB. A “Certification of Participation” was issued to plaintiff at that time. The other three participating banks advanced to HNB their respective percentages of funds loaned to DMT and were issued identical Certifications of Participation, but varying in amounts. On April 4, 1984 a beneficial interest of $250,000 of the participation purchased by MSB was transferred to Cot-tonport Bank (a sister bank to MSB) in accordance with an agreement which reserved to MSB the right to enforce the underlying obligation and which permitted MSB to repurchase the beneficial interest at any time.

II.

On or before January 26, 1985 HNB and the participant banks (MSB, Claiborne Bank & Trust, American Bank & Trust and National Bank of Commerce) reviewed and renewed the DMT loan, which was extended one year only until January 26, 1986, pursuant to a promissory note of that date. In conjunction with the renewal of the DMT loan, HNB renewed the certification of participation with MSB whereby MSB was recognized as owner of an undivided interest in the DMT loan to the extent of $479,705.87 of a total loan of approximately $2.4 million. The other three original participants at that time maintained their respective original percentage interests in the loan and identical certifications of participation were issued to them, which certifications of participation only varied in amount. As of January 26, 1985 HNB still maintained its 26 percent interest in the DMT loan.

In accordance with the agreement between HNB and the participating banks, HNB retained the documentation evidencing the DMT loan (except those documents which were recorded) and acted in the capacity of lead bank for itself, MSB and the other participating banks pursuant to the certifications of participation. HNB instructed DMT and the endorsers of the DMT loan that all payments on the loan must be made to HNB rather than to any of the participants and that any payments not made to HNB would not be credited to the DMT loan. In its position as lead bank on this loan to DMT, HNB has not been paid any fees or other compensation by plaintiff nor any of the other participant banks.

III.

During 1985 the fall in oil prices caused a decrease in value of equipment used by the oil industry, including that equipment securing the DMT loan. By November of 1985 the fair market value of certain equipment securing the DMT loan had fallen from $3.4 million to $1.2 million, which HNB and the participant banks learned of as the result of an appraisal in October of 1985. As a result of the appraisal, a meeting was held on November 5, 1985 among HNB and the participating banks, including MSB. The decision by HNB and all participating banks at this time was to advise the borrower, DMT, that DMT needed to provide additional collateral and take other steps if the loan was to be considered for renewal on January 26, 1986; counsel for HNB was then instructed to advise DMT of the decision of HNB and all participating banks which was accomplished by a letter dated November 12, 1985. On December 23, 1985 a meeting of all participating banks was held. Thomas Powell and Mitch Ashy, representing DMT, also attended. DMT and its endorsers confirmed that they were not able to comply with the terms of the November 12, 1985 letter. A proposal was made by DMT’s representatives to extend the DMT loan for 90 days from its due date in return for DMT bringing all interest current, paying $200,000 down on principal and continuing monthly payments during the 90 days. A vote was taken wherein three of the four participating [1278]*1278banks and HNB approved the proposal. MSB abstained from voting, believing the DMT loan should be called when due if the terms of the November 12,1985 letter were not met. Mr Roy, on behalf of MSB, promised he would communicate his bank’s position shortly. By mid-January 1986, on the basis of telephone conversations, HNB knew that MSB was not in favor of extending the DMT loan, though there was no formal correspondence from MSB relative to MSB’s position on the matter.

IV.

By correspondence dated January 22, 1986 HNB advised DMT that it would be allowed an additional 90 days to pay the loan. Following HNB’s advising DMT it would be allowed an additional 90 days after January 26, 1986 to pay off the loan, HNB continued to confer with the participant banks on the handling of the loan and several meetings were held among the banks; however, MSB elected not to attend any of the meetings. The decision of HNB to allow DMT 90 days from January 26, 1986 and then subsequently not to file suit until after DMT advised HNB on September 5, 1986 that DMT would make no further payments on the subject loan was joined in and agreed to by all banks participating in the subject loan to DMT except MSB, which had previously objected to any extension of the loan by its letters dated February 6, 1986 and May 7, 1986.

Following the January 22, 1986 letter by HNB’s attorney to DMT, DMT paid all accrued interest on the subject loan on January 26, 1986, plus $200,000 of principal; thereafter DMT paid to HNB on the subject on or about the 26th of the months of February, March, April, May, June and July, the amount of $44,632.11 on each such date. Beginning in late 1985 and continuing through the first half of 1986, DMT indicated its intention to move the loan to another bank. Steps to move the loan were taken and evidence of those steps were provided to HNB and the participating banks. By letter dated February 6, 1986 MSB rejected the extension of the DMT loan and demanded full payment.

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549 So. 2d 1276, 1989 La. App. LEXIS 1676, 1989 WL 116269, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mansura-state-bank-v-southwest-national-bank-lactapp-1989.