Mills v. 1st National Bank of Mexico

661 S.W.2d 808, 1983 Mo. App. LEXIS 3690
CourtMissouri Court of Appeals
DecidedOctober 18, 1983
Docket45836
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 661 S.W.2d 808 (Mills v. 1st National Bank of Mexico) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Missouri Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Mills v. 1st National Bank of Mexico, 661 S.W.2d 808, 1983 Mo. App. LEXIS 3690 (Mo. Ct. App. 1983).

Opinions

STEWART, Presiding Judge.

This appeal involves two separate suits that were consolidated and tried together at the trial court level. The first suit was brought by Bruce L. Mills (Mills) against First National Bank of Mexico (Bank), and Bradford Brett, trustee, to set aside a foreclosure sale of real estate owned by Mills and his former wife. A second count sought damages including damages for loss of farm profits by reason of deprivation of Mills’ right to possession of the farm. The second suit was one brought by Louis Nor-den and Helen M. Norden (Nordens), who [810]*810purchased the Mills’ property at the foreclosure sale, to recover rent and possession of the property pursuant to the terms of a rental agreement with Mills. The judgment in this court tried case upheld the foreclosure sale and found that the Nordens were entitled to possession of the premises and to rent at the rate of $150.00 per month from March 28, 1981.

We review the facts keeping in mind the principles that the credibility of witnesses and the weight to be given their testimony is for the trial court. Central Missouri Foods, Inc. v. General Grocer Co., 538 S.W.2d 63, 64 (Mo.App.1976).

The property which is the subject matter of this appeal consists of a 49 acre farm located in Monroe County, Missouri, purchased by appellant in 1973 and improved in 1974 by the construction of a log house. To finance the home, appellant and his wife, Anna C. Mills, obtained a loan from respondent Bank in the approximate amount of $32,000, and executed a note with interest at the rate of 8% per annum providing for annual payments of $3,738.55, payable on December 20th of each subsequent year. The note was to run for 15 years. They also executed a deed of trust to secure the note.

The promissory note contained no forfeiture or acceleration clause and set forth no procedures for foreclosure and made no reference to a deed of trust. The deed of trust securing the $32,000 promissory note provided for acceleration of the note for default in the annual payment. The deed of trust also provided for forfeiture for failure to pay taxes on the property, or upon failure to pay expenses for insurance on the premises. Mills made his annual payments from 1975 through 1978. Bank permitted some of these payments to be made after the December 20th date pursuant to extension agreements executed by Mills and Bank.

In December 1979 Mills attempted to tender his annual payment, but Bank refused to accept it because appellant was $600 in arrears. On January 7, 1980, Mills signed a second promissory note to Bank which consolidated other loans he had with Bank and secured said note by a second deed of trust on his real estate. After several months of negotiations, Bank finally accepted Mills’ December 1979 payment along with the $600 owed on October 11, 1980.

In October 1980, Mills and his wife began dissolution of marriage proceedings and Mrs. Mills vacated the premises. Mills’ attorney in the dissolution proceeding advised appellant not to make his December 20, 1980, payment to Bank and Mills followed that advice.1 On or about January 5 or January 9, 1981, Bank turned over both of appellant’s notes to the trustee in the deed of trust to begin collection and foreclosure proceedings. An attorney associated with the trustee’s law firm sent demand letters dated January 9,1981, to Anna C. Mills and to Mills. The letter to Mills was sent by certified mail. It was returned by the post office unclaimed, after the post office had sent three notices of the presence of the letter to Mills. Mills learned of respondent’s intention to initiate foreclosure proceedings on January 26,1981, when Anna C. Mills informed him of the contents of the demand letter which she had received. The letter advised Mills and his wife that they were delinquent on both of their notes and that the property would be sold at a foreclosure sale unless the full unpaid principal and interest was paid.

On January 27, 1981, Mills presented his personal check in the sum of $3,738.55 to Mr. Gardner, an employee of Bank. Mr. Gardner informed Mills that the bank had incurred expenses in excess of $500 as a result of the collection proceedings; that real estate taxes were two years past due; that he was not tendering the proper amount of interest and for those reasons he would not accept the tender. At trial Mr. Gardner explained that he considered the amount of interest due to be approximately $200. This sum was the amount of interest on the unpaid principal of the loan. Mills’ [811]*811insurance on the property had also lapsed, although the bank apparently was not aware of that at the time. No objection was made to the fact that tender was made in the form of a personal check. After Mills left Gardner he went to the trustee and made the same tender. The trustee informed Mills that he would not accept the tender if Bank would not accept the tender. The trustee did not tell him the exact amount that would be necessary to effect redemption before foreclosure.

In early February Mills tendered a cashier’s check in the same amount as previously tendered. This tender was refused by Mr. Gardner and by the trustee.

The foreclosure sale was held on February 23, 1981. The Nordens purchased the property for the sum of $47,600.

The purchase price of the property was in excess of the amount appellant owed on the promissory notes, and the trustee divided the excess amount after taxes and expenses were paid between appellant and Anna C. Mills. Mrs. Mills signed a release of her right to sue to set aside the foreclosure sale and was not made a party to Mills’ lawsuit. Mills’ portion of the proceeds from the sale was in the form of a check made payable to Mills and his former attorney. Mills testified that he was willing to return the un-cashed check to respondent Bank.

In upholding the foreclosure sale, the trial court issued findings of fact as to the controlling issues in the case. The court suggested that the promissory note should be read together with the acceleration clause contained in the deed of trust, but it indicated this finding was unnecessary to the question of whether the bank wrongfully refused the plaintiff’s tender. It was found that the defendant would have accepted a tender of the total deficiencies even though it had a legal right to demand payment in full.

Mills contends that because the note did not contain an acceleration clause, Bank could not opt to accelerate the note on the basis of the acceleration clause in the deed of trust. Therefore Bank in demanding full payment of the note in order to stop the foreclosure waived tender. Alternatively Mills contends that if Bank would have accepted less than the full amount of the note it waived tender by demanding payment of an amount in excess of that necessary to preclude foreclosure.

Bank takes the firm position that “the acceleration clause in the deed of trust had been exercised prior to [Mills’] partial tender.”

The general principles applicable to this case have recently been deftly reiterated. A deed of trust pledges land to secure a debt. The conditions of performance are according to the integral terms of the note and of the deed of trust. We look to the note for the description of the debt and repayment or the conditions of default. The deed of trust creates a lien to secure repayment in accordance with the terms of the note.

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

Related

Richard v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
418 S.W.3d 468 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 2013)
Oak Bluff Partners, Inc. v. Meyer
3 S.W.3d 777 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1999)
In Re Thomas
186 B.R. 470 (W.D. Missouri, 1995)
White River Development Co. v. Meco Systems, Inc.
837 S.W.2d 327 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1992)
Goodwin v. AAA Remodeling Co. (In re Goodwin)
142 B.R. 343 (E.D. Missouri, 1992)
In re Duncan
116 B.R. 146 (W.D. Missouri, 1990)
State Automobile & Casualty Underwriters v. Johnson
766 S.W.2d 113 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1989)
Hawkins v. Allison
764 S.W.2d 719 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1989)
King v. F.T.J., Inc.
765 S.W.2d 301 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1988)
Farm Bureau Town & Country Insurance Co. of Missouri v. Franklin
759 S.W.2d 361 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1988)
City of Gainesville v. Gilliland
718 S.W.2d 553 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1986)
Snowden v. Gaynor
710 S.W.2d 481 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1986)
Mills v. First National Bank of Mexico
697 S.W.2d 264 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1985)
Paramount Sales Co., Inc. v. Stark
690 S.W.2d 500 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1985)
Estate of Graves
684 S.W.2d 925 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1985)
Mills v. 1st National Bank of Mexico
661 S.W.2d 808 (Missouri Court of Appeals, 1983)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
661 S.W.2d 808, 1983 Mo. App. LEXIS 3690, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mills-v-1st-national-bank-of-mexico-moctapp-1983.