Multibank 2009-1 Res-ADC Venture, LLC v. PineCrest at Neskowin, LLC

857 F. Supp. 2d 1072, 2012 WL 786832, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31955
CourtDistrict Court, D. Oregon
DecidedMarch 8, 2012
DocketNo. 3:11-CV-853-BR
StatusPublished

This text of 857 F. Supp. 2d 1072 (Multibank 2009-1 Res-ADC Venture, LLC v. PineCrest at Neskowin, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Oregon primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Multibank 2009-1 Res-ADC Venture, LLC v. PineCrest at Neskowin, LLC, 857 F. Supp. 2d 1072, 2012 WL 786832, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31955 (D. Or. 2012).

Opinion

BROWN, District Judge.

This matter comes before the Court on the Motion (# 35) for Leave to File First Amended Answer and Third Amended Affirmative Defenses by Defendants Melanie S. Freeman, Michael D. Freeman, Pine-Crest at Neskowin, and Unit Owners Association of Pinecrest. For the reasons that follow, the Court GRANTS Defendants’ Motion.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The following facts are drawn from the allegations set out in Plaintiffs Complaint.

Plaintiff Multibank brings this action against Defendants for foreclosure of Trust Deed and against Defendants Melanie S. and Michael D. Freeman (the Free-mans) for Breach of Guaranty.

In October 2006 Silver Falls Bank loaned Defendant PineCrest $2.5 million, and PineCrest executed and delivered to Silver Falls Bank a Promissory Note for the same amount and a Trust Deed for the [1074]*1074property located at 48790 Breakers Boulevard, Neskowin, Oregon 97149. The terms of the Note were subsequently amended in November 2007 as reflected in a Change in Terms Agreement.

In February 2009 Silver Falls Bank was declared insolvent, and Third-Party Defendant Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was appointed as receiver of the bank. Plaintiff alleges FDIC sold and assigned the Note and Trust Deed to Plaintiff, which Plaintiff now seeks to enforce. Plaintiff alleges Defendant Pine-Crest is in default under the terms of the Note and Trust Deed for failure to pay the Note in full on its maturity date of October 18, 2008. Plaintiff also alleges the Free-mans breached the Commercial Guaranties they each executed and delivered to Plaintiff. Plaintiff alleges Defendants owe approximately $2.4 million on the Note.

Plaintiff seeks, inter alia, a foreclosure of the subject property pursuant to the Trust Deed and a judgment entered against Defendant PineCrest on the Note for the principal sum of the loan plus interest and also against the Freemans for the principal sum of the loan plus interest. Plaintiff also seeks attorneys’ fees and costs.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On July 2, 2010, Plaintiff filed this action against Defendants in Tillamook County Circuit Court.

On July 15, 2010, FDIC and Plaintiff jointly filed a motion in Tillamook County Circuit Court for mandatory joinder of FDIC as a party to the case. FDIC asserted, as the receiver of Silver Falls Bank, FDIC sold the assets of Silver Falls Bank (including the Note and Trust Deed at issue) to Plaintiff while FDIC retained Silver Falls Bank’s liabilities. Thus, FDIC contends it is liable for any wrongdoing by Silver Falls Bank related to the underlying loan transaction, but Plaintiff is the proper beneficiary of the Note and Trust Deed as the purchaser of that asset. While the joinder motion was pending in state court Defendants filed an Answer to Plaintiffs Complaint on or about August 12, 2010, and Defendants filed their Amended Affirmative Defenses and Counterclaims on approximately October 18, 2010.

On or about February 15, 2011, Defendants filed an Amended Answer and Second Amended Affirmative Defenses and Counterclaims in which Defendants asserted a number of affirmative defenses: (1) Plaintiff failed to state a claim; (2) Plaintiff is not the real party in interest under the loan documents; (3) Silver Falls Bank failed to disclose material facts to Defendants, which constitutes a breach of contract and excuses Defendants’ nonperformance; (4) Silver Falls Bank breached the agreement with Defendants to modify the terms of the Note and loan agreement; (5) Silver Falls Bank breached the loan agreement by failing to timely and fully fund the loan; (6) unclean hands; and (7) Silver Falls Bank violated the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. On many of the same facts that provide the basis for their Affirmative Defenses, Defendants also asserted Counterclaims against Plaintiff that implicate the actions of Silver Falls Bank.

On July 15, 2011, after briefing and oral argument, the Tillamook County Circuit Court granted the joint motion by Plaintiff and FDIC for mandatory joinder of FDIC as a Counterclaim Defendant and Third-Party Defendant.

FDIC then removed the matter to this Court on July 15, 2011.

Before FDIC filed any responsive pleading in this Court, Defendants filed on July 20, 2011, a Rule 41(a) dismissal of any and all of their claims against FDIC. Later that day FDIC filed its Answer to Defendants’ Counterclaims and Affirmative Defenses. On July 26, 2011, Defendants filed [1075]*1075a Motion to Remand this matter to state court based in large part on Defendants’ attempted voluntary dismissal of FDIC. On October 25, 2011, the Court held a hearing on these matters and issued the following Order (# 32):

For the reasons stated on the record, the Court construes Defendants Notice of Dismissal under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(l)(A)(i) as clarifying that Defendants do not intend to assert any affirmative relief against FDIC and as dismissing only those claims or defenses Defendants raised against Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation by implication or operation of law. Because Defendants expressly preserve each of their previously raised claims and defenses as against Plaintiff Multibank, which implicate Silver Falls Bank for whom the FDIC is the receiver and served as the basis for the Circuit Court of Tillamook County’s ruling that FDIC is a necessary party to this action, the Court concludes Defendants Notice of Dismissal cannot circumvent FDIC’s status as a necessary party or, to that extent, to dismiss FDIC. Accordingly, FDIC will remain a necessary party in this matter as long as Defendants assert claims and/or defenses that implicate the liability of Silver Falls Bank for which FDIC has statutory liability. Based on this ruling, Defendants conceded at oral argument that the removal by FDIC to this Court was proper and that the Motion for Remand should be denied. Accordingly, the Court acknowledges Defendants Notice [4] of Dismissal as stated here and on the record and DENIES Defendants Motion [10] to Remand. Defendants shall file no later than November 8, 2011, their Motion for Leave to File an Amended Answer and Counterclaims along with a form of the proposed Amended Answer and Counterclaims.

Accordingly, on November 8, 2011, Defendants filed their Motion (# 35) for Leave to File First Amended Answer and Third Amended Affirmative Defenses. After briefing by the parties, the Court heard argument on November 21, 2011. The Court directed Defendants to file a Supplemental Statement regarding the Motion to Amend. The Court notes neither Plaintiff nor FDIC chose to file any response to Defendants’ Supplemental Statement (# 41).

STANDARDS

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(a) provides a party may amend a pleading after a responsive pleading has been filed only by leave of court unless the opposing party consents to the amendment. Rule 15(a), however, also provides leave to amend “shall be freely given when justice so requires.” This policy is to be applied with “extreme liberality.” Moss v. United States Secret Svc., 572 F.3d 962, 972 (9th Cir.2009).

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

Related

Foman v. Davis
371 U.S. 178 (Supreme Court, 1962)
United States v. Hiram Webb
655 F.2d 977 (Ninth Circuit, 1981)
Robert Henderson v. Bank of New England
986 F.2d 319 (Ninth Circuit, 1993)
Federal Deposit Insurance v. Modular Homes, Inc.
859 F. Supp. 117 (D. New Jersey, 1994)
Moss v. U.S. Secret Service
572 F.3d 962 (Ninth Circuit, 2009)
Resolution Trust Corp. v. Conner
817 F. Supp. 98 (W.D. Oklahoma, 1993)
Resolution Trust Corp. v. Scaletty
810 F. Supp. 1505 (D. Kansas, 1992)
Bolduc v. Beal Bank, SSB
994 F. Supp. 82 (D. New Hampshire, 1998)
Resolution Trust Corp. v. Youngblood
807 F. Supp. 765 (N.D. Georgia, 1992)
Talmo v. Federal Deposit Ins. Corp.
782 F. Supp. 1538 (S.D. Florida, 1991)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
857 F. Supp. 2d 1072, 2012 WL 786832, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31955, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/multibank-2009-1-res-adc-venture-llc-v-pinecrest-at-neskowin-llc-ord-2012.