Palfed, Inc. v. United States

61 Fed. Cl. 467, 2004 U.S. Claims LEXIS 186, 2004 WL 1709040
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedJuly 30, 2004
DocketNo. 95-496C
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 61 Fed. Cl. 467 (Palfed, Inc. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Palfed, Inc. v. United States, 61 Fed. Cl. 467, 2004 U.S. Claims LEXIS 186, 2004 WL 1709040 (uscfc 2004).

Opinion

OPINION AND FINAL JUDGMENT

BRADEN, Judge.

Plaintiffs filed this suit after being notified by counsel that “the appellate courts had rendered some good news for banks suing the Federal government on the Breach of Contract issue relative to the accelerated elimination of Supervisory Goodwill . . . . although PALFED’s treatment of Supervisory Goodwill was basically by implied contract with the government ... it would be wise for the Company to ‘throw its hat into the ring’ before the statute of limitations on the issue runs in the early August of this year.” Def.App. at 722.

In support of them claims, plaintiffs proceeded to file over 3,500 pages of appendix materials in addition to their briefs, all of which the court has examined and cited herein in detail. As the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has observed, however, the quantity of evidence is not probative of whether a contractual obligation exists: “‘[A] cloud of evidence that could be consistent with a contract’ does not satisfy the plaintiffs burden of proving mutual intent.” First Commerce Corp. v. United States, 335 F.3d 1373, 1380 (Fed.Cir.2003) (quoting D & N Bank v. United States, 331 F.3d 1374, 1377 (Fed.Cir.2003)); see also id. (“Although a contract may arise as a result of the confluence of multiple documents, there must still be a clear indication of intent to contract and the other requirements for concluding that a contract was formed.”). In this case, the court has found that none of the documents nor testimony adduced in deposition comes remotely close to establishing the first contractual element, i.e., mutuality of intent.

[469]*469RELEVANT FACTS1

A. Palmetto Federal Savings Bank.

From June 30, 1980 to December 31, 1981, Palmetto Federal Savings Bank of South Carolina (“Palmetto Federal”) incurred net operating losses due to “a deterioration in the interest margin between interest revenue on loans and investments, and interest expense on savings accounts and other borrowed money.” Def.App. at 205. On November 13,1981, a Federal Home Loan Bank Board (“FHLBB”) examination reported that, although the savings and loan association had a 10 month net loss of $1,254,886 for 1981 to date and a projected net loss for the first six months of 1982, it will have “no difficulty in meeting its net worth and statutory reserve requirements.” Id. at 136. In addition, the FHLBB noted that although Palmetto Federal’s losses had increased in 1982, “ ‘supervisory concern’ was [not] warranted at the time.” Id. at 287; see also id. at 205-06 (notes to Palmetto Federal Consolidated March 19, 1982 Financial Statements reported that although it met minimum net worth requirements as of December 31,1981, it did not expect to meet existing minimum net worth requirements for the year ending December 31,1982).

B. First Federal Savings And Loan Association.

During the 1970s, First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Beaufort, South Carolina (“First Federal”) had a history of operating problems caused by poor management. See Def.App. at 248.2 As of June 30, 1981, the notes to First Federal’s Consolidated Financial Statements indicated that the institution met its minimum net worth requirements, but “[e]conomic conditions [were] such that uncertainties exist as to the ability of the Association to significantly improve its interest margin, and thereby maintain operations at a level sufficient to meet its minimum net worth requirement at June 30, 1982. [If that occurs,] the FSLIC may take such corrective action as it deems necessary[.]” Id. at 78. On August 28, 1981, FHLBB examination of First Federal reported that the institutions “declining level of [470]*470profitability” was due to “the high cost of money[.]” Id. at 107; see also id. at 116 (detailing First Federal’s declining net worth).

C. The Merger Of Palmetto Federal Savings Bank And First Federal Savings And Loan Association.

On December 23, 1981, Palmetto Federal’s Board of Directors approved negotiations for a merger with First Federal. See Def.App. at 171; Pl.App. C (Tab 67 at 2467). On January 20, 1982, Palmetto Federal and First Federal tentatively agreed to merge. See Def.App. at 222. Palmetto Federal elected to use the purchase method of accounting. See Pl.App. B (Rowell Dep. at 1524). On March 30, 1982, Palmetto Federal’s independent accountants, Coopers & Lybrand, informed Palmetto Federal that the proposed accounting procedures for the merger conformed with GAAP and reported that:

In our opinion, based on the information furnished to us, the proposed transaction conforms in substance to the requirements for purchase accounting treatment in accordance with Opinion No. 16 of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; and accordingly, if such accounting treatment is followed, the recording of the proposed transaction will conform with generally accepted accounting principles.
The management of Palmetto had indicated that this criteria will not be met since they intend to dispose of a significant portion of the low-yield assets of First [Federal] after consummation of the merger. Accordingly, APB Opinion No. 16 would require that the combination of First [Federal] and Palmetto be accounted for by the purchase method.

Pl.App. C (Tab 99 at 2644-45).

According to a March 31, 1982 Merger Plan, Palmetto Federal intended to “be more aggressive in its market for savings due to the increased opportunity of placing its deposits in a higher yielding market [First Federal’s strong loan market due to heavy development along the coast] during these periods of extremely high interest rates . . . . This merger plan has been adopted by both associations and has been made with the sole purpose of building a stronger association capable of meeting the needs of its market area and capable of adapting to the extreme changes in the financial environment being experienced today in the United States . . . . The sole aim of this merger is to create a synergistic effect so that the resulting association is stronger than the sum of its two parts.” Def.App. at 254-55.

On April 2, 1982, First Federal agreed to merge with Palmetto Federal, subject to FHLBB approval. See Def.App. at 261, 263; see also Pl.App. C (Tab 74 at 2486-93). On May 3, 1982, the FHLBB Applications Department noted that Palmetto Federal, “via voluntary merger,” proposed to acquire First Federal “through the purchase of assets method of accounting.” Def.App. at 285; Pl.App. C (Tab 36) at 1904; see also Pl.App. E (Rochester Dep. at 3432-33). Therefore, the FHLBB recommended that the application be approved subject to the following conditions:

Within thirty days after the effective date of the merger (i.e.,

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Bluebook (online)
61 Fed. Cl. 467, 2004 U.S. Claims LEXIS 186, 2004 WL 1709040, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/palfed-inc-v-united-states-uscfc-2004.