Palumbo v. Roberti

834 F. Supp. 46, 1993 WL 406043
CourtDistrict Court, D. Massachusetts
DecidedJuly 6, 1993
DocketCiv. A. 92-11468-GN
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 834 F. Supp. 46 (Palumbo v. Roberti) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Massachusetts primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Palumbo v. Roberti, 834 F. Supp. 46, 1993 WL 406043 (D. Mass. 1993).

Opinion

GORTON, District Judge.

Having considered Limited Objection of F.D.I.C. filed July 6, 1993, Report and Recommendation is accepted and adopted.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION RE: THE FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION’S MOTION TO DISMISS

ORDER RE: MOTION OF DEFENDANT, ANGELO ROBERTI, FOR LEAVE TO FILE CROSS-CLAIM

June 24, 1993

BOWLER, United States Magistrate Judge.

Pending before this court are two related motions (Docket Entry ## 3 & 14) involving the ability of defendant The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) to assert a defense based on the alleged failure of plaintiff Nancy Palumbo d/b/a Crayons Publications (“plaintiff’) and defendant Angelo Ro-berti (“Roberti”) to exhaust the mandatory administrative remedies provided by the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (“FIRREA”). 12 U.S.C. §§ 1821(d)(5) — (14). On May 20, 1993, this court held a hearing and took the motions (Docket Entry ## 3 & 14) under advisement.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff originally filed this action in Massachusetts Superior Court on May 29, 1992, against the FDIC and Roberti. On June 15, 1992, the FDIC filed a notice of removal. On July 24, 1992, Roberti filed an answer and presently moves for leave to file two omitted cross claims against the FDIC: one for contribution and the other for the FDIC’s alleged violation of Massachusetts General Laws chapter 21E (“chapter 21E”).

As alleged in the unverified complaint, this action stems from a rainstorm and resulting flood which occurred on June 2, 1989, on property located in Milford, Massachusetts, owned and occupied by the Home National Bank of Milford (“bank property”). Roberti owned a building adjacent to the bank property (“the premises”) and leased a portion of the building to Everything Educational at the time of the flood. Everything Educational, with Roberti’s consent, allowed plaintiff to use a portion of the basement in the premises to create and store art work used in her business, Crayons Publications. (Docket Entry #2, Complaint).

As a result of the June 2, 1989 rainstorm, oil and water allegedly seeped from the bank property into the basement of the premises. The seepage of water and oil purportedly destroyed plaintiffs art work and related materials. Count I of the complaint alleges that Roberti and the Home National Bank of Milford (“Home National”) should have foreseen the possibility of oil seepage. The resulting unreasonable interference with Crayons Publications’ ability to use the basement *49 constituted a nuisance, according to the complaint. Plaintiffs remaining counts are for negligence on the part of Roberti and Home National (count II), defective condition of the premises (count III), failure to warn plaintiff of the defective condition of the premises (count IV), 1 failure on the part of Everything Educational to use due care with respect to its storage of plaintiffs materials (count V) 2 and violation of chapter 21E on the part of Home National and its successor in interest, the FDIC (count VI). (Docket Entry # 2, Complaint).

According to his deposition testimony, Ro-berti purchased the Claflin Building, i.e., the premises, in 1979. Prior tenants informed Roberti of an oily smell in the basement of the premises. Before plaintiff moved her materials into the basement, Roberti personally observed oil seeping in through cracks in the wall. Prior to Home National’s closure, Roberti participated in real estate closings for Home National. Shortly after the June 2, 1989, flood, Roger Robbins, President of Home National at the time, contacted Rober-ti and advised him that Home National was conducting an investigation. Roberti hired an engineer to inspect the premises. Home National paid for the engineer’s services up until its closure. Roberti expected Home National “to do something” inasmuch as the “oil came from their property.” After the FDIC took over the premises, Roberti and/or his engineer spoke with a Mr. Greenberg of the FDIC and/or his engineer(s) regarding the premises. The FDIC did not continue to pay for the services of Robérti’s engineer, according to Roberti. (Docket Entry # 18).

Roberti maintained accounts with Home National. He notes that “it was in the newspaper that the FDIC came in and that was that.” When asked if he received written notice of the FDIC’s appointment as receiver of Home National, he replied “no, BayBank took over. Nobody notified me that the FDIC took over.” (Docket Entry # 18).

Plaintiff avers that Crayons Publications was not a creditor or a depositor with Home National. She further avers that Crayons Publications never received notice of the filing deadline for claims brought against the FDIC as a result of the receivership of Home National. She also avers that “[i]n early Fall, 1991,1 realized [the bank property] was contaminated by oil which was the source of the oil which leaked into [the premises] where I had stored bilingual educational materials.” Finally, she avers that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality Engineering issued a Preliminary Assessment Report (“DEQE report”) dated October 18,1991, with respect to the bank property and attaches a copy of the report to her affidavit. (Docket Entry # 7).

At her deposition, plaintiff stated that Nancy Palumbo d/b/a Crayons Publications had an account at Home National. She also states that she maintained a credit card in her own name at Home National. She recalls receiving notice that her credit card would be run by another bank inasmuch as Home National was closing. She similarly recalls receiving notice that Home National was closing in connection with the Nancy Palumbo d/b/a Crayons Publications checking account. Thereafter, plaintiff “closed out” the Nancy Palumbo d/b/a Crayons Publications cheeking account. (Docket Entry #21).

The complaint alleges that on or about June 1, 1990, the FDIC became the successor in interest to the bank property by virtue of a liquidation of Home National. The complaint additionally alleges that the FDIC owns and controls the bank property. (Docket Entry #2, Complaint).

By affidavit, Fred A. Raish, an FDIC employee, avers that he searched the FDIC’s records with respect to Home National. His search revealed that “no claims have been made by Nancy Palumbo d/b/a/ Crayon (sic) Publications” against either the FDIC or Home National. Public notice of the right to present claims to the FDIC was published in the Boston Globe on June 6, July 6 and August 7, 1990. The bar date for filing administrative claims with the FDIC in con *50 nection with Home National was September 6, 1990. (Docket Entry # 5).

In opposition to the FDIC's motion to dismiss, plaintiff argues that she was neither a creditor nor a depositor with Home National at the time it was declared insolvent. Consequently, she maintains that she did not receive notice of the administrative filing deadline. She similarly contends that her claim is excepted under 12 U.S.C. § 1821

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Bluebook (online)
834 F. Supp. 46, 1993 WL 406043, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/palumbo-v-roberti-mad-1993.