Resolution Trust Corp. v. Associated Investment Group

792 F. Supp. 796, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20017, 1991 WL 329735
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedDecember 27, 1991
DocketNo. 90-6707-CIV
StatusPublished

This text of 792 F. Supp. 796 (Resolution Trust Corp. v. Associated Investment Group) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Resolution Trust Corp. v. Associated Investment Group, 792 F. Supp. 796, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20017, 1991 WL 329735 (S.D. Fla. 1991).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT

ARONOVITZ, District Judge.

THIS CAUSE came before the Court upon Plaintiff Resolution Trust Corporation as Receiver of Commonwealth Federal Savings and Loan Association’s Motion for Summary Judgment, file dated March 6, 1991.

Having considered the Motion, responses, supplemental filings, the pertinent portions of the record, and applicable law, and being otherwise fully advised in the premises, THE COURT herein files the following memorandum opinion.

MEMORANDUM OPINION

This is an action brought by the Plaintiff Resolution Trust Corporation (“RTC”) as Receiver of Commonwealth Federal Savings and Loan Association (“Commonwealth Federal”) to collect sums allegedly due and owing on two separate Promissory Notes allegedly executed by the Defendants Associated Investment Group (“Associated Investment”) and Associated Properties (Associated Properties) and delivered to Commonwealth Savings and Loan Association (“Commonwealth Savings”) in 1986.

Factual Background

On or about August 14, 1986, Associated Investment executed and delivered to Commonwealth Savings a Promissory Note in the original principal sum of $3,230,000.00 (“$3,230,000.00 Note”). On the same day, Associated Properties executed and delivered to Commonwealth Savings a Promissory Note in the original principal sum of $1,770,000.00 (“$1,770,000.00 Note”). Both notes were supported by a Continuing Guaranty executed and delivered to Commonwealth Savings by defendant John H. Harvison.

Both Associated Investment and Associated Properties have allegedly defaulted under the respective notes by failing to make payments due and owing to Commonwealth Savings for July, 1989, and for each month thereafter. Similarly, John H. Har-vison has allegedly defaulted under both Guaranties by failing to pay the sums due and owing as required thereunder.

Pursuant to Resolution 89-1902P adopted by the Federal Home Loan Bank Board on July 19, 1989, the Federal Savings . and Loan Insura nee Corporation (“FSLIC”) was appointed receiver for Com: monwealth Savings. The FSLIC organized Commonwealth Federal to facilitate the liquidation of Commonwealth Savings, and thereafter, the FSLIC became conservator for Commonwealth Federal upon appointment by the Bank Board. Under an acquisition agreement dated July 20, 1989, Commonwealth Federal acquired certain assets and liabilities of Commonwealth Savings, allegedly including the notes which are the subject of this action. The RTC was appointed Receiver for Commonwealth Federal by the Office of Thrift Supervision, after first having succeeded the FSLIC as Conservator for Commonwealth Federal by operation of law, pursuant to the FIRREA, 12 U.S.C. § 1441a(b)(l).

The RTC has demanded the accelerated payment of all sums due and owing from the appropriate parties, and filed the instant lawsuit on August 30, 1990. On March 6, 1991, the RTC moved for partial summary judgment on the liability of Associated Investment, Associated Properties, [798]*798its general partners, and John H. Harvison for the sums dues and owing on the notes.1 Discussion

Summary judgment is proper “if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c); Celotex v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). The RTC argues that the claims and defenses asserted by the defendants are legally insufficient as applied against RTC as Receiver, and that there is no genuine issue of material fact which would preclude summary judgment at this stage.

The defendants proffer several defenses to payment of the notes in question and in opposition to the RTC’s motion for summary judgment. First the defendants argue that the RTC’s summary judgment evidence fails to establish that the RTC as Receiver is the owner and holder of the notes. Second, the defendants contend that the claims based on the notes and guarantees are ineffective because the partnerships are not valid entities. Third, the defendants argue that because the RTC is not a holder in due course of “nonnegotiable” notes, the notes are merely contracts whose terms have not been pled and proved by the RTC in its complaint. Each of these arguments is addressed below.2

Ownership of the Notes

In support of its motion for summary judgment, the RTC relies on the affidavit of William Brimacombe, a Senior Vice President of Commonwealth Federal, who testified that the RTC as Conservator (now RTC as Receiver) “owns and holds the Loan Documents sued upon in this action by virtue of that certain Acquisition Agreement of July 20, 1989 ...” Moreover, Mr. Brimacombe testified that the original notes “are in the custody, supervision and control of the Affiant, and are complete, accurate and correct.” Because the RTC as Receiver succeeded to the rights of RTC as Conservator by operation of law, this affidavit, the RTC argues, is sufficient to establish that the RTC-Receiver now owns and holds the notes.

Defendants, on the other hand, contend that a question of fact exists as to whether the RTC is the current owner and holder of the subject notes. In particular, defendants suggest that there is some dispute as to whether the loan documents which are the subject of this action were in fact transferred from RTC as Conservator to RTC as Receiver after Commonwealth Federal was placed in receivership. In support of this suggestion, defendants cite the affidavit of Angel Castillo. The Castillo affidavit asserts that a Miami Herald article, which discussed the failure of Commonwealth Federal, reported that its assets were transferred to five lending institutions. Defendants contend that the Miami Herald article did not reflect that any of the assets of Commonwealth Federal were transferred to RTC as Receiver. Thus, defendants argue, the Castillo affidavit demonstrates that there is some confusion over who actually owns the loans documents and notes. Moreover, defendants contend that the affidavit of Mr. Richard Williams, in which he avers that agents of the RTC have told him that the RTC has transferred the loans to a third party, casts serious doubt about the possession of the notes.

This Court is not persuaded by defendants’ argument as reflected in the Castillo and Williams affidavits. As this Court has previously stated in its Order of December 2, 1991 on Defendants’ Motion to Stay, this Court is satisfied that the Plaintiff RTC is indeed in possession of the subject notes. The assertions contained in the Castillo and Williams affidavits constitute vague conclusions based upon negative inferences and unsubstantiated hearsay. This Court does [799]*799not view these affidavits as competent evidence which creates a material issue of fact concerning the ownership of the notes.

Lack of Partnership Capacity

Defendants also argue that Barbara Smith as Custodian for Hope E.

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792 F. Supp. 796, 1991 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20017, 1991 WL 329735, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/resolution-trust-corp-v-associated-investment-group-flsd-1991.