Resolution Trust Corp. v. Bright

157 F.R.D. 397, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13129, 1994 WL 503382
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Texas
DecidedSeptember 13, 1994
DocketCiv. A. No. 3:92-CV-0995-D
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 157 F.R.D. 397 (Resolution Trust Corp. v. Bright) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Texas 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. Bright, 157 F.R.D. 397, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13129, 1994 WL 503382 (N.D. Tex. 1994).

Opinion

FITZWATER, District Judge:

This appeal from an order of the magistrate judge denying a motion to compel presents the question whether directors and officers sued by the Resolution Trust Corporation (“RTC”), in its corporate capacity, for damages the directors and officers allegedly caused to a failed financial institution, may obtain discovery concerning post-conservatorship actions of the RTC in order to challenge the RTC’s calculation of its damages claims. The court concludes that directors and officers are entitled to such discovery, that the non-privileged portions of three of the four documents in dispute are discoverable on this basis, and that these parts should have been ordered produced. The order is therefore affirmed in part and reversed in part and plaintiff is ordered to produce the non-privileged portions of these documents.

I

This is an action by plaintiff RTC, in its corporate capacity, to recover against several defendants for breach of contract, misrepresentations, fraud, breach of fiduciary duties, conspiracy, negligence, and gross negligence that the RTC alleges injured the failed Bright Bane Savings Association (“Bright Banc”).1

One of the claims brought by the RTC centers on a Bright-Laughlin Office Partners (“BLOP”) project. According to the RTC’s complaint, defendants H.R. Bright (“Bright”) and James B. Reeder (“Reeder”), both of whom were Bright Banc directors and officers at various times, caused Bright Banc to agree to finance construction of an office building and parking garage on a parcel of land located in downtown Dallas, Texas. See 2d Am.Complt. at ¶¶ 92-93. The parcel of property, which was to be leased from the Catholic Diocese of Dallas (“Diocese”) for a term of 99 years, surrounded the Cathedral Sanetuario de Guadalupe. Id. at ¶¶ 92-94. C. King Laughlin (“Laughlin”), a Dallas realtor, conceived the idea. Id. at ¶ 92. Laugh-lin and Bright Realty Corporation (“Bright Realty”), a Bright Banc subsidiary, became partners in the development of the project. Id. at ¶ 93. Bright Realty and Laughlin formed BLOP, which was to develop, construct, and operate an office building and parking garage on the property. Id. In October 1985 Laughlin and Bright Realty entered into the ground lease with the Diocese. Id. at ¶ 94. Pursuant to the lease agreement, Bright Realty and Laughlin obligated themselves to make rental payments, construct an administration building and parking garage, and secure construction of the garage with a letter of credit. Laughlin and Bright Realty had an option to build a 40-story office building on the leased premises. Id.

The RTC alleges that Bright Banc funded $12 million for BLOP, that the project was speculative, and that it was “a total loss.” See id. at ¶ 99. The RTC sues defendants to recover several million dollars in damages, [400]*400including the sum of $12 million in connection with the BLOP loans. See id. at p. 66 (prayer for relief, item no. 4).

Defendants Bright and Reeder object in part to an order of the magistrate judge denying them motion to compel production of documents. They contend four of the 21 documents at issue—document Nos. 31, 33, 35, and 44—should have been ordered produced because they are discoverable concerning the BLOP project. They maintain that the magistrate judge clearly erred or acted contrary to law when he held that documents relating to appraisals and potential sales of Bright Banc assets after it was placed in conservatorship are irrelevant to this action. Defendants contend first that the documents are discoverable in connection with their affirmative defenses of contributory negligence and mitigation of damages. They argue second that the withheld materials are apposite not only to these defenses but are relevant to the issue “whether, and to what extent, the RTC has suffered damages at all.”

The RTC supports the magistrate judge’s order, contending the documents in question “concern asset management documents relating to post-conservatorship actions of the RTC,” and therefore are not discoverable.

II

On the basis of the court’s opinion in RTC v. Sands, 863 F.Supp. 365 (N.D.Tex. 1994), the court rejects defendants’ contention that they may obtain the discovery in question in order to prove the affirmative defenses of contributory negligence and mitigation of damages. The court disagrees with defendants’ reading of O’Melveny & Myers v. FDIC, - U.S. -, 114 S.Ct. 2048, 129 L.Ed.2d 67 (1994), and holds on the basis of FDIC v. Mijalis, 15 F.3d 1314 (5th Cir.1994), aff'g in part, rev’g in part 800 F.Supp. 397 (W.D.La.1992), that neither affirmative defense is available to the extent predicated in the instant case upon the post-conservator-ship conduct of the RTC. See Sands, 863 F.Supp. at 373 (rejecting defense of failure to mitigate damages) and 374 (striking contributory negligence defense).

Ill

Defendants next contend the documents are discoverable in connection with determining the existence and amount of the RTC’s alleged damages stemming from the BLOP project.

A

The RTC argued before the magistrate judge that document Nos. 31, 33, 35, and 44 “are not discoverable because they relate to the post-conservatorship actions of the RTC. They concern the evaluation of the sale of certain assets or estimated losses. The documents are simply not relevant.” See P. July 1, 1994 Ltr. to Judge Sanderson at 4. The RTC contended in the alternative that some of the documents “refer to privileged attorney-client communications,” and requested that if the magistrate judge ordered disclosure, the RTC be given an opportunity to redact any privileged materials. Id. at 4-5. The magistrate judge agreed with the RTC that the documents need not be produced because “these documents relate to appraisals and contemplated sales of property owned by Bright Banc after the bank had been closed and do not address purported appraised values at or about the time that Bright Banc ceased operations.” Order at 2. The RTC did not urge on any grounds other than relevance and the attorney-client privilege that the four documents in question should not be disclosed.

B

Notwithstanding the unavailability of certain affirmative defenses, officers and directors sued by the RTC in its corporate capacity are entitled to challenge the amount of the RTC’s alleged damages. See Mijalis, 15 F.3d at 1327 (holding persuasive FDIC’s argument concerning inadmissibility of evidence of post-closing damages in which FDIC conceded that defendants could challenge FDIC’s evidence regarding the salvage value of unliquidated collateral and thereby attack the damages figure recommended by the FDIC). Fed.R.Civ.P. 26(b)(1) permits the parties to obtain discovery “regarding [401]*401any matter, not privileged, which is relevant to the subject matter involved in the pending action, whether it relates to the claim or defense of the party seeking discovery or to the claim or defense of any other party.... The information sought need not be admissible at the trial if the information sought appears reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence.”

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
157 F.R.D. 397, 1994 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13129, 1994 WL 503382, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/resolution-trust-corp-v-bright-txnd-1994.