Resolution Trust Corp. v. Greif

906 F. Supp. 1457, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16653, 1995 WL 646601
District Court, D. Kansas·Decided October 27, 1995·No. Civ. A. No. 95-MC-251-EEO·Published·Cited by 2 cases

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

EARL E. O’CONNOR, District Judge.

This matter is before the court on the petition of the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) for Summary Enforcement of Administrative Subpoena Duces Tecum (Doc. # 1). Respondent Leopold H. Greif opposes enforcement of the subpoenas duces tecum. For the reasons set forth below, the RTC’s petition for summary enforcement is held in abeyance pending further order of the court.

[1462]*1462I. Background

A. Statutory Background

In response to the savings and loan crisis, Congress enacted the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 (“FIRREA”), which created the RTC and granted it broad powers and duties. Congress conferred upon the RTC much of the authority afforded the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, including conserva-torship and receivership powers. 12 U.S.C. § 1821(d). More specifically, Congress imposed on the RTC the duty to conduct its operations in a manner that maximizes the return on the disposition of the assets of failed insured depository institutions, makes efficient use of funds obtained from the government to carry out its functions, and minimizes the loss realized in the resolution of cases. 12 U.S.C. § 1441a(b)(3)(C). In its capacity as receiver, the RTC may, inter alia, avoid fraudulent asset transfers, 12 U.S.C. § 1821(d)(17), assert claims against the entities’ directors and officers, 12 U.S.C. § 1821(k), collect money due the institution, 12 U.S.C. § 1821(d)(2)(B)(ii), and place the institution in liquidation, 12 U.S.C. § 1821(d)(2)(E).

To facilitate the RTC’s pursuit of these broad objectives, Congress empowered the RTC to issue administrative subpoenas “for purposes of carrying out any power, authority, or duty” under the statute. 12 U.S.C. §§ 1818(n), 1821(d)(2)(I)(i). 12 U.S.C. § 1818(n) specifically gives the RTC “the power ... to issue, revoke, quash, or modify subpenas and subpenas duces tecum ...” and authorizes the RTC to apply to the courts for enforcement of such subpoenas. 12 U.S.C. § 1818(n) provides:

Any such agency ... may apply to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, or the United States district court for the judicial district ... in which such proceeding is being conducted, ... for enforcement of any subpena or subpena duces tecum issued pursuant to this subsection, and such courts shall have jurisdiction and power to order and require compliance therewith.

B. Factual Background

On April 2, 1993, the RTC was appointed receiver and conservator of Pioneer Savings & Loan Association (“Pioneer”). On October 28,1993, the RTC issued an Order of Investigation regarding Pioneer. The RTC order authorized the use of subpoenas in the investigation. The purposes of the investigation were to determine whether:

(1) former directors, officers, and others who provided services to, or otherwise dealt with, Pioneer, its successors or affiliates may be liable as a result of any actions, or failures to act, in connection with or which may have affected Pioneer, its successors or affiliates; (2) the RTC should seek to avoid a transfer of any interests or an incurrence of any obligations; (3) the RTC should seek an attachment of assets; and (4) pursuit of such litigation would be cost-effective, considering the extent of the potential defendant’s ability to pay a judgment in any such litigation.

Order of Investigation, p. 1.

Respondent Lee Greif was the chairman and a director of Pioneer from January 1986 until September 1992. Respondent Ralph Lewis was the president and a director from January 1986 until August 1989. Respondent James Sight was a director from May 1987 until December 1989. According to the declaration of John S. Torkelson, senior attorney in the legal division of the RTC, based on the investigation to date, including an analysis of Pioneer’s loan files and other records, the RTC suspects that Greif, Lewis, and Sight may be liable to the RTC based on actions they took or failed to take as directors and officers of Pioneer. Specifically, Torkelson states:

[I]t appears that the respondents may have failed to exercise reasonable care in their management and oversight of Pioneer’s lending practices. Regulatory examinations of Pioneer have cited several areas of such ineffective management by the officers and directors, including but not limited to: (1) ineffective analysis of the adequacy of loss allowances; (2) failure to recognize in-substanee foreclosures; (3) weakness in ongoing credit administration; [1463]*1463and (4) inadequate and incomplete Board of Directors’ minutes and reports. In addition, the RTC investigation to date has identified numerous large loans that were approved by the Board of Directors despite serious underwriting weaknesses, lack of adequate financial and credit information or analysis on the borrowers, and lack of adequate appraisals. The institution lost tens of millions of dollars on these imprudent loans.

Torkelson Declaration, ¶5.

In furtherance of its investigation, the RTC issued subpoenas duces tecum on November 18, 1993, to Lewis and Sight, and on December 1,1993, to Greif. The RTC issued additional subpoenas duces tecum to Greif, Lewis, and Sight on February 17,1995. Following receipt of the subpoenas duces tecum, Greif, Lewis and Sight timely served objections and motions to quash on the RTC. The RTC ruled in favor of enforcing the subpoenas, and directed the respondents to make production within ten days of receipt of the RTC’s ruling.

Respondents did not comply with the subpoenas duces tecum within the ten days provided by the RTC. The RTC then filed the instant petition for enforcement of the subpoenas duces tecum. By order dated October 13, 1995, the court ruled on the RTC’s petition for enforcement as to respondents Lewis and Sight. The court held that the objections raised by Lewis and Sight were without merit, and directed them to comply with the subpoenas duces tecum within ten days of the date of the order. Now before the court is the RTC’s petition to enforce the subpoenas duces tecum as to respondent Greif.

Greif represents to the court that he has complied with the requests in the December 1, 1993, subpoena duces tecum seeking business records of Pioneer and business records of any other business entity in his possession that he believed were responsive to the subpoena. In addition, Greif states that he has complied with the subpoena request for his federal income tax returns for the years 1990 through 1992.

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Resolution Trust Corp. v. Greif, 906 F. Supp. 1457, 1995 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16653, 1995 WL 646601 (D. Kan. 1995).

906 F. Supp. 1457 (Resolution Trust Corp. v. Greif) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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