Rhode Island Depositors Economic Protection Corp. v. Rignanese

714 A.2d 1190, 1998 R.I. LEXIS 238, 1998 WL 385931
CourtSupreme Court of Rhode Island
DecidedJuly 7, 1998
Docket97-194-Appeal
StatusPublished
Cited by34 cases

This text of 714 A.2d 1190 (Rhode Island Depositors Economic Protection Corp. v. Rignanese) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Rhode Island primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rhode Island Depositors Economic Protection Corp. v. Rignanese, 714 A.2d 1190, 1998 R.I. LEXIS 238, 1998 WL 385931 (R.I. 1998).

Opinion

OPINION

WEISBERGER, Chief Justice.

This case comes before us on appeal by the defendant Domenie B. Rignanese (Domenic) from a partial summary judgment entered in the Superior Court in favor of the plaintiff, Rhode Island Depositors Economic Protection Corporation (DEPCO). The Superior Court justice ruled that the defendant was liable to DEPCO on a promissory note that he signed payable to Rhode Island Central Credit Union (RICCU). For the reasons that follow, we affirm the judgment of the Superior Court. The facts and travel of the case insofar as pertinent to this appeal are as follows.

*1192 This ease had its origins in the credit-union crisis. See In re Advisory Opinion to the Governor (DEPCO), 593 A.2d 943, 947 (R.I. 1991). On April 14, 1988, Thomas D’Andrea (D’Andrea) and, it is alleged the late John Lanfredi (Lanfredi), then-president of RIC-CU, met with Domenic and requested that he participate in restructuring loans previously made by RICCU to D’Andrea or his affiliates. Domenic agreed and executed a promissory note and guaranty in favor of RICCU for the amount of $1,950,000. The note was secured by condominium property located in Cumberland, Rhode Island (the property), and owned and managed by D’Andrea. Apparently Domenic agreed to replace D’Andrea as borrower because he had known him socially since high school and professionally for approximately twenty-five years.

According to Domenic, Lanfredi and D’Andrea assured him that the loan would mature in one year, that is, that Domenic would be removed as maker of the promissory note within one year. D’Andrea or entities affiliated with him would still be considered owners of the property. The loan would be repaid prior to the expiration of one year because of the projections of revenue expected from the sale of the property. In the event of default RICCU would foreclose on the mortgaged property securing the note, and Domenic’s personal assets would not be placed at risk, even if a deficiency resulted from such a foreclosure sale.

None of the alleged assurances made to Domenic was in writing. Moreover, the form of the promissory note was such that Domenic as maker of the note would be fully liable in his personal capacity for its repayment.

On April 14,1989, September 18, 1989, and April 10, 1990, 1 amendments were made to the promissory note. The first amendment increased the interest rate to 13.25 percent per year and extended the maturity date for the note from ON DEMAND to April 14, 1990. The second amendment decreased the interest rate to 12.5 percent. The third amendment decreased the interest rate to 12 percent. Domenic alleges that his signature was forged on all three amendments, as well as on the loan application and the financial statement. Sometime after April 14, 1988, defendant Roseanna L. Rignanese (Rosean-na), was allegedly approached by Patricia Paolino, an employee of D’Andrea, and persuaded to sign the above-mentioned guaranty.

Domenic stated in his affidavit that from April 1988 through early 1991 he neither received a bill with respect to the note from RICCU nor made any payments on the account. Unfortunately D’Andrea also failed to make the payments required by the loan, whereupon RICCU became insolvent, and the receiver of RICCU commenced foreclosure proceedings against the property. The foreclosure sale took place on February 11, 1993, and resulted in proceeds of $424,295.

DEPCO, as successor to the receiver for RICCU, .brought suit against Domenic to recover the deficiency remaining after the foreclosure sale. On May 31, 1995, DEPCO moved for summary judgment. The defendants opposed the motion, asserting that (1) the oral agreement reached among Domenic, D’Andrea, and Lanfredi excused Domenic from paying the note, (2) G.L.1956 § 6A-3-407 relieved Domenic of liability because the amendments contained his forged signature, 2 and (3) § 6A-3-305(2)(c) relieved Roseanna of liability on the basis of fraud in the fac-tum.

On October 27, 1995, the motion justice granted summary judgment against Domenic holding that the D’Oench, Dukme doctrine codified in G.L.1956 § 42-116-23 and G.L. 1956 § 19-15-12 invalidated his claim that the oral agreement relieved him from liability. 3 The justice also held that even if the *1193 amendments to the promissory note did contain Domenic’s forged signature, the original promissory note was valid and enforceable against him. She therefore entered judgment against Domenic for the full amount due pursuant to the original terms of the note. She denied, however, summary judgment against Roseanna with respect to liability on the guaranty, holding that a question of fact existed as to whether fraud in the factum occurred. Fraud in the factum is a real defense valid against even holders in due course.

Subsequently, Domenic moved for reconsideration of the motion justice’s decision. That motion was heard on March 18, 1996, and denied. Domenic appealed and, on the basis that a Super. R. Civ. P. 54(b) finding had not been made by the motion justice, this Court remanded the case to the Superior Court for further proceedings by an order dated September 26, 1996. Thereafter, DEPCO filed a motion for entry of judgment pursuant to Rule 54(b) in the Kent County Superior Court. That motion was granted on January 13, 1997, and final judgment entered against Domenic for $2,849,270.78.

Standard of Review

In reviewing the granting of a motion for summary judgment, this Court employs •the same rules and analysis as the trial justice. Paradis v. Zarrella, 683 A.2d 1337, 1339 (R.I.1996). We shall sustain the judgment if our review of the pleadings, affidavits, and other relevant documents, viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, reveals no genuine issue, of material fact and if the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Id.; see also Rhode Island Depositors’ Economic Protection Corp. v. DiLorenzo, 683 A.2d 370, 371 (R.I.1996) (order).

Defendant’s Claims

Domenic seeks to avoid liability by advancing four arguments. First, he contends that on the basis of the principles of surety law, the oral agreement to remove Domenic as maker of the promissory note within one year is enforceable. Second, he argues that DEPCO is not a holder in due course of the note for purposes of summary judgment, because it acquired the promissory note with knowledge that it was overdue, and it had actual knowledge of the forged documents. Third, he asserts that the fraudulent execution of the three amendments, prior to RIC-CU’s insolvency, constitutes material and fraudulent alterations that discharge Domenic’s liability pursuant to § 6A-3-407. Fourth, he argues that even if DEPCO is a holder in due course of the note, the real defense of illegality precludes an award of summary judgment.

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714 A.2d 1190, 1998 R.I. LEXIS 238, 1998 WL 385931, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rhode-island-depositors-economic-protection-corp-v-rignanese-ri-1998.