SALT RIVER SAND AND ROCK CO. v. Dunevant

213 P.3d 251
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedJune 30, 2009
Docket1 CA-SA 09-0083
StatusPublished

This text of 213 P.3d 251 (SALT RIVER SAND AND ROCK CO. v. Dunevant) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
SALT RIVER SAND AND ROCK CO. v. Dunevant, 213 P.3d 251 (Ark. Ct. App. 2009).

Opinion

213 P.3d 251 (2009)

SALT RIVER SAND AND ROCK COMPANY, a Division of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, Petitioner,
v.
The Honorable Thomas DUNEVANT, III, Judge of the Superior Court of the State of Arizona, in and for the County of Maricopa, Respondent Judge,
Gravel Resources of Arizona, an Arizona general partnership, Real Party in Interest.

No. 1 CA-SA 09-0083.

Court of Appeals of Arizona, Division 1, Department B.

June 30, 2009.

*253 Osborn Maledon PA By Thomas L. Hudson, and Michael S. Catlett, Phoenix, Attorneys for Petitioner.

Wright & Associates By Lawrence C. Wright and Ryan P. Dyches, Mesa, Attorneys for Real Party in Interest.

OPINION

NORRIS, Judge.

¶ 1 In this special action, petitioner Salt River Sand and Rock Company ("Salt River") asks us to reverse an order entered by the superior court denying its motion to reduce the amount of a bond required for a stay pending appeal of an $18.4 million judgment entered against it and in favor of Gravel Resources of Arizona ("Gravel Resources"). Applying this court's decision in Bruce Church, Inc. v. Superior Court, 160 Ariz. 514, 774 P.2d 818 (App.1989), the superior court held that case limited its "discretion to set a bond below the amount of the judgment (at least when the reduction is to account for the debtor's inability to pay), as opposed to its broad discretion in crafting the form of the bond." Salt River argues the superior court's discretion was not so limited and asks us to clarify Bruce Church and the standards a superior court should apply in determining the bond amount when a judgment debtor is unable to post a bond in the full amount of the judgment together with costs, interest and damages attributed to the stay pending appeal.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

¶ 2 Salt River mines aggregates for use in concrete mix and other construction materials. It currently has over 100 employees and although adversely affected by the economic downturn, it continues to conduct business. Salt River is a separate division of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. The Community waived sovereign immunity only for Salt River. Accordingly, Salt River maintains separate audited financial statements and makes periodic profit distributions to the Community when it is able to do so. Pursuant to the ordinance creating Salt River as a division of the Community, Salt River may borrow money from the Community, but "[a]ny borrowing ... shall be treated as a like borrowing from any commercial lender."

¶ 3 In 1993, Salt River took over a mining lease agreement with Gravel Resources to mine aggregates from Gravel Resources' *254 property. In 2003, a dispute arose between the parties over mining royalties owed under the lease. The dispute led to a lawsuit and eventually to an $18.4 million judgment in Gravel Resources' favor.[1] The superior court stayed execution of the judgment to give Salt River time to obtain a supersedeas bond in the amount of the judgment plus costs, interest and damages resulting from the stay ("judgment").

¶ 4 Subsequently, Salt River advised the court it was unable to post a supersedeas bond in the full amount of the judgment. By motion, it asked the court to reduce the amount of the bond to $5.5 million and allow it to post alternate security consisting of first, a pledge of real property worth at least $5.5 million by a third party pursuant to an arbitration award entered in favor of Salt River and against the third party,[2] and second, limitations that would protect Gravel Resources from a reduction in Salt River's assets pending appeal.

¶ 5 In making this request, Salt River presented the court with evidence it was unable to borrow even $5.5 million except from the Community; it could not obtain a supersedeas bond without collateral consisting of cash, a letter of credit or income-producing property; its assets, mostly inventory and heavy equipment, had a value of approximately $21.1 million but were not readily subject to liquidation; and if a stay pending appeal was not entered and Gravel Resources began collection efforts, it would likely be forced to shut down. Opposing a reduced bond, Gravel Resources argued Salt River had failed to demonstrate it could not obtain a supersedeas bond in the full amount of the judgment, especially if the Community elected to assist its efforts to do so. It further argued that even if Salt River could not obtain a bond in the amount of the judgment, the alternate security it had offered was inadequate because it did not provide protection equivalent to that provided by a supersedeas bond.

¶ 6 After oral argument, the court denied Salt River's request for a reduced bond and alternate security. Although it rejected Gravel Resources' argument Salt River could in fact post a full supersedeas bond because of its relationship with the Community, the court, relying on Bruce Church, concluded it had no discretion to "set" a bond below the amount of Gravel Resources' judgment:

However, the Court must also insure that the alternative bond preserve the judgment creditor's ability to fully recover. Bruce Church, Inc. v. Superior Court, 160 Ariz. 514, 517 [774 P.2d 818] (App.1989), which both sides agree is the controlling case, supports Gravel Resources. True, Bruce Church holds that "the rule and the inherent discretion and power of the trial court allow for flexibility in the determination of the nature and extent of the security required to stay the execution of the judgment pending appeal." Id. (emphasis added). But it goes on: "There must be an objective demonstration that the judgment debtor has the financial strength to proficiently respond to a money judgment and that the same financial strength and ability to respond will remain undiluted during appeal." Id. (emphasis in original). This language limits, if it does not remove altogether, the Court's discretion to set a bond below the amount of the judgment (at least when the reduction is to account for the debtor's inability to pay), as opposed to its broad discretion in crafting the form of the bond. None of the alternatives [Salt River] proposes is adequate to guarantee payment in full of Gravel Resources' judgment. This Court's hands are therefore tied.

JURISDICTION

¶ 7 In the exercise of our discretion, we accept special action jurisdiction. Salt River has no equally plain, speedy and adequate remedy by appeal. Bruce Church, 160 Ariz, at 515, 774 P.2d at 819 (accepting *255 special action jurisdiction because there is no adequate remedy by appeal to correct alleged error by trial court in setting amount of supersedeas bond). It is undisputed that absent a stay, collection efforts will likely put Salt River out of business. Further, the core issues presented in this special action are whether the superior court has discretion to set a supersedeas bond for less than the amount of a judgment, and if so, what factors should it consider in determining alternate security in that situation. These issues present questions of law and are of statewide importance. Green v. Nygaard, 213 Ariz. 460, 462, ¶ 6, 143 P.3d 393, 395 (App.2006).

DISCUSSION

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464 F. Supp. 2d 19 (District of Columbia, 2006)
Fragoso v. Fell
111 P.3d 1027 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2005)
Gravel Resources of Arizona v. Hills
170 P.3d 282 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2007)
Green v. Nygaard
143 P.3d 393 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2006)
Salt River Sand & Rock Co. v. Dunevant
213 P.3d 251 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2009)
HCB Contractors v. Rouse & Associates
168 F.R.D. 508 (E.D. Pennsylvania, 1995)

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Bluebook (online)
213 P.3d 251, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/salt-river-sand-and-rock-co-v-dunevant-arizctapp-2009.