Schulte v. Benton Savings & Loan Ass'n

651 S.W.2d 71, 279 Ark. 275, 1983 Ark. LEXIS 1408
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedMay 31, 1983
Docket83-74
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 651 S.W.2d 71 (Schulte v. Benton Savings & Loan Ass'n) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Schulte v. Benton Savings & Loan Ass'n, 651 S.W.2d 71, 279 Ark. 275, 1983 Ark. LEXIS 1408 (Ark. 1983).

Opinion

Frank Holt, Justice.

The issue in this case involves the enforceability of a “due on sale” clause in a mortgage where the mortgagee is a state chartered savings and loan association. The case is certified to us by the Court of Appeals pursuant to the Rules of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, Rule 29 (1) (c) and (4) (d).

In 1977, the appellant Ballard Construction Company executed a promissory note payable to the appellee and secured by a mortgage on commercial real property. Included in the mortgage contract was the following due on sale clause:

(j) Acceleration. The maturity of the principal indebtedness secured hereby may be accelerated in any of the following events: ....
(7) If the mortgagor or assignee sells or conveys (or contracts to sell or convey) all or any part of the mortgaged property without the written consent of the holder of said note.

In 1981, appellant Ballard Construction Company sold the mortgaged real estate to the appellant Schulte without the written consent of the appellee. The appellee elected to accelerate the maturity of the indebtedness. The appellant Schulte refused the appellee’s demand that she pay the full indebtedness within 30 days. However, she tendered into the registry of the court the regular monthly installments, which appellee refused to accept, pursuant to the terms of the promissory note. The appellee declared the note to be in default and brought this action to collect the full balance of the note plus attorneys’ fees. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of the appellee, holding that the appellants were liable to the appellee for the $82,285.58 balance including $2,500 as being a reasonable attorneys’ fee for which the note provided. Hence this appeal.

Appellants argue that the default is based upon a technical provision in the mortgage absent any showing that the security is impaired by the prohibited sale. They cite Tucker v. Pulaski Federal Savings if Loan, 252 Ark. 849, 481 S. W.2d 725 (1972). There, we held that a due on sale clause, such as the one presented here, could not be enforced unless the mortgagee reasonably believed its security was impaired by the sale. See also, Seay v. Davis, 246 Ark. 201, 438 S.W.2d 479 (1969), supplemental opinion on rehearing, 246 Ark. 627, 438 S.W.2d 479 (1969); and Rawhide Farms v. Darby, 267 Ark. 776, 589 S.W.2d 210 (Ark. App. 1979). However, in 1976 the Federal Home Loan Bank Board issued a regulation, 12 C.F.R. § 545.8-3 (f) (1982), permitting federally chartered savings and loans to enforce due on sale clauses without a showing that the security is impaired by the sale. In Independence Federal Savings if Loan Association v. Davis, 278 Ark. 387, 646 S.W.2d 336 (1983), we held that the FHLB regulation pre-empted state law on this issue, citing Fidelity Federal Savings if Loan Ass’n v. De La Cuesta,_ U.S--, 102 S. Ct. 3014, 73 L.Ed.2d 664 (1982). Here the appellee is a state chartered savings and loan association, not a federal savings and loan.

Our legislature enacted Act 242 in 1969 (Ark. Stat. Ann. § 67-1858 (4) and (5) [Repl. 1980]), the constitutionality of which is not questioned, which provides in pertinent part, with respect to the Board governing state chartered savings and loan associations:

ADDITIONAL POWERS OF ASSOCIATIONS. — Irrespective of any limitations contained in this Act [§§ 67-1801 — 67-1862] the Board may adopt rules and regulations authorizing or empowering any association chartered or operating under the provisions of said Act 227 of 1963, as amended, to:
(4) Adopt any business practice, procedure, method or system authorized for a Federal Association doing business in this State; and
(5) Make any loan or investment that a Federal Association doing business in this state is authorized to make; provided, in the absence of a general rule or regulation adopted by the Board the Supervisor may authorize an Association to make any loan or investment that a FederM Association doing business in this State is authorized to make.

The Emergency Clause provides:

It has been found ^nd determined that Federal Associations doing business in this State have and will have an unfair competitive advantage over associations chartered by this State and that it is imperative to immediately, remove such unfair competitive advantage. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist, and this Act being necessary for the preservation of; the public peace, health, safety and welfare, shall take effect and be in force from the date of its passage and approval ....

The Savings and Loan Association Board promulgated in 1972 regulations which provide in pertinent part:

Rule III

Pursuant to Act 242 of the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas for 1969 [Ark. Stat. Ann. § 67-1801 et seq.] the Savings and Loan Association Board hereby adopts the following regulation:
(1) State Chartered Savings and Loan Associations after April 25, 1972, have the power to: . . .
(c) Adopt any business practice, procedure, method or system authorized for a Federal Association doing business in this State;
(d) Make any loan or investment that a Federal Association doing business in this State is authorized to make; provided, in the absence of a general rule or regulation adopted by the Board the Supervisor may authorize an Association to make any loan or investment that a Federal Association doing business in this State is authorized to make; and . . .
(3) Provided, that it was the clear intent of the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas in adopting Act 242 of 1969 that Federal Savings and Loan Associations doing business in this State should not have an unfair competitive advantage over State chartered associations and in order to implement this intent during interim periods of the quarterly meetings of the Arkansas Savings and Loan Association Board in the event Federal associations are granted powers after April 25, 1972, in addition to those existing or before that date, State chartered savings and loan associations shall have the same powers, unless within a period of ninety (90) days after the effective date of said Federal authorization, the Board at a public hearing shall disallow such powers.

In addition, Rule III — A (1) (a) gives to state chartered savings and loan associations:

(3) The power to offer any form of mortgage which now may be offered by federal savings and loan associations.

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Related

Hughes v. Segal Enterprises, Inc.
627 F. Supp. 1231 (W.D. Arkansas, 1986)
Smith v. St. Paul Guardian Insurance
622 F. Supp. 867 (W.D. Arkansas, 1985)
Worthen Bank & Trust Co. v. Adair
690 S.W.2d 727 (Court of Appeals of Arkansas, 1985)
Diamond Shamrock Corp. v. Harris
681 S.W.2d 317 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1984)
Abrego v. United Peoples Federal Savings & Loan Ass'n
664 S.W.2d 858 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1984)

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Bluebook (online)
651 S.W.2d 71, 279 Ark. 275, 1983 Ark. LEXIS 1408, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schulte-v-benton-savings-loan-assn-ark-1983.