Scott v. Citizens Bank

431 S.W.2d 832, 245 Ark. 235, 1968 Ark. LEXIS 1187
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedSeptember 30, 1968
Docket4634
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 431 S.W.2d 832 (Scott v. Citizens Bank) 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
Scott v. Citizens Bank, 431 S.W.2d 832, 245 Ark. 235, 1968 Ark. LEXIS 1187 (Ark. 1968).

Opinion

Carleton Harris, Chief Justice.

This case involves a certificate of deposit. Ray Scott of Bald Knob, Arkansas, and Ernie Gaskin were stockholders in the Americana Motel at Bald Knob. A few months after the commencement of the operation of the motel, Scott decided to sell his stock to Archie Mason for $19,-000.00. Gaskin and Mason borrowed the money from Citizens Bank of Batesville, and executed their note on June 15, 1964, for that amount, the due date being December 15, 1964. Scott guaranteed the payment of the note by executing a “Limited Guaranty Agreement,” and by assigning to the bank a certificate of deposit in the amount of $15,000.00. As the due date of the note approached, it became apparent that the note would not be paid. Gaskin, by telephone, contacted Scott, who was then living in Valdosta, Georgia. On December 19, the bank wrote Scott, and, according to appellant’s contention, sent a new limited guaranty agreement for execution, the purpose being to guarantee a six months ’ extension of the June 15, 1964, note. Appellee contends that the new guaranty agreement was for the purpose of guaranteeing a new note to be executed by Gas-kin and T. B. Jackson in lieu of the Gaskin-Mason note. This instrument was not dated when received by Scott, and the space for the indentity of the co-signer of the note was also blank. The agreement did however refer to the note dated June 15, 1964. Scott dated all copies, signed, kept one copy and returned the other two to appellee. Thereafter, apparently about January 28, 1965, the bank relinquished the Gaskin-Mason note to Mason, and accepted a new note from Gaskin and T. B. Jackson. Scott contends that he knew nothing about this substitution of Jackson for Mason until the summer of 1965.

The Gaskin-Jackson note became due on June 16, 1965, was not paid, and on July 26, 1965, the bank accepted a payment of $2,000.00 and interest; no court proceedings were instituted, and another payment with interest was accepted on March 19, 1966. Scott contends that in the first instance, the note due in June, 1965, was extended to January, 1966, and that the note was subsequently extended to June 15, 1966. It is his contention that both extensions were without notice or without his consent. On July 1, 1966, the bank applied Scott’s certificate of deposit to the Gaskin-Jackson note. Appellant had made a demand for the certificate, and upon being refused, instituted suit against the bank in the Circuit Court of Independence County. The bank in its answer sought reformation of the second guaranty agreement, contending that a scrivener’s error had occurred in preparing this instrument with reference to the June 15, 1964, date; that the agreement actually referred to the subsequent note executed by Gaskin and Jackson on January 28, 1965. The case was tried by the Independence Chancery Court, to which it had been transferred by the Circuit Court, and from an adverse decree, appellant brings this appeal. For reversal, it is first asserted that the court erred in granting reformation of the second limited guaranty agreement dated December 15, 1964, so as to apply to the note of Gaskin and Jackson of January, 1965. This is the most important point in the litigation, and the controlling one.

Appellant’s argument is that he was sent the second guaranty agreement while residing at Valdosta, Georgia, and that he thought he was agreeing to extend the Gaskin-Mason note until June, 1965. This agrument is supported by the heretofore mentioned fact that the instrument referred to the note (which had been signed by Gaskin and Mason) of June 15, 1964. This is typed into the instrument, and Scott left all the blanks intact, except that he filled in the date of the agreement between himself and the bank as December 15, 1964. Scott asserts that he did not know about a new note signed by Gaskin and Jackson until the summer of 1965, and after his return to Arkansas. In fact, he testified that he had never heard of T. B. Jackson until after returning to this state.

Manual Conyers, Executive Vice-President of Citizens Bank, testified that he was the bank official who handled this particular transaction, and he stated that the reference to the note of June 15, 1964, was a scrivener’s error; that the date should have been January 28, 1965, the date of the new note. The witness said that he did not know how the error occurred, though it appeared most likely that the mistake was made by an employee of the bank. This alleged error was the basis for the bank’s prayer for reformation of the instrument. Mr. Conyers also testified that Scott knew that Mason would no longer be “on the note,” and that instead, Jackson would execute the new note; however, he was unable to state how he knew this fact to be true, or pinpoint just when Scott received that information from him. The witness said that he had some telephone conversations with Scott, but he finally stated that he did not know when Scott received the information. The testimony of the witness is not at all positive; indeed, to the contrary, the portion relating to whether Scott knew of the change in note signers is rather notable for uncertainty, and if this were the sum total of the testimony, a different result might well be in order.

However, testimony developed during the examination of Scott is entirely in conflict with appellant’s assertions. On cross-examination, counsel for appellee asked if appellant recalled the taking of his (appellant’s) discovery deposition, at which time certain questions and answers were given. The witness replied that he did remember. Thereafter, the record reflects the following:

“Q. And you stated at that time, and correct me if I am wrong, that this originally was a matter of Mason and Gaskin; and, now, Mason had got out, and you said, ‘and Jackson has come in.’ That is right?
A. Yes, sir; at that time, I didn’t know exactly what the date was at this time.
Q. Now I asked you this question: This certificate of deposit for $15,000.00 was placed as security for the payment by Jackson and Gas-kin? And you answered: Yes, sir, just guaranteeing the loan that they secured from the Bank.
A. That was a mistake; it should have been ‘Mason;’ Jackson wasn’t even in it; I didn’t know anything about that until later in .’65.
* * *
Q. At the time of the discovery deposition, I asked you particularly what your objection was to paying this, and I believe you said that they extended time to Gaskin and Jackson.
A. Well, that was a mistake; it should have been Mason.
Q. I handed you that particular note of Gaskin and Jackson and asked if that is the note which you guaranteed with the deposit. And you answered: Of course this note here was guaranteed when I was in Georgia, I imagine, with Jackson on here; it was probably sent to Gas-kin; I don’t know. See, this particular one, I was probably in Georgia when Jackson signed it; so I wasn’t in Arkansas at this time; but the $19,000.00 was the note that I had the CD on. Was that your answer then?
A. This was still a mistake on the names.”

Subsequently, during the trial of the case, Scott was called as an adverse witness.

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Bluebook (online)
431 S.W.2d 832, 245 Ark. 235, 1968 Ark. LEXIS 1187, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/scott-v-citizens-bank-ark-1968.