Service Funding, Inc. v. Craft

763 P.2d 1131, 234 Mont. 431, 1988 Mont. LEXIS 321
CourtMontana Supreme Court
DecidedNovember 1, 1988
Docket88-203
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 763 P.2d 1131 (Service Funding, Inc. v. Craft) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Montana Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Service Funding, Inc. v. Craft, 763 P.2d 1131, 234 Mont. 431, 1988 Mont. LEXIS 321 (Mo. 1988).

Opinion

MR. JUSTICE WEBER

delivered the Opinion of the Court.

Service Funding, Inc., (Service Funding) brought an action to recover $28,802.38 on a note secured by a second mortgage from the Crafts on property in which First Security Bank (First Security) also had a security interest. The District Court for the Eighteenth Judicial District, Gallatin County, sitting without a jury, denied Service Funding’s request for relief. We affirm.

The issues are:

1. Did First Security Bank have a fiduciary duty to Service Funding, and if so, was that duty breached?

2. Did the District Court err in failing to subordinate advances made to the Crafts by First Security Bank to Service Funding’s mortgage?

3. Did the District Court err in failing to grant recovery to Service Funding by ordering foreclosure of the Crafts’ second mortgage?

*433 In 1982, the defendant Joe Berry sold a life insurance policy to Roger Craft. To pay the premium, Mr. Craft obtained a loan from Service Funding, which was guaranteed by Mr. Berry. Mr. Craft did not repay the loan when due, but instead offered Service Funding a security interest in certain real property to secure payment. Service Funding agreed, and took a second mortgage in several proposed condominium units which were being developed by Mr. Craft for resale in the Baxter Hotel in Bozeman, Montana. The District Court found that Mr. Craft told Service Funding of First Security’s prior mortgage on all of the units. Mr. Craft also disclosed the fact that many of the units were not finished, and that additional funds would be needed from First Security to complete the units for sale.

First Security consented to the arrangement, and all parties understood that First Security was authorized to apply proceeds from the sale of the units first against its loan and then against Service Funding’s second mortgage. At that time, First Security’s unpaid balance was $92,963.96 plus interest.

The District Court found that Service Funding had not adequately searched the county records, and therefore did not learn that the bank was authorized to make additional advances to the Crafts up to $50,000.00 over the face amount of the note, or a total of $142,963.96. Subsequently, First Security made additional advances to the Crafts for the completion of the units in the following amounts:

April 6, 1983 .........................$29,924.16
July 19, 1984........................... 1,976.15
November 29, 1984 .................... 25,000.00

The District Court found that First Security did not exceed its authority to make advances since Mr. Craft had made payments against the principal. The proceeds from all sales of units which occurred during this time were applied to the obligation to First Security. No money was applied to Service Funding’s mortgage, nor was Service Funding notified of the advances made by First Security to Mr. Craft.

Service Funding filed suit against the defendants, claiming that it should not be subordinated to First Security’s advances, that First Security had mishandled the account, and that First Security had breached its duty as trustee. The District Court concluded that Service Funding’s mortgage was subordinate to First Security’s advances under its Deed of Trust and that First Security had breached *434 no fiduciary duty to Service Funding. The court also denied Service Funding judgment against the Crafts and did not order foreclosure of its second mortgage, although it held the underlying indebtedness and security agreement against the Crafts to be in full force and effect, subject to First Security’s prior lien. Service Funding appeals the judgment.

I

Did First Security Bank have a fiduciary duty to Service Funding, and if so, was that duty breached?

Service Funding argues that an agency relationship existed between it and First Security, and that as an agent, the bank had a fiduciary duty to act in good faith and for the benefit of its principal. Service Funding asserts the doctrine of principal-agent before this Court as if it were a decisive issue at the trial court level. We will not consider the agency issue since it was not raised before the District Court, nor were any findings made regarding an agency relationship. This Court has said many times that alleged error as to issues not raised in the trial court will not be considered on appeal. Chadwick v. Giberson (Mont. 1980), [190 Mont. 88,] 618 P.2d 1213, 1215, 37 St.Rep. 1723, 1726.

Service Funding did contend in the pretrial order that First Security “became a trustee for the benefit of the plaintiff and has breached its obligations as said trustee by misapplication of the proceeds of sales of the condominiums.” The District Court responded to this issue in its Conclusion of Law #2 which states in part that the bank breached no fiduciary duty. On appeal, Service Funding is attempting to have us review the District Court’s conclusion, but would have us apply the law of agency in addition to that which was presented to the District Court. This Court is unwilling to determine the existence of an agency relationship for the first time on appeal.

In reviewing whether the District Court erred in concluding that First Security breached no fiduciary duty to Service Funding, we will not overturn that finding unless it is shown to be clearly erroneous. Rule 52(a), M.R.Civ.P. Service Funding contends that the bank’s fiduciary obligation to properly apply sale proceeds of each condominium arose when the supplemental agreement granting the second mortgage was agreed upon. Service Funding argues that the bank was obligated to notify it of condominium sales and the future advances made. Since the bank did not do so, and applied sale pro *435 ceeds to advances made rather than to the second mortgage, Service Funding contends that the fiduciary duty was breached.

The District Court found no evidence to establish a fiduciary relationship, whether based on the bank’s knowledge of Service Funding’s second mortgage, or otherwise. Rather, the District Court’s findings indicate that it was Service Funding’s obligation to discover the existence and extent of the future advance clause. The record discloses that Service Funding should have investigated more thoroughly the details of First Security’s agreement with the Crafts prior to entering this arrangement. Had Service Funding done so, it would have been aware of the bank’s authority to extend more money to the Crafts and apply proceeds to its deed of trust before paying off the second mortgage. The role of First Security was to help Mr. Craft finance the remodeling of the condominium units to completion. Unless the bank extended money to Mr. Craft, the units would have remained unfinished, would not have sold, and neither First Security nor Service Funding would have begun to realize any of the money owed them by the Crafts. We hold that the record supports the District Court’s finding that First Security breached no fiduciary duty to Service Funding.

II

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Bluebook (online)
763 P.2d 1131, 234 Mont. 431, 1988 Mont. LEXIS 321, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/service-funding-inc-v-craft-mont-1988.