Stavert Properties, Inc. v. Republicbank of Northern Hills

696 S.W.2d 278
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedSeptember 11, 1985
Docket04-83-00603-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 696 S.W.2d 278 (Stavert Properties, Inc. v. Republicbank of Northern Hills) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Stavert Properties, Inc. v. Republicbank of Northern Hills, 696 S.W.2d 278 (Tex. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

OPINION

TIJERINA, Justice.

The original suit sought to collect a deficiency of over $20,000.00 remaining on a promissory note executed by appellant Sta-vert Properties as principal obligor and appellants Joseph Akeroyd and Associated Haulers, Inc., as guarantors. Appellants filed a cross-action seeking damages for breach of a contract to extend the note for 180 days, for deceptive trade practices and for fraudulent and wrongful non-judicial foreclosure. At the close of the evidence, the court granted an instructed verdict for the deficiency on the promissory note. The jury answers to the submitted special issues were favorable to appellant; however, the court, on motion by appellee, rendered judgment non obstante veredicto.

Appellant Stavert Properties, Inc. executed a promissory note for $171,404.10 on April 19, 1982, payable to appellee bank at a rate of $3,000.00 a month. Certain pieces of property were pledged as security; additionally, the note was guaranteed by appellant Akeroyd. In June and July 1982, appellants defaulted on their monthly payment; there was a foreclosure on one of the properties pledged to the first lien holder and the other properties pledged as security were similarly facing foreclosure. The parties met on July 7, 1982 and tentatively agreed to extend the note if appellants made another guaranty agreement and pledged additional security. On July 9, 1982, appellant Akeroyd executed a personal guaranty contract and a guaranty contract by Associated Haulers, Inc.; he additionally pledged seventy-five percent of the stock of Associated Haulers, Inc. Appellee Bank agreed to an extension on the payment of the note; the new document provided that the note was payable “on demand or 180 days from date hereof.”

Appellee Bank was placed on notice that the first lien holders were in the process of accelerating a defaulted note and planned to foreclose on the property pledged to secure appellant’s note at issue. Appellee was unable to negotiate a settlement with the first lien holders. Subsequently, appel *280 lant’s attorney notified the bank that they would take no action to prevent the foreclosure. Thereafter, the bank foreclosed on the guaranty agreement, taking all the bank deposits of Akeroyd and Associated Haulers, Inc. There remained a deficiency of $20,000.00.

Appellants assign as error: (1) the denial of appellant’s first amended motion for judgment on the cross-action and the granting of the judgment non obstante veredic-to; (2) that no demand had been made and the Stavert note was not in default at the time of the non-judicial foreclosure; (3) that the bank was bound by the oral agreement to extend the note for 180 days; (4) that the jury findings required judgment in favor of appellant Akeroyd; (5) that the additional security pledged and the extension agreement were obtained by fraud, conflict of interest, promissory estoppel, failure of consideration and unconscionability; (6) that the proper construction of the language “on demand or in 180 days” should mean “180 days”; and (7) that the foreclosure without demand was unconscionable and a deceptive trade practice. Appellants have grouped their brief into four arguments.

In reviewing a judgment non ob-stante veredicto the appellate court must consider all the evidence favorable to the party against whom the judgment was granted, and every reasonable intendment deducible from the evidence is to be indulged in such party’s favor. Coffee v. F.W. Woolworth Co., 536 S.W.2d 539, 541 (Tex.1976); Duren v. U.S. Fire Insurance Co., 579 S.W.2d 32, 35 (Tex.Civ.App.—Tyler 1979, no writ). To sustain the granting of a motion for judgment non obstante veredicto it must be determined that there was no evidence to support the jury findings on the special issues. San Antonio Independent School District v. National Bank of Commerce of San Antonio, 626 S.W.2d 794, 795 (Tex.App.—San Antonio 1981, no writ).

The special issues answered by the jury were:

SPECIAL ISSUE NO. 1:
Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that on or about July 7, 1982, Republicbank orally agreed to extend the Stavert note for 180 days?
Answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
We, the jury, answer: Yes
SPECIAL ISSUE NO. 2:
Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that Joe Akeroyd relied upon the Extension Agreement of on or about July 7, 1982, in pledging his business?
Answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
We, the jury, answer: Yes
SPECIAL ISSUE NO. 3:
Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that Republicbank agreed to purchase or settle the foreclosure on the Babcock properties?
Answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’
We, the jury, answer: No
SPECIAL ISSUE NO. 4:
What amount of money if paid now in cash would fairly and reasonably compensate Joe' Akeroyd for the loss, if any, resulting from the foreclosure?
Answer by stating an amount or zero in dollars and cents.
We, the jury, answer: $96,578.94
SPECIAL ISSUE NO. 5:
What amount of money if paid now in cash should be awarded as exemplary damages for the taking of the bank account without prior notice?
Answer by stating an amount or zero dollars and cents.
We, the jury, answer: $40,421.60

Appellants first assert that the oral agreement should be enforced. Although the jury found that there had been an oral agreement on July 7th to extend the note for 180 days, the July 9th written agreement states that it is due and payable “on demand or 180 days from date hereof.” Thus, the subsequent written agreement is in conflict with the oral agreement In the absence of fraud, accident or mistake, the parol evidence rule prohibits the contradiction of final written expressions by evi *281 dence of a prior or contemporaneous agreement. Hobbs Trailers v. J.T. Arnett Grain Co., 560 S.W.2d 85, 87 (Tex.1977); Hubacek v. Ennis State Bank, 159 Tex. 166, 317 S.W.2d 30, 32 (1958); Delta Enterprises v. Gage, 555 S.W.2d 555, 557-58 (Tex.Civ.App.—Fort Worth 1977, writ ref d n.r.e.).

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

2001 Trinity Fund, LLC v. Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc.
393 S.W.3d 442 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2012)
Addicks Services, Inc. v. GGP-BRIDGELAND, LP
596 F.3d 286 (Fifth Circuit, 2010)
Kenneth W. Erickson v. Bank of America, N.A.
Court of Appeals of Texas, 2005
Perez v. Alcoa Fujikura, Ltd.
969 F. Supp. 991 (W.D. Texas, 1997)
Federal Deposit Insurance v. Patel
46 F.3d 482 (Fifth Circuit, 1995)
Conway v. Saudi Arabian Oil Co.
867 F. Supp. 539 (S.D. Texas, 1994)
State National Bank v. Academia, Inc.
802 S.W.2d 282 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1991)
Hunt v. Bankers Trust Co.
689 F. Supp. 666 (N.D. Texas, 1987)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
696 S.W.2d 278, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/stavert-properties-inc-v-republicbank-of-northern-hills-texapp-1985.