Strain v. Potter County

256 N.W. 147, 63 S.D. 24, 1934 S.D. LEXIS 94
CourtSouth Dakota Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 4, 1934
DocketFile No. 7609.
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 256 N.W. 147 (Strain v. Potter County) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering South Dakota Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Strain v. Potter County, 256 N.W. 147, 63 S.D. 24, 1934 S.D. LEXIS 94 (S.D. 1934).

Opinions

ROBERTS, P. J.,

This is an action brought by the superintendent of banks to recover certain notes and mortgages pledged, by the Hoven State Bank to secure deposits of public funds of *25 Potter county. The facts are stipulated, and those necessary to an understanding of the case are as follows: “That on or about the ist day of December, 1929, the Hoven State Bank, was then an open and going concern, and the owner of certain notes and mortgages securing the same, and which notes and mortgages constituted a part of the assets and property of said bank, and which are more particularly 'described as follows: * * * It is further stipulated that none of the lands described in the mortgages above noted are situated within the County of Potter and State of South Dakota, except that property last above described and covered by a mortgage executed by Joseph Hartung and Katie Hartung; and that as to said mortgaged property it, is agreed that the same lies within the corporate limits of the incorporated town of Hoven, in said Potter County — lies wholly within the corporate limits of the incorporated town of Ploven in said County, and that this real estate does not constitute farm land within said county. That said notes and mortgages were transferred and assigned to Potter County for the purpose of allowing said county to hold same as collateral security for the repayment of said county of funds and monies belonging to it, which were then on deposit in the Hoven State Bank and for the repayment of such monies as might thereafter be deposited in said Bank. It is stipulated that all of the mortgages aforesaid were pledged and- assigned by the said Hoven State bank to the defendant, Potter County, were all first mortgages upon lands described in each of said mortgages.”

The trial court made findings of fact based upon the stipulation. As a conclusion of law the court stated that the pledging of the assets to secure'the deposit of public funds was an act ultra vires on the part of the bank and the officers of the county. Judgment was rendered in favor of the plaintiff, and the county appeals.

The sole question in this case is whether a state bank can pledge assets to secure deposits of public funds other than those for the pledging of which there is express statutory authority. Section 6888, Rev. Code 1919, was originally enacted as chapter 104, Laws 1897. The county treasurer of each county by this act was required to keep the funds of the county on deposit “in state, private or national banks doing business in this state and of approved and responsible standing.” Section 1. Any bank could apply for the privilege of receiving county funds upon the condition that *26 it furnish a bond to secure such deposits. Prior to its incorporation in the Revised Code of 1919, 'this statute was amended by chapter 159, Laws 1915, and chapter 204, Laws 1917. The later amendment made an exception of 'banks which came within the provisions of the bank guaranty act; it provided that banks “which are not protected by the state bank guaranty fund” shall furnish bonds to the county to secure deposit of county funds. This statute was again amended by chapter 297, Laws 1923, making its provisions applicable to the funds of unorganized counties. The Legislature of 1925, having repealed by the enactment of chapter 99, Laws 1925 (see section 11), the provisions of section 9013, Rev. Code 1919, which provided that “no' 'bank which has fully complied with all the provisions of this chapter (Deposit Guaranty Fund Act) shall be required to g'ive any further security or bond for the purpose of being a depositary for any public funds,” amended section 6888 requiring county depositaries, including state banks, to furnish a bond to secure county deposits, or in lieu of bond to furnish certain specified assets. Chapter 295,• Laws 1925. Section 6888 was again amended by chapter 98, Laws 1929, which was in effect at the time of the transactions in question, and the portion of such statute material in this case is as follows: “It shall be the duty of the board; of County Commissioners to approve such applications: Provided that such applicants may furnish a good' and sufficient bond to the county. Provided, further, that such applicants may deposit in lieu of such bonds, bonds, certificates of indebtedness, treasury certificates of the United States, bonds of any Federal Land Bank or Federal Intermediate Credit Bank or Joint Stock Land Bank of the United States or bonds of any territorial or insular possession of the United States or bonds or securities of any kind issued by the State of South Dakota, or bonds of any state or territory of the United States, the par value of these securities equalling at all times the amount of funds on deposit. Provided, further, that the applicants may deposit in lieu of the above listed securities, bonds of any county, school district or municipality within the State of South Dakota, or warrants of any county, municipal corporation or school district within the State of South Dakota, or first real estate mortgages on farm; lands within the county, same to be accepted wholly at the discretion of the board of county commissioners.”

*27 Section 8984, Rev. Code 1919, from its original enactment as section 33, art. 2, c. 222, Raws 1909, and in subsequent amendments including chapter 50, laws 1933, has contained the provision that no bank shall give preference to any depositor or creditor by pledging the assets of the bank as collateral security. An exception has been made to -this general prohibition to include deposits made by the state, counties, and municipal corporations. This exception was made by the enactment of chapter 53, Laws 1927, and the same exception is contained in chapter 50, Laws 1933. The portion of the statute material in this case is as follows: “A State Bank may deposit as security for public money, with the State Treasurer, any county treasurer, or treasurer of any municipal corporation, or such trustee as may be agreed upon, any of the following securities: bonds, certificates of indebtedness, treasury certificates of the United States, bonds of any Federal Land Bank or Federal Intermediate Credit Bank or Joint Stock Land Bank of the United States or bonds of any territorial or insular possessions of the United States, or bonds, warrants or securities of any kind issued by the State of South Dakota, bonds or warrants of any county, township, school district, or municipal corporation, of the State of South Dakota, or first real estate mortgages on farm lands within said county, or bonds of any State or territory of the United States in order to qualify as depositaries of state, county and municipal funds.”

These sections specifically enumerate first real estate mortgages on farm lands within the county. The mortgages pledged and involved in this case were on farm lands outside the county of Potter and included a mortgage on property within the corporate limits of the town of Hoven. This court in Ruden v. City of Platte, 62 S. D. 175, 252 N.W. 32, considered the authority of a bank to mortgage its banking house to secure the payment of municipal funds. The precise point was there urged that a bank cannot pledge any asset other than those expressly set forth in the statute, but the question was not determined. It was held that the banking house was a fixed asset, and that the statute did not expressly or by implication authorize or permit a bank to hypothecate a fixed or capital asset as security for municipal funds.

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Bluebook (online)
256 N.W. 147, 63 S.D. 24, 1934 S.D. LEXIS 94, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/strain-v-potter-county-sd-1934.