Sumrall v. Navistar Financial Corp.

818 S.W.2d 548, 1991 Tex. App. LEXIS 2991, 1991 WL 253072
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedOctober 31, 1991
Docket09-90-165 CV
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 818 S.W.2d 548 (Sumrall v. Navistar Financial Corp.) 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
Sumrall v. Navistar Financial Corp., 818 S.W.2d 548, 1991 Tex. App. LEXIS 2991, 1991 WL 253072 (Tex. Ct. App. 1991).

Opinions

OPINION

SMITH, Justice (Retired).

This is a suit for damages for wrongful repossession and usury, and a cross action for deficiency due on notes. Troy A. Sum-rail, Jr., appellant and cross appellee, initiated this suit against Navistar Financial Corporation, appellee and cross appellant, after Navistar repossessed his trucks. Sumrall alleged that Navistar violated (1) Texas usury and wrongful foreclosure laws, (2) Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, and (3) that Navistar was guilty of negligence and fraud. Navistar counter[551]*551claimed for the balance due on Sumrall’s notes. Based on jury findings, the trial court entered judgment for Sumrall in the amount of $83,000 plus $45,000 attorney’s fees. The court denied recovery for Navis-tar on its cross action. Both parties have appealed.

In a series of transactions, Sumrall purchased seven trucks from Atterbury Truck Sales, Inc., and Atterbury Truck Sales of Beaumont, Inc. Navistar financed all transactions on time/price differential contracts. None of the Navistar drafted contracts disclosed the interest rate charges on the face of the contract. Six of the seven trucks purchased by Sumrall were used trucks and had previously been financed by Navistar. One of the used trucks, 19621 or unit # 5087, sold to Sum-rail as a 1985 truck had previously been wrecked by a prior owner and repossessed by Navistar. This truck was actually a 1983 truck which, when rebuilt, was issued a new title with a 1985 classification, notwithstanding the fact that it had a 1983 engine, chassis, transmission, and rear end. Navistar, although having these facts in its records, failed to disclose this information to Sumrall and financed the truck as a 1985 truck.

The record reflects that after Sumrall commenced using the trucks, an inordinate amount of breakdowns and mechanical problems occurred. Although Atterbury paid for some of the repairs, the time lost while the trucks were being repaired resulted in Sumrall not being able to fulfill his contractual commitments to his customers. When his income declined, he sought relief from Atterbury and Navistar because it was apparent that, if he could not keep the trucks in operation, he could not meet his contractual obligations to Navis-tar. No relief was afforded by either of these parties and Sumrall filed for protection under chapter 11 of the Federal Bankruptcy Act.

In the bankruptcy court, Sumrall and Navistar filed an instrument entitled “Joint Stipulations for Adequate Protection,” where they stipulated that:

(1)Sumrall owed Navistar $494,923.68;
(2) Accrued interest as of September 29, 1987 was $10,912.45;
(3) Interest was accruing at a per diem of $141.52; and
(4) Sumrall agreed to pay Navistar $2,128.19 weekly on each Tuesday.

The information shown on the stipulation was compiled by Navistar from its records and was incorrect. The actual amount due on the principal was $345,534.30. It is uncontested that these were time/price differential contracts and there was no contractual provision to charge interest.

The only other information we have in our records concerning the bankruptcy is that after the parties had filed their stipulations, the bankruptcy court dismissed the proceedings.

Based on the stipulations made in the bankruptcy court, Navistar consolidated all of its retail contracts into one contract. No notice was given to Sumrall of the consolidation of the contracts. However, Navis-tar sent Sumrall a new payment book whereby Sumrall was to pay $2,128.19 weekly. Navistar concedes that the principal balance owed, as shown in the stipulation, was incorrect and further that its contracts made no provision for interest on the face of the contracts. It states the errors in the stipulation were not made knowingly or intentionally and were inadvertent bona fide errors.

Following the dismissal of the bankruptcy suit, Sumrall’s problems with his remaining trucks continued. When he became delinquent in payments, Navistar gave notice of delinquency and intent to foreclose based on its consolidated contract. Navistar then repossessed the trucks and sold them. Thereafter, Sumrall instituted suit and Navistar counterclaimed.

Trial was to a jury which, in response to questions submitted to it by the trial court, found: (1) Navistar had actual knowledge of facts concerning truck 19621 which it failed to disclose to Sumrall; that such failure to disclose was intended to induce Sumrall to enter into the transaction [purchase]; that Sumrall would not have en[552]*552tered into the transaction had such information been disclosed; and that such failure was a producing cause of Sumrall’s damage; (2) that Navistar knowingly failed to disclose such information; (3) Sumrall was damaged $6,000 for the difference in value of truck 19621 as received and the price paid for it; (4) the sum of $75,000 would fairly compensate Sumrall for the mental anguish he had suffered; (5) Sum-rail incurred reasonable attorney’s fees of $45,000, and if the case was appealed to the Court of Appeals, Sumrall would incur reasonable attorney fees of $10,000; (6) Navis-tar did not intentionally contract for an unlawful finance charge in the stipulation in the bankruptcy and such charge resulted from a bona fide error notwithstanding maintenance of procedures reasonably adopted to avoid such errors; and (7) the sum of money due and owing to Navistar by Sumrall under the terms of the contract is “0”.

In addition to the above jury findings, the trial court’s final judgment states that prior to submission of its charge to the jury, the court held as a matter of law, that the joint stipulation filed in bankruptcy proceedings was usurious on its face. The trial court also found that Sumrall was entitled to an additional $2,000 damages pursuant to the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Tex.Bus & Com.Code Ann. § 17.50(b)(1) (Vernon 1987).

Both parties’ motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict were overruled and both have appealed from the court’s rulings, findings, and final judgment.

Sumrall first alleges the trial court erred in denying his motion for instructed verdict and his motion for judgment non obstante veredicto. Specifically, he urges that the trial court erred in submitting question six to the jury.

Question No. 6 read as follows:
Do you find from a preponderance of the evidence that the contracting for unlawful finance charge in the stipulation in the bankruptcy was not intentional and resulted from a bona fide error which occurred notwithstanding the maintenance of procedures reasonably adopted by Navistar Financial Corporation to avoid such errors?
You are instructed that “bona fide error” means an innocent clerical error made inspite [sic] of reasonable procedures having been adopted and maintained by Navistar Financial Corporation which are designed to avoid said error. Bona fide error does not include ignorance of the law or mistakes of judgment.
Answer yes or no.
Answer: “Yes.”

Sumrall asserts that the evidence was not only insufficient to submit question number six to the jury, but was also legally and factually insufficient to support the jury’s affirmative answer to the question.

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Sumrall v. Navistar Financial Corp.
818 S.W.2d 548 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1991)

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Bluebook (online)
818 S.W.2d 548, 1991 Tex. App. LEXIS 2991, 1991 WL 253072, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sumrall-v-navistar-financial-corp-texapp-1991.