Texas Commerce Bank National Ass'n v. Geary

938 S.W.2d 205, 1997 Tex. App. LEXIS 317, 1997 WL 29604
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedJanuary 28, 1997
DocketNo. 05-94-01210-CV
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 938 S.W.2d 205 (Texas Commerce Bank National Ass'n v. Geary) 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
Texas Commerce Bank National Ass'n v. Geary, 938 S.W.2d 205, 1997 Tex. App. LEXIS 317, 1997 WL 29604 (Tex. Ct. App. 1997).

Opinions

KINKEADE, Justice.

Texas Commerce Bank National Association (TCB) appeals from a summary judgment granted in favor of Michael P. Geary and the denial of TCB’s motion for summary judgment on a claim against a decedent’s estate. In seven points of error, TCB generally argues: (1) Texas probate code section 306 does not apply to independent administrations (see TexProb.Code Ann. § 306 (Vernon 1980)) (unless otherwise indicated, all statutory references in this opinion are to the probate code as it read in 1991 when the decedent died and the probate court granted letters testamentary); (2) TCB did not elect preferred debt and lien status under section 306; (3) TCB’s claim was not a secured claim; (4) Geary’s motion for summary judgment became moot when the trial court granted a motion to strike Geary’s declaratory judgment causes of action; and (5) bankruptcy proceedings did not affect the estate’s liability for TCB’s claim. For the reasons set forth below, we affirm the trial court’s denial of TCB’s motion for summary judgment, reverse the summary judgment granted in favor of Geary, and remand this case for further proceedings.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In 1986, Steven J. Corey, in his capacity as president of Incorsel International Entertainment Consultants, Inc., executed an $800,000 note, secured by a deed of trust on certain residential real estate. In 1989 Corey and Incorsel executed a loan modification agreement as co-makers. Texas Commerce Bank National Association (TCB) became the holder of this note. Corey died on September 17, 1991. The probate court granted letters testamentary on October 15,1991 and appointed Michael P. Geary as independent executor of Corey’s estate.

In September 1992, Incorsel filed for protection under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. TCB foreclosed on the property securing the note in June 1993, after the bankruptcy court had confirmed a [208]*208reorganization plan for Ineorsel and lifted the stay on the property. TCB sold the property for $402,000 and also received a $39,720.38 distribution from Ineorsel’s bankruptcy estate.

On October 6, 1993, upon Geary’s motion, the probate court converted Corey’s estate to a dependent administration and appointed Geary as dependent administrator. The next month, TCB claimed a deficiency from Corey’s estate for the balance remaining on the note. Geary denied the claim, and TCB brought this action to enforce its claim.

Although the record does not contain Geary’s original answer and counterclaims, we presume the answer and counterclaims contained declaratory judgment causes of action, because Geary moved for summary judgment asking the court to make several declaratory judgments. TCB filed an answer to Geary’s motion for summary judgment along with its own motion for summary judgment. TCB also filed a motion to strike Geary’s declaratory judgment causes of action.

Before the court ruled on any of the motions, Geary filed an amended answer and counterclaims. He asserted several declaratory judgment counterclaims against TCB, as well as counterclaims for conversion and constructive trust. He also asserted the affirmative defenses of accord and satisfaction, res judicata, estoppel, and payment.

The court later conducted a hearing on the motions. The court granted TCB’s motion to strike Geary’s declaratory judgment causes of action but denied TCB’s motion for summary judgment. The same day, the court granted Geary’s motion for summary judgment, denying TCB’s claim. A month after the trial court’s judgment, TCB filed an amended petition and motion for rehearing, which the trial court denied.

APPLICABILITY OF SECTION 306 TO INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATIONS

The ultimate outcome of this action turns largely on whether section 306 applies to independent administrations through its interaction with section 146 of the probate code. Section 146 states, in part, that an independent executor must pay claims against an estate “in the same order of priority, classification, and proration prescribed” in other code sections. Tex.PROB.Code § 146. Section 306 of the code provides that personal representatives of estates shall pay secured claims in different ways, depending on how a creditor elects to treat his claim. Under section 306, there are two kinds of secured claims that are classified and prioritized differently under sections 320 and 322. A secured creditor may elect to have his claim treated as either: (1) a matured secured claim; or (2) a preferred debt and lien. Tex.Prob.Code § 306(a). If a secured creditor makes no claim or does not affirmatively elect otherwise within six months after the original grant of letters testamentary, his claim will be treated as a preferred debt and lien. Tex.Prob.Code §§ 298(a), 306(b) (time period amended by Act of May 27,1995, 74th Leg., R.S., ch. 1054, § 9,1995 Tex.Gen. Laws 5207, 5210); Cessna Fin. Corp. v. Morrison, 667 S.W.2d 580, 583-84 (Tex.App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1984, no writ). So, within six months a personal representative will be able to fit a secured claim into one of the two categories set forth in section 306.

If the claim is a matured secured claim, the representative will treat it as third class and pay it, to the extent of the value of the collateral, after first- and second-class claims, but before other lower-class claims. Tex. Prob.Code §§ 306, 320, 322. If there is not enough money in the estate to pay the first- and second-class claims, however, the representative will invade the collateral for the matured secured claim to pay the higher-priority claims. Tex.Prob.Code § 322; see Wyatt v. Morse, 129 Tex. 199, 204-05, 102 S.W.2d 396, 398-99 (1937). If the entire claim is not satisfied through the collateral, the representative can pay the deficiency as a lower-class claim out of other assets of the estate. Tex.Prob.Code § 322; see Wyatt, 129 Tex. at 204-05, 102 S.W.2d at 398-99.

If a claim is a preferred debt and lien, the representative may either pay the debt off or continue making payments as per the terms of the contract that secured the debt. Tex. Prob.Code § 306(a)(2) and (c). Regardless of which method the representative chooses, [209]*209the creditor will have priority over all other debts, even first- and second-class claims, to the extent of the value of its collateral. Tex PROB.Code ANN. § 306(a)(2) and (c); see Wyatt, 129 Tex. at 204-05, 102 S.W.2d at 398-99; Dallas Joint-Stock Land Bank in Dallas v. Maxey, 112 S.W.2d 305, 307-09 (Tex.Civ.App.—Dallas 1937, no writ). But see San Antonio Sav. Ass’n v. Beaudry, 769 S.W.2d 277, 280 (Tex.App.—Dallas 1989, writ denied) (expenses directly related to preserving, maintaining, and selling collateral may be paid out of the sales proceeds of the property). However, if the entire claim is not satisfied through the collateral, the representative cannot pay any deficiency out of other assets of the estate as he could if the claim were a matured secured one. Tex Prob.Code § 306(c); see Wyatt, 129 Tex. at 204-05, 102 S.W.2d at 398-99.

The applicability of section 306 is paramount to this action. If TCB had a secured claim against Corey’s estate and section 306 applies to independent administrations, TCB cannot succeed on its claim for a deficiency if it elected preferred debt and lien status.

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

Related

Bos v. Smith
556 S.W.3d 293 (Texas Supreme Court, 2018)
DDD Energy, Inc. v. Veritas DGC Land, Inc.
60 S.W.3d 880 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2001)
Mid-Continent Casualty Co. v. Safe Tire Disposal Corp.
16 S.W.3d 418 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 2000)
Poteet v. State & County Mutual Fire Insurance Co.
7 S.W.3d 679 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1999)
Comerica Bank—Texas v. Texas Commerce Bank National Ass'n
2 S.W.3d 723 (Court of Appeals of Texas, 1999)
Geary v. Texas Commerce Bank
967 S.W.2d 836 (Texas Supreme Court, 1998)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
938 S.W.2d 205, 1997 Tex. App. LEXIS 317, 1997 WL 29604, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/texas-commerce-bank-national-assn-v-geary-texapp-1997.