Tornesello v. Tisdale

CourtSuperior Court of Maine
DecidedDecember 1, 2009
DocketKENcv-06-243
StatusUnpublished

This text of Tornesello v. Tisdale (Tornesello v. Tisdale) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tornesello v. Tisdale, (Me. Super. Ct. 2009).

Opinion

STATE OF MAINE SUPERIOR COURT KENNEBEC, ss. CIVIL ACTION Docket No. CV-06-243 I,')!-/::::C(I}-/ I Lf Ji "

MAVOURNEEN M. TORNESELLO and MICHAEL P. TORNESELLO,

Plaintiffs

v. JUDGMENT

DEBRA A. TISDALE, Individually and as Personal Representative of the ESTATE of ROBERT A. TISDALE, JR.,

Defendants

Jury-waived trial on the plaintiffs' complaint and the defendant's

counterclaim was held on 3/25/09. The plaintiffs and the defendant Debra

Tisdale, individually, allege that they have not received full payment due to

them on the respective notes. Joint exhibits 1-19 and 24-28 were admitted. The

parties also stipulated to paragraphs 1-23 and 26-27 of the Stipulation of Facts.

FACTS

In 1987, the plaintiffs! lived in Natic:k, Massachusetts/ and at all relevant

times the plaintiffs lived in Massachusetts. (Stip.

Tornesello's younger brother, Robert Tisdale, lived in Florida but commuted to

Maine to operate his property management business, Dirigo.

The plaintiffs had previously sold their Newton home and used the

proceeds to purchase the Natick home, which was unencumbered. Robert

Tisdale asked the plaintiffs to obtain a mortgage on the Natick home and give

1They divorced in 1999. 2 The plaintiffs filed this complaint and claimed entitlement to the outstanding principal and interest on the 3/27/87 Note. Debra Tisdale subsequently filed a counterclaim and sought recovery on the 6/10/87 Note. him the money, which he intended to invest. The plaintiffs were reluctant

because they considered the equity in their home to be their retirement funds.

Mavoumeen had no other retirement funds.

Robert Tisdale prepared and sent several written proposals regarding the

money to the plaintiffs. (Jt. Exs. 2A, 2B.) Negotiations took place by phone and

mail while the parties were in Florida, Maine, and Massachusetts, and in person

while the parties were in Massachusetts. Eventually, the plaintiffs borrowed

$171,500.00 from BankEast Mortgage Corporation (BankEast), secured by a

mortgage on their home. Robert Tisdale appeared with the plaintiffs at the

closing. The plaintiffs signed the 25-year adjustable rate promissory note on

3/17/87 (hereinafter//3/27/87Note//). (Jt. Ex. 3.)

The entire $171,500.00 borrowed was loaned to Robert and Debra Tisdale

on 3/27/87. Debra Tisdale agreed that Robert Tisdale was acting as her agent

and she knew about the transaction. Robert Tisdale prepared the 3/27/87 Note,

which the parties signed. (Jt. Ex. 6.) All relevant negotiations leading to the

signing of the 3/27/87 Note took place in Massachusetts. (Stip.

3/27/87 Note was signed in Massachusetts, except that Debra Tisdale did not

sign in Massachusetts, and her signature was not notarized in Massachusetts. 3

(Stip.

Robert Tisdale had previously obtained the life insurance identified in the

3/27/87 Note. 4 at. Exs. 4A, 4B, 4D, 4E, 4F.) He assigned the policy to the plaintiffs and informed them that they would receive notice from the insurer if

3 Debra Tisdale signed in Florida. 4The 3/27/87 Note provided that, during the term of the note, Robert Tisdale would "maintain $100,000 of life insurance assigned to Michael P. & Mavourneen M. Tornesello." (Stip. lJ[ 6.)

2 the policy was at risk of lapsing. (Stip.

in 1994. The plaintiffs were not notified of the lapse. (Stip.

The initial monthly payments to BankEast were $1,366.55; this figure

would be adjusted annually. Robert and Debra Tisdale were to pay the monthly

payments, with any adjustments, plus an additional amount of interest to repay

the plaintiffs for securing the funds. The interest rate of 11.97% was determined

by Robert Tisdale.

During the discussions, Robert Tisdale believed that the debt to BankEast

would be paid earlier than required by the note. If the bank note was paid early,

the plaintiffs would continue to receive payments at a rate tied to the index. (Jt.

Ex. 3.) The plaintiffs and Robert Tisdale also discussed and agreed to a balloon

payment at the end of 25 years.

Mavourneen Tomesello sent the bank coupons to Debra Tisdale, who paid

the monthly payments to the bank. When the interest rate for the mortgage was

adjusted, Mavourneen Tornesello sent the notices to Robert and Debra Tisdale.

(Jt. Exs. lOA, lOB.)

On 6/10 /87, Robert Tisdale loaned $20,000.00 to Yorkshire Consulting

Group, Inc. (Yorkshire), and memorialized this loan in a promissory note dated

6/10/87 (hereinafter "6/10/87 Note"). Plaintiff Michael Tomesello guaranteed

payment. (Jt. Ex. 7.) Yorkshire was always domiciled in Massachusetts. (Stip.

20.) All relevant negotiations leading to the signing of the 6/10/87 Note took

place in Massachusetts. (Stip.

Massachusetts. (Stip.

insolvent. The Estate's counterclaim was filed on 4/23/07.

3 When Robert and Debra Tisdale ceased making payments to BankEast in

late 1989 or 1990, the plaintiffs were notified by Robert Tisdale and the bank.

Robert Tisdale told the plaintiffs he was in financial difficulties and could not

afford to make the payments. The plaintiffs agreed that Mavourneen Tomesello

would act as the spokesperson and go-between among Robert Tisdale and the

plaintiffs because he was family. Mavourneen Tornesello asked her husband to

be patient because the situation had to be treated differently because of the

family connection. She loved her brother and they were very close. Mavourneen

Tomesello spoke to her brother at least one time each year. He continued, over

those years, to assure Mavourneen Tomesello that the plaintiffs would receive

the money and that the insurance policy was still in place. (See, ~ It. Ex. 13A.)

She relied on Robert Tisdale's statements; she had no reason to disbelieve him.

The Tisdales never paid any additional amounts on the debt to the bank or the

plaintiffs.

Robert Tisdale died on 7/2/05. (Jt. Ex. 24 at 81). Mavourneen Tomesello

called Debra Tisdale to inquire about the insurance policy. Both women agreed

that they hoped the policy was in place. Mavoumeen Tornesello subsequently

learned that there was no life insurance to secure the debt. Debra Tisdale stated

that she knew nothing about it and referred Mavourneen Tomesello to Attorney

Mitchell. She called Attomey Mitchell's office after speaking to Debra Tisdale

and faxed the requested documents. (Jt. Ex. 14A, 14B.) When Mavourneen

Tomesello did not hear anything from Attorney Mitchell, she called Debra

Tisdale, who stated that there was no money available. The Probate inventory

shows that some debt was paid by life insurance. at. Ex. 18.)

4 If Robert Tisdale had told Mavourneen Tomesello that he did not intend

to pay the debt or that the insurance had lapsed, she would have spoken to an

attomey earlier than she did and would have filed a lawsuit; Michael Tomesello

wanted to litigate the issue much earlier than his wife. The plaintiffs' complaint

was filed on 10/6/06.

DISCUSSION

1. 3/27/87 Note

a. Statute of Limitations

Defendant Debra Tisdale argues that Maine's six-year statute of

limitations bars the plaintiffs' claim. Defendant Tisdale contends that three

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