UMLIC 2 Funding Corp. v. Butcher

970 S.W.2d 211, 333 Ark. 442, 1998 Ark. LEXIS 368
CourtSupreme Court of Arkansas
DecidedJune 4, 1998
Docket97-935
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 970 S.W.2d 211 (UMLIC 2 Funding Corp. v. Butcher) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Arkansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
UMLIC 2 Funding Corp. v. Butcher, 970 S.W.2d 211, 333 Ark. 442, 1998 Ark. LEXIS 368 (Ark. 1998).

Opinion

Donald L. Corbin, Justice.

Appellant UMLIC 2 Funding Corporation appeals the order of the Arkansas County Circuit Court, Northern District, dismissing its foreclosure action against Appellees Frank W. Butcher (deceased) and Juanita J. Butcher. The trial court found that the statute of limitations barred the claim and, further, that Appellant had not refiled the action within one year after the dismissal. Appellant raises two points on appeal, presenting an issue of first impression and of substantial public interest; hence, our jurisdiction is pursuant to Ark. Sup. Ct. R. 1-2(b)(1) and (4). We hold that Appellant’s claim is not barred under the statute of limitations, and we reverse.

On March 23, 1989, Appellees executed a promissory note in favor of Grand Prairie Savings and Loan Association (Grand Prairie) in the amount of $30,000. The terms of the promissory note provided that the note was:

due on demand, if no demand then in monthly installments [of $790.02] beginning April 23, 1989, and continuing on the same day of each month thereafter until March 23, 1990 when a balloon payment in the amount of $24,575.34 will be due.

It is not disputed that Appellees defaulted on the note, having failed to make any payments after December 1, 1989. On January 25, 1990, Grand Prairie went into receivership. The Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) was appointed as the receiver of the failed savings and loan on behalf of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The RTC thus succeeded to all of Grand Prairie’s rights and interests in the note. The RTC first filed this foreclosure action against Appellees on August 29, 1990. On June 30, 1992, the trial court dismissed the complaint without prejudice for failure to prosecute.

On June 5, 1993, the RTC assigned all of its rights, title, and interest in the note to Appellant, a private corporation. Appellant refilled the case on December 20, 1994, having previously made written demand to Appellees. The trial court denied Appellant’s first motion for summary judgment, in which Appellant argued that the six-year statute of limitations found in 12 U.S.C. § 1821(d)(14) (1994) applied to Appellant, as an assignee of the RTC. Appellant alternatively argued that the six-year statute of limitations found in Ark. Code Ann. § 4-3-118 (Repl. 1991) applied. The trial court later denied Appellant’s second motion for summary judgment, in which Appellant argued that pending litigation tolled the statute of limitations, and that, as such, the action was not barred by any of the applicable statutes of limitations, including the five-year limitations period found in Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-111 (Supp. 1989). Appellant argued in the alternative that section 16-56-111 allowed partial recovery.

In response to Appellant’s motions for summary judgment, Appellees moved for dismissal of the action on the basis that the entire claim was barred by the limitations period found in section 16-56-111, which governs written instruments. On May 26, 1997, the trial court dismissed the complaint, ruling that the foreclosure action was barred because it fell outside the five-year statute of limitations for written instruments. The trial court also based its decision to dismiss the claim on the fact that the case had not been refiled within one year after the previous dismissal. This appeal followed.

In ruling on Appellees’ motion to dismiss, the trial court considered the Appellees’ affidavits, Appellees’ answers to interrogatories, exhibits, and the parties’ briefs in support of and in response to Appellant’s motions for summary judgment. As the trial court considered matters other than the pleadings, we address the motion to dismiss as one for summary judgment under ARCP Rule 56. McQuay v. Guntharp, 331 Ark. 466, 963 S.W.2d 583 (1998). Matters to be considered in summary-judgment proceedings include affidavits, depositions, admissions, and answers to interrogatories. Id. Rule 56(c) provides for summary judgment when the evidence submitted by the moving party proves that there are no genuine issues of material fact to be determined, and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Ragar v. Brown, 332 Ark. 214, 964 S.W.2d 372 (1998). The non-moving party must then present proof with proof and demonstrate that a material fact survives. Id. We review the evidence presented to the trial court in the light favoring the nbnmoving party, resolving all questions against the movant. Id. Summary judgment is appropriate where the statute of limitations clearly bars the action. Id.

Appellant first argues that the trial court erred in holding that the statute of limitations barred its action, contending that the action was timely under three alternative statutes. Specifically, Appellant argues that the six-year statute of limitations provided in section 1821(d) (14) applies to this promissory note. Appellant alternatively argues for recovery under sections 4-3-118 and 16-56-111. We hold that the federal limitations period is appropriate under the facts of this case; thus, we need not address Appellant’s alternative arguments.

Section 1821(d)(14) provides in part:

(A) In general
Notwithstanding any provision of any contract, the applicable statute of limitations with regard to any action brought by the [Federal Deposit Insurance] Corporation as conservator or receiver shall be —•
(i) in the case of any contract claim, the longer of—
(I) the 6-year period beginning on the date the claim accrues; or
(II) the period applicable under State law; and
....
(B) Determination of the date on which a claim accrues
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the date on which the statute of Hmitations begins to run on any claim described in such subparagraph shall be the later of —
(i) the date of the appointment of the Corporation as conservator or receiver; or
(ii) the date on which the cause of action accrues. [Emphasis added.]

Appellant asserts that this provision applies to private institutions that have been assigned rights and interests from the RTC. Appellant relies on decisions by the Eighth Circuit United States Court of Appeals that have extended federal protection to private transferees of federal institutions. See, e.g., Community Bank of the Ozarks v. F.D.I.C., 984 F.2d 254 (8th Cir. 1993); Federal Deposit Ins. Corp. v. Newhart, 892 F.2d 47 (8th Cir. 1989). These decisions are grounded in the common law of assignments and sound fiscal policy. Newhart, 892 F.2d 47.

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Bluebook (online)
970 S.W.2d 211, 333 Ark. 442, 1998 Ark. LEXIS 368, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/umlic-2-funding-corp-v-butcher-ark-1998.