United States v. Fishing Vessel Mary Ann

330 F. Supp. 1102, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9230
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Texas
DecidedDecember 10, 1970
DocketCiv. A. No. 69-H-31
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 330 F. Supp. 1102 (United States v. Fishing Vessel Mary Ann) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Fishing Vessel Mary Ann, 330 F. Supp. 1102, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9230 (S.D. Tex. 1970).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

SEALS, District Judge.

The plaintiff, United States of America, brought this action to recover on a promissory note, signed by Ahto Walter and his wife, Lucy A. Walter, and on a guarantee agreement, executed by Ewen Duff Walter, and to foreclose on a First Preferred Ship Mortgage on the note’s collateral, the fishing vessel MARY ANN. Lucy A. Walter and Ewen Duff Walter have filed a motion to dismiss this case as against them for lack of jurisdiction. Ahto Walter has filed a counterclaim against the United States of America, alleging that his inability to meet his mortgage obligations was caused by the breach by the United States of America of its contractual obligations. Upon stipulated and undisputed facts, the United States of America and Ahto Walter have filed cross-motions for summary judgment, pursuant to Rule 56, F.R.Civ.P.

This court has full and complete jurisdiction over the subject matter involved herein and the parties hereto, except the defendant Lucy A. Walter, as she was never served with summons or citation herein. Accordingly, defendant Lucy A. Walter should be dismissed from this case, but the motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction should be denied in all other respects.

The note, mortgage and guarantee agreement referred to in the introductory paragraph of this Memorandum and Order were made and executed on December 15, 1966, in return for a loan by the United States of America in the amount of. $397,506.00, which was to be used in the purchase of the MARY ANN.

Article I, section 2 of the mortgage provides that the “Mortgagor will, at all times and at its own expense, keep the Vessel insured” with coverage “fully and adequately protecting the Vessel and the Mortgagee’s interest therein.” Insurance was to be taken out in name of the Mortgagor and Mortgagee “as their interest may appear” and all losses were to be “payable to the Mortgagee.” In December of 1966, in compliance with these terms of the mortgage, Ahto Walter obtained a builder’s risk policy, No. HEE-1248, which was issued by certain Pennsylvania and English underwriters. This policy designates Ahto Walter as the named insured and designates the United States of America as the sole loss payee. The mortgagee clause of the policy contains a standard or union mortgage clause endorsement, which provides that the interest of the United States of America shall not be impaired or invalidated by any act or neglect of Ahto Walter, the named assured, or the failure on his part to comply with any warranty or condition over which the United States of America has control but has not exercised such control.

On April 5,1967, the MARY ANN capsized in Bayou La Fourche near Thibodeaux, Louisiana. Ahto Walter, at his own expense in the amount of $77,065.95, salvaged and restored the MARY ANN to her former condition.

Ahto Walter made a claim under the builder’s risk policy to obtain proceeds [1104]*1104to reimburse him for his expenditures. The United States of America also asserted a claim under this policy. Both claims were denied by the underwriters.

In November of 1967, Ahto Walter requested the Government, as the sole loss payee, to commence suit under the policy. He offered to join in the suit as co-plaintiff.

On December 19, 1967, before an answer was received from the Government, Ahto Walter brought suit in Louisiana for the same loss, under another builder’s risk policy, number HE3-2517, which was issued by New Jersey underwriters (Walter v. Marine Office of America, et al, E.D.La., Civil Action No. 67-1849-D).

By letter dated January 26, 1968, the United States responded to Mr. Walter’s earlier request concerning suit against the Pennsylvania and English underwriters under policy HEE-1248. The Department of Justice declined to bring suit but authorized Ahto Walter to sue “in the name of the United States of America” under the basic provisions of the policy. Suit was not authorized, however, against the Pennsylvania and English underwriters under the union mortgage clause endorsement.

On October 22, 1968, after settlement negotiations proved to be unsuccessful and after the United States of America, mortgagee, declined to file a lawsuit against The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, Ahto Walter, as the named assured in policy HEE-1248 issued by The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, filed a motion for leave to file an Amended Complaint to include this insurance company in that suit. Pursuant to leave of court, granted on November 22, 1968, Ahto Walter did file an amended complaint in the Louisiana litigation against the Pennsylvania underwriters. He alleged a cause of action only on his behalf and did not exercise the authority previously granted to him to allege a cause of action in the name of the United States of America.

On January 8, 1969 the United States of America withdrew Ahto Walter’s unexercised authority to bring suit in its name under the basic provisions of policy No. HEE-1248. Thereafter, on July 23, 1969 the United States of America intervened, as mortgagee, in the Louisiana Litigation to assert a cause of action under policy HEE-1248.

On June 15, 1967 the first payment of principal in the sum of $10,193.00 plus interest on the note was due. Thereafter the note payments were due quarterly. Prior to November 1, 1968 Ahto Walter and his wife, Lucy A. Walter, failed to make payments on the note. In fact, on November 1, 1968 all of the principal amount of the note ($397,506.00) remained unpaid. Thus, the United States of America declared the note and the mortgage to be in default on November 1, 1968. The present suit on the note, guaranty and mortgage was commenced on January 13, 1969.

In the fourth defense and Ahto Walter’s counterclaim, it is asserted that Ahto Walter’s inability to continue to meet his obligations under the note and mortgage agreement were caused by the refusal of the United States of America to proceed promptly against the underwriters in policy No. HEE-1248 to recover proceeds payable thereunder and to apply such proceeds to reduce the mortgaged indebtedness or to pay these funds directly to Mr. Walter as reimbursement for the expenditures incurred by him in the salvage, repair and restoration of the MARY ANN. He alleges that at a time when he was unable to carry the additional financial burden of salvage, restoration and repair expenses and at the same time meet his obligations un'der the mortgage, the United States of America deliberately refused to file a lawsuit against the insurance companies for proceeds available as collateral security. Mr. Walter asserts that this refusal was wrongful and constituted a breach of the mortgage contract.

The rights of the defendants against the Pennsylvania and English underwriters under the basic terms of the policy No. HEE-1248 were not impaired by the refusal of the United States of America to file suit against the in[1105]*1105surers in that policy. Ahto Walter, and not the United States of America, paid for the repairs. The United States’ security interest, the MARY ANN, had been fully restored, and Mr. Walter had not yet been declared to be in default with respect to the note and the mortgage. Under these circumstances, the court feels that the United States of America did cooperate fully with Mr. Walter in his efforts to collect the insurance. As mentioned earlier in its letter of January 26, 1968, the United States of America authorized Mr.

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330 F. Supp. 1102, 1970 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9230, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-fishing-vessel-mary-ann-txsd-1970.