Wells Fargo Bank Na v. Ferruggio Ins. Servs. of La Inc.

358 F. Supp. 3d 887
CourtDistrict Court, D. Arizona
DecidedJanuary 14, 2019
DocketNo. CV-17-02492-PHX-SMB
StatusPublished

This text of 358 F. Supp. 3d 887 (Wells Fargo Bank Na v. Ferruggio Ins. Servs. of La Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wells Fargo Bank Na v. Ferruggio Ins. Servs. of La Inc., 358 F. Supp. 3d 887 (D. Ariz. 2019).

Opinion

Honorable Susan M. Brnovich, United States District Judge

Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 56, Plaintiff Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. ("Wells Fargo") filed a Motion For Summary Judgment as to Defendant Ferruggio Insurance Services of L.A. doing business as PenbenLA ("Ferruggio") as to Count One only. Oral argument was held on January 11, 2019. The Court has now considered the Motion (Doc. 54, Mot.), Response (Doc. 60, Resp.), and Reply (Doc. 65, Reply) along with arguments of counsel and relevant case law.

I. BACKGROUND

A. Factual Background

The following undisputed facts providing relevant background are drawn from the parties' statements of fact and other parts of the record.

Defendant Equa Gaming, an Arizona general partnership, opened a business account ending in 4583 at Wells Fargo (the "Account") on or about August 28, 2009. Defendants Victor Carrillo and Dana M. Brannan signed the application for the Account. On March 12, 2016, Defendant Ferruggio, under the name PenbenLA, issued a check drawn upon Pacific Western Bank made payable to Equa Gaming in the Amount of $ 100,000 (the "Check"). An employee of Ferruggio deposited the Check directly into the Account at a Wells Fargo branch on March 12, 2016, a Saturday. The Check bore no apparent evidence of forgery or alteration. On March 14, 2016, the Check was posted to the Account and the funds became available for withdrawal. Between March 14 and 16, various debits and withdrawals were made from the Account. After the Check was deposited, Ferruggio directed Pacific Western Bank to stop payment on the Check, and the Check was returned unpaid to Wells Fargo on March 16, 2016. Wells Fargo reversed the $ 100,000 credit, which caused the Account to become overdrawn.

In addition to the undisputed facts above, Ferruggio asserts the following facts. During the period of March 11-12, 2016, Michael Hand, President of Ferruggio, communicated with Carrillo regarding the payment of $ 100,000 to be made to Equa Gaming, and that the payment was initially to be made by check. After arranging for the deposit of the Check to the Account, Carrillo informed Hand that the funds would not be available immediately, and because time was of the essence, Hand agreed to wire the funds to the Account, which he subsequently did. Ferruggio further contends that during the discussions, Carrillo and Hand agreed that a stop payment would be put on the Check.

B. Procedural Background

Wells Fargo initiated this action on July 26, 2017 (Doc. 1), filed a first amended *889complaint on August 14, 2017 (Doc. 17), and a second amended complaint on September 17, 2018 (Doc. 68, SAC), bringing claims against Ferruggio Insurance Services of L.A., Inc. doing business as PenbenLA ("Ferruggio"), Equa Gaming, Victor Carrillo, Dana M. Brannan, and Does I-X. Of the various claims brought by Wells Fargo, one was brought against Ferruggio for enforcement of the Check ("Count One") pursuant to A.R.S. Title 47 (codifying the Uniform Commercial Code).1 Ferruggio filed an answer on November 2, 2018 (Doc. 75, Ans.), and Wells Fargo now moves for summary judgment against Ferruggio on Count One.

II. LEGAL STANDARD FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Summary judgment is appropriate when "there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). A material fact is any factual issue that might affect the outcome of the case under the governing substantive law. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. , 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). A dispute about a fact is "genuine" if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the nonmoving party. Id.

"A party asserting that a fact cannot be or is genuinely disputed must support the assertion by ... citing to particular parts of materials in the record" or by "showing that materials cited do not establish the absence or presence of a genuine dispute, or that an adverse party cannot produce admissible evidence to support the fact." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c)(1)(A), (B). The court need only consider the cited materials, but it may also consider any other materials in the record. Id. 56(c)(3). Summary judgment may also be entered "against a party who fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party's case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial." Celotex Corp. v. Catrett , 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986).

Initially, the movant bears the burden of demonstrating to the Court the basis for the motion and "identifying those portions of [the record] which it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact." Id. at 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548. If the movant fails to carry its initial burden, the nonmovant need not produce anything. Nissan Fire & Marine Ins. Co. v. Fritz Cos. , 210 F.3d 1099, 1102-03 (9th Cir. 2000). If the movant meets its initial responsibility, the burden then shifts to the nonmovant to establish the existence of a genuine issue of material fact. Id. at 1103. The nonmovant need not establish a material issue of fact conclusively in its favor, but it "must do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the material facts." Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp.

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