Wolsky v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (In Re Wolsky)

68 B.R. 526, 2 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 1689, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 5060
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, D. North Dakota
DecidedOctober 28, 1986
Docket19-30096
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 68 B.R. 526 (Wolsky v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (In Re Wolsky)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, D. North Dakota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Wolsky v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (In Re Wolsky), 68 B.R. 526, 2 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 1689, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 5060 (N.D. 1986).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

WILLIAM A. HILL, Bankruptcy Judge.

The matter before the Court is an action by the debtors, Leland and Karen Wolsky (Debtors), against the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to determine the validity of liens claimed by FDIC in the Debtors’ trucks. The Debtors filed a Chapter 11 petition on February 17, 1983, and commenced this action on May 14, 1986, pursuant to section 506 of the Bankruptcy Code. A trial was held before the undersigned on October 16, 1986. Based upon stipulated facts and the evidence introduced at trial, the Court finds the material facts to be as follows:

FINDINGS OF FACT

FDIC is a party to this action as receiver of the First National Bank of Carrington. The Debtors have, in the past, borrowed money from the First National Bank of Carrington. The only indication of current indebtedness are four partially illegible copies of promissory notes which are attached to FDIC’s proof of claim in the amount of $152,542.03. Three of the notes are unsecured with the fourth, in the amount of $4,500.00, being secured by wheat, barley and sunflowers pursuant to a security agreement dated December 20, 1979. In the fall of 1980, Leland Wolsky discussed proposals with FDIC to pay off his debt to them. He paid FDIC $550,-000.00 but denies owing anything on a $72,-000.00 note currently held by FDIC. Pursuant to negotiations with FDIC, Leland Wolsky understood that FDIC would not foreclose if he gave FDIC the titles to his trucks to shore up FDIC’s unsecured position.

Pursuant to the negotiations with FDIC, Leland Wolsky signed applications for the issuance of new titles on three 3V2 ton trucks. The applications, and the titles issued in consequence thereof, accurately describe the trucks and list FDIC as the *528 lienholder. The Debtors remain in possession of the trucks.

The only security agreement before the Court is a “Consumer Goods Security Agreement” dated December 20, 1979, which grants to the First National Bank of Carrington a security interest in 16,000 bushels of wheat, 1,700,000 pounds of sunflowers, and 5,000 bushels of barley. The Bank supplied the security agreement prior to the handwritten description of the crops, the following language is found on the security agreement:

The undersigned (hereinafter called “Debtor”) hereby grants to THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK of CARRINGTON, CARRINGTON, NORTH DAKOTA 58421 (hereinafter called “Secured Party”) a security interest in the following described property (hereinafter called “Collateral”)

Thereafter the inserted description of the crops is found followed by the following preprinted language:

together with all parts, accessories, repairs, improvements and assessions thereto now or hereafter and anytime made or acquired; and All property of every kind and description in which the Debtor has or may acquire any interest now or hereafter at any time in the possession or control of the Secured Party....

Conclusions of Law

The principal issue before the Court is whether FDIC’s claimed security interest in the Debtors’ three trucks is valid. Section 41-09-16 of the North Dakota Century Code provides that a security interest does not attach unless all of the following take place:

a. The collateral is in the possession of the secured party pursuant to agreement, or that the debtor has signed a security agreement that contains a description of the collateral....
b. Value has been given.
c. The debtor has rights in the collateral.

N.D.Cent.Code § 41-09-16 (Supp.1985) (U.C.C. § 9-203).

FDIC does not have possession of the Debtors’ trucks. Therefore, pursuant to section 41-09-16(l)(a), FDIC’s alleged security interest could attach to the trucks only if “the debtor has signed a security agreement which contains a description of the collateral”.

The only security agreement in evidence is the document identified as a “Consumer Goods Security Agreement”. Inserted in the agreement is a description of wheat, sunflowers and barley, as collateral. The FDIC asserts that the preprinted language which grants a security interest in “All property of every kind and description which the Debtor has or may acquire any interest ... ”, is a sufficient description to allow a security interest in the trucks to attach. Although a general collateral description in a financing statement may be sufficient to put a third party on notice, and thus perfect a security interest, greater particularity is required for a description of collateral in a security agreement. In re F.R. of North Dakota, Inc., 54 B.R. 645, 649 (Bankr.D.N.D.1985); In re Munzenreider Corp., 34 B.R. 82, 84 (Bankr.M.D.Fla.1983). The issue of perfection does not even arise until one first establishes that a valid security interest has attached.

A collateral description in a security agreement must be reasonably specific for a security interest to attach because a security agreement is the only documentation on which immediate and third parties have to rely in determining whether particular collateral is encumbered. When terms of a security agreement are vague or imprecise, the terms are strictly construed against the drafter consistent with fundamental rules of contract construction. N.D.Cent.Code § 9-07-19 (1975); In re F.R. of North Dakota, Inc., 54 B.R. at 649.

Courts are generally reluctant to allow imprecise language on a security agreement to create a valid security interest. A Wisconsin bankruptcy court has held that a financing statement which read that all farm personal property was subject to a security interest, was not sufficient notice to cover any property. The Court found that the description approaches a super ge *529 neric term that is not sufficient to reasonably indentify the collateral to the security agreement. In re Becker, 53 B.R. 450 (W.D.Wis.1985). The same rationale would apply to security agreements where more specificity is required. Likewise, a Minnesota Court has recently held that a description of collateral in a security agreement as “all property listed on Exhibit A attached hereto, together with any property of the debtor acquired after the date of the security agreement”, was not a sufficient description to create a security interest in accounts receivable. Worldwide Tracers, Inc. v. Metropolitan Protection, Inc., 373 N.W.2d 839, 41 U.C.C.Rep.Serv. 1508 (Minn.Ct.App.1985). In addition, the Second Circuit has held that the use of the word “equipment” in a security agreement is not effective to include automobiles belonging to a debtor as property subject to the security agreement. In re Laminated Veneers, Inc., 471 F.2d 1124, 1125 (2d Cir.1973).

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

Related

In Re Arctic Air, Inc.
202 B.R. 533 (D. Rhode Island, 1996)
Armstrong v. Mack (In re Mack)
93 B.R. 695 (D. North Dakota, 1988)
In Re MacK
93 B.R. 695 (D. North Dakota, 1988)
Matter of Hunerdosse
85 B.R. 999 (S.D. Iowa, 1988)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
68 B.R. 526, 2 U.C.C. Rep. Serv. 2d (West) 1689, 1986 Bankr. LEXIS 5060, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/wolsky-v-federal-deposit-insurance-corp-in-re-wolsky-ndb-1986.