Tri-State Truck Insurance v. First National Bank
Tri-State Truck Insurance v. First National Bank
Opinion of the Court
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
Tri-State Truck Insurance, Ltd., TST, Ltd. and Andrew B. Audet bring suit against First National Bank of Wamego (“FNB Wamego”) for making false statements in Uniform Commercial Code filings. See Complaint For Damages (Doc. # 1) filed May 5, 2012. Specifically, under Pennsylvania, Kansas and North Dakota law, plaintiffs assert claims for UCC violations (Count I), injurious falsehood (Count II) and slander of title (Count III). Id. This matter comes before the Court on Defendant’s Motion To Dismiss Complaint (Doc. # 5) filed June 11, 2012 and Plaintiffs’ Motion For Leave To File SurReply (Doc. # 10) filed July 20, 2012. As a preliminary matter, the Court sustains plaintiffs’ motion for leave to file a surreply.
I. Legal Standards
In ruling on a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(6), the Court assumes as true all well-pleaded factual allegations and determines whether they plausibly give rise to an entitlement of relief. Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 679, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter to state a claim which is plausible — and not merely conceivable — on its face. Id.; Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). In determining whether a complaint states a plausible claim for relief, the Court draws on its judicial experience and common sense. Iqbal, 556 U.S. at 679-80, 129 S.Ct. 1937.
Res judicata includes both claim preclusion and issue preclusion. Issue preclusion, or collateral estoppel, prevents re-litigation of an issue by a party against whom the issue has been conclusively determined in a prior action. See Am. Home Assurance Co. v. Pac. Indem. Co., 672 F.Supp. 495, 498 (D.Kan. 1987); Crutsinger v. Hess, 408 F.Supp. 548, 551 (D.Kan. 1976); Jackson Trak Group, Inc. v. Mid States Port Auth., 242 Kan. 683, 690, 751 P.2d 122, 128 (1988); see also Phelps v. Hamilton, 122 F.3d 1309, 1318 (10th Cir. 1997). Claim preclusion, on the other hand, prevents parties or their privies from re-litigating a cause of action that has been finally adjudicated by a court of corn
Res judicata is an affirmative defense on which defendant bears the burden of proof. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(c); Nwosun v. Gen. Mills Rests., Inc., 124 F.3d 1255, 1256 (10th Cir. 1997). Defendant may properly raise the defense in a Rule 12(b)(6) motion when all relevant facts are shown by the court’s own records, of which the court takes judicial notice. Merswin v. Williams Cos., Inc., 364 Fed.Appx. 438, 441 (10th Cir. 2010); Day v. Moscow, 955 F.2d 807, 811 (2d Cir. 1992); Hemphill v. Kimberly-Clark Corp., 605 F.Supp.2d 183, 186 (D.D.C. 2009). In addition, the Court may take judicial notice of public records from other proceedings. United States v. Ahidley, 486 F.3d 1184, 1192 n. 5 (10th Cir. 2007); Hemphill, 605 F.Supp.2d at 186.
II. Facts
Based on the record in this case (“TriState II ”) and the record in a prior case in this Court, Tri-State Truck Ins., Ltd. et al. v. First Nat’l Bank of Wamego, Kan., 09-4158-SAC (“Tri-State I”), the following facts are uncontroverted.
A. Underlying Facts
Tri-State is a business entity organized in the State of Pennsylvania. Pretrial Order (Doc. # 70) filed October 21, 2010 in Case No. 09-4158-SAC, Stipulation ¶ 1. TST is a business entity organized in the State of North Dakota. Id. ¶ 2. Audet is an individual residing in the State of Pennsylvania. Id. ¶3. At all relevant times, Audet has been chairman, chief executive officer and sole stockholder of Tri-State and TST. Id. FNB Wamego is a Kansas banking institution with its principal place of business in Wamego, Kansas. Id. ¶ 4.
On June 30, 2006, Tri-State entered into a commercial loan agreement with Brooke Credit Corporation (“BCC”), which later became known as Aleritas Capital Corporation (“Aleritas”). Id. ¶¶ 5-7. Under the agreement, Aleritas loaned Tri-State $8,216,000 (Loan No. 5483). Id. ¶ 8. Audet guaranteed the loan. Id. ¶ 9. On the same date, Aleritas loaned Audet $436,000 (Loan No. 5484). Id. ¶ 10. At the time, TriState and Audet understood that Aleritas often would sell participating interests in loans which it originated. Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 102) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC at 3.
On or about June 30, 2006, Aleritas entered into participation certificates and agreements whereby various lenders acquired interests in one or both loans. Id.
Less than six weeks later, ie. before August 11, 2006, unbeknownst to the participating lenders, Aleritas sold its stake in Loan No. 5483, making both loans 100 per cent participated. Therefore, Aleritas no longer had an ownership interest in either loan. Id. Nevertheless, Aleritas remained identified as the “lender” in underlying loan documents. Pretrial Order (Doc. # 70) filed in Case No. 09-4158-SAC, Stipulation ¶ 30.
On July 3, 2006, Aleritas filed UCC financing statements in Pennsylvania as to collateral of Tri-State (Pennsylvania Financing Statement No. 2006070703969) and Audet (Pennsylvania Financing Statement No. 2006070703971). Complaint For Damages (Doc. # 1) in Case No. 12-2291-KHV ¶¶ 7, 11 and Exhibit 1A and 1C thereto. On July 5, 2006, Aleritas filed a UCC financing statement in Kansas as to collateral of Tri-State (Kansas Financing Statement No. 6195390).
Several months later, on January 19, 2007, Audet pledged the stock of TST to secure his indebtedness to Aleritas. The parties amended the loan documents to add TST as a borrower.
On January 17, 2007, Aleritas filed UCC filing statement amendments which added TST as a debtor on Pennsylvania Financing Statement No. 2006070703969 and Kansas Financing Statement No. 6195390. Complaint For Damages (Doc. # 1) in Case No. 12-2291-KHV ¶¶ 9, 11 and Exhibit IB and 2B thereto. On February 16, 2007 in North Dakota, Aleritas filed a UCC financing statement as to collateral of TST (North Dakota Financing Statement No. 06-000327061-8).
Until September 12, 2008, Aleritas acted as administrator for Loan Nos. 5483 and 5484. Memorandum And Order (Doc.
In the fall of 2008, Aleritas experienced financial difficulties and discontinued some or all of its normal business operations. Id. at 5. On September 12, 2008, Aleritas and FNB Wamego entered into an assignment and assumption agreement under which Aleritas assigned FNB Wamego the payment processing loan administration duties for both loans. Id. That same day, Tri-State, TST and Audet acknowledged and consented to the assignment and authorized FNB Wamego to initiate electronic fund withdrawals for their monthly loan payments. Id. Until that time, plaintiffs did not know that FNB Wamego had any interest in the loans. Id. The letter which plaintiffs received regarding the transfer of payment processing duties stated that Aleritas was transferring the “payment servicing” of the loans to FNB Wamego, with whom it had “partnered” to “ensure quality payment processing.” Id. (quoting Exhibit 112 to Doc. # 74 in Case No. 09-4158-SAC). The same letter advised plaintiffs that the loans had “not been transferred or sold by Aleritas.” Id. The parties agree that Aleritas did not sell or transfer the loans, but sold participating interests in them. Id. Throughout the life of the loans, Aleritas was the “lender” as defined and identified in the loan documents. Id.
In the spring and summer of 2009, FNB “caused to be filed” amendments to UCC statements in Kansas, Pennsylvania and North Dakota which purported to assign the secured party of record from Aleritas to FNB Wamego. Complaint For Damages (Doc. # 1) in Case No. 12-2291-KHV ¶¶ 13-16, 26-27, 39-44. Specifically, on May 11, 2009, FNB Wamego filed an amendment to Kansas Financing Statement No. 6195390 which changed the secured party from BCC (the predecessor to Aleritas) to FNB Wamego. Complaint For Damages (Doc. # 1) in Case No. 12-2291-KHV ¶26 and Exhibit 2C thereto. The Kansas amendment listed BCC as the authorizing party and indicated that all collateral was assigned to FNB Wamego.
On both loans, Tri-State, TST and Audet continued to make regularly scheduled payments through November of 2009. Id. at 6. On December 14, 2009, a Pennsylvania state court entered a judgment rescinding the loans, see infra. After that judgment, Tri-State, TST and Audet stopped making payments on the loans. Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 102) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC at 6.
B. Pennsylvania Case
On September 23, 2009, Tri-State, TST and Audet filed suit against Aleritas and Brooke Capital Advisors, Inc. (“BCA”) in state court in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Aleritas and BCA did not appear in the Pennsylvania action. Id. ¶ 34. No participating bank was a party to — or had notice of — the Pennsylvania lawsuit. Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 102) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC at 6-7.
On October 30, 2009, the Pennsylvania state court entered default judgment on plaintiffs’ claims. See Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 102) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC at 6-7; Pretrial Order (Doc. # 70) in Case No. 0941158-SAC, Stipulations ¶¶ 32-35.
On December 14, 2009, the Pennsylvania court held an uncontested hearing on damages. Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 102) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC at 7. It entered judgment as follows. On the breach of contract claim against BCA, the court awarded damages in the amount of $5,972,661 plus costs.
In December of 2009, FNB Wamego learned of the Pennsylvania judgment.
On July 29, 2010, the Pennsylvania court denied the petition to intervene. See id. ¶ 37. The Pennsylvania court found that plaintiffs had properly served BCA and Aleritas and that the court had properly entered judgment against them. See Memorandum Opinion in Pennsylvania case ¶¶ 4-9, 20, Exhibit 21 to Wohler Affidavit in Case No. 09-4158-SAC. The Pennsylvania court found that its record was unclear regarding whether FNB Wamego had an ownership or other interest in Loan Nos. 5483 and 5484, and that it had not made any rulings in that regard. Id. ¶ 13. The court found that under Pennsylvania rules of procedure, intervention was not proper because the action was no longer pending and that even if it were pending, FNB Wamego had not demonstrated the factual basis for its argument that the Pennsylvania judgment against Aleritas and BCA would impose liability on FNB Wamego or would affect its own legally enforceable interest in the loans. Id. ¶¶ 17-19. The court stated that it made no findings regarding the merits of any claim of FNB Wamego regarding ownership or other legally enforceable rights in the loans, and that its order was without prejudice to FNB Wamego raising those
C. Tri-State I
On December 15, 2009, one day after the Pennsylvania state court entered judgment rescinding the loans, Tri-State, TST and Audet filed suit against FNB Wamego in this Court, ie. Tri-State I. See Complaint For Declaratory Judgment (Doc. # 1) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC. As noted, the Pennsylvania court granted default judgment on plaintiffs’ claims that BCA and Aleritas had procured Loan Nos. 5483 and 5484 through fraud, ordered that all UCC statements under the loans be rescinded and awarded damages in the amount of $1,756.619.18.
FNB Wamego asserted counterclaims for breach of contract and declaratory judgment. Id. at 2, 15, 18-20. Specifically, FNB Wamego alleged that by not paying monthly installments and providing certain financial documents, plaintiffs had defaulted on the loans. Id. at 2. In addition, FNB Wamego sought an order finding that (1) it and other participating lenders were third party beneficiaries who could enforce plaintiffs’ obligations under the loans; (2) plaintiffs had no personal claims or defenses which prevented FNB Wamego from enforcing the loans; (3) plaintiffs had defaulted on the loans; (4) plaintiffs owed obligations to FNB Wamego and other participating lenders; and (5) all payments were due to FNB Wamego. Id. at 19-20. FNB Wamego sought damages in the amount of unpaid principal and interest and its costs and attorney’s fees.
On August 3, 2011, the Honorable Sam A. Crow, United States District Judge, entered summary judgment in favor of plaintiffs.
With regard to FNB Wamego’s counterclaims, Judge Crow reached a similar result. Specifically, with regard to the breach of contract counterclaim, Judge Crow found that because FNB Wamego was not a party to the loan agreements, it did not have standing to enforce them.
FNB [Wamego’s] estoppel argument is nothing more than an assertion that Plaintiffs ... elected to ratify the voidable contracts, so the contracts should not have been rescinded. But the issue whether Pennsylvania court erred in rescinding the loan agreements cannot be reexamined by this court. The Loans have been rescinded and this court is not at liberty to determine whether the facts now asserted by FNB [Wamego] would have been sufficient to show ratification or estoppel precluding rescission, had they been presented in the Pennsylvania action.
Id. at 35.
On August 25, 2011, FNB Wamego filed a motion to stay execution and enforcement of the Tri-State I judgment pending resolution of post judgment proceedings, including appeal. See Defendant’s Motion To Stay Execution And Enforcement Of Judgment (Doc. # 105) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC. Plaintiffs objected, arguing that a stay of execution would harm them. Plaintiffs’ Response To Defendant’s Motion To Stay Execution And Enforcement Of Judgment (Doc. # 120) filed September 8, 2011 at 10-11. Specifically, plaintiffs asserted that the existence of filing statements on the loans falsely suggested to the
On August 31, 2011, FNB Wamego and the Gibson Family Limited Partnership filed a motion to reconsider the summary judgment ruling. See Defendants’ Motion For Reconsideration (Doc. # 109) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC. On September 2, 2011, they filed a notice of appeal. See Protective Notice Of Appeal (Doc. # 117) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC. On September 29, 2011, Judge Crow stayed execution of the judgment pending appeal. See Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 131) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC at 8. On October 6, 2011, he denied the motion for reconsideration. See Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 133) in Case No. 094158-SAC. Four months later, on February 7, 2012, pursuant to the parties’ agreement, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the appeal.
D. Tri-State II
On May 15, 2012, Tri-State, TST and Audet filed this lawsuit against FNB Wamego, i.e. Tri-State II. Complaint For Damages (Doc. # 1) in Case No. 12-2291-KHV. Under Pennsylvania, Kansas and North Dakota law, plaintiffs assert claims regarding the amendments which FNB Wamego filed in the spring and summer of 2009 regarding Pennsylvania Financing Statement Nos. 2006070703969 and 2006070703971, Kansas Financing Statement No. 6195390 and North Dakota Financing Statement Nos. 06-000327061-9, 06-000327061-7 and 06-000327061-8. Specifically, plaintiffs assert claims for (1) UCC violations (Count I); (2) injurious falsehood (Count II); and (3) slander of title (Count III). Id. at 7-11.
With respect to Count I, i.e. UCC violations, plaintiffs allege as follows: State laws in Pennsylvania, Kansas and North Dakota require a secured party of record to file a UCC amendment assigning rights from the secured party to another. Id. ¶¶ 17, 28, 45.
With respect to Count II, i.e. injurious falsehood, plaintiffs allege as follows: In causing the UCC amendments to be filed defendant knowingly published false statements, specifically representing that it was BCC, now known as Aleritas. Id. ¶¶ 57, 59. Defendant knew or should have known that the amendments were likely to harm plaintiffs’ interests in the collateral thereunder. Id. ¶ 58. As a result of the
With respect to Count III, i.e. slander of title, plaintiffs allege as follows: In causing the UCC amendments to be filed defendant knowingly published false statements, specifically representing that it was BCC, now known as Aleritas. Id. ¶¶ 64, 66. Defendant intended the amendments to harm plaintiffs’ interests in the collateral thereunder. Id. ¶ 65. The false UCC amendments were, in fact, harmful to plaintiffs’ interests. Id. ¶ 67. Defendant filed the false UCC amendments with malice toward plaintiffs. Id. ¶ 68. As a result of defendant’s false statements, each plaintiff has suffered damages in excess of $75,000. Id. ¶ 69. Defendant acted willfully, wantonly, fraudulently or maliciously such that it is liable for punitive damages of at least $250,000 to each plaintiff. Id. ¶ 70.
III. Analysis
Defendant asserts that principles of res judicata, or claim preclusion, bar plaintiffs from litigating their claims in this case. Plaintiffs respond that defendants have not shown the requirements of claim preclusion and that under the so-called “declaratory judgment exception,” res judicata does not apply.
To determine the res judicata effect of a federal diversity judgment, the Court applies federal common law. See Semtek Int’l Inc. v. Lockheed Martin Corp., 531 U.S. 497, 508, 121 S.Ct. 1021, 149 L.Ed.2d 32 (2001); Hartsel Springs Ranch of Colo. v. Bluegreen Corp., 296 F.3d 982, 986 (10th Cir. 2002). The Supreme Court has directed that in determining the preclusive effect of a federal diversity judgment, federal courts should adopt the same claim-preclusive rule that state courts would apply in the state in which the federal diversity courts sits. Semtek Int’l, 531 U.S. at 508, 121 S.Ct. 1021; see also Hartsel Springs Ranch, 296 F.3d at 986. Thus, to determine the preclusive effect of the judgment in Tri-State I, the Court looks to Kansas law. As a practical matter, Kansas law regarding claim preclusion does not appear to differ significantly from federal law. See Rhoten v. Dickson, 290 Kan. 92, 106, 223 P.3d 786, 797 (2010); Stanfield v. Osborne Indus., Inc., 263 Kan. 388, 396, 949 P.2d 602, 608 (1997).
Under Kansas law, res judicata, i.e. claim preclusion, requires the following four elements: (1) the same claim or cause of action; (2) the same parties; (3) the claims here were or could have been raised in the prior action; and (4) the prior action resulted in a final judgment on the merits. Winston v. Kan. Dep’t of SRS, 274 Kan. 396, 413, 49 P.3d 1274, 1285 (2002); Netwig v. Georgia-Pac. Corp., 266 F.Supp.2d 1279, 1284 (D.Kan. 2003) (citing Neunzig v. Seaman Unified Sch. Dist. No. 315, 239 Kan. 654, 661, 722 P.2d 569, 575 (1986)).
A. Whether This Case Involves Same Claim Or Cause Of Action As TriState I
In the context of claim preclusion, the term “claim” is defined in factual terms such that the same factual transaction — or series of factual transactions — is one claim, regardless of the number of substantive legal theories that may be available to plaintiffs based on those facts. See Stanfield v. Osborne Indus., Inc., 263 Kan. 388, 401, 949 P.2d 602, 611 (1997) (applying federal law to determine preclusive effect of state law claims raised but not decided in federal court case).
Here, it appears that plaintiffs’ claims are directly connected to their claims in Tri-State I. In this case, they assert claims for damages allegedly caused by defendant’s filing of false UCC amendments regarding Loan Nos. 5483 and 5484. In Tri-State I, plaintiffs asked the Court to cancel or terminate all UCC filings related to the same loans. In other words, in Tri-State I, plaintiffs sought to cancel or terminate the same UCC amendments for which they now seek damages. Plaintiffs assert that the claims are different because the facts and legal issues in TriState I did not involve the UCC filings at issue here. Plaintiffs’ Response To Defendant’s Motion To Dismiss (“Plaintiffs’ Response ”) (Doc. # 8) filed July 2, 2012 in Case No. 12-2291 at 2, 6-7. Specifically, plaintiffs assert that in Tri-State I, the pretrial order contains no facts regarding the UCC filings and no party raised any legal issue relating thereto. Id. at 6-7, 12. Plaintiffs’ argument misses the boat. The fact that the pretrial order in Tñ-State I does not mention the UCC filings merely underscores the fact that plaintiffs did not
Plaintiffs assert that in this case, the operative facts are different because they involve alleged misrepresentations by defendant when it filed the UCC amendments. See Plaintiffs’ Response (Doc. # 8) in Case No. 12-2291-SAC at 12. But the operative facts go much deeper than that. In both cases, the claims arise from Loan Nos. 5483 and 5484 and involve the nature of defendant’s interest therein. Both cases involve the same series of factual transactions: the underlying loans, defendant’s involvement as participating lender in the loans, Aleritas’s assignment of loan administration duties to defendant and the scope of defendant’s rights and interests in the loans. In Tri-State /, Judge Crow found that defendant did not have standing to enforce the loans because, inter alia, the assignment of loan servicing duties did not include all of Aleritas’s right and title to the loans. See Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 103) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC at 27-28. Intrinsically related to that ruling is the scope of the assignment of loan servicing duties, i.e. whether it included an assignment of Aleritas’s secured interests under the loans. The resolution of that issue is directly related to whether defendant made false statements in the UCC filings.
B. Whether Plaintiffs Asserted Or Could Have Asserted Their Claims In Tri-State I
To show that res judicata precludes plaintiffs’ claims, defendant must show that plaintiffs asserted or could have asserted their claims in Tri-State I. Here, plaintiffs did not assert the UCC and slander of title claims in Tri-State I. Thus, the issue is whether they could have asserted the claims in that case. Res judicata would not necessarily preclude a second lawsuit based on acts which occurred after the first suit was filed. See, e.g., N. Natural Gas Co. v. L.D. Drilling, Inc., No. 08-1405-WEB, 2009 WL 3739735, at *8 (D.Kan. Nov. 6, 2009). In this case, however, plaintiffs’ claims are based on acts which occurred before Tri-State I. Specifically, defendant filed the allegedly false UCC amendments in the spring and summer of 2009. Almost half a year later, on December 15, 2009, plaintiffs filed their claims in Tri-State I.
Defendant asserts that plaintiffs obviously knew about the UCC filings when they filed Tri-State I. Specifically, defendant asserts that plaintiffs must have known about the filings or there would have been no need for them to ask the Tri-State I court to cancel them. See
The undisputed record supports defendant’s assertions. Obviously, plaintiffs knew that UCC filings had substituted defendant as the secured party of record on the loans. If not, plaintiffs would have had no need to ask the Tñ-State I court to cancel them.
C. Declaratory Judgment Exception
Plaintiffs assert that res judicata should not apply because in Tñ-State I plaintiffs sought only declaratory relief. See Plaintiffs’ Response (Doc. #8) at 9-11. Although Kansas courts apparently have not addressed the issue, plaintiffs assert that they would follow the general rule set forth in the Restatement (Second) of Judgments and American Jurisprudence 2d. Under that rule, suits for declaratory judgment are conclusive only as to matters actually adjudicated and not as to all matters which could have been presented for adjudication.
Even if Kansas courts were to recognize the declaratory judgment exception, it would not apply in this case. Once defendant filed its counterclaim in TriState I, Rule 13(a), Fed. R. Civ. P, required plaintiffs to file any claim which arose out of the transaction or occurrence that was the subject of defendant’s claim. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 13(a).
D. Conclusion
The undisputed record demonstrates that plaintiffs’ claims are barred by res judicata. Alternatively, the Court finds that Rule 13(a) required plaintiffs to assert the claims in response to defendant’s counterclaims in Tri-State I.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that Defendant’s Motion To Dismiss Complaint (Doc. #5) filed June 11, 2012 be and hereby is SUSTAINED. The Court dismisses with prejudice plaintiffs’ claims and directs the Clerk to enter judgment accordingly.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiffs’ Motion For Leave To File SurReply (Doc. # 10) filed July 20, 2012 be and hereby is SUSTAINED. On or before March 19, 2013, plaintiffs shall file the surreply attached as Exhibit A to Plaintiffs’ Reply In Support Of Motion For Leave to File Sur-Reply (Doc. # 13).
. Defendant objects to plaintiffs’ motion for leave to file a surreply arguing, inter alia, that it did not include new argument or evidence in its reply brief. Plaintiffs disagree. Regardless how the parties characterize the content of defendant’s reply, the Court finds that the complexity of legal issues and sequence of the parties’ briefing on them justifies allowing plaintiffs to file a surreply in this case.
. The record in Tri-State I contains no information regarding specific UCC filings. Therefore, with respect to facts regarding UCC filings, the Court accepts as true the allegations in plaintiffs’ complaint in this case, i.e. Tri-State II.
. In ruling on cross motions for summary judgment in Tri-State I, the Court found that the facts stated in its Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 102) were uncontested. See id. at 2.
. Although the record is not clear, it appears that at the time of closing, Aleritas may have sold two lenders 100 per cent participating interests in Loan No. 5484.
. The record is unclear regarding the nature of Tri-State’s relationship to the State of Kansas, if any.
. The record is unclear whether TST became a borrower on both loans or only Loan No. 5483.
. The complaint alleges that Aleritas filed North Dakota Financing Statement No. 06-000327061-8 on July 11, 2006, see Complaint For Damages (Doc. # 1) in Case No. 12-2291-KHV, but the financing statement states that it was filed on February 16, 2007, see Exhibit 3B to Complaint For Damages (Doc. # 1) in Case No. 12-2291-KHV.
. The amendment to Kansas Financing Statement No. 6195390 does not reflect who filed it. See Exhibit 2C to Complaint For Damages (Doc. # 1) in Case No. 12-2291-KHV.
. According to the Pennsylvania complaint, Aleritas, f/k/a BCC, is a corporation organized in the State of Delaware and BCA is a corporation organized in the State of Kansas. See Complaint in Pennsylvania action ¶¶ 4-5, Exhibit 16 to Affidavit Of Brian Wohler In Support Of Defendant First National Bank Of Wamego’s Motion For Summary Judgment ("Wohler Affidavit") (Doc. # 76-1) filed November 3, 2010 in Case No. 09-4158-SAC. In 2006, BCA was operating as CJD & Associates. Id. ¶ 8. Aleritas and BCA were subsidiaries of Brooke Corporation, which effectively controlled them. Id. ¶ 53.
. The record does not disclose how the Pennsylvania court determined the amount of damages, or what time period they cover.
. Specifically, with respect to the fraud claim (Count II), the judgment provides: Count II — Judgment in favor of Plaintiffs Tri-State Truck Insurance, Ltd., TST, Ltd. and Andrew B. Audet and against Brooke Capital Advisors, Inc. and Aleritas Capital Corporation, as follows:
*1128 1) A determination that Loan No. 5483 and Loan No. 5484 were procured by fraud;
2) A Judgment of Rescission Of Loan No. 5483 and Loan No. 5484 and any [and] all loan documents of any kind under Loan No. 5483 and No. 5484, including but not limited to any Loan Addendum, Modifications, Stock Pledge Agreements, Security documents, UCC Statements, Loan Obligations or Guarantys.
3) Monetary damages in the amount of $1,756,619.18 plus costs.
Order in Pennsylvania case, Exhibit 16 to Wohler Affidavit in Case No. 09-4158-SAC.
. FNB Wamego learned of the Pennsylvania case by virtue of the complaint which plaintiffs filed on December 15, 2009 in Tri-State I, infra. Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 102) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC at 18.
. The Pennsylvania court also awarded damages of $5,972,661.00 on the breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation claims. As noted, the record does not reveal what the damages covered or for what time period. There is no indication that the Pennsylvania court awarded separate damages for wrongfully filed UCC statements.
. On December 17, 2010, the Court entered an order which allowed the Gibson Family Limited Partnership, an entity which had purchased participating interests in the loans, to intervene as a defendant in the case. See Memorandum And Order (Doc. #91) in Case No. 09-cv-04158-SAC.
. The parties in Tri-State I filed cross motions for summary judgment on all claims. See Plaintiffs' Motion For Summary Judgment (Doc. # 73) and First National Bank OfWamego’s Motion For Summary Judgment (Doc. #75), both filed November 3, 2010 in Case No. 09-4158.
. Specifically, Judge Crow stated as follows: The Court notes, however, that the Pennsylvania judgment does not purport to bind [FNB Wamego] or any other participating bank as a judgment debtor, and Plaintiffs seek nothing affirmatively from them in this suit. Instead, Plaintiffs seek to have this Court enforce the Pennsylvania judgment as between the parties to that suit (Plaintiffs and Aleritas), and as a consequence of that valid rescission of the Loans, find [FNB Wamego] and other participating banks unable to enforce any obligations Plaintiffs may have had in relation to the Loans prior to rescission.
Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 102) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC at 19.
. Judge Crow found that no exception to the general rule applied. Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 102) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC at 20.
. Judge Crow also found that even if Aleritas had assigned FNB Wamego its rights under the loans, FNB Wamego would stand in the shoes of Aleritas and could not enforce the loans because they had been rescinded. Memorandum And Order (Doc. # 102) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC at 30-31.
. Specifically, FNB Wamego asserted that based on plaintiffs' prior acts, the court should not allow plaintiffs to argue that it did not have a right to enforce the loans. FNB Wamego asserted that in September of 2009,
. As noted, the Pennsylvania court denied FNB Wamego's petition to intervene and FNB Wamego did not appeal that ruling.
. The Tri-State I judgment states, in part, as follows:
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Plaintiffs are entitled to the following declaratory judgment: 1. because Loan No. 5483 and Loan No. 5484 have been validly rescinded, plaintiffs owe no obligation under those loans, whether in contract or otherwise, to First National Bank of Wamego, to The Gibson Family Limited Partnership, or to any participating bank represented by First National Bank of Wamego in its capacity as servicer of those loans;
2. all security on Loan No. 5483 and Loan No. 5484 in the possession, custody or control of First National Bank of Wamego (including any in the possession, custody or control of Quivira Capital, LLC) shall be returned to Plaintiffs forthwith; and
3. all UCC filings on Loan No. 5483 and Loan No. 5484 shall be canceled or terminated forthwith.
Judgment In A Civil Case (Doc. # 103) in Case No. 09-4158-SAC.
. The record does not reveal the specific filing statements to which plaintiffs were referring.
. The record reveals no details regarding the parties’ agreement which resulted in dismissal of the appeal.
. Plaintiffs' complaint does not cite the state laws to which they refer. Defendant’s motion does not challenge the merit of plaintiffs’ claims.
. Kansas courts sometimes articulate the test differently, stating that res judicata requires the following four conditions: (1) identity in the thing sued for, (2) identity of the cause of action, (3) identity of persons and parties to the action and (4) identity in the quality of persons for or against whom the claim is made. See Waterview Resolution Corp. v. Allen, 274 Kan. 1016, 1023, 58 P.3d 1284, 1290 (2002). The Court’s research reveals no Kansas cases discussing, analyzing or even acknowledging the fact that courts sometimes articulate the test differently. See, e.g., State v. Martin, 294 Kan. 638, 641, 279 P.3d 704, 706 (2012) (articulating "same claim” test); Venters v. Sellers, 293 Kan. 87, 98, 261 P.3d 538, 546 (2011) (articulating “identity in thing sued for” test). The Court agrees with the Kansas Supreme Court that the "same claim” test is "[mjost plainly stated.” In re Fleet, 293 Kan. 768, 777-78, 272
. In the introductory section of their memorandum in opposition to defendant's motion, plaintiffs assert briefly that Tri-State I involved FNB Wamego in its capacity as representative of all participating lenders whereas this case involves FNB Wamego in its own capacity. Plaintiffs' Response To Defendant’s Motion To Dismiss ("Plaintiffs' Response ") (Doc. # 8) filed July 2, 2012 in Case No. 12-2291 at 2, 6-7. Plaintiffs offer no legal analysis or authority in this regard. The Court finds nothing in the record which supports the conclusion that in Tri-State I, FNB Wamego was not acting in its own capacity. Whether it owed duties and obligations to participating banks is a separate matter.
. Although Kansas courts apparently have not expressly adopted the transactional approach, the Tenth Circuit and this Court have determined that they approve the approach. See Phillips USA, Inc. v. Allflex USA, Inc., 77 F.3d 354, 360-61 (10th Cir. 1996); Eatinger v. BP Am. Prod. Co., No. 07-1266-EFM, 2012 WL 204564, at *5 (D.Kan. Jan. 24, 2012); N. Natural Gas Co. v. L.D. Drilling, Inc., No. 08-1405-WEB, 2009 WL 3739735, at *8 (D.Kan. Nov. 6, 2009).
. In their surreply, plaintiffs assert that even if defendant had prevailed in Tri-State I, i.e. if Judge Crow had found that defendant could enforce the loans against plaintiffs, the claims in this case would still be viable. See Plaintiffs’ Sur-Reply In Opposition To Motion To Dismiss (‘‘Plaintiffs’ Surreply”) Exhibit A to Plaintiffs’ Reply In Support Of Motion For Leave to File SurReply (Doc. # 13) in Case No. 12-2291-KHV at 4. In other words, plaintiffs assert that even if defendant had a right to enforce the loans, it would still be liable to plaintiffs for the claims in this case because it misrepresented to state authorities that it was Aleritas when it filed the UCC amendments. Id. at 4-5. The Court finds this theory implausible. In particular, if Aleritas did assign defendant its security interests under the loans, it appears that the UCC amendments which defendant filed would not have caused any harm to plaintiffs.
. As noted, plaintiffs assert claims for UCC violations, injurious falsehood and slander of title. Plaintiffs assert that in Kansas, claims for fraud and slander of title do not accrue until they are discovered. Plaintiffs do not assert claims for fraud. As to slander of title claims, plaintiffs cite LaBarge v. City of Concordia, 23 Kan.App.2d 8, 18-19, 927 P.2d 487, 494 (1996), which states in dicta that a slander of title claim does not accrue until it is discovered. The authority cited in that case, however, suggests that the outcome may depend on whether the publication is more akin to a mass media publication or a false credit report. See McKown v. Dun & Bradstreet, Inc., 744 F.Supp. 1046, 1049 (D.Kan. 1990) (as to libel claim based on false credit report, Kansas courts would find that limitations period begins to run on date of discovery). Plaintiffs do not address when claims for UCC violations or injurious falsehood accrue. In another context, this Court has found that Kansas courts would not recognize the tort of injurious falsehood. See Sunlight Saunas, Inc. v. Sundance Sauna, Inc., 427 F.Supp.2d 1032, 1072-73 (D.Kan. 2006).
. As noted, in the Pennsylvania case against Aleritas and BCA, plaintiffs had already obtained a judgment which rescinded all loan document of any kind under Loan Nos. 5483 and 5484, including UCC statements. Arguably, the judgment covered the UCC amendments filed by defendant.
. The Court recognizes that these cases deal with a plaintiff’s duty to allege facts which avoid a statute of limitations defense. They are not exactly on point but the same logic demands that plaintiffs plead facts sufficient to avoid a res judicata defense. If plaintiffs have not done so, they have failed to articulate a plausible claim for relief and the complaint must be dismissed under Twombly and Iqbal.
. Furthermore, plaintiffs’ briefs on the motion to dismiss do not suggest that such facts exist.
. Under this approach, a judicial declaration regarding the existence and nature of a relation between the parties does not merge with other potential claims that could have been brought. See Restatement (Second) of Judgments § 33, Comment c. Thus, plaintiff or defendant may seek further declaratory or coercive relief in a subsequent action. Id. Non-merger of the claims is justified based on the purpose of declaratory relief, i.e. to provide a remedy that is simpler and less harsh than coercive relief. Id. Under this theory, a declaratory action determines only what is actually decided and does not have a preclusive effect on other contentions which might have been advanced in the declaratory action suit. Id.
. Although plaintiffs and Judge Crow referred to the relief requested and awarded in Tri-State I as ''declarative," it ordered that all UCC filings be cancelled or terminated and is therefore coercive in nature. In determining whether a remedy constitutes an injunction, the Court relies on the substance of the order, not merely its form. See Westar Energy, Inc. v. Lake, 552 F.3d 1215, 1222 (10th Cir. 2009). In Tri-State I, plaintiffs requested — and Judge Crow ordered — that all security in defendant's possession or control be returned to plaintiffs and that all UCC filings be cancelled or terminated. The nature of this relief appears to be coercive in that it commands defendant to do something or refrain from doing something. See, e.g., Umhey v. Cnty. of Orange, N.Y., 957 F.Supp. 525, 530 (S.D.N.Y. 1997). The Court does not decide this issue, however, because even if plaintiffs sought only declaratory relief, as discussed infra, Rule 13(a) required them to bring the UCC claims in response to defendant’s counterclaim.
. Rule 13(a) states as follows:
(1) In General. A pleading must state as a counterclaim any claim that — at the time of its service — the pleader has against an opposing party if the claim:
(A) arises out of the transaction or occurrence that is the subject matter of the opposing party’s claim; and
(B) does not require adding another party over whom the court cannot acquire jurisdiction.
Fed.R.Civ.P. 13(a).
. Rather than attempt to precisely define the terms "transaction” and “occurrence,” most courts prefer to suggest standards under which the compulsory or permissive nature of specific counterclaims may be determined. Fox v. Moulding, 112 F.3d 453, 457 (10th Cir. 1997). Such factors include whether (1) the issues of fact and law are largely the same; (2) res judicata would bar a subsequent suit absent the compulsory counterclaim rule; (3) substantially the same evidence supports or refutes the claim and counterclaim; and (4) a logical relation exists between the claim and the counterclaim. Id.; see also Charles Alan Wright, Arthur R. Miller & Mary Kay Kane, 6 Federal Practice and Procedure § 1410 (listing same factors). Based on these factors, the Court concludes that plaintiffs' claims here were compulsory counterclaims to defendant’s claims in TriState I. First, the issues of law and fact arise out of the same transaction, i.e. defendant’s role as participating lender and assignee of administration duties on the underlying loans. Second, as discussed, res judicata would bar a subsequent suit. Third, substantially the same evidence is involved, i.e. the scope of defendant's rights in the underlying loans. Fourth, a logical connection exists because the determination of defendant's rights regarding the loans is relevant to whether the UCC amendments were false.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- TRI-STATE TRUCK INSURANCE, LTD. v. FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF WAMEGO
- Cited By
- 8 cases
- Status
- Published