Consumer Finance Corp. v. Mayfield Hts., Unpublished Decision (10-14-1999)
Consumer Finance Corp. v. Mayfield Hts., Unpublished Decision (10-14-1999)
Opinion of the Court
Appellant, City of Mayfield Heights, is appealing the trial court's order granting replevin of an automobile to appellee, Consumer Finance Corporation. For the following reasons, we affirm.
A hearing was held, but no transcript was filed with this court. The parties' stipulation of facts states: James E. Neal, Jr. executed a retail installment contract with appellee in the amount of $10,000, making appellee the first lienholder on Neal's Chrysler Concord automobile. On July 16, 1997, Mr. Neal was stopped for a traffic violation. Upon discovering that Neal's driver's license was suspended until 2002, the City of Mayfield Heights impounded Neal's vehicle.
Pursuant to R.C.
The City sent notice by certified mail to appellee on November 26, 1997 that appellee must respond within twenty days or the vehicle would be disposed of pursuant to statute. On December 18, 1997, the City obtained title to the vehicle pursuant to court order.
Appellee contacted appellant on March 27, 1998 to request possession of the automobile. Appellee sued appellant for replevin.
The exhibits submitted by both parties establish that the VIN number on the City's notification to Appellee was different from the VIN number on the municipal court's order granting title of the vehicle to the city. Appellee claims that appellant included the incorrect VIN number in the notice.
The trial court's journal entry states that plaintiff-appellee was entitled to replevin to satisfy its lien. The court found that appellee did not waive its right to the lien. The journal entry stated that appellant was entitled to any proceeds that exceed the satisfaction of the lien.
1. THE TRIAL COURT'S FINDING THAT THE PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE IS ENTITLED TO REPLEVIN WAS AGAINST THE MANIFEST WEIGHT OF THE EVIDENCE.
2. DEFENDANT-APPELLANT WAS UNFAIRLY PREJUDICED BY THE CONFLICTING AND AMBIGUOUS LANGUAGE OF THE OHIO REVISED CODE SECTIONS AT ISSUE.
3. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FINDING THAT THE PLAINTIFF IS ENTITLED TO SATISFACTION OF ITS LIEN ON THE AUTOMOBILE.
4. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FINDING THAT THE PLAINTIFF-APPELLEE DID NOT WAIVE ITS LIENHOLDER RIGHT.
5. THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FINDING THAT THE STATUTE AT ISSUE DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR A WAIVER OF LIENHOLDER RIGHTS BY THE PARTY SEEKING FORFEITURE.
The trial court's journal entry stated that, "plaintiff is entitled to satisfaction of its lien on the automobile pursuant to R.C.
If the entity that receives title to the vehicle is the entity that is entitled to the immobilization fee under division (A)(6) of this section, it shall receive title on the condition that it pay any lien on the vehicle.
See R.C.
When amendments do not expressly repeal an earlier amendment, the amendments are to be harmonized if possible so that effect may be given to both amendments. R.C.
In this case, H.B. 676 does not expressly repeal H.B. 353. H.B. 676 does not have any language which would conflict with the requirement in H.B. 353 that the entity must pay the lien. Therefore, this provision of H.B. 353 was in effect and the trial court did not err in applying it.
Appellant asserts that appellee waived their right to the lien. According to R.C.
If a court issues an order of immobilization and impoundment under division (A) of this section relative to a vehicle owner, if the vehicle that is subject to the order is immobilized under the order, and if, within seven days after the expiration of the period of immobilization, the vehicle owner or another person on the owner's behalf does not pay the required fees and costs established under this section and obtain the release of the vehicle, the law enforcement agency whose officer immobilized the vehicle shall send a written notification to the vehicle owner at the owner's last known address informing the owner of the date on which the period of immobilization expired, that the owner or someone on the owner's behalf has twenty days after the date of the notice to pay the required fees and costs established under this section and obtain the release of the vehicle, and that if the owner or someone on the owner's behalf does not so pay the fees and costs and obtain the release of the vehicle within that twenty-day period, the vehicle will be forfeited to the state and be disposed of as abandoned property under section
2933.41 of the Revised Code. (Emphasis added.)
Appellant contends that appellee is a "vehicle owner" as defined in R.C.
R.C.
Appellant also asserts that it gave the required notice under R.C.
The trial court could have found that appellee did not receive sufficient notice because the notice had an incorrect VIN number. Thus, appellee did not have notice and opportunity to present the evidence required by R.C.
Additionally, R.C.
In conclusion, the trial court did not err in finding that appellee did not waive its right to the lien, and in finding that appellee was entitled to replevin. Appellant has not shown that the trial court's decision was against the manifest weight of the evidence.
Accordingly, this assignment of error is overruled.
THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN FINDING THAT THE DEFENDANT-APPELLANT IS ONLY ENTITLED TO ANY PROCEEDS THAT EXCEED THE SATISFACTION OF THE LIEN.
Appellant contends that upon receiving title to the vehicle, it paid the immobilization/impound fees of $1,228. Appellant also spent $1,245.71 to maintain, repair and improve the vehicle. Appellant did not file a transcript to support these allegations. These allegations in the brief are not supported by the record and can not be considered. See State v. Ishmail (1978),
Accordingly, this assignment of error is overruled.
Judgment affirmed.
It is ordered that appellee recover of appellant its costs herein taxed.
The Court finds there were reasonable grounds for this appeal.
It is ordered that a special mandate issue out of this Court directing the Common Pleas Court to carry this judgment into execution.
A certified copy of this entry shall constitute the mandate pursuant to Rule 27 of the Rules of Appellate Procedure.
PORTER, A.J., AND O'DONNELL, J., CONCUR.
___________________________________ ANN DYKE JUDGE
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