Federal Deposit Insurance v. American Bank Trust Shares, Inc.
Federal Deposit Insurance v. American Bank Trust Shares, Inc.
Opinion of the Court
This case arises out of the failure of American Bank and Trust Company, a
The district court granted summary judgment for FDIC, but stayed consideration of the counterclaim of the shareholders challenging FDIC’s capacity to act.
There was a trial, after which the district judge rejected the challenge by the shareholders, on constitutional and other grounds, to the appointment of FDIC as receiver and the transfer of bank assets to it.
We affirm.
American Bank & Trust Company began to experience liquidity problems in the early 1970’s. Conditions became serious during the summer and early fall of 1974. Though it had obtained a $10,000,000 loan from another bank, on August 29, 1974, AB&T notified the Federal Reserve Bank that it would be unable to open its doors on the Tuesday after Labor Day without further assistance from the Federal Reserve Bank. That assistance was refused, but the FDIC, which insured AB&T’s deposits, offered short-term assistance. It made daily allowances to AB&T, for which it received AB&T’s demand notes. This provided some additional time within which officials of AB&T might seek a merger with another bank having more liquid resources. As the situation worsened, however, FDIC sought bid packages from other banks in South Carolina pursuant to which a purchasing bank would acquire the liquid assets and bank facilities of AB&T and assume the liabilities to the depositors.
There was a meeting between the President of AB&T and FDIC officials on September 20, 1974. The FDIC officials took the position that action to collect the demand notes would not be further delayed unless the bank could obtain assistance from the Federal Reserve Bank, but that assistance was refused. The demand notes of FDIC were presented for payment, which AB&T was unable to make. Later that afternoon, the South Carolina Board of Bank Control convened. It ordered the closure of AB&T and appointed FDIC as its receiver. FDIC then executed a purchase and assumption agreement with Southern Bank & Trust Company, the highest bidder upon FDIC’s solicitation for bids from other banks in South Carolina. Those assets not purchased by Southern, FDIC, as receiver, transferred to itself in its corporate capacity under an agreement that it would collect and liquidate those assets, apply the proceeds to expenses and charges and to payment of its demand notes and advances and other obligations of AB&T and distribute among the shareholders any excess that remained after payment of those obligations.
Later that evening, counsel for FDIC appeared before a judge of the state Court of Common Pleas and obtained an ex parte order confirming and approving the appointment of FDIC as receiver and the sale of assets to Southern and to FDIC.
AB&T
The South Carolina statutes do not require notice of an adversary hearing before the Board of Bank Control or in the court,
We are asked to hold that whatever the typical
The shareholders next contend that though due process does not require any notice and hearing in advance of closure of the bank, the statutes are constitutionally infirm in their failure to provide for prompt post-seizure notice and hearing. Of course, there was prompt notice to AB&T of what had been done, but FDIC appears to agree that the availability of some post-seizure hearing was requisite.
In Dunlap & Dunlap v. Zimmerman, 188 5. C. 322, 199 S.E. 296 (S.C. 1938), the South Carolina Supreme Court held that orders of the Board of Bank Control were reviewable in the Court of Common Pleas. The Board had set a fee to be paid to an attorney by the conservator of an insolvent bank. Thereafter, in response to a general creditors bill, filed in the Court of Common Pleas by the conservator, the lawyer petitioned for the allowance of a fee in a larger amount. The judge of the Court of Com
The lawyer’s petition came in indirect fashion to the Court of Common Pleas, but there is no basis for a distinction between a petition for judicial review in response to a creditors bill and a direct petition for judicial review. The South Carolina Supreme Court has made it quite clear that administrative and quasi-judicial decisions by the state’s boards and commissions are subject to judicial review, notwithstanding the absence of legislative provision for it. Cole v. Manning, 240 S.C. 260, 125 S.E.2d 621, 625 (1962); Jacoby v. South Carolina State Bd. of Nat. Exam., 219 S.C. 66, 64 S.E.2d 138, 148-49 (1951); Feldman v. South Carolina Tax Commission, 203 S.C. 49, 26 S.E.2d 22, 23, 24 (1943). The scope of such review is narrow, but the reviewing court has jurisdiction to determine whether the Board’s action was contrary to law and whether any exercise of its discretion was arbitrary or capricious. Such judicial review of the action of the Board of Bank Control was available to AB&T in this case.
The order of the Court of Common Pleas approving and confirming the appointment of FDIC as receiver and the sale of the assets was also reviewable. The ex parte order, itself, provided that the cause was to remain open before the Court of Common Pleas for such other relief as may be equitable. AB&T could have sought and obtained reconsideration by that judge. Furthermore, the South Carolina Supreme Court has general appellate jurisdiction to review final orders of the Court of Common Pleas.
Officials of AB&T were well aware, generally, of what was going to happen. After the orders were obtained, they received formal notice of the closing of the bank, the appointment of a receiver, and the sale of the assets, including the orders of the Board of Bank Control and the Court of Common Pleas. The availability of judicial review upon its application and of hearings, coupled with the notice that the bank actually received, satisfy any requirement of the due process clause in bank failure situations.
AFFIRMED.
. Federal Deposit Ins. Corp. v. American Bank Trust Shares, 412 F.Supp. 302 (D.S.C. 1976).
. Federal Deposit Ins. Corp. v. American Bank Trust Shares, 558 F.2d 711 (4th Cir. 1977).
. Federal Deposit Ins. Corp. v. American Bank Trust Shares, 460 F.Supp. 549 (D.S.C. 1978).
. References to AB&T are intended to include the bank and its holding company.
. The relevant statutes in effect at the time the bank was closed were reenacted without material change in 1976. Section 34 3-630, formerly § 8 -273, Code of Laws of South Carolina, provides that FDIC may be appointed receiver of any institution for which it insures funds and which has been closed because of inability to meet demands of its depositors. The appointment must be approved by the Board of Bank Control. Section 34-3-640, formerly § 8-274, provides that upon acceptance of appointment as receiver FDIC shall acquire title to all assets of the closed institution. Consent of the Commissioner of Banking is required. Section 34 - 3 660, formerly § 8-276, provides inter alia, that the receiver may sell assets to FDIC, in its corporate capacity. Consent of the Commissioner of Banking and a court order are required. These consents and approvals were obtained.
. Because we hold that AB&T in fact was provided with opportunities for judicial review, we need not address the question which would be presented if no post-closing hearing were allowed. There is authority, however, for the proposition that no hearing whatever is required under the federal statutes allowing the Comptroller of the Currency to make a finding of insolvency and appoint a receiver and permitting the sale of assets by the receiver upon court order. In re Franklin National Bank, 381 F.Supp. 1390 (E.D.N.Y. 1974). Because South Carolina banking laws are patterned after the federal statutes, Zimmerman v. Central Union Bank, 194 S.C. 518, 8 S.E.2d 359 (1940), it is at least arguable that no hearing is required here.
. Code of Laws of South Carolina, §§ 14 3 330(1), (2)(a).
. Code of Laws of South Carolina, § 14-3-330(4).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION v. AMERICAN BANK TRUST SHARES, INC. (ABTS) Howard H. Lamar H. Ciremba Amick William F. Lambert Harry L. Parker Banks H. Good Augustus T. Allen Douglas R. Bryant Robert B. Fickling Dr. James H. Vallentine Marshall B. Williams J. W. Wall, Jr. Albert E. Odum William H. Greer Luther H. Adden Carl Joe Taylor individually and as a shareholder of ABTS, suing on behalf of himself and all other shareholders of said corporation, and for the benefit of said corporation's subsidiary company, American Bank & Trust and Sadie G. Schein, individually and suing on behalf of all other capital note holders of American Bank & Trust, and Sidney Robinson Bagby, Dr. O. J. Ryan A. G. Dwyer Estate of Dr. C. P. Ryan, Sr., by its Dr. C. P. Ryan, Jr. J. E. Smith G. J. Getsinger Weldon E. Wall Catherine H. Hightower R. P. Preacher H. Kleigh Purdy, Jr. Dr. T. B. Carroll, Jr. Harold Wall A. G. Martin J. Glenn Jarrell J. W. Wall, Sr. F. A. Nimmer, Jr., suing derivatively on behalf of American Bank Trust Shares, Inc., (ABTS), and on behalf of themselves and as representatives of a class of persons certified by the United States District Court for South Carolina as all persons, other than American Mortgage Corporation H. Ciremba Amick Forrest K. Abbott Luther H. Adden, Jr. Augustus T. Allen Douglas R. Bryant, Sr. Robert B. Fickling Banks H. Good James H. Gressette Dick Gregg McTeer Jack G. Vallentine Marshall B. Williams Howard H. Lamar, Jr. William F. Lambert Harry L. Parker Grady Wade J. W. Wall Richard Greer William H. Southworth Edward Bagwell Edward Linsey Lloyd Hendrix Albert Odum J. B. Perry Keith B. Belser Jimmy L. Marden Scott W. Waldron William B. Moore Ted O. McGee Carl Joe Taylor F. L. Roebuck R. D. Roebuck First Provident Corporation of South Carolina Paul Thomas Sunburst Development Company, Inc. and Trippett Boineau who, on September 20, 1974, owned common stock in American Bank Trust Shares, Inc.
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- 2 cases
- Status
- Published