Zabka v. Bank of America Corp.
Zabka v. Bank of America Corp.
Opinion of the Court
¶1
— Robert and Debra Zabka lost $300,000 to either Jae Ho Pak or Paul Franklin or both, not parties to this suit. The theft was accomplished via a series of wire transfers and interaccount transfers involving two related business entities and two Bank of America (BA) checking accounts. The Zabkas sued BA on a variety of negligence, fraud, and misrepresentation theories. BA filed a Civil Rule (CR) 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, which the trial court granted. The Zabkas appealed. We affirm because (1) the bank owed no duty of care to noncustomers and (2) the bank made no representations to the Zabkas.
I
f 2 In January 2001, BA opened checking accounts at two different branches for two related business entities: SeaCap Fund, L.P. (SeaCap), and its general partner, Seattle Capital Group, L.L.C. (Capital). Jae Ho Pak and Paul Franklin
¶3 Although the record is unclear, it appears that Paul Franklin sued Jae Ho Pak, SeaCap, and Capital. The Zabkas did not participate in the suit, and the result is unknown.
¶4 BA moved for dismissal for failure to state a claim under CR 12(b)(6). They argued that (1) BA owed no duty of care to the Zabkas, (2) BA made no representations to the Zabkas, and (3) the statute of limitations had expired. The Zabkas retained an attorney for the limited purpose of arguing the motion. The trial court ruled in favor of the Zabkas regarding the statute of limitations and in favor of BA on the fraud and negligent misrepresentation issues.
¶6 The Zabkas appeal.
II
¶7 Dismissal under CR 12(b)(6) is reviewed de novo.
¶8 A negligence action may only proceed if the plaintiffs have shown that (1) a duty of care was owed to them by the defendant, (2) there was a breach of that duty, (3) that breach was the cause of their harm, and (4) they suffered injury as a result.
¶9 There is no Washington authority directly on point, but the Zabkas cite Swiss Baco Skyline Logging, Inc. v. Haliewicz.
¶10 In this case, no statute creates a duty of care from BA to the Zabkas. If the bank had mishandled the Zabkas’ wire transfer, then the Zabkas might have a claim under RCW 62A.4A-303. But that is not the case. The wire transfer went into the intended account. As in Swiss Baco, the Zabkas are not a member of any class to whom the bank owed a duty.
¶11 Many other jurisdictions have held that third party noncustomers are not owed a duty of care by a bank, absent
¶12 One court has held a bank liable to a noncustomer, but in unique circumstances. In Patrick v. Union State Bank,
¶13 While the Zabkas’ limited partnership interest is a security,
¶14 There is evidence that BA failed to follow standard procedures and monitor transactions according to its own internal standards. BA’s failures may have facilitated the theft of the Zabkas’ money, but BA did not have a duty to prevent their loss. The trial court correctly dismissed the negligence claims on a CR 12(b)(6) motion.
¶15 The Zabkas did not address the fraud or negligent misrepresentation claims in their opening brief. BA contends that the Zabkas have abandoned the issue and that, in any case, BA made no representations to the Zabkas. The Zabkas argue for the first time in their reply brief that the
¶16 An assignment of error not addressed in the appellant’s brief is deemed abandoned.
¶17 In addition, the Zabkas have not alleged that BA made any representations to them or supplied them with any information.
¶18 Given our disposition of these issues, it is unnecessary to address Zabkas’ statute of limitations argument.
¶19 The trial court did not err when it dismissed the negligence claims on a CR 12(b)(6) motion. The trial court properly dismissed the Zabkas’ claims of fraud and negli
¶20 Affirmed.
Appelwick, A.C.J., and Grosse, J., concur.
Review denied at 158 Wn.2d 1012 (2006).
There is no indication in the record as to why the Zabkas’ payment order was to the Capital account and not directly to the account for SeaCap. However, the Zabkas declare that they believed that the money would then be forwarded to the SeaCap account.
The only indication of the Franklin v. Pak lawsuit in this record is the caption on the deposition transcripts attached to the complaint.
Gorman v. Garlock, Inc., 121 Wn. App. 530, 534, 89 P.3d 302 (2004), aff’d, 155 Wn.2d 198, 118 P.3d 311 (2005).
Haberman v. Wash. Pub. Power Supply Sys., 109 Wn.2d 107, 120, 744 P.2d 1032, 750 P.2d 254 (1987) (quoting Bowman v. John Doe, 104 Wn.2d 181, 183, 704 P.2d 140 (1985)).
Keller v. City of Spokane, 146 Wn.2d 237, 242, 44 P.3d 845 (2002).
18 Wn. App. 21, 567 P.2d 1141 (1977).
Swiss Baco, 18 Wn. App. at 22.
Swiss Baco, 18 Wn. App. at 25.
Swiss Baco, 18 Wn. App. at 26.
Swiss Baco, 18 Wn. App. at 27, 30.
Swiss Baco, 18 Wn. App. at 30.
RCW 62A.3-406(b) provides that failure to exercise ordinary care in paying or taking an altered or forged instrument can create liability in negligence.
Swiss Baco, 18 Wn. App. at 30.
See Weil v. First Nat’l Bank of Castle Rock, 983 P.2d 812 (Colo. Ct. App. 1999); Volpe v. Fleet Nat’l Bank, 710 A.2d 661 (R.I. 1998); Miller-Rogaska, Inc. v. Bank One, 931 S.W.2d 655 (Tex. App. 1996); Software Design & Application, Ltd. v. Hoefer & Arnett, Inc., 49 Cal. App. 4th 472, 56 Cal. Rptr. 2d 756 (1996); Portage Aluminum Co. v. Kentwood Nat’l Bank, 106 Mich. App. 290, 307 N.W.2d 761 (1981).
301 F.3d 220 (4th Cir. 2002).
Eisenberg, 301 F.3d at 222.
Eisenberg, 301 F.3d at 222.
Eisenberg, 301 F.3d at 226-27.
681 So. 2d 1364 (Ala. 1995).
Patrick, 681 So. 2d at 1366.
Patrick, 681 So. 2d at 1369.
Patrick, 681 So. 2d at 1369.
Smith v. AmSouth Bank, Inc., 892 So. 2d 905, 908 (Ala. 2004).
State v. Argo, 81 Wn. App. 552, 566, 915 P.2d 1103 (1996).
J.P. Ludington, Annotation, Construction and Effect of UCC Art 8, Dealing with Investment Securities, 21 A.L.R.3d 964, § 2a (1968).
In re Disciplinary Proceeding Against Brown, 94 Wn. App. 7, 13, 972 P.2d 101 (1998).
Wingert v. Yellow Freight Sys., Inc., 146 Wn.2d 841, 853, 50 P.3d 256 (2002).
The Zabkas argued to the trial court that BA’s very existence as a national bank was a “representation” to the world that they conduct business properly and follow their own procedures. This argument is not plausible on its face and in any event was also abandoned on appeal.
Stiley v. Block, 130 Wn.2d 486, 505, 925 P.2d 194 (1996).
ESCA Corp. v. KPMG Peat Marwick, 135 Wn.2d 820, 826,959 P.2d 651 (1998) (quoting Restatement (Second) of Toets § 552 (1) (1977)).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Robert K. Zabka v. Bank of America Corporation
- Cited By
- 12 cases
- Status
- Published