Case brief · Property

BERING v. REPUBLIC BANK OF SAN ANTONIO Case Brief

Court of Civil Appeals of Texas, Corpus Christi • 1979
Holding checked against the opinion
581 S.W.2d 806 Property Remedies Contracts Civil Procedure
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

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tl;dr: Bering sought to undo a deed-of-trust sale, alleging an inadequate price and challenging the trustee’s refusal to delay the sale. The court affirmed summary judgment for the Bank and purchaser because price inadequacy alone was insufficient, the refusal was no irregularity, and the appellate record was incomplete.

Legal Significance: The decision distinguishes deed-of-trust sales from execution sales: inadequate consideration alone does not justify setting aside a trustee’s sale. It also applies preservation requirements and the presumption supporting summary judgment when evidence considered below is omitted from the appellate record.

Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Donald R. Bering borrowed $17,000 from Republic Bank to purchase 68.36 acres in Lavaca County. A vendor’s lien and deed of trust secured the note, which matured unpaid. The Bank cancelled an initially scheduled sale after Bering represented that he would refinance the loan by January 1976. He did not tender funds as promised.

Substitute trustee Cecil Schenker posted notice of a January 6, 1976, sale between 10:00 a. m. and 4:00 p. m. Bering and his attorney received notice. On the sale date, Bering’s attorney, Clark Thompson, reported that payment funds had not arrived and requested postponement until 3:00 p. m. The Bank declined further delay. The sale occurred at approximately 2:00 p. m.; Charles H. Leopold purchased the property for the highest cash bid, $21,000.

Bering sued the Bank and Leopold to set aside the conveyance. His affidavit valued the property between $54,400 and $68,000. He also asserted that his tender upon filing suit of the debt, interest, and attorney’s fees supported equitable relief. Both defendants obtained summary judgment. Bering appealed but omitted a deposition considered by the trial court.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Did Bering’s challenges to the substitute trustee’s appointment, the sale price, the refusal to postpone the sale, and his asserted post-sale tender warrant reversal of summary judgment upholding the deed-of-trust sale?

The court affirmed summary judgment for the Bank and Leopold. Bering raised a factual issue concerning price adequacy, but inadequacy alone was insufficient, and the trustee’s refusal to postpone the properly noticed sale was no actionable irregularity. The execution-sale equitable principle did not apply. The appointment challenge was unpreserved, and the omitted deposition independently supported affirmance through the appellate presumption.

IRAC Legal Analysis

Legal Issue

Did Bering’s challenges to the substitute trustee’s appointment, the sale price, the refusal to postpone the sale, and his asserted post-sale tender warrant reversal of summary judgment upholding the deed-of-trust sale?

Conclusion

The case supports upholding a properly noticed deed-of-trust sale despite disputed price adequacy when the asserted refusal to delay presents no irregularity. Its alternative procedural grounds underscore the importance of preserving challenges and providing the evidence considered below.

Legal Rule

Mere inadequacy of consideration does not justify setting aside a trustee’s sale. Am.Sav. & Loan Ass’n of Houston v. Musick, 531 S.W.2d 581, 587 (Tex.1976). A challenge unsupported by the pleadings or summary judgment evidence cannot first be raised on appeal. “Moore” Burger, Inc. v. Phillips Petroleum Company, 492 S.W.2d 934, 936 (Tex.1972). Although inadequate price and a prompt offer to restore the purchaser’s investment and costs may justify setting aside an execution sale under Collum v. DeLoughter, 535 S.W.2d 390, 393 (Tex. Civ.App.—Texarkana 1976, writ ref’d n. r. e.), that principle does not govern this deed-of-trust sale. Omitted evidence considered below is presumed to support summary judgment. Williams v. Mac Financial Corporation, 505 S.W.2d 316, 319 (Tex.Civ.App.—Tyler 1973, writ ref’d n. r. e.).

Legal Analysis

The court declined to consider the substitute-trustee appointment challenge because neither Bering’s pleadings nor the summary judgment evidence raised it. That disposition did not decide whether the appointment was valid.

Bering’s valuation affidavit raised a factual issue about the adequacy of the $21,000 price. Applying Musick, however, the court held that inadequacy alone could not undo the trustee’s sale. The asserted accompanying irregularity—the refusal to wait until 3:00 p. m.—provided no basis for relief. Proper notices authorized a sale between 10:00 a. m. and 4:00 p. m.; the trustee waited to ascertain whether funds were available, and they had not arrived. The record did not indicate that Bering arranged for a representative to attend the sale.

The deed required a cash sale. Citing First Federal Savings & Loan Association v. Sharp, 347 S.W.2d 337, 340 (Tex.Civ.App.— Dallas 1961), affirmed, 359 S.W.2d 902 (Tex. 1962), the court explained that this required cash in hand. Even if Thompson obtained funds in Houston at 3:00 p. m., reaching Hallettsville before the deadline would have been difficult, if not impossible. Sparkman v. McWhirter additionally supported the insufficiency of pending refinancing negotiations.

The court distinguished Collum’s equitable treatment of execution sales because this sale arose under a deed of trust. Finally, Bering’s omission of a deposition considered below required a presumption under Williams that the missing evidence established the propriety of summary judgment.

The Opinion

Summary

  • Mere inadequacy of price is not sufficient to set aside a trustee’s foreclosure sale in Texas.
  • The party challenging the sale must also prove an irregularity in the sale process that caused the inadequate price.
  • A trustee’s refusal to grant a last-minute, speculative request for delay is not an irregularity when the sale is properly noticed and conducted within the advertised time.

Full text

Complete unedited opinion text as published by the court

YOUNG, Justice.

YOUNG, Justice.

In this summary judgment case appellant, Donald R. Bering, sued the Republic Bank of San Antonio and Charles H. Leopold, appellees, to set aside a substitute trustee's sale held pursuant to a deed of trust. Both of the appellees filed motions for summary judgment which were granted. Bering appeals.

The record in this case reflects the following facts and events. On July 15, 1974, appellant Bering borrowed $17,000 from the Republic Bank to purchase 68.36 acres of land in Lavaca County, Texas. Appellant executed and delivered to the Bank his promissory note in the above amount, the repayment of which was secured by a vendor's lien and a deed of trust lien. James B. Stewart was named trustee, but the deed of trust provided for the appointment of a substitute trustee without other formality than the designation in writing.

The note matured on July 14, 1975, and remained unpaid. After several unsuccessful efforts by the Bank to collect, notice of a trustee's sale, to be held at the courthouse steps in Hallettsville, was posted for December 2, 1975, and written notice was given to appellant. The Bank subsequently caused to be cancelled such notice and sale at the request of appellant upon his representation that he would refinance the loan if given until January of 1976. Appellant did not tender the funds in January as promised, and Cecil Schenker, who had been appointed substitute trustee, posted notice of sale for January 6, 1976, between the hours of 10:00 a. m. and 4:00 p. m. in Hallettsville. Notice of such sale was also given to the appellant and his attorney.

On January 6, 1976, at approximately 1:00 p. m. Schenker as substitute trustee, talked with Clark Thompson, appellant's attorney in Houston, asking whether he had received cash for payment of the note. Thompson advised Schenker, who was then in Hallettsville with Jerry Angerman, president of the Bank, that the cash had not yet arrived. He did, though, ask that Schenker delay the sale until 3:00 p. m. Schenker advised Thompson that he would have to discuss the requested further delay with Angerman, and would then call Thompson. At approximately 1:30 p. m. Angerman called Thompson and advised that he would not agree to any further delay. The sale was held at approximately 2:00 p. m. on that day at the Lavaca County Courthouse in Hallettsville, Texas.

Appellee Leopold purchased the property for $21,000, such being the highest bid for cash. Schenker executed his substitute trustee's deed conveying the property, and Leopold filed the deed of record. Appellant filed this suit on February 6, 1976, seeking to set aside the above conveyance. Appellees' motions for summary judgment were granted on November 7, 1977, from which action Bering appeals.

Appellant brings six points of error. Point 1 contends that the trial court committed error in granting the summary judgment because there was no valid appointment of the substitute trustee. We need not consider this contention, however, because the appellant did not plead facts which, if true, would have given rise to this defense, nor is the issue raised by any of the summary judgment evidence which was before the trial court. The issue cannot be raised for the first time on appeal. "Moore" Burger, Inc. v. Phillips Petroleum Company,492 S.W.2d 934, 936 (Tex.1972); State of Cal. Dept. of M.Hyg. v. Bank of S.W. Nat. Ass'n, 163 Tex. 314, 354 S.W.2d 576, 581 (1962). Appellant's point 1 is overruled.

Appellant's points 2, 3, 4 and 6 contend the trial court erred in granting the summary judgment because there existed issues of fact concerning the gross inadequacy of the price paid for the property at the trustee's sale coupled with the trustee's failure to postpone the sale until 3:00 p. m. on January 6, 1976. We disagree.

In his affidavit before the trial court, appellant Bering stated that the sale price of $21,000 was inadequate consideration for such property. He stated that in his opinion as a real estate salesman the property involved had a reasonable market value on January 6, 1976, of between $54,400 and $68,000. While Bering's statements are sufficient to raise a fact issue as to the adequacy of the sale price; even so, mere inadequacy of consideration alone is not grounds for setting aside a trustee's sale. Or stated another way, our Supreme Court in Am.Sav. & Loan Ass'n of Houston v. Musick,531 S.W.2d 581, 587 (Tex.1976) said:

Appellant contends further in that regard that the trustee had an obligation of fairness to both the mortgagor and the mortgagee, and that the trustee's failure to wait until 3:00 p. m. was such irregularity when coupled with the inadequacy of the price as to require a setting aside of the sale. See First Federal Savings & Loan Ass'n of Dallas v. Sharp,359 S.W.2d 902 (Tex.1962). We find the trustee's failure to postpone the sale until 3:00 p. m. was not such an irregularity as would justify setting aside the trustee's sale herein. The evidence is conclusive that the trustee posted the proper notices, and advised the public that the sale would be held on January 6, 1976, between the hours of 10:00 a. m. and 4:00 p. m. Though the trustee had the right to sell the property at 10:00 a. m., he waited until 1:30 p. m. to find out whether appellant Bering had secured the funds necessary to compensate the mortgagee. Bering's attorney had not secured the money at 1:30 p. m. and the trustee rightfully decided to sell the property.

We also note that there is no indication in the record that Bering asked a representative to be present in Hallettsville for the sale. Furthermore, Thompson, to whom Bering was attempting to transfer the money, was located in Houston and the sale was in Hallettsville, which we judicially know is at least 100 miles from Houston. The deed of trust provided that the sale should be a "cash sale." In common ordinary popular acceptance a direction to sell for cash is a clear and unqualified direction not to sell or pass title to the goods without cash in hand. First Federal Savings & Loan Association v. Sharp,347 S.W.2d 337, 340 (Tex.Civ.App.— Dallas 1961), affirmed, 359 S.W.2d 902 (Tex. 1962). Even if Thompson had secured the funds by 3:00 p. m. it would have been difficult, if not impossible, for him to travel the 100 miles from Houston to Hallettsville before the 4:00 p. m. sale deadline.

In light of the above discussion, we think the evidence is conclusive that Schenker's refusal to delay the sale presented no irregularity which, even if coupled with a purported inadequacy of price, would justify setting aside of the sale herein. Biddle v.National Oil Line Insurance Co.,513 S.W.2d 135, 138 (Tex.Civ.App.—Dallas 1974, writ ref'd n. r. e.); Zeiss v. First State Bank, 189 S.W. 524 (Tex.Civ.App.—Beaumont 1916, writ ref'd). See also Sparkman v. McWhirter,263 S.W.2d 832 (Tex.Civ.App.— Dallas 1953, writ ref'd) wherein it was held that the pendency of negotiations to refinance a defaulted loan was not sufficient to set aside a trustee's sale. Appellant's points 2, 3, 4 and 6 are overruled.

Appellant's point 5 asserts that the trial court erred in granting the summary judgment because the inadequacy of the price coupled with appellant's tender (upon filing suit) of the full amount of the debt plus interest, and attorney's fees, constitutes grounds in equity for setting aside the trustee's sale.

We agree with appellant that inadequacy of price, standing alone, is sufficient to justify a court of equity in setting aside an execution sale when the judgment debtor makes a prompt offer to make the purchaser whole by returning his investment in the property and paying all costs. Collum v. DeLoughter,535 S.W.2d 390, 393 (Tex. Civ.App.—Texarkana 1976, writ ref'd n. r. e.). The sale herein, however, was not an execution sale, but was one made under the authority of a deed of trust. Accordingly, appellant's point 5 is overruled.

There is yet another reason to affirm the trial court's judgment. The written judgment of the trial court recites, among other things, the following:

Appellant has failed to bring forward on appeal the mentioned deposition, which appears to be the deposition of Clark Thompson, appellant's attorney. In the absence of the complete record considered by the trial court, the appellate presumption is that the omitted deposition established the propriety of the summary judgment rendered below. Williams v. Mac Financial Corporation,505 S.W.2d 316, 319 (Tex.Civ.App.—Tyler 1973, writ ref'd n. r. e.).

The judgment of the trial court is affirmed.