Elawyers Elawyers
Ohio| Change

Morehead v. St Farm Mutl Auto, 99-6430 (2001)

Court: Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Number: 99-6430 Visitors: 7
Filed: May 03, 2001
Latest Update: Mar. 02, 2020
Summary: 5(&200(1'(' )25 )8//7(;7 38%/,&$7,21 3XUVXDQW WR 6L[WK &LUFXLW 5XOH  (/(&7521,& &,7$7,21  )(' $SS 3 WK &LU )LOH 1DPH DS 81,7('67$7(6&28572)$33($/6 )257+(6,;7+&,5&8,7 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB ,QUH6+(5, :+25/( @>E@ /DZUHQFH DJDLQVWKHURQ0DUFK6WDWH)DUPLVVXHGDZDJH 3.LQJHG  JDUQLVKPHQW WR 0RUHKHDGjV HPSOR\HU RQ RU DERXW ,,, )RUWKHIRUHJRLQJUHDVRQVZH5(9(56(WKHMXGJPHQWRI 7KH +RQRUDEOH 3DWULFLD $ *DXJKDQ 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 'LVWUL
More
5(&200(1'(' )25 )8//7(;7 38%/,&$7,21 3XUVXDQW WR 6L[WK &LUFXLW 5XOH  (/(&7521,& &,7$7,21  )(' $SS 3 WK &LU )LOH 1DPH DS 81,7('67$7(6&28572)$33($/6 )257+(6,;7+&,5&8,7 BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB ,QUH6+(5, :+25/( @>E@ /DZUHQFH DJDLQVWKHURQ0DUFK6WDWH)DUPLVVXHGDZDJH 3.LQJHG  JDUQLVKPHQW WR 0RUHKHDGjV HPSOR\HU RQ RU DERXW ,,, )RUWKHIRUHJRLQJUHDVRQVZH5(9(56(WKHMXGJPHQWRI 7KH +RQRUDEOH 3DWULFLD $ *DXJKDQ 8QLWHG 6WDWHV 'LVWULFW sXGJH IRU WKHGLVWULFWFRXUW WKH 1RUWKHUQ 'LVWULFW RI 2KLR VLWWLQJ E\ GHVLJQDWLRQ  ,QUH0RUHKHDG 1R 1R ,QUH0RUHKHDG  EHFDXVHLQWKDWFDVHWKHJDUQLVKHHHPSOR\HUWXUQHGRYHUWKH )HEUXDU\6HSWHPEHUDQGsXQH2Q JDUQLVKHGIXQGVWRWKHVWDWHFRXUWSULRUWRWKHEHJLQQLQJRIWKH 1RYHPEHU0RUHKHDGILOHGDYROXQWDU\SHWLWLRQLQ GD\SUHIHUHQFHSHULRG,GDW7KXVLWLVFOHDUWKDW %DQNUXSWF\&RXUWXQGHU&KDSWHU2Q1RYHPEHU WKHZDJHVDWLVVXHZHUHQRWHDUQHGE\WKHGHEWRUGXULQJWKH WKH EDQNUXSWF\ FRXUW HQWHUHG DQ RUGHU VWD\LQJ ZDJH SUHIHUHQFHSHULRG GHGXFWLRQV E\ FUHGLWRUV  :LWKLQ WKH  GD\V LPPHGLDWHO\ SUHFHGLQJWKHILOLQJRI0RUHKHDGjVEDQNUXSWF\6WDWH)DUP 7KHGHFLVLRQVIURPRWKHUFLUFXLWVUHOLHGRQE\6WDWH)DUP ZLWKKHOG6HYHQ+XQGUHG7ZHQW\RQH'ROODUVDQG7KLUW\ILYH DUH QHLWKHU FRQWUROOLQJ QRU SHUVXDVLYH  6HH 5LGGHUYROG Y &HQWV  IURPKHUSD\FKHFN 6DUDWRJD +RVS ,Q UH 5LGGHUYROG   )G  G &LU   ,Q UH &RSSLH  )G  WK &LU    %RWK 7KHWUXVWHHGLGQRWDWWHPSWWRDYRLGWKHWUDQVIHU+RZHYHU SUHGDWH%DUQKLOOZKLFKUHTXLUHVWKDWIHGHUDOODZGHWHUPLQH 0RUHKHDGILOHGDQ$GYHUVDU\3URFHHGLQJRQsDQXDU\ ZKHQWUDQVIHUVDUHPDGH WRUHFRYHUWKHVHIXQGV ,Q5LGGHUYROGWKH6HFRQG&LUFXLWKHOGWKDWDWWKHWLPHWKH 7KHEDQNUXSWF\FRXUWIRXQGWKDW6WDWH)DUPREWDLQHGLWV ZDJH JDUQLVKPHQWLVH[HFXWHGLWFUHDWHVDFRQWLQXLQJOHY\ VWDWXV DV D SHUIHFWHG OLHQ FUHGLWRU ZKHQ LW VHUYHG WKH ZKLFKDFWVDVDQRYDWLRQRIWKHGHEWRUjVULJKWVDQGLQWHUHVWVLQ JDUQLVKPHQW RUGHU RQ 0RUHKHDGjV HPSOR\HU  %HFDXVH WKHJDUQLVKHGSRUWLRQRIKLVZDJHV)GDW7KH SHUIHFWLRQ RFFXUUHG SULRU WR WKH EHJLQQLQJ RI WKH GD\ FRXUWUHDVRQHGWKDWLQVWHDGRIRZLQJWKHHPSOR\HHjVHQWLUH SUHIHUHQFH SHULRG WKH EDQNUXSWF\ FRXUW KHOG WKDW QR VDODU\WRWKHHPSOR\HHWKHHPSOR\HURZHVDSRUWLRQRILWWR SUHIHUHQWLDOWUDQVIHURFFXUUHG7KHGLVWULFWFRXUWDJUHHGDQG WKHJDUQLVKRU,G7KXVWKHFRXUWFRQFOXGHGWKDWQRWUDQVIHU DIILUPHG0RUHKHDGWKHUHDIWHUILOHGDWLPHO\QRWLFHRIDSSHDO RFFXUUHG GXULQJ WKH SUHIHUHQFH SHULRG ,G  7KH FRXUW LQ 5LGGHUYROG GLG QRW FRQVLGHU WKH DSSOLFDELOLW\ RI  86& ,, † H  WRDFRQWLQXLQJZDJHJDUQLVKPHQW 4XHVWLRQVRIODZDULVLQJXQGHUWKH%DQNUXSWF\&RGHDUH 7KH 6HYHQWK &LUFXLW KHOG VLPLODUO\ LQ &RSSLH WKDW WKH UHYLHZHGGHQRYR8QLWHG6WDWHVY+XQWHU ,QUH:DOWHU  H[HFXWLRQRIDZDJHJDUQLVKPHQWDFWVDVDQRYDWLRQRIWKH )G WK&LU  GHEWRUjVULJKWVDQGLQWHUHVWVLQWKDWSRUWLRQRIKLVZDJHVZKLFK DUHJDUQLVKHG)GDW7KHFRXUWDOVRFRQFOXGHGWKDW 2QDSSHDO0RUHKHDGDUJXHVWKDWVKHGLGQRWDFTXLUHULJKWV 86&† H  ZDVLQDSSOLFDEOHEHFDXVHWKHGHEWRU LQ WKH JDUQLVKHG ZDJHV DW LVVXH XQWLO WKH\ ZHUH DFWXDOO\ mZLOOQHYHUDFTXLUHULJKWVLQWKHSRUWLRQRIKLVRUKHUZDJHVWR HDUQHG%HFDXVHWKH%DQNUXSWF\&RGHUHTXLUHVWKDWWKHGHEWRU EHJDUQLVKHGLQWKHIXWXUHl,GDW DFTXLUH ULJKWV LQ SURSHUW\ EHIRUH LW FDQ EH WUDQVIHUUHG 0RUHKHDGDUJXHVWKDWWKHWUDQVIHUFRXOGQRWRFFXUXQWLOWKH :HUHMHFWWKHDSSURDFKVHWIRUWKE\WKHFRXUWVLQ5LGGHUYROG ZDJHV ZHUH HDUQHG  7KXV 0RUHKHDG FODLPV WKDW VKH ZDV DQG&RSSLHVLQFHWKH\VHHPLQJO\LJQRUHWKHSODLQODQJXDJHRI HQWLWOHGWRDYRLGWKHWUDQVIHUWR6WDWH)DUPRIZDJHVHDUQHG 86&† H  ,WLVGLIILFXOWWRYLHZDJDUQLVKPHQW GXULQJWKHGD\SUHIHUHQFHSHULRG RUGHU DV D QRYDWLRQ ZKLFK LV D mVXEVWLWXWLRQ E\ PXWXDO DJUHHPHQW RI RQH GHEWRU IRU DQRWKHU RU RI RQH FUHGLWRU IRU 6WDWH)DUPDUJXHVWKDWEHFDXVHLWSHUIHFWHGWKHJDUQLVKPHQW DQRWKHUZKHUHE\WKHROGGHEWLVH[WLQJXLVKHGl%ODFNjV/DZ RI0RUHKHDGjVZDJHVRXWVLGHWKHGD\SUHIHUHQFHSHULRG 'LFWLRQDU\ WK(G 7KHQRYDWLRQWKHRU\UHDVRQV DQGEHFDXVH.HQWXFN\ODZUHFRJQL]HVSURSHUW\ULJKWVLQIXWXUH WKDWRQFHWKHJDUQLVKPHQWRUGHUKDVEHHQSHUIHFWHGWKHGHEWRU HDUQLQJV WKH JDUQLVKPHQW RI 0RUHKHDGjV ZDJHV GLG QRW QHYHUREWDLQVDQ\ULJKWWRWKHJDUQLVKHGIXQGV7KLVGLUHFWO\ FRQVWLWXWHDSUHIHUHQWLDOWUDQVIHU  ,QUH0RUHKHDG 1R 1R ,QUH0RUHKHDG  86&† E DOORZVDWUDQVIHURIWKHGHEWRUjVLQWHUHVW SULRULW\WRRUGHUVRIZDJHJDUQLVKPHQWmDFFRUGLQJWRWKHGDWH LQSURSHUW\WREHDYRLGHGXQGHU FHUWDLQFLUFXPVWDQFHV$W RIVHUYLFHRQWKHHPSOR\HUl7KXVXQGHU.HQWXFN\ODZWKH LVVXHLQWKLVDSSHDO86&† E  $ DXWKRUL]HVWKH VHUYLFHRIDJDUQLVKPHQWRUGHUXSRQWKHJDUQLVKHHSHUIHFWVWKH DYRLGDQFHRIDWUDQVIHUPDGHmRQRUZLWKLQGD\VEHIRUHWKH JDUQLVKPHQWOLHQ GDWH RI WKH ILOLQJ RI WKH SHWLWLRQl  7KH %DQNUXSWF\ &RGH GHILQHVDWUDQVIHUDVmHYHU\PRGHGLUHFWRULQGLUHFWDEVROXWH 7KH .HQWXFN\ ZDJH JDUQLVKPHQW VWDWXWH RSHUDWHV DV D RUFRQGLWLRQDOYROXQWDU\RULQYROXQWDU\RIGLVSRVLQJRIRU UHFRJQLWLRQ RI WKH JDUQLVKRUjV ULJKWV LQ WKH SURSHUW\ WR EH SDUWLQJ ZLWK SURSHUW\ RU ZLWK DQ LQWHUHVW LQ SURSHUW\   l JDUQLVKHG+RZHYHULWGRHVQRWJUDQWWKHGHEWRUDSURSHUW\  86& †     %HFDXVH D ZDJH JDUQLVKPHQW LV DQ ULJKWLQIXWXUHHDUQLQJV,QIDFW.HQWXFN\5HYLVHG6WDWXWH LQYROXQWDU\ PRGH RI SDUWLQJ ZLWK SURSHUW\ LW FRQVWLWXWHV D †  VSHFLILFDOO\UHTXLUHVWKDWWKHDWWDFKHGZDJHVEH WUDQVIHUXQGHUWKH&RGH HDUQHGGXULQJWKHGHVLJQDWHGSD\SHULRGVWKHUHE\UHFRJQL]LQJ WKDW WKH GHEWRU PXVW KDYH ULJKWV WR WKH ZDJHV EHIRUH WKH *HQHUDOO\ D WUDQVIHU LV PDGH DW WKH WLPH LW LV SHUIHFWHG JDUQLVKPHQWOLHQFDQDWWDFK  86& †  H  %   $FFRUGLQJ WR WKH %DQNUXSWF\ &RGH D WUDQVIHU LV SHUIHFWHG mZKHQ D FUHGLWRU RQ D VLPSOH 5HJDUGOHVVRIZKHQDSURSHUW\OLHQLVSHUIHFWHG86& FRQWUDFWFDQQRWDFTXLUHDMXGLFLDOOLHQWKDWLVVXSHULRUWRWKH † H  UHTXLUHVWKDWWKHGHEWRUKDYHULJKWVLQWKHSURSHUW\ LQWHUHVW RI WKH WUDQVIHUHHl   86& †  H  %   m$ EHIRUHLWFDQEHWUDQVIHUUHG,QWKHZDJHJDUQLVKPHQWFRQWH[W PRUHSUHFLVHGHILQLWLRQRIµSHUIHFWLRQjLVOHIWWRVWDWHODZl WKLV FDQQRW ORJLFDOO\ RFFXU XQWLO WKH GHEWRU SHUIRUPV WKH %DWWHU\2QH6WRS/WGY$WDUL&RUS ,QUH%DWWHU\2QH6WRS VHUYLFHVWKDWHQWLWOHKHUWRUHFHLYHWKHZDJHVWKDWDUHVXEMHFW /WG )G WK&LU +RZHYHU86& WRJDUQLVKPHQW7KLVLVFRQVLVWHQWZLWK.HQWXFN\ODZ:H † H  SODFHVDFDYHDWRQWKHJHQHUDOUXOHE\SURYLGLQJ WKHUHIRUH KROG WKDW ZKHQ ZDJHV DUH HDUQHG GXULQJ WKH m)RUWKHSXUSRVHRIWKLVVHFWLRQDWUDQVIHULVQRWPDGHXQWLO SUHIHUHQFH SHULRG WUDQVIHU RI WKRVH ZDJHV SXUVXDQW WR D WKHGHEWRUKDVDFTXLUHGULJKWVLQWKHSURSHUW\WUDQVIHUUHGl JDUQLVKPHQW RUGHU LV DYRLGDEOH XQGHU  86& † E  $  )HGHUDO ODZ GHWHUPLQHV ZKDW FRQVWLWXWHV D WUDQVIHU DQG ZKHQLWLVFRPSOHWH%DUQKLOOYsRKQVRQ86 7KLV&RXUWjVGHFLVLRQLQ%DWWHU\2QH6WRSDFDVHFLWHGE\    +RZHYHU WKH GHILQLWLRQ RI D WUDQVIHU LQFOXGHV 6WDWH)DUPGRHVQRWFRPSHODFRQWUDU\FRQFOXVLRQEHFDXVH FRQFHSWV RI SURSHUW\ DQG LQWHUHVWV RI SURSHUW\ ZKLFK DUH WKDWFDVHLVGLVWLQJXLVKDEOHRQVHYHUDOJURXQGV7KHFRXUWLQ JRYHUQHGE\VWDWHODZ,GDW %DWWHU\ 2QH6WRS GLG QRW GLVFXVV RU UHO\ RQ  86& †  H   QRU ZDV LW UHTXLUHG WR VLQFH QR TXHVWLRQ ZDV .HQWXFN\ODZGHILQHVHDUQLQJVDVmFRPSHQVDWLRQSDLGRU UDLVHGDVWRZKHWKHUWKHGHEWRUKDGULJKWVWRWKHIXQGVWKDW SD\DEOHIRUSHUVRQDOVHUYLFHVZKHWKHUGHQRPLQDWHGDVZDJHV ZHUHJDUQLVKHG)GDW,QDGGLWLRQWKDWFDVHGLGQRW VDODU\FRPPLVVLRQERQXVRURWKHUZLVHDQGLQFOXGHVSHULRGLF LQYROYHDFRQWLQXLQJZDJHJDUQLVKPHQWEXWWKHJDUQLVKPHQW SD\PHQWV SXUVXDQW WR D SHQVLRQ RU UHWLUHPHQW SURJUDPl RIDEDQNDFFRXQW,G .\5HY6WDW †     .HQWXFN\ 5HYLVHG 6WDWXWH †    SURYLGHV IRU D FRQWLQXLQJ ZDJH JDUQLVKPHQW /LNHZLVH &RQQHU DQRWKHU FDVH FLWHG E\ 6WDWH )DUP LV ZKLFKFUHDWHVmDOLHQRQDOOQRQH[HPSWHDUQLQJVHDUQHGGXULQJ GLVWLQJXLVKDEOH  ,Q &RQQHU WKH (OHYHQWK &LUFXLW IDLOHG WR WKHSD\SHULRGLQZKLFKWKHRUGHULVVHUYHGRQWKHHPSOR\HU FRQVLGHUWKHDSSOLFDELOLW\RI86&† H  LQVWHDG DQG GXULQJ WKRVH VXFFHHGLQJ SD\ SHULRGV ZKLFK PD\ EH UHO\LQJ RQ †  H  %  DQG KROGLQJ WKDW WKH WUDQVIHU GHVLJQDWHGE\WKHRUGHUl ,QDGGLWLRQ†  JUDQWV RFFXUUHGDWWKHWLPHWKHZDJHJDUQLVKPHQWZDVVHUYHGRQWKH HPSOR\HU)GDW+RZHYHU&RQQHULVLQDSSRVLWH
Source:  CourtListener

Can't find what you're looking for?

Post a free question on our public forum.
Ask a Question
Search for lawyers by practice areas.
Find a Lawyer