Document:

<PAGE>
                                                                     Exhibit 4.8

                           NEWCASTLE INVESTMENT CORP.

                                       and

                          -----------------------------,

                                as Warrant Agent

                          -----------------------------

                                WARRANT AGREEMENT

                          -----------------------------

                          Dated as of ________________

                          -----------------------------

                          Warrants to Purchase _______

                          -----------------------------
<PAGE>
                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

<TABLE>
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                                                                                   PAGE
<S>                                                                                <C>
                                ARTICLE I
                 ISSUANCE OF WARRANTS AND EXECUTION AND
                    DELIVERY OF WARRANT CERTIFICATES

SECTION 1.01     Issuance of Warrants ...........................................    2
SECTION 1.02     Execution and Delivery of Warrant Certificates .................    2
SECTION 1.03     Issuance of Warrant Certificates ...............................    3

                               ARTICLE II
            WARRANT PRICE, DURATION AND EXERCISE OF WARRANTS

SECTION 2.01     Warrant Price ..................................................    4
SECTION 2.02     Duration of Warrants ...........................................    4
SECTION 2.03     Exercise of Warrants ...........................................    4

                               ARTICLE III
        OTHER PROVISIONS RELATING TO RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF WARRANT

SECTION 3.01     No Rights as Warrant Securityholder
                 Conferred by Warrant or Warrant Certificates ...................    6
SECTION 3.02     Lost, Mutilated, Stolen, or Destroyed Warrant Certificates .....    6
SECTION 3.03     Enforcement of Rights ..........................................    6
SECTION 3.04     Merger, Consolidation, Conveyance or Transfer ..................    7

                               ARTICLE IV
                          EXCHANGE AND TRANSFER

SECTION 4.01     Exchange and Transfer ..........................................    7
SECTION 4.02     Treatment of Holders of Warrant Certificates ...................    8
SECTION 4.03     Cancellation of Warrant Certificates ...........................    8

                                ARTICLE V
                      CONCERNING THE WARRANT AGENT

SECTION 5.01     Warrant Agent ..................................................    9
SECTION 5.02     Conditions of Warrant Agent's Obligations ......................    9
SECTION 5.03     Resignation and Appointment of Successor .......................   11

                               ARTICLE VI
                              MISCELLANEOUS

SECTION 6.01     Amendment ......................................................   12
</TABLE>

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<TABLE>
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                                                                                   PAGE
<S>                                                                                <C>
SECTION 6.02     Notices and Demands to the Company and Warrant Agent ...........   13
SECTION 6.03     Addresses ......................................................   13
SECTION 6.04     Applicable Law .................................................   13
SECTION 6.05     Delivery of Prospectus .........................................   13
SECTION 6.06     Obtaining of Governmental Approval .............................   13
SECTION 6.07     Persons Having Rights under Warrant Agreement ..................   13
SECTION 6.08     Headings .......................................................   14
SECTION 6.09     Counterparts ...................................................   14
SECTION 6.10     Inspection of Agreement ........................................   14
SECTION 6.11     Notices to Holders of Warrants .................................   14

EXHIBIT A - Form of Warrant Certificate
</TABLE>

                                       ii
<PAGE>
                              WARRANT AGREEMENT (1)

            THIS AGREEMENT dated as of ___________ between NEWCASTLE INVESTMENT
CORP., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of
Maryland (the "Company"), and ___________, a [bank] [trust company] duly
incorporated and existing under the laws of___________, as Warrant Agent (the
"Warrant Agent").

            [Bracketed language here and throughout this Agreement should be
inserted as follows:

            1. If Warrants are immediately detachable from the Offered
Securities; and

            2. If Warrants are detachable from the Offered Securities only after
the Detachable Date.]

                                   WITNESSETH:

            [WHEREAS, the Company has entered into an Indenture dated as of
_____________ (the "Senior Indenture") between the Company and ______________,
as Trustee (the "Senior Indenture Trustee"), and an Indenture dated as of
____________ (the "Subordinated Indenture") between the Company and
_____________, as Trustee (the "Subordinated Indenture Trustee") (together, the
"Trustees" or "Trustee" and "Indentures" or "Indenture"), providing for the
issuance from time to time of its unsecured debt securities to be issued in one
or more series as provided in the Indenture; and]

            WHEREAS, the Company proposes to sell [[title of such securities
being offered] (the "Offered Securities") with] one or more warrants (the
"Warrants") representing the right to purchase [title of such securities
purchasable through exercise of Warrants] (the "Warrant Securities"), the
Warrants to be evidenced by Warrant certificates issued pursuant to this
Agreement (the "Warrant Certificates"); and

            WHEREAS, the Company desires the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of
the Company in connection with the issuance, transfer, exchange, exercise and
replacement of the Warrant Certificates, and in this Agreement wishes to set
forth, among other things, the form and provisions of the Warrant Certificates
and the terms and conditions on which they may be issued, transferred,
exchanged, exercised and replaced;

            NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the mutual
agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:

----------
(1)   Complete or modify the provisions of this form as appropriate to reflect
      the terms of the Warrants and Warrant Securities. Monetary amounts may be
      in U.S. dollars or in foreign currency.
<PAGE>
                                   ARTICLE I
                     ISSUANCE OF WARRANTS AND EXECUTION AND
                        DELIVERY OF WARRANT CERTIFICATES

            SECTION 1.01. Issuance of Warrants. The Warrants shall be evidenced
by one or more Warrant Certificates. Each Warrant evidenced thereby shall
represent the right, subject to the provisions contained herein and therein, to
purchase [_____ shares of the Warrant Securities] [$________aggregate principal
amount of Warrant Securities] and shall be initially issued in connection with
the issuance of the Offered Securities [1: and shall be separately transferable
immediately thereafter] [2: but shall not be separately transferable until on
and after ________, (the "Detachable Date")]. [The Warrants shall be initially
issued [in units] with the Offered Securities, and] each Warrant [included in
such a unit] shall evidence the right, subject to the provisions contained
herein and in the Warrant Certificates, to purchase [_____ shares of the Warrant
Securities] [$________ aggregate principal amount of Warrant Securities]
[included in such a unit].

            SECTION 1.02. Execution and Delivery of Warrant Certificates. Each
Warrant, whenever issued, shall be evidenced by a Warrant Certificate in
registered form, substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto, shall
be dated and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification or
designation and such legends or endorsements printed, lithographed or engraved
thereon as the officers of the Company executing the same may approve (execution
thereof to be conclusive evidence of such approval) and as are not inconsistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any
law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or
regulation of any stock exchange on which the Warrants may be listed, or to
conform to usage. The Warrant Certificates shall be signed on behalf of the
Company by its chairman or vice chairman of the Board of Directors, the
president, any managing director or the treasurer of the Company, in each case
under its corporate seal, which may but need not be, attested by its secretary
or one of its assistant secretaries. Such signatures may be manual or facsimile
signatures of such authorized officers and may be imprinted or otherwise
reproduced on the Warrant Certificates. The corporate seal of the Company may be
in the form of a facsimile thereof and may be impressed, affixed, imprinted or
otherwise reproduced on the Warrant Certificates.

            No Warrant Certificate shall be valid for any purpose, and no
Warrant evidenced thereby shall be exercisable, until such Warrant Certificate
has been countersigned by the Warrant Agent by manual signature. Such signature
by the Warrant Agent upon any Warrant Certificate executed by the Company shall
be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that the Warrant Certificate so
countersigned has been duly issued hereunder.

            In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the
Warrant Certificates either manually or by facsimile signature shall cease to be
such officer before the Warrant Certificates so signed shall have been
countersigned and delivered by the Warrant Agent as provided herein, such
Warrant Certificates may be

                                       2
<PAGE>
countersigned and delivered notwithstanding that the person who signed such
Warrant Certificates ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Warrant
Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by such persons as, at the
actual date of the execution of such Warrant Certificate, shall be the proper
officers of the Company, although at the date of the execution of this Agreement
any such person was not such officer.

            The term "Holder", when used with respect to any Warrant
Certificate, shall mean any person in whose name at the time such Warrant
Certificate shall be registered upon the books to be maintained by the Warrant
Agent for that purpose [2: or, prior to the Detachable Date, any person in whose
name at the time the Offered Security to which such Warrant Certificate is
attached is registered upon the register of the Offered Securities. Prior to the
Detachable Date, the Company will, or will cause the registrar of the Offered
Securities to, make available at all times to the Warrant Agent such information
as to holders of the Offered Securities with Warrants as may be necessary to
keep the Warrant Agent's records up to date.]

            SECTION 1.03. Issuance of Warrant Certificates. Warrant Certificates
evidencing the right to purchase [_____ shares of the Warrant Securities] [an
aggregate principal amount not exceeding $________ of Warrant Securities]
(except as provided in Sections 2.03, 3.02 and 4.01) may be executed by the
Company and delivered to the Warrant Agent upon the execution of this Warrant
Agreement or from time to time thereafter. The Warrant Agent shall, upon receipt
of Warrant Certificates duly executed on behalf of the Company, countersign
Warrant Certificates evidencing ___________ Warrants representing the right to
purchase up to [_____ shares of the Warrant Securities] [$_______ aggregate
principal amount of Warrant Securities] and shall deliver such Warrant
Certificates to or upon the order of the Company. Subsequent to such original
issuance of the Warrant Certificates, the Warrant Agent shall countersign a
Warrant Certificate only if the Warrant Certificate is issued in exchange or
substitution for one or more previously countersigned Warrant Certificates or in
connection with their transfer as hereinafter provided or as provided in the
penultimate paragraph of Section 2.03.

            Pending the preparation of definitive Warrant Certificates
evidencing Warrants, the Company may execute and the Warrant Agent shall
countersign and deliver temporary Warrant Certificates evidencing such Warrants
(printed, lithographed, typewritten or otherwise produced, in each case in form
satisfactory to the Warrant Agent). Such temporary Warrant Certificates shall be
issuable substantially in the form of the definitive Warrant Certificates but
with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for
temporary Warrant Certificates, all as may be determined by the Company with the
concurrence of the Warrant Agent. Such temporary Warrant Certificates may
contain such reference to any provisions of this Warrant Agreement as may be
appropriate. Every such temporary Warrant Certificate shall be executed by the
Company and shall be countersigned by the Warrant Agent upon the same conditions
and in substantially the same manner, and with like effect, as the definitive
Warrant Certificates. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall execute and
shall furnish definitive Warrant Certificates and thereupon such temporary
Warrant Certificates may

                                       3
<PAGE>
be surrendered in exchange therefor without charge pursuant to and subject to
the provisions of Section 4.01, and the Warrant Agent shall countersign and
deliver in exchange for such temporary Warrant Certificates definitive Warrant
Certificates of authorized denominations evidencing a like aggregate number of
Warrants evidenced by such temporary Warrant Certificates. Until so exchanged,
such temporary Warrant Certificates shall be entitled to the same benefits under
this Warrant Agreement as definitive Warrant Certificates.

                                   ARTICLE II

                WARRANT PRICE, DURATION AND EXERCISE OF WARRANTS

            SECTION 2.01. Warrant Price. On ________, ____, the exercise price
of each Warrant will be _____. During the period from __________, ____ through
and including ___________, _____, the exercise price of each Warrant will be
__________ [plus [accrued amortization of the original issue discount] [accrued
interest] from ______, ____.] [In each case, the original issue discount will be
amortized at a __% annual rate, computed on an annual basis using the "interest"
method and using a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months]. Such
exercise price of Warrant Securities is referred to in this Agreement as the
"Warrant Price". [The original issue discount for each principal amount of
Warrant Securities is ________].

            SECTION 2.02. Duration of Warrants. [Subject to Section 4.03(b),]
each Warrant may be exercised [in whole but not in part] [in whole or in part]
[at any time, as specified herein, on or after [the date thereof] [________,
____] and at or before [time, location] on _________, _____ (each day during
such period may hereinafter be referred to as an "Exercise Date")] [on [list of
specific dates] (each, an "Exercise Date")], or such later date as the Company
may designate by notice to the Warrant Agent and the Holders of Warrant
Certificates [in registered form and to the beneficial owners of the global
Warrant Certificate] (the "Expiration Date"). Each Warrant not exercised at or
before [time, location] on the Expiration Date shall become void, and all rights
of the Holder [and any beneficial owners] of the Warrant Certificate evidencing
such Warrant under this Agreement shall cease.

            SECTION 2.03. Exercise of Warrants. During the period specified in
Section 2.02, any whole number of Warrants may be exercised by providing certain
information as set forth on the reverse side of the Warrant Certificates
evidencing such Warrants and by paying in full [in lawful money of the United
States of America] [in applicable currency] [in cash] [by certified check or
official bank check or by bank wire transfer, in each case,] [by bank wire
transfer] [in immediately available funds,] the Warrant Price for each Warrant
exercised [(plus accrued interest, if any, on the Warrant Securities to be
issued upon exercise of such Warrant from and including the Interest Payment
Date (as defined in the Indenture), if any, in respect of such Warrant
Securities immediately preceding the Exercise Date to and including the Exercise
Date (unless the Exercise Date is after the Regular Record Date (as defined in
the Indenture), if any, for such Interest Payment Date, but on or before the
immediately succeeding Interest Payment Date for such Warrant Securities, in
which event no such accrued interest shall

                                       4
<PAGE>
be payable in respect of Warrant Securities to be issued in registered form))]
to the Warrant Agent at its corporate trust office at [address] [or at
___________], provided that such exercise is subject to receipt within five
business days of such [payment] [wire transfer] by the Warrant Agent of the
Warrant Certificate evidencing each Warrant exercised with the form of election
to purchase Warrant Securities set forth on the reverse side of the Warrant
Certificate properly completed and duly executed.

            [Insert Cashless Exercise Option provisions, if applicable]

            The date on which payment in full of the Warrant Price (plus any
such accrued interest) is received by the Warrant Agent shall, subject to
receipt of the Warrant Certificate as aforesaid, be deemed to be the date on
which the Warrant is exercised. The Warrant Agent shall deposit all funds
received by it in payment for the exercise of Warrants in an account of the
Company maintained with it (or in such other account as may be designated by the
Company) and shall advise the Company, by telephone or by facsimile transmission
or other form of electronic communication available to both parties, at the end
of each day on which a payment for the exercise of Warrants is received of the
amount so deposited to its account. The Warrant Agent shall promptly confirm
such advice to the Company in writing.

            If a day on which Warrants may be exercised in the city in which
such Warrants are to be exercised shall be a Saturday or Sunday or a day on
which banking institutions in such city are authorized or required to be closed,
then, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or the Warrant
Certificate evidencing such Warrants, but subject to the limitation that no
Warrant may be exercised after the Expiration Date, the Warrants shall be
exercisable on the next succeeding day which in such city is not a Saturday or
Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in such city are authorized or
required to be closed.

            The Warrant Agent shall, from time to time, as promptly as
practicable, advise the Company and the Trustee in writing of (i) the number of
Warrants exercised, (ii) the instructions of each Holder of the Warrant
Certificates evidencing such Warrants with respect to delivery of the Warrant
Securities to be issued upon such exercise, (iii) delivery of any Warrant
Certificates evidencing the balance, if any, of the Warrants remaining after
such exercise, and (iv) such other information as the Company or the Trustee
shall reasonably require.

            As soon as practicable after the exercise of any Warrant, but
subject to receipt by the Warrant Agent of the Warrant Certificate evidencing
such Warrant as provided in this Section, the Company shall issue[, pursuant to
the Indenture, in authorized denominations to or upon the order of the Holder of
the Warrant Certificate evidencing each Warrant,] the Warrant Securities to
which such Holder is entitled, in fully registered form, registered in such name
or names as may be directed by such Holder. If fewer than all of the Warrants
evidenced by such Warrant Certificate are exercised, the Company shall execute,
and an authorized officer of the Warrant Agent shall manually countersign and
deliver, a new Warrant Certificate evidencing the number of such Warrants
remaining unexercised.

                                       5
<PAGE>
            The Company shall not be required to pay any stamp or other tax or
other governmental charge required to be paid in connection with any transfer
involved in the issuance of the Warrant Securities, and in the event that any
such transfer is involved, the Company shall not be required to issue or deliver
any Warrant Security until such tax or other charge shall have been paid or it
has been established to the Company's satisfaction that no such tax or other
charge is due.

                                  ARTICLE III
            OTHER PROVISIONS RELATING TO RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF WARRANT

            SECTION 3.01. No Rights as Warrant Securityholder Conferred by
Warrant or Warrant Certificates. No Warrant Certificate or Warrant evidenced
thereby shall entitle the Holder or any beneficial owner thereof to any of the
rights of a holder or beneficial owner of Warrant Securities, including, without
limitation, [the right to receive the payment of principal of (premium, if any)
or interest, if any, on Warrant Securities or to enforce any of the covenants in
the Indenture] [the right to receive dividend payments on the Warrant Securities
or any voting rights].

            SECTION 3.02. Lost, Mutilated, Stolen, or Destroyed Warrant
Certificates. Upon receipt by the Warrant Agent of evidence reasonably
satisfactory to it and the Company of the ownership of and the loss, mutilation,
theft or destruction of any Warrant Certificate and of such security or
indemnity as may be required by the Company and the Warrant Agent to hold each
of them and any agent of them harmless and, in the case of mutilation of a
Warrant Certificate, upon surrender thereof to the Warrant Agent for
cancellation, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Warrant Agent
that such Warrant Certificate has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the
Company shall execute, and an authorized officer of the Warrant Agent shall
manually countersign and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of the lost,
mutilated, stolen or destroyed Warrant Certificate, a new Warrant Certificate of
the same tenor and evidencing a like number of Warrants. Upon the issuance of
any new Warrant Certificate under this Section, the Company may require the
payment of a sum sufficient to cover any stamp or other tax or other
governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other
expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Warrant Agent) in connection
therewith. Every substitute Warrant Certificate executed and delivered pursuant
to this Section in lieu of any lost, mutilated, stolen or destroyed Warrant
Certificate shall represent an additional contractual obligation of the Company,
whether or not the lost, stolen or destroyed Warrant Certificate shall be at any
time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to the benefits of this
Agreement equally and proportionately with any and all other Warrant
Certificates duly executed and delivered hereunder. The provisions of this
Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights
and remedies with respect to the replacement of lost, mutilated, stolen or
destroyed Warrant Certificates.

            SECTION 3.03. Enforcement of Rights. Notwithstanding any of the
provisions of this Agreement, any Holder of a Warrant Certificate, without the
consent of the Warrant Agent, the Trustee, the holder of any Offered Securities
or the Holder of any

                                       6
<PAGE>
other Warrant Certificate, may, in its own behalf and for its own benefit,
enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against
the Company suitable to enforce, or otherwise in respect of, its right to
exercise its Warrants in the manner provided in its Warrant Certificate and in
this Agreement.

            SECTION 3.04. Merger, Consolidation, Conveyance or Transfer. (a) If
at any time there shall be a merger or consolidation of the Company or a
conveyance or transfer of its property and assets substantially as an entirety
[as permitted under the Indenture], then in any such event the successor or
assuming corporation referred to therein shall succeed to and be substituted for
the Company, with the same effect [, subject to the Indenture,] as if it had
been named herein and in the Warrant Certificates as the Company; the Company
shall thereupon, except in the case of a transfer by way of lease, be relieved
of any further obligation hereunder and under the Warrants and the Warrant
Certificates, and the Company as the predecessor corporation, except in the case
of a transfer by way of lease, may thereupon or at any time thereafter be
dissolved, wound up or liquidated. Such successor or assuming corporation may
thereupon cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the
name of the Company, Warrant Certificates evidencing any or all of the Warrants
issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company,
and may execute and deliver Warrant Securities in its own name [, pursuant to
the Indenture,] in fulfillment of its obligations to deliver Warrant Securities
upon exercise of the Warrants. All the Warrants so issued shall in all respects
have the same legal rank and benefit under this Agreement as the Warrants
theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Agreement
as though all of such Warrants had been issued at the date of the execution
hereof. In any case of any such merger, consolidation, conveyance or transfer,
such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the
Warrant Certificates representing the Warrants thereafter to be issued as may be
appropriate.

            (b) The Warrant Agent may receive a written opinion of legal counsel
(who shall be acceptable to the Warrant Agent) as conclusive evidence that any
such merger, consolidation, conveyance or transfer complies with the provisions
of this Section and the Indenture.

                  [Add Anti-Dilution provisions as necessary.]

                                   ARTICLE IV

                              EXCHANGE AND TRANSFER

            SECTION 4.01. Exchange and Transfer. (a) [1: Upon] [2: Prior to the
Detachable Date, a Warrant Certificate may be exchanged or transferred only
together with the Offered Security to which such Warrant Certificate was
initially attached, and only for the purpose of effecting, or in conjunction
with, an exchange or transfer of such Offered Security. Prior to any Detachable
Date, each transfer of the Offered Security, shall operate also to transfer the
related Warrant Certificates. On or after the Detachable Date, upon] surrender
at the corporate trust office of the Warrant Agent at [address] [or __________],
Warrant Certificates evidencing Warrants may be exchanged for Warrant

                                       7
<PAGE>
Certificates in other authorized denominations evidencing such Warrants or the
transfer thereof may be registered in whole or in part; provided, however, that
such other Warrant Certificates shall evidence the same aggregate number of
Warrants as the Warrant Certificates so surrendered.

            (b) The Warrant Agent shall keep, at its corporate trust office at
[address] [and at __________], books in which, subject to such reasonable
regulations as it may prescribe, it shall register Warrant Certificates and
exchanges and transfers of outstanding Warrant Certificates upon surrender of
such Warrant Certificates to the Warrant Agent at its corporate trust office at
[address] [or __________] for exchange or registration of transfer, properly
endorsed [or accompanied by appropriate instruments of registration of transfer
and written instructions for transfer, all in form satisfactory to the Company
and the Warrant Agent.]

            (c) No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration
of transfer of Warrant Certificates, but the Company may require payment of a
sum sufficient to cover any stamp or other tax or other governmental charge that
may be imposed in connection with any such exchange or registration of transfer.

            (d) Whenever any Warrant Certificates are so surrendered for
exchange or registration of transfer, an authorized officer of the Warrant Agent
shall manually countersign and deliver to the person or persons entitled thereto
a Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates, duly authorized and executed by
the Company, as so requested. The Warrant Agent shall not effect any exchange or
registration of transfer which will result in the issuance of a Warrant
Certificate, evidencing a fraction of a Warrant or a number of full Warrants and
a fraction of a Warrant.

            (e) All Warrant Certificates issued upon any exchange or
registration of transfer of Warrant Certificates shall be the valid obligations
of the Company evidencing the same obligations, and entitled to the same
benefits under this Agreement, as the Warrant Certificates surrendered for such
exchange or registration or transfer.

            SECTION 4.02. Treatment of Holders of Warrant Certificates. Each
Holder of a Warrant Certificate, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with
the Company, the Warrant Agent and every subsequent Holder of such Warrant
Certificate that until the transfer of such Warrant Certificate is registered on
the books of such Warrant Agent [2: or, prior to the Detachable Date, until the
transfer of the Offered Security to which such Warrant Certificate is attached
is registered in the register of the Offered Securities], the Company and the
Warrant Agent may treat the registered Holder of such Warrant Certificate as the
absolute owner thereof for any purpose and as the person entitled to exercise
the rights represented by the Warrants evidenced thereby, any notice to the
contrary notwithstanding.

            SECTION 4.03. Cancellation of Warrant Certificates. [(a)] Any
Warrant Certificate surrendered for exchange or registration of transfer or
exercise of the Warrants evidenced thereby shall, if surrendered to the Company,
be delivered to the

                                       8
<PAGE>
Warrant Agent, and all Warrant Certificates surrendered or so delivered to the
Warrant Agent shall be promptly cancelled by the Warrant Agent and shall not be
reissued and, except as expressly permitted by this Agreement, no Warrant
Certificate shall be issued hereunder in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof.
The Warrant Agent shall cause all cancelled Warrant Certificates to be destroyed
and shall deliver a certificate of such destruction to the Company.

            [(b) If the Company notifies the Trustee of its election to redeem
[2: prior to the Detachable Date] [, as a whole but not in part,] [2: the
Offered Securities [or] [and]] the Warrant Securities pursuant to the Indenture
or the terms thereof, the Company may elect, and shall give notice to the
Warrant Agent of its election, to cancel the unexercised Warrants, the Warrant
Certificates and the rights evidenced thereby. Promptly after receipt of such
notice by the Warrant Agent, the Company shall, or, at the Company's request,
the Warrant Agent shall in the name of and at the expense of the Company, give
notice of such cancellation to the Holders of the Warrant Certificates, such
notice to be so given not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the date
fixed for the redemption of [2: the Offered Securities [or] [and]] the Warrant
Securities pursuant to the Indenture or the terms thereof. The unexercised
Warrants, the Warrant Certificates and the rights evidenced thereby shall be
cancelled and become void on the 15th day prior to such date fixed for
redemption.]

                                   ARTICLE V

                          CONCERNING THE WARRANT AGENT

            SECTION 5.01. Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints __________
as Warrant Agent of the Company in respect of the Warrants and the Warrant
Certificates upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein and in the
Warrant Certificates set forth; and ___________ hereby accepts such appointment.
The Warrant Agent shall have the powers and authority granted to and conferred
upon it in the Warrant Certificates and herein and such further powers and
authority to act on behalf of the Company as the Company may hereafter grant to
or confer upon it.

            All of the terms and provisions with respect to such powers and
authority contained in the Warrant Certificates are subject to and governed by
the terms and provisions hereof.

            SECTION 5.02. Conditions of Warrant Agent's Obligations. The Warrant
Agent accepts its obligations herein set forth upon the terms and conditions
hereof, including the following, to all of which the Company agrees and to all
of which the rights hereunder of the Holders from time to time of the Warrant
Certificates shall be subject:

            (a) Compensation and Indemnification. The Company agrees promptly to
pay the Warrant Agent the compensation to be agreed upon with the Company for
all services rendered by the Warrant Agent and to reimburse the Warrant Agent
for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees)

                                       9
<PAGE>
incurred by the Warrant Agent without negligence, bad faith or breach of this
Agreement on its part in connection with the services rendered hereunder by the
Warrant Agent. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Warrant Agent for, and
to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without
negligence or bad faith on the part of the Warrant Agent, arising out of or in
connection with its acting as Warrant Agent hereunder, as well as the reasonable
costs and expenses of defending against any claim of such liability.

            (b) Agent for the Company. In acting under this Agreement and in
connection with the Warrants and the Warrant Certificates, the Warrant Agent is
acting solely as agent of the Company and does not assume any obligation or
relationship of agency or trust for or with any of the Holders of Warrant
Certificates or beneficial owners of Warrants.

            (c) Counsel. The Warrant Agent may consult with counsel satisfactory
to it in its reasonable judgment, and the advice of such counsel shall be full
and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken,
suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the
advice of such counsel.

            (d) Documents. The Warrant Agent shall be protected and shall incur
no liability for or in respect of any action taken or thing suffered by it in
reliance upon any Warrant Certificate, notice, direction, consent, certificate,
affidavit, statement or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be
genuine and to have been presented or signed by the proper parties.

            (e) Certain Transactions. The Warrant Agent, and its officers,
directors and employees, may become the owner of, or acquire any interest in,
Warrants, with the same rights that it or they would have if it were not the
Warrant Agent hereunder, and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, it or
they may engage or be interested in any financial or other transaction with the
Company and may act on, or as depositary, trustee or agent for, any committee or
body of holders of Warrant Securities or other obligations of the Company as
freely as if it were not the Warrant Agent hereunder. [Nothing in this Warrant
Agreement shall be deemed to prevent the Warrant Agent from acting as Trustee
under the Indenture.]

            (f) No Liability for Interest. The Warrant Agent shall have no
liability for interest on any monies at any time received by it pursuant to any
of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Warrant Certificates.

            (g) No Liability for Invalidity. The Warrant Agent shall not be
under any responsibility with respect to the validity or sufficiency of this
Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due authorization to
execute this Agreement and the due execution and delivery hereof by the Warrant
Agent) or with respect to the validity or execution of any Warrant Certificates
(except its countersignature thereof).

                                       10
<PAGE>
            (h) No Liability for Recitals. The recitals contained herein shall
be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Warrant Agent assumes no
liability for the correctness of the same.

            (i) No Implied Obligations. The Warrant Agent shall be obligated to
perform only such duties as are herein and in the Warrant Certificates
specifically set forth and no implied duties or obligations shall be read into
this Agreement or the Warrant Certificates against the Warrant Agent. The
Warrant Agent shall not be under any obligation to take any action hereunder
which may tend to involve it in any expense or liability, the payment of which
within a reasonable time is not, in its reasonable opinion, assured to it. The
Warrant Agent shall not be accountable or under any duty or responsibility for
the use by the Company of any of the Warrant Certificates countersigned by the
Warrant Agent and delivered by it to the Company pursuant to this Agreement or
for the application by the Company of the proceeds of the Warrant Certificates.
The Warrant Agent shall have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by
the Company in the performance of its covenants or agreements contained herein
or in the Warrant Certificates or in the case of the receipt of any written
demand from a Holder of a Warrant Certificate with respect to such default,
including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any duty or
responsibility to initiate or attempt to initiate any proceedings at law or
otherwise or, except as provided in Section 6.02, to make any demand upon the
Company.

            SECTION 5.03. Resignation and Appointment of Successor. (a) The
Company agrees, for the benefit of the Holders from time to time of the Warrant
Certificates, that there shall at all times be a Warrant Agent hereunder until
all the Warrants have been exercised or are no longer exercisable.

            (b) The Warrant Agent may at any time resign as such by giving
written notice of its resignation to the Company, specifying the desired date on
which its resignation shall become effective; provided, however, that such date
shall be not less than 90 days after the date on which such notice is given
unless the Company agrees to accept shorter notice. Upon receiving such notice
of resignation, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Warrant Agent
(which shall be a bank or trust company in good standing, authorized under the
laws of the jurisdiction of its organization to exercise corporate trust powers)
by written instrument in duplicate signed on behalf of the Company, one copy of
which shall be delivered to the resigning Warrant Agent and one copy to the
successor Warrant Agent. The Company may, at any time and for any reason, remove
the Warrant Agent and appoint a successor Warrant Agent (qualified as aforesaid)
by written instrument in duplicate signed on behalf of the Company and
specifying such removal and the date when it is intended to become effective,
one copy of which shall be delivered to the Warrant Agent being removed and one
copy to the successor Warrant Agent. Any resignation or removal of the Warrant
Agent and any appointment of a successor Warrant Agent shall become effective
upon acceptance of appointment by the successor Warrant Agent as provided in
this subsection (b). In the event a successor Warrant Agent has not been
appointed and accepted its duties within 90 days of the Warrant Agent's notice
of resignation, the Warrant Agent may apply to any court of competent
jurisdiction for the designation of a successor Warrant Agent. Upon

                                       11
<PAGE>
its resignation or removal, the Warrant Agent shall be entitled to the payment
by the Company of the compensation and to the reimbursement of all reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) incurred by it
hereunder as agreed to in Section 5.02(a).

            (c) The Company shall remove the Warrant Agent and appoint a
successor Warrant Agent if the Warrant Agent (i) shall become incapable of
acting, (ii) shall be adjudged bankrupt or insolvent, (iii) shall commence a
voluntary case or other proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other
relief with respect to it or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other
similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee,
receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of it or any
substantial part of its property, (iv) shall consent to, or shall have had
entered against it a court order for, any such relief or to the appointment of
or taking possession by any such official in any involuntary case or other
proceedings commenced against it, (v) shall make a general assignment for the
benefit of creditors or (vi) shall fail generally to pay its debts as they
become due. Upon the appointment as aforesaid of a successor Warrant Agent and
acceptance by it of such appointment, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall, if
not previously disqualified by operation of law, cease to be Warrant Agent
hereunder.

            (d) Any successor Warrant Agent appointed hereunder shall execute,
acknowledge and deliver to its predecessor and the Company an instrument
accepting such appointment hereunder, and thereupon such successor Warrant
Agent, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all
the authority, rights, powers, immunities, duties and obligations of such
predecessor with like effect as if originally named as Warrant Agent hereunder,
and such predecessor shall thereupon become obligated to transfer, deliver and
pay over, and such successor Warrant Agent shall be entitled to receive, all
monies, securities and other property on deposit with or held by such
predecessor as Warrant Agent hereunder.

            (e) Any corporation into which the Warrant Agent hereunder may be
merged or converted or any corporation with which the Warrant Agent may be
consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or
consolidation to which the Warrant Agent shall be a party, or any corporation to
which the Warrant Agent shall sell or otherwise transfer all or substantially
all the assets and business of the Warrant Agent, provided that it shall be
qualified as aforesaid, shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this
Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the
part of any of the parties hereto.

                                   ARTICLE VI

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

            SECTION 6.01. Amendment. This Agreement and the terms of the
Warrants and the Warrant Certificates may be amended by the parties hereto,
without the consent of the Holder of any Warrant Certificate or the beneficial
owner of any Warrant, for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or of curing,
correcting or supplementing any

                                       12
<PAGE>
defective or inconsistent provision contained herein or in the Warrant
Certificates, or making any other provisions with respect to matters or
questions arising under this Agreement as the Company and the Warrant Agent may
deem necessary or desirable, provided that such action shall not affect
adversely the interests of the Holders of the Warrant Certificates or the
beneficial owners of Warrants in any material respect.

            SECTION 6.02. Notices and Demands to the Company and Warrant Agent.
If the Warrant Agent shall receive any notice or demand addressed to the Company
by the Holder of a Warrant Certificate pursuant to the provisions of the Warrant
Certificates, the Warrant Agent shall promptly forward such notice or demand to
the Company.

            SECTION 6.03. Addresses. Any communication from the Company to the
Warrant Agent with respect to this Agreement shall be addressed to __________,
Attention: ________, and any communication from the Warrant Agent to the Company
with respect to this Agreement shall be addressed to Newcastle Investment Corp.,
1251 Avenue of the Americas, 16th Floor, New York, New York, 10020, Attention:
__________ (or such other address as shall be specified in writing by the
Warrant Agent or by the Company).

            SECTION 6.04. Applicable Law. The validity, interpretation and
performance of this Agreement and each Warrant Certificate issued hereunder and
of the respective terms and provisions hereof and thereof shall be governed by,
and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

            SECTION 6.05. Delivery of Prospectus. The Company will furnish to
the Warrant Agent sufficient copies of a prospectus relating to the Warrant
Securities deliverable upon exercise of Warrants (the "Prospectus"), and the
Warrant Agent agrees that upon the exercise of any Warrant, the Warrant Agent
will deliver to the Holder of the Warrant Certificate evidencing such Warrant,
prior to or concurrently with the delivery of the Warrant Securities issued upon
such exercise, a Prospectus. The Warrant Agent shall not, by reason of any such
delivery, assume any responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of such
Prospectus.

            SECTION 6.06. Obtaining of Governmental Approval. The Company will
from time to time take all action which may be necessary to obtain and keep
effective any and all permits, consents and approvals of governmental agencies
and authorities and securities acts filings under United States federal and
state laws (including without limitation a registration statement in respect of
the Warrants and Warrant Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended), which may be or become requisite in connection with the issuance,
sale, transfer and delivery of the Warrant Certificates, the exercise of the
Warrants, the issuance, sale, transfer and delivery of the Warrant Securities
issued upon exercise of the Warrants or upon the expiration of the period during
which the Warrants are exercisable.

            SECTION 6.07. Persons Having Rights under Warrant Agreement. Nothing
in this Agreement shall give to any person other than the Company, the Warrant

                                       13
<PAGE>
Agent and the Holders of the Warrant Certificates any right, remedy or claim
under or by reason of this Agreement.

            SECTION 6.08. Headings. The descriptive headings of the several
Articles and Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and
shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions
hereof.

            SECTION 6.09. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any
number of counterparts, each of which as so executed shall be deemed to be an
original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument.

            SECTION 6.10. Inspection of Agreement. A copy of this Agreement
shall be available at all reasonable times at the principal corporate trust
office of the Warrant Agent for inspection by the Holder of any Warrant
Certificate. The Warrant Agent may require such Holder to submit its Warrant
Certificate to the Warrant Agent for review prior to such inspection.

            SECTION 6.11. Notices to Holders of Warrants. Any notice to Holders
of Warrants evidenced by Warrant Certificates which by any provisions of this
Warrant Agreement is required or permitted to be given shall be given by first
class mail prepaid at such Holder's address as it appears on the books of the
Warrant Agent.

                                       14
<PAGE>
            IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be duly executed as of the date first above written.

                                                  NEWCASTLE INVESTMENT CORP.

                                                  By:
                                                     --------------------------
                                                         Name:
                                                         Title:

                                                  [WARRANT AGENT]

                                                  By:
                                                     --------------------------
                                                         Name:
                                                         Title:

                                       15
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT A

                          [FORM OF WARRANT CERTIFICATE]

                                     [Face]

[Prior to _______________, this Warrant Certificate may be transferred or
exchanged if and only if the [title of Offered Security] to which it was
initially attached is so transferred or exchanged.]

[Prior to ___________, Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate cannot be
exercised.]

                EXERCISABLE ONLY IF AUTHENTICATED BY THE WARRANT
                            AGENT AS PROVIDED HEREIN

               VOID AFTER THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON _________, ____

                           NEWCASTLE INVESTMENT CORP.

                        Warrant Certificate representing
                              Warrants to purchase

                          [Title of Warrant Securities]
                               as described herein

                               ------------------

No. ____                                                _______________ Warrants

            This certifies that [_____________________] or registered assigns is
the registered owner of the above indicated number of Warrants, each Warrant
entitling such registered owner to purchase, at any time [after the close of
business on _________, _____, and] on or before the close of business on
____________, ____, [____ shares of [title of Warrant Securities]] [$________
aggregate principal amount of [title of Warrant Securities]] (the "Warrant
Securities") of Newcastle Investment Corp. (the "Company")[, issued or to be
issued under the Indenture (as hereinafter defined),] on the following basis.
(2) [During the period from ________, ____ through and including
___________, ____, each Warrant shall entitle the Holder thereof, subject to
the provisions of this Agreement, to purchase from the Company the [principal]
amount of Warrant Securities stated above in this Warrant Certificate at the
exercise price of [___] [___% of the principal amount thereof [plus accrued
amortization, if any, of the original issue discount of the Warrant Securities]
[plus accrued interest, if any, from the most recent date from

__________
(2) Complete and modify the following provisions as appropriate to reflect
    the terms of the Warrants and the Warrant Securities.

                                      A-1
<PAGE>
which interest shall have been paid on the Warrant Securities or, if no interest
shall have been paid on the Warrant Securities, from ___________, ____]; [in
each case, the original issue discount ($_______ for each $1,000 principal
amount of Warrant Securities) will be amortized at a ___% annual rate, computed
on a[n] [semi-]annual basis[, using a 360-day year constituting of twelve 30-day
months]] (the "Exercise Price"). The Holder of this Warrant Certificate may
exercise the Warrants evidenced hereby, in whole or in part, by surrendering
this Warrant Certificate, with the purchase form set forth hereon duly
completed, accompanied [by payment in full, in lawful money of the United States
of America, [in cash or by certified check or official bank check in New York
Clearing House funds] [by bank wire transfer in immediately available funds]],
the Exercise Price for each Warrant exercised, to the Warrant Agent (as
hereinafter defined), at the corporate trust office of [name of Warrant Agent],
or its successor as warrant agent (the "Warrant Agent"), at the addresses
specified on the reverse hereof [or at ____________] and upon compliance with
and subject to the conditions set forth herein and in the Warrant Agreement (as
hereinafter defined). This Warrant Certificate may be exercised only for the
purchase of [_____ shares of] Warrant Securities [in the principal amount of
$________] or any integral multiple thereof.

            [Insert Cashless Exercise Option provisions, if applicable]

            The term "Holder" as used herein shall mean[, prior to _________,
____ (the "Detachable Date"), the registered owner of the Company's [title of
Offered Securities] to which such Warrant Certificate was initially attached,
and after such Detachable Date,] the person in whose name at the time such
Warrant Certificate shall be registered upon the books to be maintained by the
Warrant Agent for that purpose pursuant to the Warrant Agreement.

            Any whole number of Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate
may be exercised to purchase Warrant Securities in registered form. Upon any
exercise of fewer than all of the Warrants evidenced by this Warrant
Certificate, there shall be issued to the registered owner hereof a new Warrant
Certificate evidencing the number of Warrants remaining unexercised.

            This Warrant Certificate is issued under and in accordance with the
Warrant Agreement dated as of __________, ____ (the "Warrant Agreement"),
between the Company and the Warrant Agent and is subject to the terms and
provisions contained in the Warrant Agreement, to all of which terms and
provisions the Holder of this Warrant Certificate consents by acceptance hereof.
Copies of the Warrant Agreement are on file at the above-mentioned office of the
Warrant Agent [and at _______________].

            [The Warrant Securities to be issued and delivered upon the exercise
of Warrants evidenced by this Warrant Certificate will be issued under and in
accordance with an Indenture, dated as of ________________ (the "Indenture"),
between the Company and ________________, a [corporation] [national banking
association] organized under the laws of the State of __________, as trustee
(such trustee, and any successors to such trustee, the "Trustee") and will be
subject to the terms and provisions contained in the Warrant Securities and in
the Indenture. Copies of the Indenture,

                                      A-2
<PAGE>
including the form of the Warrant Securities, are on file at the corporate trust
office of the Trustee [and at __________].]

            [Prior to ___________, ____ (the "Detachable Date"), this Warrant
Certificate may be exchanged or transferred only together with the [title of
Offered Security] (the "Offered Security") to which this Warrant Certificate was
initially attached, and only for the purpose of effecting, or in conjunction
with, an exchange or transfer of such Offered Security. Additionally, on or
prior to the Detachable Date, each transfer of such Offered Security on the
register of the Offered Securities shall operate also to transfer this Warrant
Certificate. After the Detachable Date,] this Warrant Certificate, and all
rights hereunder, may be transferred when surrendered at the corporate trust
office of the Warrant Agent [or _________] by the registered owner or its
assigns, in person or by an attorney duly authorized in writing, in the manner
and subject to the limitations provided in the Warrant Agreement.

            Except as provided in the immediately preceding paragraph, after
authentication by the Warrant Agent and prior to the expiration of this Warrant
Certificate, this Warrant Certificate may be exchanged at the corporate trust
office of the Warrant Agent [or at _____________] for Warrant Certificates
representing the same aggregate number of Warrants.

            This Warrant Certificate shall not entitle the registered owner
hereof to any of the rights of a registered holder of the Warrant Securities,
including, without limitation, [the right to receive payments of principal of
(and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the Warrant Securities or to
enforce any of the covenants of the Indenture] [the right to receive dividend
payments on the Warrant Securities or any voting rights].

            Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Warrant
Certificate set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for
all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

            This Warrant Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any
purpose until authenticated by the Warrant Agent.

                                      A-3
<PAGE>
            IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant Certificate
to be duly executed as of the date hereof.

Dated: _______________

                                   NEWCASTLE INVESTMENT CORP.

                                   By:
                                      -----------------------------------------
                                         Name:
                                         Title:

                          CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

            This is one of the Warrant Certificates referred to in the
within-mentioned Warrant Agreement.

                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         As Warrant Agent

                                         By:
                                            ------------------------------------
                                                Authorized Signature

                                      A-4
<PAGE>
                          [FORM OF WARRANT CERTIFICATE]

                                    [Reverse]

                     (Instructions for exercise of Warrants)

            To exercise any Warrants evidenced hereby, the Holder of this
Warrant Certificate must pay [in cash or by certified check or official bank
check in New York Clearing House funds or by bank wire transfer in immediately
available funds], the Exercise Price in full for each of the Warrants exercised,
to _________, Corporate Trust Department, _______________, Attn: ___________ [or
________________], which payment should specify the name of the Holder of this
Warrant Certificate and the number of Warrants exercised by such Holder. In
addition, the Holder of this Warrant Certificate should complete the information
required below and present in person or mail by registered mail this Warrant
Certificate to the Warrant Agent at the addresses set forth below.

                               [FORM OF EXERCISE]

                   (To be executed upon exercise of Warrants)

            The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise _________
Warrants, represented by this Warrant Certificate, to purchase [______ shares of
[title of Warrant Securities]] [$_________ aggregate principal amount of the
[title of Warrant Securities]] (the "Warrant Securities") of NEWCASTLE
INVESTMENT CORP. and represents that he has tendered payment for such Warrant
Securities [in cash or by certified check or official bank check in New York
Clearing House funds or by bank wire transfer in immediately available funds] to
the order of Newcastle Investment Corp., c/o Treasurer in the amount of
$___________ in accordance with the terms hereof. The undersigned requests that
said [principal] amount of Warrant Securities be in fully registered form, in
the authorized denominations, registered in such names and delivered, all as
specified in accordance with the instructions set forth below.

            If said [principal] amount of Warrant Securities is less than all of
the Warrant Securities purchasable hereunder, the undersigned requests that a
new Warrant Certificate representing the remaining balance of the Warrants
evidenced hereby be issued and delivered to the undersigned unless otherwise
specified in the instructions below.

Dated:_______________

                                     Name:
                                     -------------------------------------------
                                             (Please Print)

--------------------------------
(Insert Social Security or Other
Identifying Number of Holder)

                                      A-5
<PAGE>
                                           Address:

                                           -------------------------------------

                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Signature:

                                           -------------------------------------

                                            (Signed exactly as name appears on
                                            the other side of this Warrant
                                            Certificate)

            This Warrant may be exercised at the following addresses:

                  By hand at:

                             -------------------------------------
                             -------------------------------------
                             -------------------------------------

                  By mail at:

                             -------------------------------------
                             -------------------------------------
                             -------------------------------------

(Instructions as to form and delivery of Warrant Securities and/or Warrant
Certificates):

                                      A-6
<PAGE>
                              [FORM OF ASSIGNMENT]

              (To be executed to transfer the Warrant Certificate)

            FOR VALUE RECEIVED __________________ hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            Please insert social security or
                                            other identifying number

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            (Please print name and address
                                            including zip code)

____________________________the right represented by the within Warrant
Certificate and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
_________________, Attorney, to transfer said Warrant Certificate on the books
of the Warrant Agent with full power of substitution.

Dated:_____________

                                            ------------------------------------
                                                         Signature
                                            (Signed exactly as name appears on
                                            the other side of this Warrant
                                            Certificate)

Signature Guarantee:

-------------------------------------------------------
Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee
Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor program
reasonably acceptable to the Warrant Agent)

                                      A-7<PAGE>

EXHIBIT 10.1

                               MONROE BANK & TRUST
                   SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT AGREEMENT

         THIS AGREEMENT is adopted this 1st day of July, 2003, by and between
MONROE BANK & TRUST, a state-chartered commercial bank located in Monroe,
Michigan (the "Company"), and H. DOUGLAS CHAFFIN (the "Executive").

                                  INTRODUCTION

         To encourage the Executive to remain an employee of the Company, the
Company is willing to provide supplemental retirement benefits to the Executive.
The Company will pay the benefits from its general assets.

                                    AGREEMENT

       The Company and the Executive agree as follows:

                                    ARTICLE 1
                                   DEFINITIONS

         Whenever used in this Agreement, the following words and phrases shall
have the meanings specified:

         1.1 "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

         1.2 "Disability" means the Executive's suffering a sickness, accident
or injury which has been determined by the carrier of any individual or group
disability insurance policy covering the Executive, or by the Social Security
Administration, to be a disability rendering the Executive totally and
permanently disabled. The Executive must submit proof to the Company of the
carrier's or Social Security Administration's determination upon the request of
the Company.

         1.3 "Early Termination" means the Termination of Employment before
Normal Retirement Age for reasons other than death, Disability, or Termination
for Cause.

         1.4 "Early Termination Date" means the month, day and year in which
Early Termination occurs.

         1.5 "Effective Date" means July 1, 2003.

         1.6 "Final Pay" means the total annual base salary payable to the
Executive at the rate in effect at Termination of Employment. Final Pay shall
not be reduced for any salary reduction contributions to: (i) cash or deferred
arrangements under Section 401(k) of the Code; (ii) a cafeteria plan under
Section 125 of the Code; or (iii) a deferred compensation plan that is not
qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code.

         1.7 "Normal Retirement Age" means the Executive's 65th birthday.

         1.8 "Normal Retirement Date" means the later of the Normal Retirement
Age or Termination of Employment.

         1.9 "Plan Year" means a twelve-month period commencing on July 1 and
ending on June 30 of each year. The initial Plan Year shall commence on the
Effective Date of this Agreement.

         1.10 "Termination for Cause" See Article 5.

         1.11 "Termination of Employment" means that the Executive ceases to be
employed by the Company for any reason, voluntary or involuntary, other than by
reason of a leave of absence approved by the Company.

<PAGE>

                                    ARTICLE 2
                            BENEFITS DURING LIFETIME

         2.1 Normal Retirement Benefit. Upon Termination of Employment on or
after the Normal Retirement Age for reasons other than death, the Company shall
pay to the Executive the benefit described in this Section 2.1 in lieu of any
other benefit under this Agreement.

                  2.1.1 Amount of Benefit. The annual benefit under this Section
         2.1 is 65 percent of the Executive's Final Pay, as set forth on
         Schedule A, attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein, and
         as revised and updated by the Company from time to time, reduced by:

                           (a)      fifty percent (50%) of the primary Social
                                    Security benefit payable (before earnings
                                    reduction) to the Executive or which would
                                    be payable if applied for by the Executive
                                    upon his Normal Retirement Age;

                           (b)      the annual amount of benefits payable to the
                                    Executive upon his Normal Retirement Age
                                    (whether or not actually paid) from the
                                    Company's qualified pension plan (the
                                    "Pension Plan"); and

                           (c)      the annual amount of benefits payable to the
                                    Executive upon his Normal Retirement Age, on
                                    a single life annuity basis, attributable to
                                    the portion of the Executive's account
                                    balances arising from employer contributions
                                    (but excluding the portion of such balances
                                    arising from employee salary reduction
                                    contributions) from the Bank's Section
                                    401(k) plan.

                  2.1.2 Payment of Benefit. The Company shall pay the annual
         benefit to the Executive in 12 equal monthly installments commencing
         with the month following the Executive's Normal Retirement Date. The
         annual benefit shall be paid to the Executive for a period of 10 years.

         2.2 Early Termination Benefit. Upon Early Termination, the Company
shall pay to the Executive the benefit described in this Section 2.2 in lieu of
any other benefit under this Agreement.

                  2.2.1 Amount of Benefit. The benefit under this Section 2.2 is
         an amount equal to the "Accrual Balance" determined as of the Company's
         fiscal year end immediately preceding the Executive's Early Termination
         Date, as set forth on Schedule A, attached hereto and incorporated by
         reference herein, and as revised and updated by the Company from time
         to time. The Executive shall begin to vest in said Accrual Balance
         commencing on the date of Ronald D. LaBeau's retirement, subject to the
         following vesting schedule:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
  PLAN YEARS SINCE
LABEAU'S RETIREMENT    VESTED PERCENTAGE
----------------------------------------
<S>                    <C>
       0 - 4                    0%
----------------------------------------
     5 or more                100%
----------------------------------------
</TABLE>

                  2.2.2 Payment of Benefit. The Company shall pay the benefit to
         the Executive by calculating a fixed annuity payable in 120 monthly
         installments, crediting interest on the unpaid balance at an annual
         rate of 6.75 percent, compounded monthly. The monthly installments
         shall be payable on the first day of each month commencing with the
         month following Normal Retirement Age.

         2.3 Disability Benefit. If the Executive terminates employment due to
Disability prior to

<PAGE>

Normal Retirement Age, the Company shall pay to the Executive the benefit
described in this Section 2.3 in lieu of any other benefit under this Agreement.

                  2.3.1 Amount of Benefit. The benefit under this Section 2.3 is
         an amount equal to the "Accrual Balance" determined as of the Company's
         fiscal year end immediately preceding the date the Executive's
         Termination of Employment occurs, as set forth on Schedule A, attached
         hereto and incorporated by reference herein, and as revised and updated
         by the Company from time to time.

                  2.3.2 Payment of Benefit. The Company shall pay the benefit to
         the Executive by calculating a fixed annuity payable in 120 monthly
         installments, crediting interest on the unpaid balance at an annual
         rate of 6.75 percent, compounded monthly. The monthly installments
         shall be payable on the first day of each month commencing with the
         month following Normal Retirement Age.

                                    ARTICLE 3
                                 DEATH BENEFITS

         3.1 Death During Active Service. If the Executive dies while in the
active service of the Company, no benefit shall be payable under this Agreement.

         3.2 Death During Payment of a Benefit. If the Executive dies after any
benefit payments have commenced under Article 2 of this Agreement but before
receiving all such payments, the Company shall pay the remaining benefits to the
Executive's beneficiary at the same time and in the same amounts they would have
been paid to the Executive had the Executive survived.

         3.3 Death After Termination of Employment But Before Payment of a
Benefit Commences. If the Executive is entitled to a benefit under Article 2 of
this Agreement, but dies prior to the commencement of said benefit payments, the
Company shall pay the same benefit payments to the Executive's beneficiary that
the Executive was entitled to prior to death except that the benefit payments
shall commence on the first day of the month following the date of the
Executive's death.

                                    ARTICLE 4
                                  BENEFICIARIES

         4.1 Beneficiary Designations. The Executive shall designate a
beneficiary by filing a written designation with the Company. The Executive may
revoke or modify the designation at any time by filing a new designation.
However, designations will only be effective if signed by the Executive and
received by the Company during the Executive's lifetime. The Executive's
beneficiary designation shall be deemed automatically revoked if the beneficiary
predeceases the Executive, or if the Executive names a spouse as beneficiary and
the marriage is subsequently dissolved. If the Executive dies without a valid
beneficiary designation, all payments shall be made to the Executive's estate.

         4.2 Facility of Payment. If a benefit is payable to a minor, to a
person declared incompetent, or to a person incapable of handling the
disposition of his or her property, the Company may pay such benefit to the
guardian, legal representative or person having the care or custody of such
minor, incompetent person or incapable person. The Company may require proof of
incompetence, minority or guardianship as it may deem appropriate prior to
distribution of the benefit. Such distribution shall completely discharge the
Company from all liability with respect to such benefit.

                                    ARTICLE 5

<PAGE>

                               GENERAL LIMITATIONS

         5.1 Termination for Cause. Notwithstanding any provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, the Company shall not pay any benefit under this
Agreement if the Company terminates the Executive's employment for:

                  (a)      Gross negligence or gross neglect of duties;

                  (b)      Commission of a felony or of a gross misdemeanor
         involving moral turpitude; or

                  (c)      Fraud, disloyalty, dishonesty or willful violation of
         any law or significant Company policy committed in connection with the
         Executive's employment and resulting in an adverse effect on the
         Company.

         5.2 Suicide or Misstatement. The Company shall not pay any benefit
under this Agreement if the Executive commits suicide within three years after
the date of this Agreement. In addition, the Company shall not pay any benefit
under this Agreement if the Executive has made any material misstatement of fact
on an employment application or resume provided to the Company, or on any
application for any benefits provided by the Company to the Executive.

         5.3 Competition After Termination of Employment. The Company shall not
pay any benefit under this Agreement if the Executive, within 12 months
following Termination of Employment, without the prior written consent of the
Company, engages in, becomes interested in, directly or indirectly, as a sole
proprietor, as a partner in a partnership, or as a substantial shareholder in a
corporation, or becomes associated with, in the capacity of employee, director,
officer, principal, agent, trustee or in any other capacity whatsoever, any
enterprise conducted in the trading area (a 50 mile radius) of the business of
the Company, which enterprise is, or may deemed to be, competitive with any
business carried on by the Company as of the date of termination of the
Executive's employment or retirement. This section shall not apply following a
Change of Control.

                                    ARTICLE 6
                          CLAIMS AND REVIEW PROCEDURES

         6.1 Claims Procedure. An Executive or beneficiary ("claimant") who has
not received benefits under the Agreement that he or she believes should be paid
shall make a claim for such benefits as follows:

                  6.1.1 Initiation - Written Claim. The claimant initiates a
         claim by submitting to the Company a written claim for the benefits.

                  6.1.2 Timing of Company Response. The Company shall respond to
         such claimant within 90 days after receiving the claim. If the Company
         determines that special circumstances require additional time for
         processing the claim, the Company can extend the response period by an
         additional 90 days by notifying the claimant in writing, prior to the
         end of the initial 90-day period that an additional period is required.
         The notice of extension must set forth the special circumstances and
         the date by which the Company expects to render its decision.

                  6.1.3 Notice of Decision. If the Company denies part or all of
         the claim, the Company shall notify the claimant in writing of such
         denial. The Company shall write the notification in a manner calculated
         to be understood by the claimant. The notification shall set forth:

                        (a)      The specific reasons for the denial;

                        (b)      A reference to the specific provisions of the
                  Agreement on which the

<PAGE>
                  denial is based;

                        (c)      A description of any additional information or
                  material necessary for the claimant to perfect the claim and
                  an explanation of why it is needed;

                        (d)      An explanation of the Agreement's review
                  procedures and the time limits applicable to such procedures;
                  and

                        (e)      A statement of the claimant's right to bring a
                  civil action under ERISA Section 502(a) following an adverse
                  benefit determination on review.

         6.2 Review Procedure. If the Company denies part or all of the claim,
the claimant shall have the opportunity for a full and fair review by the
Company of the denial, as follows:

                  6.2.1 Initiation - Written Request. To initiate the review,
         the claimant, within 60 days after receiving the Company's notice of
         denial, must file with the Company a written request for review.

                  6.2.2 Additional Submissions - Information Access. The
         claimant shall then have the opportunity to submit written comments,
         documents, records and other information relating to the claim. The
         Company shall also provide the claimant, upon request and free of
         charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and
         other information relevant (as defined in applicable ERISA regulations)
         to the claimant's claim for benefits.

                  6.2.3 Considerations on Review. In considering the review, the
         Company shall take into account all materials and information the
         claimant submits relating to the claim, without regard to whether such
         information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit
         determination.

                  6.2.4 Timing of Company Response. The Company shall respond in
         writing to such claimant within 60 days after receiving the request for
         review. If the Company determines that special circumstances require
         additional time for processing the claim, the Company can extend the
         response period by an additional 60 days by notifying the claimant in
         writing, prior to the end of the initial 60-day period, that an
         additional period is required. The notice of extension must set forth
         the special circumstances and the date by which the Company expects to
         render its decision.

                  6.2.5 Notice of Decision. The Company shall notify the
         claimant in writing of its decision on review. The Company shall write
         the notification in a manner calculated to be understood by the
         claimant. The notification shall set forth:

                        (a)      The specific reasons for the denial;

                        (b)      A reference to the specific provisions of the
                  Agreement on which the denial is based;

                        (c)      A statement that the claimant is entitled to
                  receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access
                  to, and copies of, all documents, records and other
                  information relevant (as defined in applicable ERISA
                  regulations) to the claimant's claim for benefits; and

                        (d)      A statement of the claimant's right to bring a
                  civil action under ERISA Section 502(a).

                                    ARTICLE 7
                           AMENDMENTS AND TERMINATION

         This Agreement may be amended or terminated only by a written agreement
signed by the Company and the Executive.

<PAGE>

         Notwithstanding the previous paragraph in this Article 7, the Company
may amend or terminate this Agreement at any time if, pursuant to legislative,
judicial or regulatory action, continuation of the Agreement would (i) cause
benefits to be taxable to the Executive prior to actual receipt, or (ii) result
in significant financial penalties or other significantly detrimental
ramifications to the Company (other than the financial impact of paying the
benefits).

                                    ARTICLE 8
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

         8.1 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall bind the Executive and the
Company, and their beneficiaries, survivors, executors, successors,
administrators and transferees.

         8.2 No Guarantee of Employment. This Agreement is not an employment
policy or contract. It does not give the Executive the right to remain an
employee of the Company, nor does it interfere with the Company's right to
discharge the Executive. It also does not require the Executive to remain an
employee nor interfere with the Executive's right to terminate employment at any
time.

         8.3 Non-Transferability. Benefits under this Agreement cannot be sold,
transferred, assigned, pledged, attached or encumbered in any manner.

         8.4 Reorganization. The Company shall not merge or consolidate into or
with another company, or reorganize, or sell substantially all of its assets to
another company, firm, or person unless such succeeding or continuing company,
firm, or person agrees to assume and discharge the obligations of the Company
under this Agreement. Upon the occurrence of such event, the term "Company" as
used in this Agreement shall be deemed to refer to the successor or survivor
company.

         8.5 Tax Withholding. The Company shall withhold any taxes that are
required to be withheld from the benefits provided under this Agreement.

         8.6 Applicable Law. The Agreement and all rights hereunder shall be
governed by the laws of the State of Michigan, except to the extent preempted by
the laws of the United States of America.

         8.7 Unfunded Arrangement. The Executive and beneficiary are general
unsecured creditors of the Company for the payment of benefits under this
Agreement. The benefits represent the mere promise by the Company to pay such
benefits. The rights to benefits are not subject in any manner to anticipation,
alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, attachment, or
garnishment by creditors. Any insurance on the Executive's life is a general
asset of the Company to which the Executive and beneficiary have no preferred or
secured claim.

         8.8 Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement
between the Company and the Executive as to the subject matter hereof. No rights
are granted to the Executive by virtue of this Agreement other than those
specifically set forth herein.

         8.9 Administration. The Company shall have powers which are necessary
to administer this Agreement, including but not limited to:

                  (a)      Establishing and revising the method of accounting
         for the Agreement;

                  (b)      Maintaining a record of benefit payments;

                  (c)      Establishing rules and prescribing any forms
         necessary or desirable to administer

<PAGE>

         the Agreement; and

                  (d)      Interpreting the provisions of the Agreement.

         8.10 Named Fiduciary. The Company shall be the named fiduciary and plan
administrator under this Agreement. It may delegate to others certain aspects of
the management and operational responsibilities including the employment of
advisors and the delegation of ministerial duties to qualified individuals.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Executive and the Company have signed this
Agreement.

EXECUTIVE:                             COMPANY:

                                       MONROE BANK & TRUST

/s/ H. Douglas Chaffin                 By: /s/ John L. Skibski
-------------------------              --------------------------------
H. Douglas Chaffin                     Title: Senior Vice President & Controller

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