Court Opinion

ID: 9645972
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 21:41:15.545887+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:05:29.210477
License: Public Domain

BROOKSHIRE, Justice,
dissenting.
This dissent is respectfully filed.
It is interesting and significant to note that, in the affidavit attached to the motion, the affiant Vice-President carefully set out that Allied foreclosed on the Deed of Trust and sold the property described therein to the highest bidder. It is significant that the highest bidder was not identified.
The Halters’ response to the Bank’s Motion for Summary Judgment points out that there is a genuine issue of a material fact with regard to the consideration or bid by Appellee (Allied Merchants Bank), of Port Arthur, Texas.
The Appellants, by a response to the motion, set forth definitely that the price obtained by the Trustee at the foreclosure sale was grossly inadequate. This response was supported by an affidavit of Arthur E. Halter, Jr., that the value of the property in question, on the date of the foreclosure sale, was $30,000. Mr. Halter swore, by his affidavit, that the $10,500 price obtained by the Trustee was, therefore, grossly inadequate in relationship to the then fair market value.
It should be stressed that the Halters have not tried to set aside the foreclosure sale in any manner. In a proceeding to obtain a deficiency judgment, especially under the summary judgment practice, an affidavit was sworn to by Arthur E. Halter, Jr., verifying that the property, at its fair market value, was worth almost three times that which the Trustee raised. Hence, I would hold that a genuine issue of a material fact was raised which would defeat the bank’s Motion for Summary Judgment. The paramount issue in this type of case is the amount of the deficiency judgment. This genuine, important issue of a material, paramount fact was put at issue by the Halters’ response and its attachments. See Wilcox v. St. Mary’s University of San Antonio, 531 S.W.2d 589 (Tex.1975).
Since the Appellee, being the movant below, had the duty, as well as the burden, to show that it was entitled to its deficiency judgment as a matter of law, the Appellee had the affirmative burden and duty to show the trial judge that the foreclosure sale had been properly conducted without any irregularity having taken place. The *289Appellee had the additional burden to show to the trial judge that the foreclosure sale was both legally and fairly made. Tarrant Savings Association v. Lucky Homes, Inc., 390 S.W.2d 473 (Tex.1965).
Before the district judge, the Appellee bank had the burden of showing that any irregularity which existed did not cause, or contribute to cause, the real estate in question to be sold for a grossly inadequate price. Sparkman v. McWhirter, 263 S.W. 2d 832 (Tex.Civ.App.—Dallas 1953, writ ref’d). Hence, the Appellee bank failed to demonstrate to the trial judge that it was entitled to a deficiency judgment in the amount awarded, as a matter of law.