Court Opinion

ID: 9744676
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 22:12:15.935317+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:50.946534
License: Public Domain

Brown, J.
(concurring). Although I concur in the result reached by the majority, I am hard pressed to accept the notion that in such circumstances as presented here there must be an affirmative showing of “deliberately cultivated ignorance” on the part of the holder. See Schwegmann Bank & Trust Co. of Jefferson v. Simons, 880 F.2d 838, 842 (5th Cir. 1989). I deem TSB’s handling of the loan not “unorthodox” but negligent — plainly contrary to proper banking practices. Here, TSB certainly placed itself, by such an improvident choice, in a precarious position, whereby it was plainly vulnerable to fraud. After saying all that, I concur in the result because an experienced businessman (let alone a Harvard M.B.A.) surely ought to know that he assumes a risk when he “gets into bed” with someone, as well as to know he must first read “what he signs.” Parenthetically, if that imperative was not inculcated firmly at “business school,” he should be entitled to a refund of his tuition.
*659Finally, I am compelled to point out that the bulk of the work product (i.e., research and analysis) evidenced in this opinion was done by the court. All too often this court is compelled to range far and wide from the parties’ briefs to reach what I believe is the correct and proper legal solution.