Texas Dept. of Housing and Community Affairs v. Verex Assur., Inc. ( 1995 )

United States Court of Appeals,
Fifth Circuit.
No. 94-10794.
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, f/k/a Texas
Housing Agency, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
VEREX ASSURANCE, INC., et al., Defendants, Verex Assurance, Inc.,
Defendant-Appellee.
Nov. 9, 1995.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern
District of Texas.
Before HIGGINBOTHAM and PARKER, Circuit Judges, and BROWN*,
District Judge.
ROBERT M. PARKER, Circuit Judge:
Plaintiff Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
appeals the district court's judgment in favor of Defendant Verex
Assurance, Inc. We affirm in part, vacate in part, and remand.
I. BACKGROUND
The plaintiff, Texas Department of Housing and Community
Affairs, formerly known as Texas Housing Agency ("THA"), is an
official governmental agency of the State of Texas. THA was
created to provide mortgage financing to low to moderate income,
first-time home buyers. THA does not originate or underwrite
loans, but instead contracts with certain lenders to do so
according to THA's guidelines.
Norwest Mortgage, Inc. and the Charles Curry Company, both
*
District Judge of the Eastern District of Texas, sitting by
designation.
1
mortgage lenders, entered into an "Origination, Sale, and Servicing
Agreement" with THA, whereby Norwest and Curry agreed to originate
certain loans, sell them to THA, and service them on behalf of THA.
Under this agreement, Norwest made two loans relevant to this
appeal: one to Jimmy and Queenie Anderson and one to Theodore
Newhouse, both in connection with the purchase of real property in
Fort Worth, Texas. Also relevant to this appeal, Curry made a loan
to Jeffrey and Chris Abbott in connection with the purchase of real
property in Arlington, Texas.
THA's guidelines required Norwest and Curry to obtain private
mortgage insurance on each loan originated. To comply with this
guideline, Norwest and Curry obtained pre-qualification from
Defendant Verex Assurance, Inc., a private mortgage insurer, in the
form of master policies for insurance. The master policies gave
Norwest and Curry the ability to apply for mortgage insurance from
Verex on individual loans. These master policies provided that in
return for the payment of premiums, and after review and approval
of the application for mortgage insurance on a particular loan,
Verex would insure the loan against default by the borrower.1
As the applications and supporting documents on the Anderson,
Newhouse, and Abbott loans were collected, Norwest and Curry
submitted them to defendant Verex with applications for mortgage
insurance. The documents submitted to Verex regarding the Anderson
1
The policies at issue in the present case covered 25% of
the amount due the insured in the event of loss. Plaintiff THA
was also insured against loss under a pool insurance policy from
Verex which is not at issue in the present case.
2
loan indicated that the sales price and appraised value of the
property was $29,000 and that the principal amount of the new loan
was $27,500. The documents submitted regarding the Newhouse loan
indicated that the sales price and appraised value of the property
was $26,000 and that the principal amount of the new loan was
$24,700. With regard to the Abbott loan, the documents indicated
that the sales price was $65,950, the appraised value was $66,000,
and the principal amount of the new loan was $62,650. The loan
documents also indicated the size of the down payments the
purchasers were to make, and contained representations regarding
the source of the money that would be used to make the down
payments.
Based on its review of these documents, Verex agreed to
provide mortgage insurance on the Anderson, Newhouse, and Abbott
loans and thus issued commitments for insurance on the respective
loans to Norwest and Curry. The certificates of insurance
identified the loans being insured and indicated the terms of the
transaction, including the loan amount, sales price, appraised
value, and the loan-to-value ratio.2 A Certificate of Insurance
was attached to each commitment for the lender's representative to
sign and return with the appropriate premium after the transaction
was consummated. Each of the loans was consummated, and the
required premiums were tendered to Verex. Shortly after each loan
was consummated, it was transferred to THA along with an assignment
2
Loan-to-value ratio is defined in the industry as the loan
amount divided by the lesser of the sales price or appraised
value of the property in question.
3
of the insurance policies obtained from Verex. Each of the loans
defaulted. At the time of the defaults, plaintiff THA was the
holder of the mortgage loans. Notice of default was properly
given, and claims were filed with Verex within the time allowed by
the master policies.
As a result of the claims for coverage, Verex began an
investigation which included investigating the accuracy of the
representations made on the documents tendered to Verex by Norwest
and Curry. Based on the discovery of certain misrepresentations,
Verex denied coverage. Consequently, Verex did not pay any amounts
on the claims for coverage on the Anderson, Newhouse, and Abbott
loans. Instead, Verex notified THA that it was rescinding the
individual mortgage insurance policies. Verex re-tendered to
Norwest, Curry, and THA all premiums tendered to it for insurance
on these three loans.
In 1989, THA filed suit against Verex and GMAC Mortgage
Company, a party subsequently dismissed from the lawsuit, in state
court in Travis County, Texas. GMAC removed the action to the
United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
based on diversity of citizenship. Verex joined in GMAC's Notice
of Removal and filed a Motion to Transfer Venue and Brief in
Support to have the case transferred to the Northern District of
Texas. That motion was granted.
The case was tried to the court on plaintiff THA's Third
Amended Complaint beginning May 31, 1994. THA asserted causes of
action for breach of contract and violation of the Texas Deceptive
4
Trade Practices Act, and requested attorneys' fees. Defendant
Verex asserted, inter alia, the defenses of conditions precedent,
fraudulent or negligent misrepresentation, and mutual mistake of
fact. The district court granted judgment as a matter of law
against THA on its DTPA claims. In addition, during the trial, the
district court held that Verex had not given proper notice under §
21.17 of the Texas Insurance Code of the misrepresentations related
to the Anderson and Newhouse loans, and that as a result the
misrepresentation defense as to those two loans was statutorily
barred. The district court took the remaining claims and defenses
under advisement.
On June 30, 1994, the district court entered an opinion and
order in favor of defendant Verex. Specifically, the district
court held that under Texas law the sales prices, appraised values,
and loan-to-value ratios reflected in the commitments for insurance
issued by Verex were conditions precedent to the formation of the
insurance contracts in question. The district court found that
because down payments had not been made as represented, the sales
prices were lower than represented and thus the loan-to-value
ratios exceeded the specified limit. Therefore, the court held,
certain conditions precedent had not been met, and THA was not
insured for default on the loans in question. THA's claims were
dismissed with prejudice, and this appeal followed.
II. ANALYSIS
A. SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION
For the first time on appeal, THA argues that the district
5
court did not have jurisdiction to decide the present case. Before
this Court can reach the merits of an appeal, we must determine
that the district court had subject matter jurisdiction over the
case. Ziegler v. Champion Mortgage Co., 913 F.2d 228, 229 (5th
Cir.1990). This action was removed to federal district court on
the basis of federal diversity jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1332.
In an action where a state is a party, there can be no federal
jurisdiction on the basis of diversity of citizenship because a
state is not a citizen for purposes of diversity jurisdiction.
Likewise, state agencies that are the alter ego of the state are
not citizens for the purposes of diversity jurisdiction. "On the
other hand, if the agency is an independent one, separate and
distinct from the state, the district court can properly proceed to
the merits." Tradigrain, Inc. v. Mississippi State Port Authority,
701 F.2d 1131, 1132 (5th Cir.1983). THA now contends that it is
the alter ego of the State of Texas.
In determining whether the agency is an alter ego of the
state or an independent agency, the essential question is
whether the state is the real party in interest in the
lawsuit. The resolution of this question is a matter of state
law.
* * * * * *
If the agency's status is unclear, the court must look to
any and all available sources for guidance. The court should
consider whether the agency has been granted the right to hold
and use property, whether it has the express authority to sue
and be sued in its corporate name, the extent of its
independent management authority, and "a factor that subsumes
all others," the treatment of the agency by the state courts.
When examining the extent of the agency's independent
management authority, the court should look to whether the
agency has the power to make its own hiring decisions, the
power to enter into its own contracts, and the power to engage
its own counsel. When examining the treatment of the agency
6
by the state courts, this court has taken note of the fact
that the state has sued the agency in its own courts, and of
a state court holding that the statute of limitations, which
did not normally run against the state itself, ran against the
agency. Other relevant factors might include: (1) whether
the state is responsible for the agency's debt; (2) whether
the agency is primarily concerned with local, as opposed to
statewide problems; and (3) the degree of general financial
autonomy of the agency. The source material for the court's
analysis is found in the state's constitutional, statutory and
decisional law.
In a typical situation, some factors will suggest that
the agency is a "citizen" while others will just as strongly
suggest that the agency is merely an alter ego of the state.
The court must balance these against each other in reaching
its conclusion. It must never, however, lose sight of the
primary question involved: whether the state is the real
party in interest in the lawsuit nominally brought [by or]
against the agency.
Tradigrain, 701 F.2d at 1132-33 (internal citations omitted).
We note that there is nothing in the Constitution of the
State of Texas or the State's case-law which directly addresses
THA's status. Therefore, we begin our inquiry with the agency's
enabling statute. Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann., Art. 1269l-6 (West
1987)3. THA concedes that under the enabling statute in effect at
the time of removal to federal court it had the right to hold and
3
The Texas Housing Agency Act, Tex.Rev.Civ.Stat.Ann., Art.
1269l-6 (West 1987), expired September 1, 1991, by its own terms.
The Texas Housing Agency and the Texas Department of Community
Affairs were abolished and their powers were transferred to the
Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs by Tex. Acts
1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 762, § 1, and the statutes that governed the
abolished agencies were amended and transferred to a new statute,
Tex.Civ.Stat.Ann., Art. 4413(501) (West 1992), effective
September 1, 1991. This statute was repealed by Tex. Acts 1993,
73rd Leg., ch. 268, § 46(1) and its provisions were amended and
recodified at Tex.Gov't Code Ann. § 2306.001, et seq. (West
Supp.1995), effective September 1, 1993. However, our
determination of THA's status for purposes of removal
jurisdiction depends on the enabling statute that was in effect
at the time the action was commenced and removed. See Jackson v.
Allen, 132 U.S. 27, 10 S. Ct. 9, 33 L. Ed. 249 (1889).
7
use property, and the right to sue and be sued in its corporate
name, and that the State of Texas was not responsible for the
agency's debts. In addition, Verex points out that THA was
responsible for issuing its own bonds, preparing its own budget,
and handling its own finances. THA also had the power to make
contracts, adopt by-laws, maintain offices, and make employment
decisions. Thus, under the enabling statute, THA was granted some
of the generally recognized powers of an independent agency. See
Tradigrain, 701 F.2d at 1133.
Nevertheless, THA argues that it should be considered the
alter ego of the state. In support of this contention, THA points
out that the agency's directors are appointed by the governor and
that the director chosen to serve as chairman does so only at the
governor's pleasure. In addition, the agency is required to file
its annual budget and an audit of its books and accounts with the
governor and the state legislature each fiscal year. The enabling
statute also exempts the income and property of the agency from
taxation by the state and all public agencies. However, THA fails
to explain how these provision make it the alter ego of the State
rather than an independent agency. THA also points out that it is
authorized to request and accept appropriations of the state
legislature. However, it is clear that under the enabling statute,
the legislature is not required to make such appropriations, nor is
the state treasury required to provide funds for the agency's debts
8
or operations.4
Finally, THA claims that the language of the enabling statute
creating the Texas Housing Agency clearly indicates that it is the
alter ego of the State. Section 3(a) of Art. 1269l-6 provides
There is hereby created and established a public and official
governmental agency of the state, to be known as the Texas
Housing Agency, and the state shall act by and through the
agency in carrying out all the powers and duties conferred by
this Act. The exercise by the agency of all powers and duties
conferred by this Act shall constitute and be deemed and held
to be an essential public and official governmental function
and purpose of the state, acting by and through the agency, in
promoting the general welfare and prosperity of the state and
all its citizens.
This provision, however, merely serves to confirm what is conceded,
that THA was created by the State of Texas to exercise its
authority and discretion in performing certain functions on behalf
of the state. THA argues that such language was crucial to our
holding in Tradigrain that the Mississippi State Port Authority was
the alter ego of the State of Mississippi. However, the language
of the Mississippi statute also indicated the legislature's
intention that the port authority enjoy sovereign immunity except
to the extent of liability insurance carried. In addition, the
4
THA also argues that it "has the authority to issue bonds
that are the general obligation of the State." Art. 1269l-6, §
21(a). However, THA does not cite § 48 of the same enabling
statute which provides that "Subsection (a) of Section 21 of this
Act, to the extent it authorizes the issuance of general
obligation bonds, takes effect if and when the Texas Constitution
is amended to permit the issuance of such bonds as contemplated
by that provision of this Act." THA does not address if or when
the Texas Constitution was amended to make § 21(a) effective, but
acknowledges that THA is limited to issuing bonds permitted by
the Constitution of the State of Texas. Because we have not
located any provision of the Texas Constitution allowing THA to
issue general obligation bonds, we will not consider this
apparently contingent agency power.
9
statute provided that the title to any property acquired by the
port authority vested in the State of Mississippi and that the
bonds issued to provide funds for the port authority became the
general obligations of the State of Mississippi.
THA's argument, essentially, focusses on the aspects of its
creation and existence that make it an agency of the State of
Texas. Although there are, necessarily, many ties between THA and
the State, this would be true with any state created agency no
matter how independent. One factor that weighs in favor of a
finding that THA is the alter ego of the state is that the agency
was concerned with a problem that was statewide rather than
primarily local. However, the fact that the agency had the
authority to hold and use property, the authority to sue and be
sued in its corporate name, the power to enter into its own
contracts, and the power to make its own hiring decisions, and the
fact that it managed its own finances and was responsible for its
own debts weigh in favor of finding that THA is an independent
agency. Given THA's relative independence in controlling its
operations and managing its finances, we hold that the state was
not the real party in interest, and that THA is indeed a citizen
for purposes of our diversity jurisdiction.
B. CONDITIONS PRECEDENT UNDER TEXAS LAW
Because the district court's jurisdiction in this case was
based on diversity of citizenship, it correctly held that it was
bound to apply the substantive law of the State of Texas under Erie
R. Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64, 78, 58 S. Ct. 817, 822, 82 L. Ed.
10
1188 (1938). In ascertaining the law of the forum state, a federal
court "is bound to apply the law as interpreted by the state's
highest court." Ladue v. Chevron U.S.A., Inc., 920 F.2d 272, 274
(5th Cir.1991). However, a decision by an intermediate appellate
state court "is a datum for ascertaining state law which is not to
be disregarded by a federal court unless it is convinced by other
persuasive data that the highest court of the state would decide
otherwise." West v. American Tel. & Tel. Co., 311 U.S. 223, 237,
61 S. Ct. 179, 183, 85 L. Ed. 139 (1940).
To succeed with the affirmative defense of conditions
precedent, the defendant must establish (1) that the contract
creates a condition precedent, and (2) that the condition precedent
was not performed. Conditions precedent are those acts or events
that must occur before a contract arises or before performance
under an existing contract is required. In other words, conditions
precedent may "relate either to the formation of contracts or to
liability under them." Hohenberg Bros. Co. v. George E. Gibbons &
Co., 537 S.W.2d 1, 3 (Tex.1976). "When a promise is subject to a
condition precedent, there is no liability or obligation on the
promisor and there can be no breach of the contract by him until
and unless such condition or contingency is performed or occurs."
Reinert v. Lawson, 113 S.W.2d 293, 294 (Tex.Civ.App.—Waco, 1938, no
writ).
THA contends that the contracts for insurance in question did
not contain conditions precedent, and, in the alternative, that the
district court's finding that the conditions weren't met is clearly
11
erroneous. We will address these arguments in order.
In order to determine whether a condition precedent
exists, the intention of the parties must be ascertained; and
that can be done only by looking at the entire contract. In
order to make performance specifically conditional, a term
such as "if", "provided that", "on condition that", or some
similar phrase of conditional language must normally be
included. If no such language is used, the terms will be
construed as a covenant in order to prevent a forfeiture.
While there is no requirement that such phrases be utilized,
their absence is probative of the parties['] intention that a
promise be made, rather than a condition imposed.
In construing a contract, forfeiture by finding a
condition precedent is to be avoided when another reasonable
reading of the contract is possible. When the intent of the
parties is doubtful or when a condition would impose an absurd
or impossible result, the agreement will be interpreted as
creating a covenant rather than a condition. Because of their
harshness in operation, conditions are not favorites of the
law.
Criswell v. European Crossroads Shopping Ctr., Ltd., 792 S.W.2d
945, 948 (Tex.1990) (internal citations omitted). Contracts for
insurance are generally subject to the same rules of construction
as are other contracts and will be enforced as written where the
wording used can only be given one reasonable interpretation.
Ambiguous insurance contracts, however, will be interpreted against
the insurer. National Union Fire Ins. Co. v. Hudson Energy Co.,
Inc., 811 S.W.2d 552, 555 (Tex.1991).
The master policies issued by Verex to each lender, and the
commitments for insurance and certificates of insurance issued on
the individual loans make up the contracts between THA and Verex.5
The master policies begin with the language "Verex ... agrees to
5
The district court held that these documents taken together
constituted the relevant contracts and that the master policies
and commitments were not merged into the certificates of
insurance. THA does not challenge this holding on appeal.
12
pay ... any loss by reason of the default in payments by a borrower
... subject to the following conditions...." Among the listed
conditions were the following:
1. APPLICATION AND COMMITMENT—The insured shall furnish the Company
with an Application in connection with each mortgage loan for
which coverage under this policy is desired.... Approval of
the Application ... shall be in the form of a Commitment
prescribing the terms of the coverage.
2. NOTICE AND CERTIFICATE—Within five (5) days after consummation
of the mortgage loan transaction the insured shall forward
notice thereof to the Company ... and the Company shall
immediately issue and forward a Certificate to the insured,
binding the Company according to the terms and conditions of
the Commitment and of this policy.
* * * * * *
4. TERMINATION BY COMPANY—The Company shall remain liable under
this policy with respect to such Commitments or Certificates
issued to the insured, as long as the terms and conditions
herein contained are fully complied with.
The commitments issued on each of the mortgages state:
your application has been examined, and the Company hereby
issues to you a Commitment for Insurance and tenders you a
Certificate of Insurance for the loan herein described
pursuant to the terms and conditions of your Verex Assurance,
Inc. Master Policy, identified below, under the following
terms and conditions....
Beneath this language on each of the commitments appeared
information identifying the loan and the terms of the coverage.
The certificates of insurance contained less information, but
similarly identified the insured loan and indicated that the
coverage was "subject to the terms and conditions of the Master
Policy specified below."
The specific "terms and conditions" Verex claims are
conditions precedent to coverage under the contracts for insurance
are the sales price, appraised value, and the required
13
loan-to-value ratio. Although there are no reported opinions of
the Texas Supreme Court which address precisely the type of
contract in question, at least one Texas Court of Appeals has held
that these terms and conditions did constitute conditions precedent
to coverage. In Life Insurance Company of the Southwest v. Verex
Assurance, Inc.,6 the court held that the sales price, loan amount,
and loan-to-value ratio were preconditions to coverage under the
insurance policy. THA argues, however, that we should not follow
this intermediate appellate court decision because it is clear that
the Texas Supreme Court would decide differently. See Ladue, 920
F.2d 272. We disagree.
The Texas Supreme Court has said that "[i]n order to make
performance specifically conditional, a term such as "if',
"provided that', "on condition that', or some similar phrase of
conditional language must normally be included." Criswell, 792
S.W.2d at 948. In the present case, the master policy clearly
indicated that Verex intended to be bound only "according to the
terms and conditions of the Commitment and of this policy." The
critical information regarding the value of the property and the
loan-to-value ratio was printed on the commitment immediately below
language that stated that the commitment was issued "under the
following terms and conditions." Although these phrases do not
mirror those specifically listed in Criswell, we believe they do
constitute the type of conditional language the Texas Supreme Court
would find sufficient to create a condition precedent. Indeed, the
6
810 S.W.2d 416 (Tex.Ct.App.—Dallas, 1991, no writ).
14
conditional language employed by Verex is susceptible of no
reasonable construction other than that the parties intended that
the policy stand or fall on the literal truth or falsity of the
described terms. Lane v. Travelers Indem. Co., 391 S.W.2d 399, 402
(Tex.1965). Therefore, we will follow the holding of the Texas
Court of Appeals in Life Insurance Co. of the Southwest and hold
that the sales prices, appraised values, and loan-to-value ratios
specified in the contracts for insurance in the present case
constituted conditions precedent.
THA contends, however, that even if the specified terms
constituted conditions precedent, the district court's finding that
they failed is clearly erroneous. With regard to the Anderson
loan, the district court found that the Andersons made no down
payment to the seller, and that as a result the sales price was
less than specified. The fact that the sales price was less than
specified also caused the actual loan-to-value ratio to exceed 95%.
With regard to the Newhouse loan, the district court found that the
down payment made to the seller was exaggerated by $1,050.00, and
that as a result the sales price was lower than specified. As with
the Anderson loan, the district court found that the loan-to-value
ratio exceeded 95%.
Jimmy Anderson testified that he made no down payment.
Theodore Newhouse testified that he paid only $250 as a down
payment. In addition to the loan amounts, the respective sellers
were to receive down payments of $1500 and $1300 as a part of the
specified sales price. Nothing in the record indicates that the
15
respective sellers received these down payments from or on behalf
of Anderson or Newhouse. On this record, the district court was
justified in concluding that the respective sellers did not in fact
receive the specified sales price, and that because the real sales
price was lower than represented, the actual loan-to-value ratio
was greater than the 95% specified. These findings show the
failure of conditions precedent, and we cannot say that they are
clearly erroneous. Thus, the district court's judgment with regard
to THA's claims on the Anderson and Newhouse loans must be
affirmed.
With regard to the Abbott loan, the district court found that
the borrowers made a down payment of only $3,192.50. THA contends
that this finding has no support in the record. According to the
district court's opinion, this amount was revealed by Verex's
investigation. However, it is not apparent from the record how the
district court arrived at this figure. Indeed, on appeal Verex
offers no support for the district court's calculation. Finding no
support in the record, we agree with THA that this finding must be
deemed clearly erroneous.
Verex contends, however, that a portion of the Abbotts' down
payment was borrowed from Chris Abbott's employer, and that the
sales price and loan-to-value ratio conditions precedent failed as
a result. We may assume without finding that a portion of the
Abbotts' down payment was borrowed. Verex's argument assumes
rather than explains a logical or definitional relationship between
the source of the borrower's down payment and the sales price
16
received by the seller. On the other hand, THA contends, without
dispute, that the seller in this transaction in fact received the
represented down payment, whether or not a portion of that amount
was borrowed.
The evidence regarding the Anderson and Newhouse loans
supported a finding that the required down payments were not made
to the sellers from any source. Rather, the evidence indicated
that the sellers accepted less than the specified sales price as a
result of the reduced or nonexistent down payments. This evidence
supported the conclusion that the sales price and loan-to-value
ratio conditions precedent failed as to the insurance coverage on
those loans. The same conclusion does not follow from the evidence
regarding the Abbott loan.
It apparently is undisputed that the seller in the Abbott
transaction actually received $65,950.00, the specified sales price
for the subject property. The fact that Chris Abbott obtained a
portion of the required down payment by borrowing it from his
employer does not change that fact so as to somehow create a
failure of the sales price or loan-to-value ratio conditions
precedent. In other words, the source of the borrower's down
payment is not an inherent element of the sales price or
loan-to-value ratio conditions precedent expressed in the insurance
policy. The loan application signed by the Abbotts, and thus the
documents provided to Verex, contained a representation that the
source of the down payment was to be "cash assets" of the borrowers
and that no part of the down payment was borrowed. This, however,
17
is not sufficient to make the source of the borrowers' down payment
a condition precedent to the insurance coverage. Therefore, the
district court's judgment with regard to the Abbott loan cannot be
affirmed on this basis.
C. MUTUAL MISTAKE
As an alternative basis for affirming the district court's
judgment, Verex urges on appeal the affirmative defense of mutual
mistake. "Ordinarily, a mutual mistake sufficient to justify
rescission exists when both of the parties are laboring under the
same misconception as to a common fact, as ... when the parties
contract on the assumption of a matter material to the contract but
not expressed in it, and their common assumption is incorrect."
Volpe v. Schlobohm, 614 S.W.2d 615, 617-18 (Tex.Civ.App.—Texarkana,
1981, no writ). "The mistake must relate to the subject matter of
the contract involved and not to a matter that is collateral or
incidental to that contract." Durham v. Uvalde Rock Asphalt Co.,
599 S.W.2d 866, 870 (Tex.Civ.App.—San Antonio, 1980, no writ).
Application of the defense of mutual mistake in this case is
complicated by the fact that two distinct contracts were involved
in each transaction: the contract between the borrower and the
lender and the contract between the lender, and its assigns, and
the insurer Verex. See Durham, 599 S.W.2d at 870. We do not read
Texas law to rule out application of the defense in this context.
However, the relevant inquiry must be framed very carefully. With
regard to the Abbott loan in particular, the question must be
whether the borrowers' representations in their loan application
18
that the down payment was to come from "cash assets" and that no
part of the down payment was borrowed became mutual incorrect
assumptions material to the substance of the contract for insurance
between Curry and Verex.
Because of its disposition, the district court did not address
this alternative defense and, therefore, did not make sufficient
findings of fact to allow this Court to conduct an appropriate
review. Thus, with regard to Verex's liability on the Abbott loan
a remand is required.
III. CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, the judgment of the district court
is AFFIRMED as to THA's claims regarding the Anderson and Newhouse
loans, VACATED as to THA's claims regarding the Abbott loan, and
REMANDED for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.
19