Washington Federal, App. v. Kendall & Nancy Gentry, Resps. ( 2014 )

STaTcGF WASKHiGTC;
20!^ FEB 18 AH 3-k
IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON FEDERAL, a federally No. 70004-9-
chartered savings association,
DIVISION ONE
Appellant,
v.
KENDALL GENTRY and NANCY PUBLISHED
GENTRY, individually and the marital
community comprised thereof, FILED: February 18, 2014
Respondents.
Cox, J. — The Deeds of Trust Act generally prohibits an action for a
deficiency judgment against a guarantor of a loan following a trustee's sale under
a deed oftrust securing that loan.1 But exceptions to this general rule apply to a
guarantor of certain commercial loans.2
In this action, Washington Federal seeks a deficiency judgment against
Kendall Gentry and Nancy Gentry. They executed guaranties of payment for
commercial loans to three borrowers that they control. Based on its reading of
RCW 61.24.100, the trial court granted the Gentrys' motion for summary
1See RCW 61.24.100(1).
2 Id.
No. 70004-9-1/2
judgment of dismissal of this action. Because the trial court erred both in its
interpretation of this statute and its application of the statute to relevant loan
documents, we reverse and remand for further proceedings.
Kendall Gentry owned and/or managed three entities: Blackburn
Southeast LLC, Landed Gentry Development Inc., and Gentry Family
Investments LLC.3
In 2005, Blackburn Southeast LLC obtained a commercial loan for
$2,550,000 from Horizon Bank. This loan was evidenced by a promissory note
that was secured by a May 1, 2006 deed of trust on property located on Little
Mountain Road in Mount Vernon (the "Little Mountain Deed of Trust").
In April 2009, Landed Gentry Development Inc. obtained a commercial
loan for $3,574,847.74 from Horizon Bank. This loan was evidenced by a
promissory note that was also secured by the Little Mountain Deed of Trust and a
May 1, 2006 deed of trust on property located on East Blackburn Road in Mount
Vernon (the "Blackburn Road Deed of Trust").
In September 2009, Gentry Family Investments LLC obtained a
commercial loan for $1,127,832.73 from Horizon Bank. This loan was evidenced
by a promissory note that was also secured by the Little Mountain Deed of Trust.
3 Brief of Appellant at 4; Clerk's Papers at 525 (listing Kendall Gentry as
chairman of Landed Gentry Development, Inc.); Clerk's Papers at 530 (listing
Kendall Gentry as manager of Gentry Family Investments LLC); Clerk's Papers
at 534 (listing Kendall Gentry as manager of Gentry Family Investments LLC,
member of Blackburn Southeast LLC).
No. 70004-9-1/3
In sum, the Little Mountain Deed of Trust secured all three commercial
loans. The Blackburn Road Deed of Trust secured only the Landed Gentry
Development Inc. commercial loan.
Kendall and Nancy Gentry each executed commercial guaranties of
payment for all three loans.
In January 2010, the three notes matured. The three borrowers failed to
pay these notes at maturity. Likewise, the Gentrys did not honor their guaranties.
Horizon Bank failed. In April 2010, the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation, as receiver for Horizon, assigned that bank's interests in the three
notes, the deeds of trust, and the guaranties to Washington Federal.
In April 2011, the trustees, under the deeds of trust then held by
Washington Federal, conducted sales based on the defaults by the three
borrowers. The bank was the successful bidder for both properties at these
sales. The bank did not credit bid the full amount of the debt at these sales.
Thus, a substantial deficiency allegedly remains.
In March 2012, the bank commenced this action against the Gentrys to
enforce their guaranties and to obtain a deficiency judgment against them due to
the shortfall arising from the trustees' sales.
The Gentrys moved for summary judgment. They argued that the Deeds
of Trust Act prohibited the bank from seeking a deficiency judgment against
them. The bank opposed the motion and also moved for summary judgment,
arguing that it was entitled to a deficiency judgment against the Gentrys.
No. 70004-9-1/4
The trial court granted the Gentrys' motion for summary judgment, denied
the bank's motion, and dismissed this action with prejudice.
The bank appeals.
THE DEEDS OF TRUST ACT
The threshold issue is whether and how a beneficiary under a deed of
trust who elects not to foreclose the deed of trust as a mortgage may obtain a
deficiency judgment against guarantors under the Deeds of Trust Act.
This court reviews de novo summary judgment orders and engages in the
same inquiry as the trial court.4 Summary judgment is appropriate when there is
no genuine issue of material fact, and the moving party is entitled to a judgment
as a matter of law.5
Statutory construction is a question of law.6 This court's objective is to
determine the Legislature's intent.7 "Where the language of a statute is clear,
legislative intent is derived from the language of the statute alone."8 "The 'plain
meaning' of a statutory provision is to be discerned from the ordinary meaning of
4 Cornish Coll. of the Arts v. 1000 Va. Ltd. P'ship, 158 Wash. App. 203, 215-
16, 242P.3d 1 (2010).
5 CR 56(c).
6 City of Spokane v. Rothwell, 166 Wash. 2d 872, 876, 215 P.3d 162 (2009).
7IU
8 Id.
No. 70004-9-1/5
the language at issue, as well as from the context of the statute in which that
provision is found, the related provisions, and the statutory scheme as a whole."9
RCW 61.24.100 addresses when actions for deficiency judgments may be
brought when a deed oftrust is not foreclosed as a mortgage.10 A"deficiency
judgment" exists where a money judgment for a debt exceeds the value of the
security for that debt at the foreclosure sale.11
History
In 1965, the Legislature enacted the Deeds of Trust Act, which permitted
nonjudicial foreclosure of deeds of trust when certain requirements were met.12
Citing an early law review article by a well-recognized authority on the act,
Division Three of this court observed that the Legislature designed this act "to
avoid time-consuming judicial foreclosure proceedings and to save substantial
time and money to both the buyer and the lender."13 The act was designed to
supplement the then existing foreclosure proceedings to better meet the needs of
modern real estate financing.14
9|g\ at 876-77 (quoting State v. Jacobs, 154 Wash. 2d 596, 600, 115 P.3d
281 (2005)).
10 RCW 61.24.100(8).
11 Boeing Emps.' Credit Union v. Burns, 167 Wash. App. 265, 282, 272 P.3d
908, review denied. 175 Wash. 2d 1008 (2012).
12 Laws of 1965, ch. 74.
13 Peoples Nat. Bank of Wash, v. Ostrander, 6 Wash. App. 28, 31, 491 P.2d
1058 (1971) (citing John A. Gose, The Trust Deed Act in Washington, 41 Wash.
L Rev. 94(1966)).
14 Id. (citing Gose, supra, at 96).
5
No. 70004-9-1/6
Our supreme court has explained that "[rjeading the entirety of [the act] in
the context of the mortgage laws and the history of deed of trust legislation, it is
apparent that there was contemplated a quid pro quo between lenders and
borrowers."15
Specifically, borrowers relinquished the statutory right to redeem the
property up to one year after a foreclosure sale.16 The relinquishment ofthis
right allowed lenders to obtain title to the property sold at a trustee's sale more
quickly than in a judicial foreclosure.17 Lenders were then able to sell the
property and apply the sales proceeds to the debt.18
In exchange for this advantage, lenders relinquished the right to seek
deficiency judgments following trustees' sales.19 Thus, the real property security
was the sole means for the lender to satisfy the debt.
Notwithstanding these provisions, the act expressly provided that lenders
retained the right to foreclose deeds oftrust as mortgages.20 If lenders elected
15 Donovick v. Seattle-First Nat'l Bank. 111 Wash. 2d 413, 416, 757 P.2d
1378(1988).
16 jd, (citing former RCW 61.24.050 (1965)); see also former RCW
6.24.140(1965).
17 See Gose, supra, at 95-96; former RCW 6.24.220 (1965).
18 See Gose, supra, at 95-96; former RCW 6.24.220 (1965).
19 Donovick. 111 Wash. 2d at 416 (citing former RCW 61.24.100 (1965)); see
also Gose, supra, at 96.
20 Gose, supra, at 96.
No. 70004-9-1/7
that option, the provisions of the act did not apply.21
The provision of the act governing deficiency judgments has been codified
at RCW 61.24.100 from the act's inception.22 When first enacted in 1965, this
provision banned any deficiency judgment on the obligation secured by the
foreclosed deed of trust:
Foreclosure, as in this chapter provided, shall satisfy the
obligation secured by the deed of trust foreclosed, regardless of the
sale price or fair value, and no deficiency decree or other
judgment shall thereafter be obtained on such obligation.[2Z]
In 1990, the Legislature amended this provision by creating an exception
to the ban against any deficiency judgment on the obligation secured by the
foreclosed deed of trust. It did so by adding the following emphasized language
to the former version of the statute:
Foreclosure, as in this chapter provided, shall satisfy the
obligation secured by the deed of trust foreclosed, regardless of the
sale price or fair value, and no deficiency decree or other judgment
shall thereafter be obtained on such obligation, except that if such
obligation was not incurred primarily for personal, family, or
household purposes, such foreclosure shall not preclude any
judicial or nonjudicial foreclosure of any other deeds of trust,
mortgages, security agreements, or other security interests or
liens covering any real or personal property granted to secure
such obligation}2^
In 1998, the Legislature again amended this provision. This time,
however, the revisions were more extensive. The Legislature rewrote the entire
21 \±
22 Former RCW 61.24.100 (1965).
23 kL (emphasis added).
24 Laws of 1990, ch. 111, § 2 (emphasis added).
No. 70004-9-1/8
statute, which was then codified into twelve subsections.25 Presumably, these
amendments were made to better meet the evolving needs of commercial
borrowers and lenders in real estate financing.26 As ofthis writing, there have
been no further amendments to this portion ofthe act.27
In the current version of the act, the general bar against deficiency
judgments remains.28 But the Legislature created an exception for certain loans
that it described as "commercial."29 This term is a substitute for the former
"obligation ... not incurred primarily for personal, family, or household
purposes."30 That provision no longer appears in the act. Such "commercial
loans" are limited to those executed after June 11, 1998, the effective date of the
1998 amendments to this section.31
This legislative history illustrates the evolution of this part of the act over
time. Deficiency judgments for deeds of trust that are not foreclosed as
mortgages have generally and consistently been prohibited since enactment of
the act in 1965. The Legislature enacted limited exceptions to this prohibition in
25 See Laws of 1998, ch. 295, § 12; RCW 61.24.100.
26 See Gose, supra, at 94, 96.
27 RCW 61.24.100.
28 RCW 61.24.100(1).
29 Id,
30 Compare Laws of 1998. ch. 295, § 12. with Laws of 1990. ch. 111, §2.
31 Laws of 1998, ch. 295.
8
No. 70004-9-1/9
1990 and 1998. Among the limited exceptions enacted in 1998 are those
applicable to guarantors of certain commercial loans.
Current Statute
RCW 61.24.100(1) states the current general rule regarding deficiency
judgments following trustees' sales under deeds of trust. For these nonjudicial
foreclosures, the rule states:
Except to the extent permitted in this section for deeds of trust
securing commercial loans, a deficiency judgment shall not be
obtained on the obligations secured by a deed of trust against any
borrower, grantor, or guarantor after a trustee's sale under that
deedoftrust.[32]
Further, RCW 61.24.100(3) states certain circumstances where deficiency
judgments against borrowers, grantors, and guarantors are allowed:
This chapter does not preclude any one or more of the following
after a trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial
loan executed after June 11, 1998:
(a) [provision addressing "waste to the property," "wrongful
retention of any rents, insurance proceeds, or condemnation
awards," etc.]
(b) [provision regarding foreclosures of other deeds of trust, etc.]
(c) Subject to this section, an action for a deficiency judgment
against a guarantor ifthe guarantor is timely given the notices
under RCW 61.24.042.[33]
Subsection (3)(c) addresses deficiency judgments against guarantors of
certain commercial loans after trustees' sales under deeds of trust securing such
loans. Significantly, the first clause of RCW 61,24.100(3)(c) states this provision
32 (Emphasis added.)
33 (Emphasis added.)
No. 70004-9-1/10
is "[sjubject to this section." The word "subject" means that this provision is
dependent or conditioned on "this section." The 1998 session laws make clear
that "this section" means RCW 61.24.100 in its entirety.34
Additionally, the text that follows this first clause makes clear that a further
requirement of this provision is that "notices under RCW 61.24.042" must be
given to the guarantor of the loan.35
With this context in mind, we turn to the specific arguments before us.
The bank argues that the trial court misinterpreted RCW 61.24.100(3)(c) when it
"limitfed] the scope of a deficiency judgment against a guarantor to waste and
wrongful retention of rents."36 We agree.
In the trial court's letter ruling, it stated in relevant part:
RCW 61.24.100 clearly states deficiency judgments shall not
be obtained against a guarantor when that guaranty is secured by a
deed of trust which is nonjudicially foreclosed except for a few
narrowly crafted exceptions.
[The bank] argues that RCW 61.24.100(3)(c) creates an
exception to seek unlimited deficiency judgments against any
guarantor who is timely given notice under RCW 61.24.042 ([the
Gentrys] received this notice). That interpretation requires the
Court to ignore or give no meaning to the first four words of (3)(c)
"Subject to this section."
"This section" RCW 61.24.100 allows deficiency judgments:
prior to a trustee's sale, in judicial foreclosures for obligations not
secured by the same deed of trust, limited to a decrease in the
fair value of property by waste or the wrongful retention of
various funds.
34 Laws of 1998, ch. 295, §12.
35RCW61.24.100(3)(c).
36BriefofAppellantat15.
10
No. 70004-9-1/11
I interpret section (3)(c) as meaning that a deficiency
judgment, against a guarantor whose guaranty was secured by the
nonjudicially foreclosed deed of trust, can only be obtained for
the decrease in fair value or wrongful retention, if the
guarantor is given timely notice.
The answer to the second issue is "no." [The bank] is only
able to seek a deficiency judgment against [the Gentrys] for
waste or wrongful retention.[ ]
The trial court properly concluded that RCW 61.24.100(1) generally bars
deficiency judgments where deeds of trust are not foreclosed as mortgages,
except for narrowly crafted exceptions. The court also properly rejected the
bank's argument that RCW 61.24.100(3)(c) creates an unlimited exception that
permits a lender to seek a deficiency judgment against a guarantor of certain
commercial loans who is given timely statutory notices. As the trial court
correctly stated, that would require rewriting the subsection to ignore its first
clause: "Subject to this section."
But the trial court misread the scope of RCW 61.24.100(3)(c).
Significantly, the words of the statute say "section," not "subsection." As we
stated earlier in this opinion, the 1998 session laws make clear that "section"
refers to RCW 61.24.100 in its entirety, not just subsections (3)(a) and (b). For
this reason, the trial court misread the statute to limit an action against a
guarantor for a deficiency judgment to "the decrease in fair value or wrongful
retention [of rents, insurance proceeds, or condemnation awards], if the
37 Clerk's Papers at 775 (emphasis added).
11
No. 70004-9-1/12
guarantor is given timely notice."38 These limitations are based on subsections
(3)(a) and (b) of the act. Thus, we conclude that the clause, "subject to this
section," of RCW 61.24.100(3)(c) requires consideration of RCW 61.24.100 in its
entirety, not just the limitations of subsections (3)(a) and (b).
Given this conclusion, we must then consider the Gentrys' argument that
RCW 61.24.100(10) bars this action. Subsection (10) states:
A trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial loan
does not preclude an action to collect or enforce any obligation of a
borrower or guarantor if that obligation, or the substantial equivalent of
that obligation, was not secured by the deed oftrust.[39]
Specifically, the Gentrys contend that the "clear language" of this
subsection states that "obligations under a guaranty secured by a deed of trust
are extinguished by the nonjudicial foreclosure of that deed of trust."40 They
assert that "subsection (10) prohibits a deficiency against a guarantor where a
deed oftrust secures it and has been foreclosed nonjudicially."41 We disagree.
We first note that the Gentrys use the word "extinguished." Notably,
RCW 61.24.100(10) neither includes this word nor any synonym for it. We will
not read this word into the statute.
Moreover, in our view, RCW 61.24.100(10) is not a prohibition. All it says
is, "[a] trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial loan does not
38 hi
39 RCW 61.24.100(10).
40 Brief of Respondents Kendall and Nancy Gentry at 15 (emphasis
added).
41 Id, at 19.
12
No. 70004-9-1/13
preclude [an action for a deficiency judgment on a guaranty] if that obligation ...
was not secured by the deed of trust" that was foreclosed.
For example, we can envision a situation where the Gentrys executed
another guaranty that had no relation to the commercial loans secured by any of
the deeds of trust foreclosed by nonjudicial means here. In that case, the
trustees' sales under these deeds of trust would have no effect on that other
guaranty.
The problem with the Gentrys' interpretation is that it requires striking from
the statute the word "not," as indicated by the following revision:
A trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial loan
does not preclude an action to collect or enforce any obligation of a
borrower or guarantor if that obligation, or the substantial equivalent of
thatobligation, was not secured by the deed oftrust.'421
But the plain language of RCW 61.24.100(10) is permissive. That is, it
states a permissive rule applicable to situations where the obligation of a
borrower or guarantor is not secured by the deed of trust that was foreclosed by
a trustee's sale. In that situation, the trustee's sale does not preclude the lender
from bringing an action to collect on or enforce a guaranty. Only by striking the
word "not" from the two places indicated above can the otherwise permissive
statement ofthe statute be read as a prohibition.43
42
(Emphasis and alterations added).
43 See.e.g.. Glasebrook v. Mut. of Omaha Ins. Co.. 100 Wash. App. 538,
545, 997 P.2d 981 (2000) ("Generally, we do not infer a prohibition absent
specific language to that effect, unless the statute as a whole directs that
conclusion.").
13
No. 70004-9-1/14
The Gentrys offer no explanation why we should rewrite the words of the
statute under the guise of interpreting it to determine legislative intent. We
decline either to omit language that is in the statute or add language that is not
there.
Moreover, the Gentry's interpretation of RCW 61.24.100(10) is the inverse
of what the plain language says. We also decline to add the inverse to the
statute when the Legislature did not expressly do so.
In re Detention of Lewis contains an example of when the Legislature
expressly codified the inverse.44 There, the court stated:
Pertinent here, the State need not plead a recent overt act in
its petition where "it appears that... [a] person who at any time
previously has been convicted of a sexually violent offense is about
to be released from total confinement." RCW 71.09.030(1).
Conversely, the statute requires the State to allege a recent overt
act where the offender is "a person who at any time previously has
been convicted of a sexually violent offense and has since been
released from total confinement." RCW 71.09.030(5). Similarly, at
trial, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the
offender committed a recent overt act "[i]f, on the date that the
petition is filed, the person was living in the community after release
from custody." Former RCW 71.09.060(1) (2001).[45]
As the supreme court recognized in the above passage, the Legislature
first described a situation in which a recent overt act did not need to be
pleaded.46 But ratherthan expecting the reader to imply the truth ofthe inverse,
the Legislature went on to make an explicit rule for the inverse. The statute
44 163 Wash. 2d 188, 177 P.3d 708 (2008).
45 Id, at 194 (alterations in original).
46 Id.
14
No. 70004-9-1/15
explicitly defined both the situation in which a recent overt act does not need to
be pleaded, and the situation in which a recent overt act does need to be
pleaded.47
Here, in contrast, the plain language of RCW 61.24.100 does not contain
an expression of the inverse. The Gentrys do not provide any argument why we
should imply the inverse. Moreover, we do not feel it appropriate to imply the
inverse under these circumstances.
Additionally, the Gentrys' interpretation of subsection (10) is grounded in a
logical fallacy. "The proposition that 'A implies B' is not the equivalent of 'non-A
implies non-B,' and neither proposition follows logically from the other."48 State v.
Holland illustrates the problem of implying the inverse of a statute.49
In Holland, the law at the time made it illegal for a pharmacist to sell grain
alcohol.50 A pharmacist could sell it for mechanical or chemical purposes, but
had to get the purchaser to sign his name in a record book and to keep a "true
and exact" record of such transactions.51 Holland, a pharmacist, sold some grain
alcohol to an informant.52 The informant signed the record book, but he testified
47 Id,
48 Crouse-Hinds Co. v. InterNorth. Inc.. 634 F.2d 690, 703 n.20 (2d Cir.
1980) (citing J. Cooley, A Primer of Formal Logic 7 (1942)).
49 99 Wash. 645, 649-51, 170 P. 332 (1918).
50 Id, at 649.
51 id, at 649-50.
52 id, at 647.
15
No. 70004-9-1/16
that he told Holland he might be using it for purposes other than mechanical or
chemical.53 On the strength of that testimony, Holland was convicted.54
Holland argued on appeal that his good faith was established as a matter
of law by the fact that the informant signed the record book.55 The court was not
persuaded.56 "Appellant's argument overlooks the fact that the permission
accorded to druggists ... is to sell alcohol for mechanical or chemical purposes
only. It is not a permission to sell to every person who signs a formal statement
to that effect."57
The court then conducted a logical analysis of the statute and
demonstrated that Holland's argument was based on a fallacy.58 The first
proposition, which is true, is that when the buyer does not sign the record book,
the statute makes the seller guilty as a matter of law.59 But Holland's second
proposition is not true: when the buyer does sign the record book, he is not guilty
as a matter of law.60
53 id.
54 id. at 648.
55 id. at 649-50.
56 id. at 650.
57 id.
58 See id. at 651.
59 id.
60 Id. at 649-51.
16
No. 70004-9-1/17
Indeed it seems to us that the issue of good faith not only
does arise, but can only arise when a formally sufficient record of
the sale has been made. Without such a record there is no issuable
fact; the sale is conclusively illegal without regard to the seller's
good or bad faith. But the converse is not true. When the formal
record has been made, the question of good faith is an issue. That
question is then one offact for the jury upon the evidence.'611
Putting aside terminology differences, like Holland, the Gentrys essentially
argue that the inverse of what is stated in the statute is necessarily true. That is
a logical fallacy. We cannot infer that the inverse of what the statute states is
true. Based on these cases and our analysis of the statute before us, we reject
the interpretation that the Gentrys assert.
In further support of their "clear language" argument, the Gentrys rely on
First-Citizens Bank & Trust Co. v. Cornerstone Homes & Development LLC, a
recent Division Two case.62 We disagree with the reasoning and conclusion in
that case.
There, a bank sued the guarantors of three commercial loans to
Cornerstone Homes & Development, LLC for a deficiency judgment following
nonjudicial foreclosures of the deeds of trust securing the loans.63 The superior
court entered judgment on the pleadings, ordering the guarantors to pay the
deficiency.64 Division Two reversed.65
61 Id, at 651 (emphasis added).
62_ Wn. App. _ , 314 P.3d 420 (2013).
63 id, at 421-22.
64 id, at 422.
65 id, at 421.
17
No. 70004-9-1/18
One of the issues before the court was whether RCW 61.24.100(10)
created an exception to the general prohibition in RCW 61.24.100(1) against
deficiency judgments following a trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing
certain commercial loans.66 The court held that subsection (10) created such an
exception.67 In doing so, the court quoted, in part, the subsection, emphasizing
in its opinion the last words of the following quotation:
A trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial
loan does not preclude an action to . . . enforce any obligation of a .
. . guarantor ifthat obligation . . . was not secured by the deed of
trust.m]
The court then went on to apply the statutory construction principle
expressio unius est exclusio alterius.69 Doing so, the court concluded that the
language of subsection (10):
[I]mplies that (1) this express exception to the anti-deficiency
judgment statute is the only exception under these circumstances;
and (2) therefore, further implies that where a guaranty was
secured by the foreclosed deed of trust (which also secured a
commercial loan), the lending bank cannot sue the guarantor for
any deficiency remaining after the trustee's sale of the secured
property.1701
First, Division Two utilized a principle of construction that we believe does
not control this case. The court concluded that subsection (10) is the "only
66 id, at 424.
67 id,
68 id,
69 id, at 424-25.
70 id, at 425 (some emphasis added).
18
No. 70004-9-1/19
exception under these circumstances."71 But subsection (10) is not the only
exception in RCW 61.24.100. This interpretation ignores other subsections
within the statute, particularly subsection (3)(c), which is at issue in this case.
Second, we note that Division Two did not expressly address in its
analysis what we pointed out earlier in this opinion. The argument that
subsection (10) prohibits a deficiency judgment against guarantors requires the
following reading of the statute:
A trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial
loan does not preclude an action to collect or enforce any
obligation of a borrower or guarantor ifthat obligation, or the
substantial equivalent of that obligation, was not secured by the
deedoftrust.[72]
We will not read out the word "not" from this provision. But we believe
Division Two's reading implicitly does so. Moreover, as we explained earlier in
this opinion, that court's reading of subsection (10) implies the inverse of the
provision that is not true. We decline to do the same.
For these reasons, we are not persuaded that First-Citizens properly
interprets the statute. Accordingly, we reject its reasoning and conclusion that
RCW 61.24.100(10) bars an action where a guaranty is secured by the deed of
trust foreclosed by a prior trustee's sale.
Finally, during oral argument and by additional authority, the Gentrys
argue that the word "if in this statute should be construed to mean "only if." Like
Division Two, they cite the construction principle, expressio unius est exclusio
71 id,
72 RCW 61.24.100(10) (emphasis and alterations added).
19
No. 70004-9-1/20
alterius, which means the "'[expression of one thing in a statute implies
exclusion of others, and this exclusion is presumed to be deliberate.'"73
As we previously explained in this opinion, the essence of the Gentrys'
argument requires that we read RCW 61.24.100(10) to say more than it actually
says. This argument is that the bank may bring this action to enforce the
Gentrys' guaranties only if the guaranties were not secured by the nonjudicial^
foreclosed deeds of the trust securing the commercial loans. Notably, the statute
says "if," not "only if." We decline to rewrite the statute by adding the word "only"
into the analysis in order to conclude that the "if clause is an indispensable
condition precedent to bringing this action.
Also, it appears that the Gentrys argue that "only" should be written into
the statute because subsection (10) is the "'only exception under these
circumstances.'"74 They again cite First-Citizens Bank to support this assertion.75
But, as we just discussed, subsection (10) is not the only exception in RCW
61.24.100.
To summarize, we conclude that RCW 61.24.100(10) does not preclude
this action for a deficiency judgment against the guarantors of these commercial
loans. The trustees' sales under the deed of trust securing these loans do not
73 First-Citizens Bank. 314 P.3d at 425 n.15 (quoting State v. Kellev. 168
Wash. 2d 72, 83, 226 P.3d 773 (2010)).
74 Respondents' Citation of Additional Authority at 1 (quoting First-Citizens
Bank, 314 P.3d at 425).
75 id, (citing First-Citizens Bank. 314 P.3d at 425).
20
No. 70004-9-1/21
bar this action. Moreover, this action is not barred by the limitations stated in
RCW 61.24.100(3)(a) and (b). The trial court erred by deciding otherwise.
THE LOAN DOCUMENTS
Based on the incorrect premise that RCW 61.24.100(10) should be
interpreted as they argue, the Gentrys further argue that their guaranties are
secured by the various deeds of trust securing the loan. Accordingly, they claim
that the trustees' sales under these deeds of trust bar this action for a deficiency
judgment. Even if we agreed with their premise, we would still disagree with their
conclusion. We hold that these deeds of trust do not secure the Gentrys'
guaranties.
This court reviews de novo a trial court's interpretation of the language of
a contract.76 "When interpreting a contract our primary goal is to discern the
intent of the parties, and such intent must be discovered from viewing the
contract as a whole."77
Washington follows the "objective manifestation theory of contracts" to
determine the parties' intent.78 Courts focus on the "objective manifestations of
the agreement, rather than on the unexpressed subjective intent of the parties."79
76 Knipschield v. C-J Recreation. Inc.. 74 Wash. App. 212, 215, 872 P.2d
1102(1994).
77 Weyerhaeuser Co v. Commercial Union Ins. Co.. 142 Wash. 2d 654, 669,
15P.3d 115(2000).
78 Hearst Commc'ns. Inc. v. Seattle Times Co.. 154 Wash. 2d 493, 503, 115
P.3d 262 (2005).
79 id,
21
No. 70004-9-1/22
"[W]hen interpreting contracts, the subjective intent of the parties is generally
irrelevant if the intent can be determined from the actual words used."80 This
court does not "interpret what was intended to be written butwhat was written."81
Here, the deeds of trust at issue use identical language for the relevant
provisions.82 The first page of each deed of trust identifies the grantors under the
instruments. For the Little Mountain Deed of Trust, the "Grantor" is Little
Mountain East LLC.83 For the Blackburn Road Deed of Trust, the "Grantors" are
Blackburn Southeast LLC, Blackburn North LLC, and Little Mountain East LLC.84
Horizon Bank, the predecessor in interest to Washington Federal, is identified as
the "Grantee" or Beneficiary/Lender.85 The Gentrys are not parties to these
deeds of trust.
At page two of each of the deeds of trust, the Grantors state what is
secured:
THIS DEED OF TRUST, INCLUDING THE ASSIGNMENT OF
RENTS AND THE SECURITY INTEREST IN THE RENTS AND
PERSONAL PROPERTY, IS GIVEN TO SECURE (A) PAYMENT
OF THE INDEBTEDNESS AND (B) PERFORMANCE OF ANY
AND ALL OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE NOTE, THE RELATED
DOCUMENTS, AND THIS DEED OF TRUST. THIS DEED OF
80 id, at 503-04.
81 id, at 504.
82 Compare Clerk's Papers at 9-17, wjth Clerk's Papers at 23-31.
83 id, at 23.
84 id, at 9.
85 id, at 9, 23.
22
No. 70004-9-1/23
TRUST IS GIVEN AND ACCEPTED ON THE FOLLOWING
TERMS:[86]
Three paragraphs later, the Grantors state whose payment and performance
obligations are secured by the deeds of trust:
PAYMENT AND PERFORMANCE. Except as otherwise provided
in this Deed of trust, Borrower and Grantor shall pay to Lender all
indebtedness secured by this Deed of Trust as it becomes due, and
Borrower and Grantor shall strictly perform all their respective
obligations under the Note, this Deed of Trust, and the Related
Documents.1871
Reading these two paragraphs together, the deeds of trust must be read as
securing the payment and performance obligations of the Borrowers and
Grantors88 Here, Borrower and Grantor is the same entityfor each loan
secured by each deed of trust. There simply is no way to read these provisions
so that any deed of trust secures the payment and performance obligations of
anyone other than the Borrower and Grantor. The guarantors of the loans are
neither. Thus, none of these deeds of trust secure the guaranties of the Gentrys.
Later in each deed of trust, another provision discusses full performance
of the secured obligations:
FULL PERFORMANCE. If Borrower and Grantor pay all the
Indebtedness when due, and Grantor otherwise performs all the
obligations imposed upon Grantor under this Deed of Trust, Lender
shall execute and deliver to Trustee a request for full reconveyance
and shall execute and deliver to Grantor suitable statements of
86 id, at 11, 25 (emphasis added).
87 id, (second and third emphasis added).
88 See Brief of Appellant at 25-26; Brief of Amici Curiae Washington
Bankers Association and Union Bank, N.A. at 12-15.
23
No. 70004-9-1/24
termination of any financing statement on the evidencing Lender's
security interest in the Rents and the Personal Property?891
This language reinforces our conclusion. The exclusive focus is on the payment
and performance obligations of the Borrower and Grantor of the deed of trust.
There is simply no mention of such obligations of the guarantors.
In sum, we conclude when we read each of these deeds of trust as a
whole, none secures the Gentrys' guaranties. Accordingly, the Gentrys'
argument that RCW 61.24.100(10) bars this action against them is wholly
unpersuasive for a second reason.
In support of their argument that the guaranties are secured by various
deeds of trust, the Gentrys again rely on First-Citizens Bank, the recent Division
Two case we previously discussed in this opinion.90 They represent that the form
of the deed of trust in that case is the same as those here. But the complete
deeds of trust at issue in that case are not in this record on appeal.
Consequently, we will not speculate on whether the representation is correct.
Nevertheless, we take this opportunity to address arguments made here
that were also clearly before that court.
In First-Citizens Bank. Division Two focused on different provisions in the
deeds of trust before that court than those we just discussed. Specifically, the
court quoted the following language:
GIVEN TO SECURE (A) PAYMENT OF THE INDEBTEDNESS
AND (B) PERFORMANCE OF ANY AND ALL OBLIGATIONS
89 Clerk's Papers at 14, 28 (second and third emphasis added).
90314P.3dat420.
24
No. 70004-9-1/25
UNDER THE NOTE, THE RELATED DOCUMENTS, AND [THE]
DEED[S] OF TRUST.1911
Division Two concluded that this language included any guaranties of the loans
secured by the deeds of trust in that case.92 In so concluding, Division Two
looked to the definition of the term "Related Documents" in the deeds of trust,
which included any '"guaranties . .. whether now or hereafter existing,
executed in connection with indebtedness.'"93 As Division Two noted, this
definition plainly includes "guaranties."94
The Gentrys make a similar argument here. They point to substantially
similar language in these deeds of trust that contain the term "Related
Documents" together with a similar definition.95
But reading this definition to include all guaranties, regardless of who the
guarantor is, ignores the specifications in the "Payment and Performance"
provisions for the deeds of trust that are before us. As we discussed previously
in this opinion, this latter provision makes clear whose obligations for payment
91 See First-Citizens Bank. 314 P.3d at 423 (alteration in original).
92 Id.
93 id,
94 First-Citizens Bank. 314 P.3d at 423.
95 See Clerk's Papers at 17, 31 ("The words 'Related Documents' mean
all promissory notes, credit agreements, loan agreements, guaranties, security
agreements, mortgages, deeds of trust, security deeds, collateral mortgages, and
all other instruments, agreements and documents, whether now or hereafter
existing, executed in connection with the indebtedness, provided, that the
environmental indemnity agreements are not 'Related Documents' and are not
secured by this Deed of Trust.") (emphasis added).
25
No. 70004-9-1/26
and performance are secured by the deeds of trust. And there can be no doubt
that such obligations are limited to the Borrower and Grantor of each
instrument, not guarantors of the loan. Accordingly, the scope of the definition of
"Related Document" does not include the guaranties of the Gentrys.
To the extent that First-Citizens holds otherwise, we disagree with its
conclusion. That case does not control here.
We note that the trial court in this case reached a conclusion similar to that
in First-Citizens. It concluded that "the guaranties executed by the Defendants
were related documents."96 It reached this conclusion by construing the deeds of
trust instrument against the bank, the drafter:
Without repeating your respective positions, I find that the general
principle of ambiguities being [construed] against the drafting party
is the decisive factor.. . . The inconsistencies favor the Defendants
and result in the conclusion that the guaranties were related
documents and therefore secured by the foreclosed deeds of
trust.1971
Construing the deeds of trust instruments against the drafter was also a rationale
that Division Two pointed to in a footnote.98
The problem with this approach is that this principle applies only where an
instrument is ambiguous.99 As we discussed previously in this opinion, the deeds
of trust in this case are not ambiguous when read as a whole. The Grantor under
96 Clerk's Papers at 774-75.
97 id,
98 First-Citizens Bank. 314 P.3d at 423 n.8.
99 See, e.g.. Rouse v. Glascam Builders. Inc.. 101 Wash. 2d 127, 135, 677
P.2d 125 (1984).
26
No. 70004-9-1/27
each instrument expressly stated that the deed of trust secured the obligations of
the Borrower and Grantor. Each of these was the same entity for each loan.
And none of these entities included the Gentrys, the guarantors of the loan
obligations. Thus, this principle of interpretation does not apply in this case.
Because of our resolution of the two issues in this opinion, we need not
reach the third question: whether the waiver of anti-deficiency defenses language
in the guaranties of payment is enforceable against the Gentrys. In order to
make clear that the trial court's decision on this question is not binding on these
parties, we vacate that portion of that court's decision.
There is an outstanding issue that is not presently before us. The Gentrys
are entitled to a fair value hearing under RCW 61.24.100(5). That hearing has
not yet occurred because the trial court decided this matter on summary
judgment. Thus, remand for such a hearing is required.
ATTORNEY FEES
The Gentrys seek an award of attorney fees based on the contract
provision in their guaranties. The bank reserves the right to seek fees under the
same provision following remand and further proceedings. We deny an award of
fees at this time to any party because doing so is premature.
Each of the guaranties in this case provides for payment of reasonable
attorney fees to the bank in connection with enforcement of the guaranties.100
RCW 4.84.330 makes this unilateral contractual provision bilateral, and further
100 See Clerk's Papers at 119, 122, 125, 128, 131, 134.
27
No. 70004-9-1/28
provides that the "prevailing party" is entitled to such an award. A prevailing
party is one in whose favor a final judgment is rendered.101
Moreover, a trial court may include appellate attorney fees after
remand.102
Because a prevailing party has not yet been determined and will not be
determined until after a fair value hearing under RCW 61.24.100(5) on remand,
we decline to award fees now. That determination may be made by the trial
court at such time as it makes an award of reasonable attorney fees.
We reverse and remand for further proceedings. We also vacate that
portion of the trial court's decision concerning the enforceability of waiver of anti-
deficiency defenses. We also deny an award of attorney fees as premature.
6cKtJ.
WE CONCUR:
1>€ri<^1?;
101
Riss v. Angel. 131 Wash. 2d 612, 633, 934 P.2d 669 (1997).
102 See Stieneke v. Russi. 145 Wash. App. 544, 572, 190 P.3d 60 (2008)
("Because we remand this case, neither party is entitled to attorney fees. If the
trial court finds that the Stienekes met the required standard of proof, it should
award attorney fees for this appeal as well.").
28