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NON-PRECEDENTIAL DECISION – SEE SUPERIOR COURT I.O.P. 65.37
LIVE OAK BANKING COMPANY : IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
: PENNSYLVANIA
v. :
:
APPLEBROOK, LLC; :
APPLEBROOK KENNELS, LLC; :
APPLEBROOK VETERINARIANS, PLLC; :
APPLEBROOK LIVESTOCK :
VETERINARIANS, LLC; AND :
CURTIS BAUGHMAN, : No. 1122 EDA 2018
:
Appellants :
Appeal from the Order Entered March 6, 2018,
in the Court of Common Pleas of Chester County
Civil Division at No. 2016-03620-JD
BEFORE: GANTMAN, P.J., PANELLA, J., AND FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E.
MEMORANDUM BY FORD ELLIOTT, P.J.E.: FILED APRIL 15, 2019
Applebrook, LLC; Applebrook Kennels, LLC; Applebrook Veterinarians,
PLLC; Applebrook Livestock Veterinarians, LLC (together, “Applebrook
Entities”); and Curtis Baughman, M.S., D.V.M. (“Dr. Baughman”)
(collectively, “appellants”) appeal the March 6, 2018 order of the Court of
Common Pleas of Chester County that denied appellants’ petition to strike
and/or open judgment entered by confession and stay execution. After
careful review, we affirm.
All of the Applebrook Entities were involved in small and large animal
veterinary and animal boarding services in Oxford, Chester County,
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Pennsylvania. Dr. Baughman is a veterinarian and was a member of each
Applebrook entity.
On December 28, 2009, Live Oak Banking Company (“Bank”) extended
a commercial Small Business Administration loan to the Applebrook Entities
in the amount of $1,750,000. On that same date, the Applebrook Entities
executed a U.S. Small Business Administration promissory note (“Note”) in
favor of the Bank for the principal amount of the loan. That same day,
Dr. Baughman executed and delivered to the Bank a commercial guaranty,
whereby he absolutely and unconditionally guaranteed full and punctual
payment and satisfaction of any and all indebtedness of the
Applebrook Entities to the Bank under the Note.
Under the terms of the Note, the Applebrook Entities were required to
pay the Bank $10,231 each month, commencing on March 5, 2009, and
continuing on the fifth of each month until April 5, 2034, when all
outstanding balances on the Note were due and payable. Failure to make a
monthly payment when due constituted an event of default. The
Applebrook Entities failed to make multiple monthly payments.
By letter dated November 7, 2014, the Bank advised appellants of the
defaults and demanded immediate payment in full of the indebtedness owed
under the Note. The Note contained a confession of judgment clause, which
authorized the Bank to confess judgment upon the occurrence of a default.
The Note required the Applebrook Entities to pay applicable attorneys’ fees,
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collection costs, and all other expenses incurred by the Bank in connection
with the enforcement of its rights under the Note.
Specifically, the confession of judgment clause provided in pertinent
part:
POWER TO CONFESS JUDGMENT. UNDERSIGNED
HEREBY EMPOWERS ANY ATTORNEY OF ANY COURT
OF RECORD, AT ANY TIME AFTER THE OCCURRENCE
OF ANY EVENT OF DEFAULT HEREUNDER, TO
APPEAR FOR THE UNDERSIGNED AND, WITH OR
WITHOUT COMPLAINT FILED, CONFESS JUDGMENT,
OR A SERIES OF JUDGMENTS, AGAINST THE
UNDERSIGNED IN FAVOR OF THE LENDER OR ANY
HOLDER HEREOF FOR THE ENTIRE PRINCIPAL
BALANCE OF THIS NOTE, ALL ACCRUED INTEREST
AND ALL OTHER AMOUNTS DUE HEREUNDER,
TOGETHER WITH COSTS OF SUIT AND AN
ATTORNEY’S COMMISSION OF 10% OF SUCH
PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ADDED AS A
REASONABLE ATTORNEY’S FEE, AND FOR DOING
SO, THIS NOTE OR A COPY VERIFIED BY AFFIDAVIT
SHALL BE SUFFICIENT WARRANT. THE
UNDERSIGNED HEREBY FOREVER WAIVES AND
RELEASES ALL ERRORS IN SAID PROCEEDINGS AND
ALL RIGHTS OF APPEAL AND ALL RELIEF FROM ANY
AND ALL APRAISEMENT [sic], STAY OR EXEMPTION
LAWS OF ANY STATE NOW IN FORCE OR HEREAFTER
ENACTED.
Note at 5.
On April 18, 2016, the Bank filed a complaint in confession in
judgment. In the complaint, the Bank stated that the Applebrook Entities
were in default under the terms of the Note and that Dr. Baughman had
failed to pay the amounts owed pursuant to the guaranty. Consequently,
the Bank stated that it was authorized to confess judgment against
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appellants in the total amount of $1,095,359.20. This amount consisted of
principal – $964,616.37, interest through April 11, 2016 – $116,424.22, late
fees through April 8, 2016 of $10,769.61, and attorneys’ fees through
April 11, 2016 of $3,549.00. In addition, the Bank stated that interest
would continue to accrue from April 12, 2016 at the per diem rate of
$138.75 along with all costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees that the Bank
could incur until the outstanding indebtedness was collected. (Complaint in
confession of judgment, 4/18/16 at 3-5.) Also, on April 18, 2016, the Bank
confessed judgment against each appellant, praeciped for entry of judgment
by confession, and praeciped for a writ of execution.
On May 18, 2016, appellants petitioned to strike and/or open the
confessed judgment and stay execution. Appellants alleged that the trial
court must strike the judgment because the warrant of attorney clause that
served as the basis for the entry of judgment by confession against the
Applebrook Entities and Dr. Baughman “is inconspicuous, does not appear on
the same page as the signature page, does not immediately precede the
executor’s signature, does not bear any ‘direct relation’ to his signature, and
is otherwise wholly insufficient under Pennsylvania law to apprise the
executor of the rights being waived. . . .” (Petition to strike and/or open
judgment entered by confession and stay execution, 5/18/16 at 2.)1
1 The petition does not contain page numbers. For clarity in organization,
this court has counted the page numbers beginning with the first page of the
petition.
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Appellants also asserted that the judgment should be stricken because the
Bank failed to properly itemize damages and because they claim that the
Bank prematurely executed on the judgment. In addition, appellants
petitioned to open the judgment because appellants could not reasonably
comprehend what they waived when they agreed to it. (Id. at 13.)
In the petition to open the confession of judgment, appellants stated
that to the extent the trial court determined that the grounds raised for
striking the judgment were more appropriate for opening the judgment, the
grounds should be used as a basis for opening the judgment. (Id.)
Following discovery and the submission of briefs, the trial court denied
appellants’ petition to strike and/or open by order filed on March 6, 2018.
On April 5, 2018, appellants filed a timely notice of appeal. On April 6,
2018, the trial court ordered appellants to file a concise statement of errors
complained of on appeal, pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(b). Appellants
complied with the order on April 27, 2018. On May 16, 2018, the trial court
issued an opinion, pursuant to Pa.R.A.P. 1925(a).
On appeal, appellants raise the following issues for this court’s review:
1. Did the trial court err in concluding that
[a]ppellants’ waiver of notice and opportunity
to be heard was knowing and voluntary?
2. Did the trial court err in upholding the
confessed judgment where there was no
Warrant of Attorney language in the Personal
Guaranty of the Note by Dr. Baughman?
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3. Did [the Bank] fail to sufficiently specify and
itemize the damages?
4. Did [the Bank] improperly and prematurely
execute on [a]ppellants’ bank account without
advance or simultaneous notice in violation of
[a]ppellants’ Due Process rights?
5. Did the trial court err in concluding that
[a]ppellants have not raised a meritorious
defense?
Appellants’ brief at 4.
This court’s standard of review of petitions to strike and/or open
judgments is as follows:
We review the trial court’s order denying
Appellant/Borrower’s petition to strike or open for an
abuse of discretion. Neducsin v. Caplan, 121 A.3d
498, 506 (Pa. Super. 2015). “[T]he court abuses its
discretion if, in resolving the issue for decision, it
misapplies the law or exercises its discretion in a
manner lacking reason.” Id.
“A petition to strike a judgment is a common law
proceeding which operates as a demurrer to the
record. [It] may be granted only for a fatal defect or
irregularity appearing on the face of the record.”
Knickerbocker Russell Co., Inc. v. Crawford, 936
A.2d 1145, 1146–1147 (Pa. Super. 2007) (citations
omitted). In assessing whether “there are fatal
defects on the face of the record . . . , a court may
only look at what was in the record when the
judgment was entered.” Cintas Corp. v. Lee’s
Cleaning Servs., Inc., 549 Pa. 84, 700 A.2d 915,
917 (1997) (quoting Resolution Trust, Corp. v.
Copley Qu-Wayne Assocs., 546 Pa. 98, 683 A.2d
269, 273 (1996)). Therefore, the original record
that is subject to review in a petition to strike a
confessed judgment consists only of the complaint in
confession of judgment and the attached exhibits.
See id.
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In contrast, “if the truth of the factual
averments contained in [the complaint in
confession of judgment and attached
exhibits is] disputed, then the remedy is
by proceeding to open the judgment,”
not to strike it. A petition to strike a
confessed judgment and a petition to
open a confessed judgment are distinct
remedies; they are not interchangeable.
A petition to open a confessed judgment
is an appeal to the equitable powers of
the court. Factual disputes by definition
cannot be raised or addressed in a
petition to strike off a confession of
judgment, because factual disputes force
the court to rely on matters outside the
relevant record to decide the merits of
the petition.
Midwest Fin. Acceptance Corp. v. Lopez, 78 A.3d
614, 622-23 (Pa.Super. 2013) (internal citations
omitted).
Gur v. Nadav, 178 A.3d 851, 856 (Pa.Super. 2018).
I. Petition to Strike.
A. No Direct Relation Between Cognovit Clause and
Signature.
Initially, appellants assert that while the Note includes language that
purportedly permits the entry of judgment by confession, there is neither a
separate signature for the cognovit clause nor does the cognovit clause
immediately precede the executor’s signature. (Appellants’ brief at 11-12.)
As a result, the cognovit clause did not bear a direct relation to the
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signatures of Dr. Baughman as the authorized member of the
Applebrook Entities. (Id.)
In Graystone Bank v. Grove Estates, LP., 58 A.3d 1277 (Pa.Super.
2012), affirmed sub nom. Graystone Bank v. Grove Estates, L.P., 81
A.3d 880 (Pa. 2013), this court explained the requirements of the warrant of
attorney to authorize a confession of judgment:
To validate a warrant of attorney appearing in a
promissory note, the signature of the executor must
“directly relate” to the warrant. How this
relationship manifests may be understood by a
review of precedent:
We have noted the need for strict
adherence to rules governing confessed
judgments.[] As a matter of public
policy, Pennsylvania applies a similar
strict standard to establish the validity of
a clause. This is so because “a warrant
of attorney to confess judgment confers
such plenary power on the donee in
respect of the adjudication of his own
claims that certain specific formalities are
to be observed in order to effectuate the
granting of such a power.” Frantz
Tractor Co. v. Wyoming Valley
Nursery, 384 Pa. 213, 120 A.2d 303,
305 (1956). Accordingly, “[a]
Pennsylvania warrant of attorney must
be signed. And it will be construed
strictly against the party to be benefited
by it, rather than against the party
having drafted it.” Egyptian Sands
Real Estate, Inc. v. Polony, 222
Pa.Super. 315, 294 A.2d 799, 803
(1972) (citations omitted). “A warrant of
attorney to confess judgment must be
self-sustaining and to be self-sustaining
the warrant must be in writing and
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signed by the person to be bound by it.
The requisite signature must bear a
direct relation to the warrant of attorney
and may not be implied.” L.B. Foster
Co. v. Tri-W Const. Co., 409 Pa. 318,
186 A.2d 18, 20 (1962) (emphasis
added).
A general reference in the
body of an executed lease to
terms and conditions to be
found is insufficient to bind
the lessee to a warrant of
attorney not contained in
the body of the lease
unless the lessee signs the
warrant where it does
appear. In short, a warrant
of attorney to confess
judgment is not to be foisted
upon anyone by implication
or by general and nonspecific
reference.
Frantz Tractor Co., supra at 305
[emphasis added]; accord Egyptian
Sands Real Estate, Inc., supra at 804
(stating, “a warrant of attorney on the
second page of a document will not be
conclusive against the signer of the first
page”), Jordan v. Fox, Rothschild,
O’Brien & Frankel, 20 F.3d 1250,
1274-1275 (3d Cir.1994) (same).
Hazer v. Zabala, 26 A.3d 1166 (Pa.Super.2011)
(holding cognovit invalid where located in unsigned
addendum “incorporated by reference” in, and
attached subsequent to signature page of,
agreement.).
Here, the warrant of attorney appeared
conspicuously in all caps on the very bottom of the
penultimate page of the agreement and immediately
preceded where the executor (Mr. Pasch) signed at
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the top of the following, final page. Evidence of this
location of a conspicuous cognovit contained within
the body of the agreement sufficed to establish that
Mr. Pasch effectively signed his name to the warrant
of attorney.
We therefore distinguish the present matter from
precedent cited above invalidating warrants of
attorney located either altogether outside the body
of the agreement, too remote from the signature, or
on pages subsequent to the signature. Because the
location of the warrant of attorney related directly to
the signature that immediately followed it, albeit on
the next page, we concur with the trial court that a
valid, signed, and self-sustaining warrant of attorney
resulted. Accordingly, we reject Appellants’
contention that a signature must appear on the same
page as the cognovit in order to validate it.
Graystone, 58 A.3d at 1282-1283 (emphasis in original).
In order to ascertain the accuracy of appellants’ claims, it is necessary
to examine the Note itself. Page 5 of the Note contains the confession of
judgment clause, which is printed in all capital letters. Page 5 of the Note
also contains paragraphs regarding the governing law and the waiver of a
jury trial. Dr. Baughman initialed that page. Page 6 of the Note contains a
space for the borrower’s name and signature. Dr. Baughman signed the
Note on Page 6 in four different places as manager of the four different
Applebrook entities. As in Graystone, the cognovit clause appears
conspicuously in capital letters on the next to last page of the Note. The
location of the warrant of attorney contained in Paragraph 10 of the Note on
Page 5 directly related to the signatures on Page 6 of the Note. The trial
court did not err when it did not strike the judgment on this basis.
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Appellants next assert that the cognovit clause was inconspicuous and
did not include unambiguous language sufficient to constitute a knowing and
intelligent waiver of rights because it consists of two, unbolded, capitalized,
single-spaced paragraphs that span 22 lines. (Appellants’ brief at 17.)
Although appellants claim that the language in the confession of
judgment is ambiguous and inconspicuous, a review of the clause does not
support the assertion. The clause is in capital letters. Appellants do not
include any case law that requires the clause to be in bold type. Further,
even though appellants characterize the clause as confusing “legalese”
(appellants’ brief at 17), the clause specifically states that “the undersigned
hereby forever waives and releases all errors in said proceedings and all
rights of appeal and all relief from any and all apraisement [sic], stay or
exemption laws of any state now in force or hereafter enacted.” (Note at 5.)
In order to strike a judgment, a fatal defect must be apparent on the face of
the record. There is no such defect here. The trial court did not err when it
denied the petition to strike.
B. Confession of Judgment in Guaranty Agreement.
Appellants next contend that even if the language of the cognovit
clause were sufficient to constitute a waiver of the Applebrook Entities’ right
to defend an action against them, the cognovit clause could not be enforced
against Dr. Baughman because the guaranty did not contain a warrant of
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attorney or language sufficient under Pennsylvania law to authorize
judgment by confession. (Appellants’ brief at 18.) Appellants assert that
the guaranty is written in small print, and the warrant of attorney contained
in the guaranty is not capitalized, bolded, or italicized and is not highlighted
in a manner to call attention to the provision. (Id.) Appellants also assert
that the acknowledgement of terms contained in Paragraph 11 of the
guaranty contains no specific reference to the warrant of attorney or the
rights that an obligor must forego when he or she agrees to a warrant of
attorney. (Id. at 18-19.)
While appellants are correct that the warrant of attorney in the
guaranty is not capitalized, bolded, or italicized, this court does not agree
that the confession of judgment clause is inconspicuous. It is on a page by
itself with a capitalized heading for Section 10 – State Specific Provisions. It
does not appear that the print is any smaller than the print in the rest of the
document. The clause states the following:
Upon non-payment of the principal sum as aforesaid
after any applicable grace periods and cure periods,
the undersigned will be in DEFAULT and upon being
given fifteen (15) days prior written notice by
Lender, the undersigned hereby authorizes and
empowers any justice of the peace or clerk of any
court of record in Maryland or elsewhere to enter
judgment by confession, waiving all further notice,
demand and protest, against the undersigned for the
amount hereof, interest and costs, including
reasonable attorney’s fees, expressly waiving
summons or other process and do further consent to
the immediate execution of said judgment, expressly
waiving the benefit of all exemption laws,
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irregularities or errors, and appeals, in entering said
judgment or the execution thereon.
U.S. Small Business Administration Unconditional Guaranty, 12/28/09 at 4.
The trial court did not abuse its discretion when it found this language
sufficient.
Appellants again raise the issue that the signature does not bear a
direct relation to the warrant of attorney. However, Dr. Baughman signed
near the top of the next page, Page 5. The only paragraph or section
between Section 10 – State Specific Provisions – which contains the warrant
of attorney and Section 12 – Guarantor Name(s) and Signatures – is
Section 11 – Guarantor Acknowledgement of Terms – which contains one
sentence and states that the guarantor has read and understood the
significance of all terms in the Note and the guaranty, including all waivers.
The location of the warrant of attorney contained in Paragraph 10 on Page 4
of the guaranty agreement directly related to the signatures on Page 5. The
trial court did not abuse its discretion when it did not strike the judgment on
this basis.
C. Itemization of Damages.
Next, appellants contend that the Bank failed to itemize damages
sufficiently, so the judgment should be stricken. Appellants argue that
Paragraph 24 of the Complaint contains “nothing more than a boilerplate
statement of the damages that are allegedly owed by Appellants.”
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(Appellants’ brief at 20.) Specifically, appellants argue that the account
statement attached to the Complaint is dated more than five months before
the Confession of Judgment was filed. There is no explanation as to how the
principal balance was calculated; there is no statement of a period for which
interest was accrued; there is no statement of the interest rate or
documentary support for the amount or rate of interest charged; and there
is no explanation for how the late fees were calculated. (Appellants’ brief
at 21.) In addition, appellants argue that neither the warrant of attorney in
the Note nor in the guaranty permit the Bank to confess judgment for late
charges.
Rule 2952(a)(7) of the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure sets forth
the requirements for the itemization of the amounts due in a complaint to
confess judgment: “(a) The complaint shall contain the following: . . .
(7) an itemized computation of the amount then due, based on matters
outside the instrument if necessary, which may include interest and
attorneys’ fees authorized by the instrument.” Pa.R.C.P. 2952(a)(7). In
Davis v. Woxall Hotel, Inc., 577 A.2d 636, 638 (Pa.Super. 1990), this
court construed Rule 2952(a)(7) as to require only that a plaintiff aver a
default and allege the amounts due in a complaint for confession of
judgment.
Here, the Bank alleged that appellants owed $964,616.37 in principal;
$116,424.22 in interest through April 11, 2016; $10,769.61 in late fees
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through April 8, 2016; and $3,549.00 in attorney’s fees through April 11,
2016, for a total of $1,095,359.20. In addition, Paragraph 24 of the
Complaint states that interest from April 12, 2016 at the per diem rate of
$138.75 at an annual rate of 5.25% will be added to the total along with
costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees that the Bank will continue to incur in
the collection of the outstanding indebtedness. (Complaint at 4-5.)
Therefore, we find that the listing of the amount due complies with the
requirements of Rule 2952(a)(7).
With respect to the issue of late fees, the warrant of attorney in the
Note states that judgment can be confessed in favor of the lender for “the
entire principal balance of the Note, all accrued interest and other amounts
due hereunder together with costs of suit and an attorneys’ commission of
10%. . . .” (Note at 5 (capitalization omitted).) The term “other amounts
due hereunder” would include late fees. (See id. at 2.) Under the guaranty
agreement, the guarantor, Dr. Baughman, guarantees payment of all
amounts owing under the Note. The late charges were properly included in
the confession of judgment. The trial court did not abuse its discretion when
it declined to strike the judgment on this basis.
D. Execution.
Appellants next contend that the Bank’s execution of appellants’ bank
account was without advance or simultaneous notice in violation of their due
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process rights. Appellants argue that the Bank violated their due process
rights by attempting to execute on the judgment without first filing and
serving notice pursuant to either Rule 2958.1 or Rule 2958.3 of the
Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure. (Appellants’ brief at 22.) However, in
the petition to strike, appellants only refer to Rule 2958.1. Rule 2959(c),
which addresses the pleadings and procedure for striking off or opening a
judgment, provides, “A party waives all defenses and objections which are
not included in the petition or answer.” Pa.R.C.P. 2959(c). Consequently,
any argument with respect to Rule 2958.3 is waived because any objection
based on Rule 2958.3 was not included in the petition. However, an
objection based on an alleged failure to comply with Rule 2958.1 is not
relevant as the trial court found, and this court agrees, that the Bank
proceeded under Rule 2958.3, which is an alternate means of service.
II. Petition to Open.
A. Capacity.
Appellants essentially raise the same issues in the petition to open as
they did in the petition to strike concerning whether the confession of
judgment and the cognovit clause were not set forth in a manner in which
appellants could not be expected to comprehend the meaning of the clauses.
Appellants argue that Dr. Baughman had only nominal experience in the
ownership, management, or financing of a business in 2009 and could not
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understand the significance of the confession of judgment clauses.
(Appellants’ brief at 25-26.)
This court has held that where a debtor has not alleged fraud, and has
produced no evidence to indicate a lack of capacity to understand the signed
document or that he or she asked for an explanation of the contract
language, the debtor must be held to the contract’s terms. Germantown
Savings Bank v. Talacki, 657 A.2d 1285, 1288, 1289-1290 (Pa.Super.
1995), citing Provco Leasing Corp. v. Safin, 402 A.2d 510 (Pa.Super.
1979).
Here, Dr. Baughman initialed the pages where the confession of
judgment was located in each agreement and signed each document on the
following page. There was no evidence that Dr. Baughman lacked the
capacity to execute the agreements or that the Bank engaged in any type of
fraud or misrepresentation. Appellants did not meet the requirements of
Germantown Savings Bank.
B. Unconscionability.
Appellants also argue that enforcing the confession of judgment
against them would be unconscionable because they had no meaningful
choice but to accept the confession of judgment clauses together with
contract terms that were unreasonably favorable to the Bank. (Appellants’
brief at 27.)
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Whether a contract is unconscionable is a matter of law. Snyder v.
Rogers, 499 A.2d 1369, 1372 (Pa.Super. 1985). In Germantown Mfg.
Co. v. Rawlinson, 491 A.2d 138, 145-148 (Pa.Super. 1985), a case cited
by appellants, this court explained that unconscionability is a defensive
contractual remedy that relieves a party from an unfair contract or an unfair
portion of a contract. Further, in general, unconscionability has been
recognized to include an absence of meaningful choice on the part of one of
the parties together with contract terms that are unreasonably favorable to
the other party. This court explained that the need for the concept of
unconscionability is greatest when one party is inexperienced, uneducated,
and of low income. A contract provision will be found to be unconscionable
and unenforceable if the attempted reallocation of material risks is so
extreme and the only evidence of an agreement is an inconspicuous
provision in the “boilerplate” of a standard form. In other words, the
reallocation of risks must be physically conspicuous and must have been
manifested in a manner that was understandable to the party against whom
the provision is sought to be enforced. In addition, the party must have had
a reasonable choice in relation to such reallocation.
Here, we have already determined that the confession of judgment
clauses were easy to read. Dr. Baughman, an educated individual, agreed to
them. Dr. Baughman had the opportunity to consult with his counsel had he
wished to do so. He signed the documents in the presence of his attorney.
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The documents were form documents as drafted by the United States Small
Business Administration. Although appellants gave up certain rights when
they agreed to the confession of judgment clauses, the Bank loaned them a
considerable amount of money, in excess of $1,000,000. The Bank received
some protection in case of default that did later occur. This court
determines that appellants have failed to prove that the clauses were
unconscionable.2 The trial court did not err when it denied the petition to
open.
Order affirmed.
Judgment Entered.
Joseph D. Seletyn, Esq.
Prothonotary
Date: 4/15/19
2 Appellants’ claims to open the judgment based on the failure to comply
with Pa.R.C.P. 2958.1 or Pa.R.C.P. 2958.3 are rejected for the same reasons
as in this court’s decision to affirm the petition to strike. Similarly,
appellants do not develop any claim that the amounts owed were incorrectly
calculated.
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