Mortgage Prepayment Triggers Discharge
Bay Networks paid the full principal on its mortgage to Ridge Byte five years early after selling an app. Ridge Byte refused to record a satisfaction because of an ambiguous clause. Bay Networks sued to clear title for its sale to Omega Networks. The court held that the lump-sum payment satisfied the debt and required the lender to record the release.
Junior Receiver Applies Rents First
National Oil obtained a receiver after Alpha Oil defaulted. The receiver collected rents, paid taxes, and made repairs before Creek Power sought its own receiver. The court allowed the junior receiver to keep the net rents after those expenses but required it to surrender an unauthorized tenant prepayment to the senior interest.
Prepaid Patent Fees and Immunity
College Savings Bank paid advance licensing fees to the Florida Prepaid board for educational patents. When the board later refused to honor the licenses, College Savings sued in federal court. The Supreme Court addressed whether the state could be sued for the prepaid amounts without its consent.
Prepaid Appeal Costs in Parental Rights Case
M.L.B. sought to appeal termination of her parental rights but could not prepay the record-preparation fees required by Mississippi law. The state supreme court dismissed the appeal. The U.S. Supreme Court considered whether the prepayment requirement violated due process for an indigent parent.
Prepaid Medical Care Residency Rule
A patient prepaid for nonemergency care at Memorial Hospital but was denied treatment because he had not resided in Maricopa County for the required period. The county defended the prepayment-plus-residency condition. The Supreme Court examined whether the rule burdened the right to travel.
Prepaid Filing Fees in Habeas Petition
Panetti filed a habeas petition without prepaying the filing fee and sought in forma pauperis status. The district court required partial prepayment under the Prison Litigation Reform Act. The Supreme Court addressed whether the prepayment rules applied to successive habeas claims raising competency issues.