Carr PT Question
Carr PT Question
Carr PT Question
MPT-1 File:
In re Bryan Carr
MPT-1 File
Anders, Davis & Waters
Attorneys at Law
6241 Lowell Street
Franklin City, Franklin 33205
To: Examinee
From: Miles Anders
Re: Bryan Carr
Date: July 28, 2015
My friend and former college roommate Bryan Carr has consulted me about a credit card
problem he is facing. I offered to help him figure out a strategy for responding.
Bryan’s mother died last year. Since then his father, Henry Carr, has become more and more
dependent upon Bryan. Several months ago, Henry asked Bryan if Bryan could pay the estimated
$1,500 it would take to repair Henry’s van. Bryan gave his credit card to Henry and told him that
he could charge all the repairs but could not use the card for anything else. Bryan also gave
Henry a letter that said Bryan was giving Henry permission to use the card. In the end, the total
repair cost was $1,850, which was charged to Bryan’s card.
Bryan forgot to get the credit card and letter back from his father, and Henry used the card to buy
several things in addition to the auto repairs. Over several months, Henry charged gasoline,
groceries, books, and, most recently, power tools to Bryan’s account. Bryan always pays the
entire balance on his credit cards each month, and he had already paid for the first three months
of purchases without noticing Henry’s charges. However, earlier this month, Bryan discovered
the unauthorized purchases. He promptly contacted the bank that issued the card to dispute the
charges. The bank has notified him that he is responsible for all charges.
Bryan would like our advice about his legal obligation to pay the bank for the charges Henry
made in March, April, May, and June, as detailed in the statements for these months. Please draft
an opinion letter for my signature to Bryan. This letter should advise Bryan of the extent of his
liability for each of Henry’s purchases. The letter should follow the attached firm guidelines for
opinion letters.
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Anders, Davis & Waters
Attorneys at Law
6241 Lowell Street
Franklin City, Franklin 33205
OFFICE MEMORANDUM
To: Associates
From: Managing partner
Re: Opinion letters
Date: September 5, 2013
The firm follows these guidelines in preparing opinion letters to clients:
Identify each issue separately and present each issue in the form of a “yes or no”
question. (E.g., Is the client’s landlord entitled to apply the security deposit to the back
rent owed?)
Following each issue, provide a concise one or twosentence statement which gives a
“short answer” to the question.
Following the short answer, write a more detailed explanation and legal analysis of each
issue, incorporating all important facts and providing legal citations. Explain how the
relevant legal authorities combined with the facts lead to your conclusions.
Bear in mind that, in most cases, the client is not a lawyer; avoid using legal jargon.
Remember to write in a way that allows the client to follow your reasoning and the logic
of your conclusions.
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Transcript of telephone conversation between Miles Anders and Bryan Carr
July 24, 2015
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Carr: Yes, my dad used my Acme State Bank card to pay for the van repairs. The final bill
was somewhat more than the original estimate. Apparently an additional part was
needed, making the total repair cost $1,850. That was $350 more than the original
estimate. My dad charged the total amount to my credit card.
Anders: Then what happened?
Carr: With all that was going on in my life, I forgot to get my credit card back from my dad
until about six weeks ago. When I finally did, I also got back the letter I’d given him.
Unfortunately, I subsequently learned that my dad had already used the card to make
additional purchases without ever asking my permission or even telling me. In fact,
he even used my account information after returning the card and letter.
Anders: How did you find out about the additional purchases?
Carr: When I was reviewing and preparing to pay my current credit card statement, I
noticed a $1,200 charge to Franklin Hardware Store for power tools. I knew I had not
made this purchase. I called my dad to see if he knew anything about the power tools
purchase.
Anders: What did your dad say?
Carr: He admitted he had used my account number to buy the power tools. He told me he
wanted to prove to himself and the rest of the
family that he could take care of the
house, and he impulsively went to buy some tools to make some household repairs.
He said he had written the account information on a piece of paper before returning
the credit card and my letter to me.
Because my dad had already returned the credit card and my letter to me before he
purchased the tools, he said he merely presented the credit card account name,
number, and expiration date to the hardware store clerk. The clerk must have been out
of his mind, but he accepted the information my dad presented and charged the tools
to my account. My dad feels terrible and has apologized profusely. He is so ashamed
of himself.
Anders: Are these the only other charges your dad made?
Carr: I wish. He also admitted that before he returned my card, he had used it to buy gas,
groceries, and books over the past few months.
Anders: What did you do after you learned of all these transactions?
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Carr: I pulled out my file with my Acme State Bank credit card statements and reviewed
my statements for the past several months. Sure enough, upon review, I noticed that
during the past four months, in addition to the van repairs, my dad had charged
gasoline on two occasions at Friendly Gas, groceries on one occasion at the Corner
Market, books at Rendell’s Book Store, and most recently, the power tools at the
Franklin Hardware Store. I always pay the entire balance on my credit cards on the
due date each month. All the gas, grocery, and book charges made by my dad have
already been paid in full. I noted this fact by writing “Paid—BC” on each of the past
statements. I never noticed these charges before I paid my statements. The truth is, I
usually don’t review the bills very carefully, and I didn’t notice the gas, grocery, and
book charges because he and I both shop at the same places. I probably gave each
statement a quick glance, if that. However, I have not yet paid the current credit card
statement for June with the $1,200 power tools charge.
Anders: Have you contacted the bank or done anything else?
Carr: I called the bank to discuss the problem. They directed me to fill out and send in their
form disputing the charges. I did this right away.
Anders: What happened?
Carr: This morning I received
a letter from the bank informing me that I was responsible
for all the charges. That’s when I called your office.
Anders: What would you like to see happen?
Carr: I know my dad did something he shouldn’t have done; I told him to return the tools if
he still could. But he’s a senior citizen and in considerable distress. The various
vendors should not have allowed him to use my credit card. I know he had the card in
his possession for all but the power tools purchase, but it’s still not right for the bank
to say I’m responsible. I’d like to know whether the bank can hold me responsible for
each of the charges my dad made.
Anders: Bryan, we’ll look into this quickly. Meanwhile, please don’t pay your credit card
statement until you get further advice from us. I’ll be back in touch before the current
payment due date.
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March 12, 2015
To Whom It May Concern:
I, Bryan Carr, give my father, Henry Carr, permission to use my Acme
State Bank credit card:
account number 474485AC66873641, expiration date 09/2017. If you have any questions, please
feel free to call me at 5556548965.
Thank you,
_________________________
Bryan Carr
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New Charges
DATE DESCRIPTION AMOUNT
March 16, 2015 Schmidt Auto Repair $1,850.00
Total $1,850.00
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New Charges
DATE DESCRIPTION AMOUNT
April 10, 2015 Friendly Gas Station $75.00
Total $206.50
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New Charges
DATE DESCRIPTION AMOUNT
May 16, 2015 Rendell’s Book Store $45.70
Total $45.70
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New Charges
DATE DESCRIPTION AMOUNT
Total $1,200.00
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July 2015
MPT-1 Library:
In re Bryan Carr
MPT-1 Library
Excerpts from Federal Truth in Lending Act
15 U.S.C. §§ 1602 and 1643
§ 1602 Definitions and rules of construction
(a) The definitions and rules of construction set forth in this section are applicable for the
purposes of this subchapter.
. . .
(k) The term “credit card” means any card, plate, coupon book, or other credit device existing for
the purpose of obtaining money, property, labor, or services on credit.
. . .
(o) The term “unauthorized use,” as used in section 1643 of this title, means a use of a credit card
by a person other than the cardholder who does not have actual, implied, or apparent authority
for such use and from which the cardholder receives no benefit.
* * *
§ 1643 Liability of holder of credit card
(a) Limits on liability
(1) A cardholder shall be liable for the unauthorized use of a credit card only if—
(A) the card is an accepted credit card;
(B) the liability is not in excess of $50;
. . .
(E) the unauthorized use occurs before the card issuer has been notified that an
unauthorized use of the credit card has occurred or may occur as a result of loss, theft, or
otherwise; and
(F) the card issuer has provided a method whereby the user of such card can be identified
as the person authorized to use it.
. . .
(d) Exclusiveness of liability. Except as provided in this section, a cardholder incurs no liability
from the unauthorized use of a credit card.
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Excerpts from Restatement (Third) of Agency (2006)
§ 1.01 Agency Defined
Agency is the fiduciary relationship that arises when one person (a “principal”) manifests assent
to another person (an “agent”) that the agent shall act on the principal’s behalf and subject to the
principal’s control, and the agent manifests assent or otherwise consents so to act.
§ 2.01 Actual Authority
An agent acts with actual authority when, at the time of taking action that has legal consequences
for the principal, the agent reasonably believes, in accordance with the principal’s manifestations
to the agent, that the principal wishes the agent so to act.
§ 2.03 Apparent Authority
Apparent authority is the power held by an agent or other actor to affect a principal’s legal
relations with third parties when a third party reasonably believes the actor has authority to act
on behalf of the principal and that belief is traceable to the principal’s manifestations.
§ 3.01 Creation of Actual Authority
Actual authority, as defined in § 2.01, is created by a principal’s manifestation to an agent that,
as reasonably understood by the agent, expresses the principal’s assent that the agent take action
on the principal’s behalf.
§ 3.03 Creation of Apparent Authority
Apparent authority, as defined in § 2.03, is created by a person’s manifestation that another has
authority to act with legal consequences for the person who makes the manifestation, when a
third party reasonably believes the actor to be authorized and the belief is traceable to the
manifestation.
§ 3.11 Termination of Apparent Authority
(1) The termination of actual authority does not by itself end any apparent authority held by an
agent.
(2) Apparent authority ends
when it is no longer reasonable for the third party with whom an
agent deals to believe that the agent continues to act with actual authority.
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BAK Aviation Systems, Inc. v. World Airways, Inc.
Franklin Court of Appeal (2007)
In 2005, BAK Aviation Systems, Inc. § 1643(a), places a limit of $50 on the
(BAK), issued a credit card to World liability of a credit cardholder for charges
Airlines, Inc. (World), to purchase fuel for a incurred by an “unauthorized” user. This
corporate jet leased by World from BAK. appeal concerns the applicability of this
World designated Ken Swenson, an provision to a card bearer who was given
independent contractor hired by World, as permission by the cardholder to make a
chief pilot of the leased jet and gave him limited range of purchases but who
permission to make fuel purchases with the subsequently made additional charges on the
BAK credit card but only in connection with
card. We conclude that Swenson, who
non-charter flights involving World incurred the charges, was not an
executives. However, Swenson used the “unauthorized” user within the meaning of
credit card to charge $89,025 to World in § 1643(a) and therefore affirm.
connection with charter flights involving
nonWorld customers prior to the Congress enacted the 1970 Amendments to
cancellation of the credit card in 2006. the Truth in Lending Act in large measure to
When World refused to pay, BAK sought protect credit cardholders from unauthorized
recovery in court. use perpetrated by those able to obtain
possession of a card from its original owner.
The trial court entered judgment for BAK The amendments limit the liability of
for the full amount in dispute. The court cardholders for all charges by third parties
held that the federal Truth in Lending Act, made without “actual, implied, or apparent
which limits a cardholder’s liability for authority” and “from which the cardholder
“unauthorized” uses, did not apply to receives no benefit.” 15 U.S.C. §§ 1602(o),
charges incurred by one to whom the 1643. Where an unauthorized use has
cardholder had voluntarily allowed access occurred, the cardholder can be held liable
for another purpose. World appeals. only up to a limit of $50 for the amount
charged on the card, if certain conditions are
The Truth in Lending Act, 15 U.S.C. satisfied. 15 U.S.C. § 1643(a)(1)(B).
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Transmutual Insurance Co. v. Green Oil Co.
Franklin Court of Appeal (2009)
This is an appeal from a holding of the trial used the GreenPlus card to obtain goods and
court finding against defendant Green Oil services in the amount of $26,376.53.
Co. and in favor of plaintiff Transmutual Transmutual paid for these purchases with
Insurance Co. In March 2000, Transmutual checks signed by Smith and an authorized
obtained a Green Oil credit card for use in officer. During this time, Transmutual
its business. Transmutual’s office manager, employed accounting firms to perform
Donna Smith, was responsible for requesting
audits, but they did not discover the fraud.
credit cards for Transmutual employees and
paying bills. Smith did not have the Under the federal Truth in Lending Act, 15
authority to open new credit accounts for U.S.C. § 1643(a), a cardholder is liable only
Transmutual; only its general manager had for a limited amount if certain conditions are
this authority. met and if the use of the credit card was
unauthorized. Accordingly, the initial
On May 16, 2005, Smith made a written determination is whether or not the use of
request to Green Oil for a GreenPlus credit the credit card in the case at hand was
card. A GreenPlus credit card may be used unauthorized. The federal definition of
for purchases of goods and services other “unauthorized use” is “a use of a credit card
than those furnished at gasoline service by a person other than the cardholder who
stations. The GreenPlus application was does not have actual, implied, or apparent
signed by Smith as office manager. It also authority for such use and from which the
contained a signature purporting to be that cardholder receives no benefit.” 15 U.S.C.
of Alexander Foster as general manager and
§ 1602(o). The test for determining
secretarytreasurer of Transmutual; unauthorized use is governed by agency law,
however, the trial court determined that and agency law must be used to resolve this
Foster’s signature was forged by Smith.
issue.
During the period from May 2005 until July Smith did not have actual or implied
2008, Smith wrongfully and fraudulently authority to request a GreenPlus credit card.
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The trial court correctly determined that the
person or entity may be held liable.
principle of apparent authority controls in
this case. The federal Truth in Lending Act does not
address whether cardholder negligence
Apparent authority is created when a third removes the statutory liability limit.
party reasonably believes the actor to be However, we believe that Transmutual’s
authorized and the belief is traceable to the negligence in not examining its monthly
manifestation of the principal. statements from Green Oil removes this case
RESTATEMENT (THIRD) OF AGENCY § 3.03. from the statutory limit on cardholder
Transmutual is bound by Smith’s acts under
liability.
apparent authority only to third persons who
have incurred a liability in good faith and A cardholder has a duty to examine his
without ordinary negligence. The trial court credit card statement promptly, using
correctly determined that Green Oil acted reasonable care to discover unauthorized
negligently by issuing Smith a GreenPlus signatures or alterations. If the card issuer
credit card without independently verifying uses reasonable care in generating the
her authority. Because of Green Oil’s statement and if the cardholder fails to
negligence, the trial court determined that examine his statement, the cardholder is
Green Oil, as the card issuer, could not rely precluded from asserting his unauthorized
upon Smith’s ostensible authority to signature against the card issuer after a
establish the existence of agency between certain time.
Smith and Transmutual.
The facts at hand are similar. Green Oil was
However, the trial court erred in not looking not negligent in billing Transmutual. If
beyond Green Oil’s negligence in issuing someone at Transmutual other than Smith
Smith the card. After receiving the first had examined its statements from Green Oil,
statement from Green Oil containing the he or she would have discovered Smith’s
fraudulent charges, Transmutual was fraud. Transmutual had the responsibility to
negligent in not finding and reporting institute internal procedures for the
Smith’s fraud. If the person or entity to examination of the statements from Green
whom a credit card is issued is careless, that
Oil which would have disclosed Smith’s
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