Lamarque v. Centreville Sayings Bank
22 A.3d 1136
| R.I. | 2011Background
- foreclosure on 96 Narragansett Ave, West Warwick, owned by Lamarque and ex-husband;
- 1978 Centreville mortgage, 25-year;
- 1995 refinancing with Conti Mortgage serviced by Fairbanks;
- 2001 foreclosure sale to Ciccarone;
- Ciccarone’s attorney allegedly asked Centreville for loan balance and paid it;
- Lamarques learned of the alleged disclosure in Oct. 2005;
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Publication of private fact under privacy statute | Lamarque: disclosure to Ciccarone breached privacy | Centreville: no evidence of disclosure | Publication not proven |
| Whether payoff amount is private information | Payoff amount is private information | Disclosures may be necessary; not private | Payoff not private information per circumstances |
| Duty of care under negligence/GLBA and privacy policy | Centreville breached duty not to disclose private information | No breach; no proven disclosure; GLBA/privacy policy limits apply | No duty breach proven |
| Damages requirement for privacy or negligence claim | Damages shown due to alleged disclosure | No evidence of injury or damages | Damages not proven |
Key Cases Cited
- Pontbriand v. Sundlun, 699 A.2d 856 (R.I.1997) (elements of privacy tort: publication, private fact, offensive disclosure, damages)
- O’Coin v. Woonsocket Institution Trust Co., 535 A.2d 1263 (R.I.1988) (confidentiality duty; bank disclosure rights)
- Tournier v. National Provincial and Union Bank of England, 1 K.B. 461 (1924) (bank may disclose information to protect its interests)
- 140 Reservoir Avenue Associates v. Sepe Investments, LLC, 941 A.2d 805 (R.I.2007) (mortgage interests; title and recoupment context affecting privacy)