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Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Contingencies

Note 12 – Contingencies

Lending Related

Trustmark makes commitments to extend credit and issues standby and commercial letters of credit (letters of credit) in the normal course of business in order to fulfill the financing needs of its customers. The carrying amount of commitments to extend credit and letters of credit approximates the fair value of such financial instruments.

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend money to customers pursuant to certain specified conditions. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses. Because many of these commitments are expected to expire without being fully drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the commitments to extend credit is represented by the contract amount of those instruments. Trustmark applies the same credit policies and standards as it does in the lending process when making these commitments. The collateral obtained is based upon the nature of the transaction and the assessed creditworthiness of the borrower. At September 30, 2023 and 2022, Trustmark had unused commitments to extend credit of $5.030 billion and $5.171 billion, respectively.

Letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by Trustmark to insure the performance of a customer to a third-party. A financial standby letter of credit irrevocably obligates Trustmark to pay a third-party beneficiary when a customer fails to repay an outstanding loan or debt instrument. A performance standby letter of credit irrevocably obligates Trustmark to pay a third-party beneficiary when a customer fails to perform some contractual, nonfinancial obligation. When issuing letters of credit, Trustmark uses the same policies regarding credit risk and collateral, which are followed in the lending process. At September 30, 2023 and 2022, Trustmark’s maximum exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the customer for letters of credit was $127.8 million and $140.6 million, respectively. These amounts consist primarily of commitments with maturities of less than three years, which have an immaterial carrying value. Trustmark holds collateral to support standby letters of credit when deemed necessary. As of September 30, 2023 and 2022, the fair value of collateral held was $32.0 million and $32.6 million, respectively.

ACL on Off-Balance Sheet Credit Exposures

Trustmark maintains a separate ACL on off-balance sheet credit exposures, including unfunded loan commitments and letters of credit, which is included on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

Changes in the ACL on off-balance sheet credit exposures were as follows for the periods presented ($ in thousands):

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

 

Nine Months Ended September 30,

 

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

 

2023

 

 

2022

 

Balance at beginning of period

 

$

34,841

 

 

$

32,949

 

 

$

36,838

 

 

$

35,623

 

PCL, off-balance sheet credit exposures

 

 

104

 

 

 

(1,326

)

 

 

(1,893

)

 

 

(4,000

)

Balance at end of period

 

$

34,945

 

 

$

31,623

 

 

$

34,945

 

 

$

31,623

 

 

Adjustments to the ACL on off-balance sheet credit exposures are recorded to PCL, off-balance sheet credit exposures. The increase in the ACL on off-balance sheet credit exposures for the three months ended September 30, 2023 was primarily due to the weakening

macroeconomic forecasts as well as the net adjustment to the qualitative factors. The decrease in the ACL on off-balance sheet credit exposures for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 was primarily due to decreases in unfunded balances for the construction, land development and other land portfolio and other construction loan portfolio. The decrease in the ACL on off-balance sheet credit exposures for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022 was primarily due to a decrease in the unfunded balances.

No credit loss estimate is reported for off-balance sheet credit exposures that are unconditionally cancellable by Trustmark or for undrawn amounts under such arrangements that may be drawn prior to the cancellation of the arrangement.

Legal Proceedings

Trustmark’s wholly-owned subsidiary, TNB, has been named as a defendant in several lawsuits related to the collapse of the Stanford Financial Group.

 

On August 23, 2009, a purported class action complaint was filed in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, by Peggy Roif Rotstain, Guthrie Abbott, Catherine Burnell, Steven Queyrouze, Jaime Alexis Arroyo Bornstein and Juan C. Olano (collectively, Class Plaintiffs), on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, naming TNB and four other financial institutions and one individual, each of which are unaffiliated with Trustmark, as defendants (the Rotstain Action). The complaint sought to recover (i) alleged fraudulent transfers from each of the defendants in the amount of fees and other monies received by each defendant from entities controlled by R. Allen Stanford (collectively, the Stanford Financial Group) and (ii) damages allegedly attributable to alleged conspiracies by one or more of the defendants with the Stanford Financial Group to commit fraud and/or aid and abet fraud on the asserted grounds that defendants knew or should have known the Stanford Financial Group was conducting an illegal and fraudulent scheme.

 

In November 2009, the lawsuit was removed to federal court by certain defendants and then transferred by the United States Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas (Dallas), where multiple Stanford related matters have been consolidated for pre-trial proceedings. In May 2010, all defendants (including TNB) filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit. In August 2010, the court authorized and approved the formation of an Official Stanford Investors Committee (OSIC) to represent the interests of Stanford investors and, under certain circumstances, to file legal actions for the benefit of Stanford investors. In December 2011, the OSIC filed a motion to intervene in this action, which was granted in December 2012. The OSIC initially sought to recover from TNB and the other defendant financial institutions: (i) alleged fraudulent transfers in the amount of the fees each of the defendants allegedly received from Stanford Financial Group, the profits each of the defendants allegedly made from Stanford Financial Group deposits, and other monies each of the defendants allegedly received from Stanford Financial Group; (ii) damages attributable to alleged conspiracies by each of the defendants with the Stanford Financial Group to commit fraud and/or aid and abet fraud and conversion on the asserted grounds that the defendants knew or should have known the Stanford Financial Group was conducting an illegal and fraudulent scheme; and (iii) punitive damages.

 

In July 2013, all defendants (including TNB) filed motions to dismiss the OSIC’s claims. In March 2015, the court entered an order authorizing the parties to conduct discovery regarding class certification, staying all other discovery and setting a deadline for the parties to complete briefing on class certification issues. In April 2015, the court granted in part and denied in part the defendants’ motions to dismiss the Class Plaintiffs’ claims and the OSIC’s claims. The court dismissed all of the Class Plaintiffs’ fraudulent transfer claims and dismissed certain of the OSIC’s claims. The court denied the motions by TNB and the other financial institution defendants to dismiss the OSIC’s constructive fraudulent transfer claims.

 

On June 23, 2015, the court allowed the Class Plaintiffs to file a Second Amended Class Action Complaint (SAC), which asserted new claims against TNB and certain of the other defendants for (i) aiding, abetting and participating in a fraudulent scheme, (ii) aiding, abetting and participating in violations of the Texas Securities Act, (iii) aiding, abetting and participating in breaches of fiduciary duty, (iv) aiding, abetting and participating in conversion and (v) conspiracy. On July 14, 2015, the defendants (including TNB) filed motions to dismiss the SAC and to reconsider the court’s prior denial to dismiss the OSIC’s constructive fraudulent transfer claims against TNB and the other financial institutions that are defendants in the action. On July 27, 2016, the court denied the motion by TNB and the other financial institution defendants to dismiss the SAC and also denied the motion by TNB and the other financial institution defendants to reconsider the court’s prior refusal to dismiss the OSIC’s constructive fraudulent transfer claims. On August 24, 2016, TNB filed its answer to the SAC. On October 20, 2017, the OSIC filed a motion seeking an order lifting the discovery stay and establishing a trial schedule. On November 4, 2016, the OSIC filed a First Amended Intervenor Complaint, which added claims for (i) aiding, abetting or participation in violations of the Texas Securities Act and (ii) aiding, abetting or participation in the breach of fiduciary duty. On November 7, 2017, the court denied the Class Plaintiffs’ motion seeking class certification and designation of class representatives and counsel, finding that common issues of fact did not predominate. The court granted the OSIC’s motion to lift the discovery stay that it had previously ordered.

 

On May 3, 2019, individual investors and entities filed motions to intervene in the action. On September 18, 2019, the court denied the motions to intervene. On October 14, 2019, certain of the proposed intervenors filed a notice of appeal. On February 3, 2021, the Fifth

Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of the motions to intervene; this decision was affirmed by a panel of the Fifth Circuit on March 12, 2021.

 

On February 12, 2021, all defendants (including TNB) filed a motion for summary judgment with respect to OSIC claims that applied to all defendants. In addition, on the same date, TNB filed a separate motion for summary judgment with respect to aspects of OSIC claims that applied specifically to TNB. On March 19, 2021, OSIC filed notice with the court that it was abandoning as against all of the defendants (including TNB) certain of the claims previously set forth in the SAC. As a result, only the claims for (i) aiding, abetting and participating in breaches of fiduciary duty, (ii) aiding, abetting and participating in violations of the Texas Securities Act, and (iii) punitive damages remained as against TNB. On January 20, 2022, the court denied TNB’s motion for summary judgment, as well as the motion for summary judgment filed by all defendants (including TNB) with respect to OSIC claims that apply to all defendants.

 

The parties to the action agreed that the case was to be tried in the District Court for the Southern District of Texas. On March 25, 2021, the District Court for the Northern District of Texas rescinded its previously-issued trial scheduling orders so that the Southern District of Texas could set scheduling for this case once the case had in fact been remanded. On January 19, 2022, the judge of the District Court for the Northern District of Texas to whom the case was then assigned issued a recommendation to the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (the Panel) that the case be remanded to the District Court for the Southern District of Texas in light of the judge’s determination with respect to the summary judgment motions that triable issues of fact exist. On January 21, 2022, the Panel approved the remand of the case to the District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and on January 28, 2022 the remand of the case became effective. On June 9, 2022, the court entered an order scheduling trial to begin February 27, 2023, which was to be held as a jury trial in front of Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt of the District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

 

On December 14, 2009, a different Stanford-related lawsuit was filed in the District Court of Ascension Parish, Louisiana, individually by Harold Jackson, Paul Blaine and Carolyn Bass Smith, Christine Nichols, and Ronald and Ramona Hebert naming TNB (misnamed as Trust National Bank) and other individuals and entities not affiliated with Trustmark as defendants (the Jackson Action). The complaint seeks to recover the money lost by these individual plaintiffs as a result of the collapse of the Stanford Financial Group (in addition to other damages) under various theories and causes of action, including negligence, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent misrepresentation, detrimental reliance, conspiracy, and violation of Louisiana’s uniform fiduciary, securities, and racketeering laws. The complaint does not quantify the amount of money the plaintiffs seek to recover. In January 2010, the lawsuit was removed to federal court by certain defendants and then transferred by the United States Panel on Multidistrict Litigation to federal court in the Northern District of Texas (Dallas) where multiple Stanford related matters are being consolidated for pre-trial proceedings. On March 29, 2010, the court stayed the case. TNB filed a motion to lift the stay, which was denied on February 28, 2012. In September 2012, the district court referred the case to a magistrate judge for hearing and determination of certain pretrial issues.

 

On April 11, 2016, Trustmark learned that a different Stanford-related lawsuit had been filed on that date in the Superior Court of Justice in Ontario, Canada, by The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD Bank), naming TNB and three other financial institutions not affiliated with Trustmark as defendants (the TD Bank Declaratory Action). The complaint seeks a declaration specifying the degree to which each of TNB and the other defendants are liable in respect of any loss and damage for which TD Bank is found to be liable in separate litigation commenced against TD Bank brought by the joint liquidators of Stanford International Bank Limited in the Superior Court of Justice, Commercial List in Ontario, Canada (the Joint Liquidators’ Action), as well as contribution and indemnity in respect of any judgment, interest and costs TD Bank is ordered to pay in the Joint Liquidators’ Action. Trustmark understands that on or about June 8, 2021, after an extensive trial on the merits, the judge in the Joint Liquidators’ Action ruled in favor of TD Bank and found TD Bank not liable as to the claims asserted against the bank by the joint liquidators of Stanford International Bank Limited. The plaintiffs in the Joint Liquidators’ Action appealed this decision. On November 17, 2022, the intermediate appellate court in Canada dismissed the appeal. On January 16, 2023, the plaintiffs in the Joint Liquidators’ Action filed an application with the Supreme Court of Canada for leave to appeal, which the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed on July 20, 2023. TNB was never served in connection with the TD Bank Declaratory Action (including any of the appeals), and thus has not made an appearance in that action.

 

On November 1, 2019, TNB was named as a defendant in a complaint filed by Paul Blaine Smith, Carolyn Bass Smith and other plaintiffs identified therein (the Smith Action and, collectively with the Rotstain Action and the Jackson Action, the Actions). The Smith Action was filed in Texas state court (District Court, Harris County, Texas) and named TNB and four other financial institutions and one individual, each of which are unaffiliated with Trustmark, as defendants. The Smith Action relates to the collapse of the Stanford Financial Group, as does the other pending litigation relating to Stanford summarized above. Plaintiffs in the Smith Action demanded a jury trial. On January 15, 2020, the court granted Stanford Financial Group receiver’s motion to stay the Texas state court action. On February 26, 2020, the lawsuit was removed to federal court in the Southern District of Texas by TNB.

 

On December 31, 2022, TNB agreed to a settlement in principle (the Stanford Settlement) relating to litigation involving the Stanford Financial Group. On January 13, 2023, TNB entered into a Settlement Agreement (the Stanford Settlement Agreement) reflecting the terms of the Stanford Settlement. The parties to the Stanford Settlement Agreement are, on the one hand, (i) Ralph S. Janvey, solely in his capacity as the court-appointed receiver (the Stanford Receiver) for the Stanford Receivership Estate; (ii) the Official Stanford

Investors Committee; (iii) each of the plaintiffs in the Rotstain and Smith Actions; and, on the other hand, (iv) Trustmark. Under the terms of the Stanford Settlement Agreement, the parties agreed to settle and dismiss the Rotstain Action, the Smith Action, and all current or future claims by plaintiffs in either such Action arising from or related to Stanford. In addition, the Stanford Settlement Agreement provided that the parties would request dismissal of the Jackson Action pursuant to the terms of the bar orders described below. If the Court’s approval (as described below) of the Stanford Settlement Agreement, including the bar orders described below, is upheld on appeal, Trustmark will make a one-time cash payment of $100.0 million to the Stanford Receiver.

 

The Stanford Settlement Agreement included the parties’ agreement to seek the Northern District of Texas District Court’s entry of bar orders prohibiting any continued or future claims by the plaintiffs in the Actions or by any other person or entity against Trustmark and its related parties relating to Stanford, whether asserted to date or not. The bar orders therefore would prohibit all litigation relating to Stanford described herein, including not only the Actions and any pending matters but also any actions that may be brought in the future. Final Court approval of these bar orders is a condition of the Stanford Settlement.

 

The Stanford Settlement Agreement is also subject to notice to Stanford’s investor claimants (which has been provided) and final, non-appealable approval by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. While Trustmark believes that the Stanford Settlement Agreement is consistent with the terms of prior Stanford-related settlements that have been approved by the Court and were not successfully appealed, it is possible that the Court’s approval of the Stanford Settlement Agreement (which has occurred, as described further below) may not be upheld on appeal.

 

The Stanford Settlement Agreement also provides that Trustmark denies and makes no admission of liability or wrongdoing in connection with any Stanford matter. As has been the case throughout the pendency of the Actions, Trustmark expressly denies any liability or wrongdoing with respect to any matter alleged in regard to the multi-billion-dollar Ponzi scheme operated by Stanford for almost 20 years. Trustmark’s relationship with Stanford began as a result of Trustmark’s acquisition of a Houston-based bank in August 2006, and consisted of ordinary banking services provided to business deposit customers.

 

The foregoing description of the terms of the Stanford Settlement Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Stanford Settlement Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 10.ai to the 2022 Annual Report and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

On January 20, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas entered an order preliminarily finding that the Stanford Settlement is fair, reasonable, and equitable; has no obvious deficiencies; and is the product of serious, informed, good faith, and arm’s-length negotiations. Following the provision of notice as required by the Stanford Settlement Agreement and by the Court’s preliminary order, the Court (Judge David C. Godbey, presiding) held a Final Approval Hearing on May 3, 2023, at which the Court approved the Stanford Settlement from the bench. On May 4, 2023, Judge Godbey signed the written orders confirming his oral ruling, including the bar order contemplated by the Stanford Settlement Agreement and the judgment and bar order with respect to the Jackson Action.

 

On May 10, 2023, Robert Allen Stanford, writing from prison, appealed the District Court’s approval of the Stanford Settlement to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. On June 12, 2023, the Stanford Receiver moved to dismiss the appeal as frivolous. On July 25, 2023, a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit issued a per curiam order dismissing Stanford’s appeal as frivolous. On August 8, 2023, Mr. Stanford filed a motion for stay of mandate pending petition for certiorari. On August 22, 2023, the Fifth Circuit denied the motion for stay of mandate. On August 30, 2023, the Fifth Circuit issued the mandate.

 

The Stanford Settlement will become effective when the trial court’s ruling approving the Stanford Settlement and entering the bar order becomes final and non-appealable, as defined in the Stanford Settlement Agreement (the Stanford Settlement Effective Date). Within five days of the Stanford Settlement Effective Date, the parties to the Rotstain and Smith Actions will file agreed dismissals of those cases. Absent any further appeal in either of the Rotstain or Smith Actions, those dismissals will become final 30 days after entered and signed by the respective judges. Trustmark will be required to make the Stanford Settlement payment within 16 days after those dismissals become final. Any further appeal of any of the orders described above would delay the making of the Stanford Settlement payment.

 

On August 11, 2023, the Stanford Receiver filed a Motion to Enforce Settlement Agreement in the Northern District of Texas District Court, asking Judge Godbey to rule that the Stanford Settlement Effective Date has occurred. The Stanford Receiver took the position that Mr. Stanford’s appeals are frivolous and do not prevent the trial court’s ruling from becoming final and non-appealable, as defined in the Stanford Settlement Agreement. Trustmark filed a response in opposition to the Stanford Receiver’s Motion to Enforce. The trial court has not yet ruled on the Motion to Enforce. On September 22, 2023, the Stanford Receiver filed a Motion to Enjoin, requesting that the trial court enjoin Mr. Stanford from making court filings in any Stanford-related case, including notices of appeal, without obtaining leave of the court. The court has not yet ruled on the Motion to Enjoin.

 

Pending the resolution of the Stanford Settlement approval process, the Rotstain, Smith and Jackson Actions are stayed.

 

On December 30, 2019, a complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, Northern Division by Alysson Mills in her capacity as Court-appointed Receiver (the Adams/Madison Timber Receiver) for Arthur Lamar Adams and Madison Timber Properties, LLC (collectively, Adams/Madison Timber), naming TNB, two other Mississippi-based financial institutions both of which are unaffiliated with TNB and two individuals, one of who was employed by TNB at all times relevant to the complaint and the other was employed either by TNB or one of the other defendant financial institutions, as defendants (the Adams/Madison Timber Action). The complaint seeks to recover from the defendants, for the benefit of the receivership estate and also for certain investors who were allegedly defrauded by Adams/Madison Timber, damages (including punitive damages) and related costs allegedly attributable to actions of the defendants that allegedly enabled illegal and fraudulent activities engaged in by Adams/Madison Timber. The Adams/Madison Timber Receiver did not quantify damages. By order issued by the court on September 30, 2021, the action to which TNB is a party was consolidated with three other pending cases for purposes of discovery, based upon a finding by the court that the actions involve overlapping questions of law and fact.

 

TNB’s relationship with Adams/Madison Timber consisted of traditional banking services in the ordinary course of business.

 

TNB and its subsidiaries are also parties to other lawsuits and other claims that arise in the ordinary course of business. Some of the lawsuits assert claims related to the lending, collection, servicing, investment, trust and other business activities, and some of the lawsuits allege substantial claims for damages.

 

On August 30, 2023, TNB agreed to a settlement in principle (the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement) relating to litigation and claims involving Arthur Lamar Adams and Madison Timber Properties, LLC ( collectively, Adams/Madison Timber). On October 9, 2023, TNB entered into a Settlement Agreement (the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement Agreement) reflecting the terms of the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement. The parties to the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement are, on the one hand, Alysson Mills in her capacity as Court-appointed Receiver ( the Adams/Madison Timber Receiver); and, on the other hand, TNB. Under the terms of the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement Agreement, the parties agreed to settle and dismiss the Adams/Madison Timber Action, and the Adams/Madison Timber Receiver will fully release all claims against TNB and any of its employees, agents and representatives. The Adams/Madison Timber Settlement includes the parties’ agreement to seek the Court’s entry of bar orders prohibiting any continued or future claims by anyone against TNB and its related parties relating to Adams/Madison Timber, whether asserted to date or not. The bar orders therefore would prohibit all litigation relating to Adams/Madison Timber described herein. Final Court approval of a bar order is a condition of the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement.

 

The Adams/Madison Timber Settlement is also subject to notice to Adams/Madison Timber investors, and final, non-appealable approval by the Court and entry of a judgment dismissing the Lawsuit against TNB. The timing of any final decision by the Court is subject to the discretion of the Court and any appeal. If the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement, including the bar order described above, is approved by the Court and is not subject to further appeal, TNB will make a one-time cash payment of $6.5 million to the Adams/Madison Timber Receiver.

 

While TNB believes that the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement is consistent with the terms of settlements in similar cases that have been approved and were not successfully appealed, it is possible that the Court may decide not to approve the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement Agreement or that the Court of Appeals could reject the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement Agreement on an appeal, either of which could render the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement a nullity.

 

All pending legal proceedings described above are being vigorously contested, with the exception of the TD Bank Declaratory Action that, as noted above, TNB was not served in connection with. In accordance with FASB ASC Subtopic 450-20, “Loss Contingencies,” TNB will establish an accrued liability for any litigation matter if and when such matter presents loss contingencies that are both probable and reasonably estimable. As a result of the entry into the Stanford Settlement as described above, Trustmark Corporation recognized a $100.0 million litigation settlement expense included in noninterest expense related to the Stanford litigation during the fourth quarter of 2022, plus an additional $750 thousand in related legal fees. As a result of the entry into the Adams/Madison Timber Settlement as described above, Trustmark Corporation recognized a $6.5 million litigation settlement expense included in noninterest expense related to the Adams/Madison Timber litigation during the third quarter of 2023. Trustmark Corporation expects that both the Stanford Settlement and Adams/Madison Timber Settlement will be tax deductible. Trustmark Corporation and TNB will remain substantially above levels considered to be well-capitalized under all relevant standards. At the present time, TNB believes, based on its evaluation and the advice of legal counsel, that a loss in any currently pending legal proceeding other than the settled Stanford and Adams/Madison Timber litigation is not probable and a reasonable estimate cannot reasonably be made.