Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

15.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Commitments

At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Bank had commitments to extend credit of approximately $1.69 billion and $924.5 million, respectively, and obligations under letters of credit of $54.3 million and $37.6 million, respectively. Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to customers, provided there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Commitments are generally variable rate, and many of these commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon. As such, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The Bank uses the same credit underwriting policies in granting or accepting such commitments or contingent obligations as it does for on-balance-sheet instruments, which consist of evaluating customers’ creditworthiness individually. The Bank had a reserve for unfunded loan commitments of $9.0 million as of December 31, 2018 and $6.3 million as of December 31, 2017 included in other liabilities.

Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Bank to guarantee the financial performance of a customer to a third party. Those guarantees are primarily issued to support private borrowing or purchase arrangements. The credit risk involved in issuing letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loan facilities to customers. When deemed necessary, the Bank holds appropriate collateral supporting those commitments. Management does not anticipate any material losses as a result of these transactions.

At December 31, 2018, the Bank has available lines of credit totaling $3.96 billion from correspondent banks, FHLB and Federal Reserve Bank of which $3.59 billion were secured.

Other Contingencies

The Company and its subsidiaries are parties to various lawsuits and threatened lawsuits in the ordinary and non-ordinary course of business. From time to time, such lawsuits and threatened lawsuits may include, but are not limited to, actions

involving

securities litigation, employment matters,

wage-hour and labor law claims, consumer, lender liability claims and negligence claims, some of which may be styled as “class action” or representative cases. Some of these lawsuits may be similar in nature to other lawsuits pending against the Company’s competitors.

The

Company is a defendant and cross-complainant in an action entitled Edward A. Dunagan

et al

v. Citizens Business Bank, as successor to American Security Bank (ASB), Case No. CVDS1408287, filed in the Superior Court for San Bernardino County. The complaint was initially filed in May, 2014 against ASB, which was acquired during the same month by CBB, and a Second Amended Complaint (SAC) was filed on September 9, 2015, naming CBB as the primary defendant. The case arises out of a number of defaulted commercial real estate loans originally made by ASB to the Dunagans and various entities owned by the Dunagans (Dunagan Parties), and the SAC includes claims by the Dunagans (1) contesting their liabilities under their personal guarantees for deficiencies on certain of the defaulted loans, (2) attacking the validity of ASB’s foreclosures on certain properties owned by the Dunagan Parties, and (3) claiming emotional distress caused by ASB’s allegedly wrongful actions in connection with such foreclosures. The Dunagans sought compensatory damages in excess of $2 million plus punitive damages. ASB/CBB filed a cross-complaint against the Dunagans alleging breach of guaranty and demanding additional damages. A bench trial on the respective claims by the Dunagans and ASB/CBB took place in late July and early August, 2018.

On November 7, 2018, the Court issued a statement of decision finding in favor of the Dunagans and against ASB on all three claims made by the plaintiffs enumerated above, denying ASB’s claims under the cross-complaint, and awarding damages and attorney’s fees and costs to the Dunagans in an aggregate amount of approximately $1.34 million. The Company has filed to appeal this decision. The Company also believes that the bankers professional liability insurance policy previously obtained by ASB (which provides for a $5 million per claim limit subject to a $100,000

deductible) may cover all or a substantial portion of any final monetary award to the plaintiffs. The Company continues to believe that this adverse decision and any monetary award ultimately payable by CBB are not expected to have a material adverse impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.

For lawsuits where the Company has determined that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable, a liability representing the best estimate of the Company’s financial exposure based on known facts has been recorded in accordance with FASB guidance over loss contingencies (ASC 450). However, as a result of inherent uncertainties in judicial interpretation and application of a myriad of laws applicable to the Company’s business, and the unique, complex factual issues presented in any given lawsuit, the Company often cannot determine the probability of loss or estimate the amount of damages which a plaintiff might successfully prove if the Company were found to be liable. For lawsuits or threatened lawsuits where a claim has been asserted or the Company has determined that it is probable that a claim will be asserted, and there is a reasonable possibility that the outcome will be unfavorable, the Company will disclose the existence of the loss contingency, even if the Company is not able to make an estimate of the possible loss or range of possible loss with respect to the action or potential action in question, unless the Company believes that the nature, potential magnitude or potential timing (if known) of the loss contingency is not reasonably likely to be material to the Company’s liquidity, consolidated financial position, and/or results of operations.

Our accruals and disclosures for loss contingencies are reviewed quarterly and adjusted as additional information becomes available. We disclose a loss contingency and/or the amount accrued if we believe it is reasonably likely to be material or if we believe such disclosure is necessary for our financial statements to not be misleading. If we determine that an exposure to loss exists in excess of an amount previously accrued or disclosed, we assess whether there is at least a reasonable possibility that a loss, or additional loss, may have been incurred, and we adjust our accruals and disclosures accordingly.

We do not presently believe that the ultimate resolution of any lawsuits currently pending against the Company will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows. The outcome of litigation and other legal and regulatory matters is inherently uncertain, however, and it is possible that one or more of the legal matters currently pending or threatened against the Company could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.