Exhibit 4.1
INDENTURE
between
FIRST ALLIANCE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 1998-1A,
as Issuer
and
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
as Indenture Trustee
Dated as of March 1, 1998
FIRST ALLIANCE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 1998-1A
Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loan Asset Backed Notes, Series 1998-1A
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE...................................................................... 2
SECTION 1.1 Definitions.......................................................................... 2
SECTION 1.2 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.................................... 7
SECTION 1.3 Rules of Construction................................................................ 7
ARTICLE II
THE NOTES....................................................................................................... 8
SECTION 2.1 Form................................................................................. 8
SECTION 2.2 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating....................................... 8
SECTION 2.3 Registration; Registration of Transfer and Exchange.................................. 9
SECTION 2.4 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes........................................... 10
SECTION 2.5 Persons Deemed Owners................................................................ 11
SECTION 2.6 Payment of Principal and Interest; Defaulted Interest................................ 11
SECTION 2.7 Cancellation......................................................................... 11
SECTION 2.8 Authentication of Notes.............................................................. 12
SECTION 2.9 Release of Collateral................................................................ 12
SECTION 2.10 Book-Entry Notes..................................................................... 12
SECTION 2.11 Notices to Clearing Agency........................................................... 13
SECTION 2.12 Definitive Notes..................................................................... 13
SECTION 2.13 Tax Treatment........................................................................ 14
ARTICLE III
COVENANTS....................................................................................................... 14
SECTION 3.1 Payment of Principal and Interest.................................................... 14
SECTION 3.2 Maintenance of Office or Agency...................................................... 14
SECTION 3.3 Money for Payments To Be Held in Trust............................................... 14
SECTION 3.4 Existence............................................................................ 16
SECTION 3.5 Protection of Collateral............................................................. 16
SECTION 3.6 Annual Opinions as to Collateral..................................................... 17
SECTION 3.7 Performance of Obligations; Servicing of Mortgage Loans.............................. 17
SECTION 3.8 Negative Covenants................................................................... 18
SECTION 3.9 Annual Statement as to Compliance.................................................... 19
SECTION 3.10 Covenants of the Issuer.............................................................. 19
SECTION 3.11 Investment Company Act............................................................... 20
SECTION 3.12 Restricted Payments.................................................................. 20
SECTION 3.13 Treatment of Notes as Debt for Tax Purposes.......................................... 20
SECTION 3.14 Notice of Events of Default.......................................................... 20
SECTION 3.15 Further Instruments and Acts......................................................... 20
SECTION 3.16 No Other Business.................................................................... 20
SECTION 3.17 No Borrowing......................................................................... 20
SECTION 3.18 Guarantees, Loans, Advances and Other Liabilities. ................................. 20
SECTION 3.19 Capital Expenditures................................................................. 21
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ARTICLE IV
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE...................................................................................... 21
SECTION 4.1 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.............................................. 21
SECTION 4.2 Application of Trust Money........................................................... 22
SECTION 4.3 Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent............................................. 22
ARTICLE V
REMEDIES........................................................................................................ 22
SECTION 5.1 Events of Default.................................................................... 22
SECTION 5.2 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment................................... 23
SECTION 5.3 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Indenture Trustee............ 24
SECTION 5.4 Remedies; Priorities................................................................. 26
SECTION 5.5 Optional Preservation of the Collateral.............................................. 27
SECTION 5.6 Limitation of Suits.................................................................. 27
SECTION 5.7 Unconditional Rights of Owners To Receive Principal and Interest..................... 28
SECTION 5.8 Restoration of Rights and Remedies................................................... 28
SECTION 5.9 Rights and Remedies Cumulative....................................................... 28
SECTION 5.10 Delay or Omission Not a Waiver....................................................... 28
SECTION 5.11 Control by Note Insurer or Owners.................................................... 29
SECTION 5.12 Waiver of Past Defaults.............................................................. 29
SECTION 5.13 Undertaking for Costs................................................................ 29
SECTION 5.14 Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws..................................................... 30
SECTION 5.15 Action on Notes...................................................................... 30
SECTION 5.16 Performance and Enforcement of Certain Obligations................................... 30
ARTICLE VI
THE INDENTURE TRUSTEE........................................................................................... 31
SECTION 6.1 Duties of Indenture Trustee.......................................................... 31
SECTION 6.2 Rights of Indenture Trustee.......................................................... 32
SECTION 6.3 Individual Rights of Indenture Trustee............................................... 32
SECTION 6.4 Indenture Trustee's Disclaimer....................................................... 33
SECTION 6.5 Notice of Defaults................................................................... 33
SECTION 6.6 Reports by Indenture Trustee to Owners............................................... 33
SECTION 6.7 Compensation and Indemnity........................................................... 33
SECTION 6.8 Replacement of Indenture Trustee..................................................... 33
SECTION 6.9 Successor Indenture Trustee by Merger................................................ 34
SECTION 6.10 Appointment of Co-Indenture Trustee or Separate Indenture Trustee.................... 34
SECTION 6.11 Eligibility; Disqualification........................................................ 35
SECTION 6.12 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Issuer..................................... 36
SECTION 6.13 Tax Administration of the Issuer..................................................... 36
SECTION 6.14 Representations and Warranties....................................................... 36
SECTION 6.15 Directions to Indenture Trustee...................................................... 37
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ARTICLE VII
OWNERS' LISTS AND REPORTS....................................................................................... 37
SECTION 7.1 Issuer To Furnish Indenture Trustee Names and Addresses of Owners.................... 37
SECTION 7.2 Preservation of Information; Communications to Owners................................ 37
SECTION 7.3 Reports by Issuer.................................................................... 37
SECTION 7.4 Reports by Indenture Trustee......................................................... 38
ARTICLE VIII
ACCOUNTS, DISBURSEMENTS AND RELEASES............................................................................ 38
SECTION 8.1 Collection of Money.................................................................. 38
SECTION 8.2 Accounts; Distributions.............................................................. 38
SECTION 8.3 General Provisions Regarding Accounts................................................ 39
SECTION 8.4 Monthly Statements................................................................... 40
SECTION 8.5 Release of Collateral................................................................ 40
SECTION 8.6 Opinion of Counsel................................................................... 40
ARTICLE IX
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES......................................................................................... 41
SECTION 9.1 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Owners.................................... 41
SECTION 9.3 Execution of Supplemental Indentures................................................. 43
SECTION 9.4 Effect of Supplemental Indenture..................................................... 43
SECTION 9.5 Conformity with Trust Indenture Act.................................................. 43
SECTION 9.6 Reference in Notes to Supplemental Indentures........................................ 43
SECTION 9.7 Amendments to Trust Agreement........................................................ 44
SECTION 9.8 Notice of Supplemental Indentures.................................................... 44
ARTICLE X
REDEMPTION OF NOTES............................................................................................. 44
SECTION 10.1 Redemption. ......................................................................... 44
SECTION 10.2 Form of Redemption Notice............................................................ 44
SECTION 10.3 Notes Payable on Redemption Date; Provision for Payment of Indenture
Trustee, Owner Trustee and Note Insurer.............................................. 45
SECTION 10.4 Notice of Final Payment.............................................................. 45
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS................................................................................................... 45
SECTION 11.1 Compliance Certificates and Opinions, etc............................................ 45
SECTION 11.2 Form of Documents Delivered to Indenture Trustee..................................... 46
SECTION 11.3 Acts of Owners....................................................................... 46
SECTION 11.4 Notices, etc., to Indenture Trustee, Issuer, Rating Agencies and
Note Insurer......................................................................... 47
SECTION 11.5 Notices to Owners; Waiver............................................................ 47
SECTION 11.6 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.................................................... 48
SECTION 11.7 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents............................................. 48
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SECTION 11.8 Successors and Assigns................................................................... 48
SECTION 11.9 Separability............................................................................. 48
SECTION 11.10 Benefits of Indenture.................................................................... 48
SECTION 11.11 Legal Holidays........................................................................... 48
SECTION 11.12 Governing Law............................................................................ 48
SECTION 11.13 Counterparts............................................................................. 48
SECTION 11.14 Recording of Indenture................................................................... 49
SECTION 11.15 Trust Obligation......................................................................... 49
SECTION 11.16 No Petition.............................................................................. 49
SECTION 11.17 Inspection............................................................................... 49
SECTION 11.18 Grant of Owner Rights to Note Insurer.................................................... 49
SECTION 11.19 Third Party Beneficiary.................................................................. 50
SECTION 11.20 Suspension and Termination of Note Insurer's Rights...................................... 50
EXHIBITS
SCHEDULE A - Schedule of Mortgage Loans
EXHIBIT A - Form of Note
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INDENTURE (this "Indenture" or this "Agreement") dated as of March 1,
1998, between FIRST ALLIANCE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 1998-1A, a Delaware business
trust (the "Issuer"), and THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, a New York banking
corporation, as trustee and not in its individual capacity (the "Indenture
Trustee").
Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for
the equal and ratable benefit of the Owners of the First Alliance Adjustable
Rate Mortgage Loan Trust 1998-1A Notes and the Note Insurer.
GRANTING CLAUSE
Subject to the terms of this Indenture, the Issuer hereby Grants to the
Indenture Trustee on the Closing Date, as Indenture Trustee for the benefit of
the Owners of the Notes and the Note Insurer, all of the Issuer's right, title
and interest whether now existing or hereafter acquired in and to: (i) the Trust
Estate; (ii) all right, title and interest of the Issuer in the Sale and
Servicing Agreement (including the Issuer's right to cause the Seller to
repurchase Mortgage Loans from the Issuer under certain circumstances described
therein); (iii) all present and future claims, demands, causes of action and
choses in action in respect of any or all of the foregoing and all payments on
or under and all proceeds of every kind and nature whatsoever in respect of any
or all of the foregoing, including all proceeds of the conversion thereof,
voluntary or involuntary, into cash or other liquid property, all cash proceeds,
accounts, accounts receivable, notes, drafts, acceptances, chattel paper,
checks, deposit accounts, insurance proceeds, condemnation awards, rights to
payment of any and every kind and other forms of obligations and receivables,
instruments and other property which at any time constitute all or part of or
are included in the proceeds of any of the foregoing; (iv) all funds on deposit
from time to time in the Accounts (including the Note Account) and (v) all other
property of the Trust from time to time (collectively, the "Collateral").
The foregoing Grant is made in trust to secure (i) the payment of
principal of and interest on, and any other amounts owing in respect of, the
Notes, equally and ratably without prejudice, priority or distinction, (ii) the
payment of all other amounts payable under this Indenture and (iii) compliance
with the provisions of this Indenture, all as provided in this Indenture.
The Indenture Trustee, as Indenture Trustee on behalf of the Owners of
the Notes and the Note Insurer, acknowledges such Grant, accepts the trusts
hereunder and agrees to perform its duties required in this Indenture to the
best of its ability to the end that the interests of the Owners of the Notes and
the Note Insurer may be adequately and effectively protected. The Indenture
Trustee agrees that it will hold the Note Insurance Policy in trust and that it
will hold any proceeds of any claim made upon the Note Insurance Policy solely
for the use and benefit of the Owners of the Notes in accordance with the terms
hereof and the terms of the Note Insurance Policy. The Indenture Trustee agrees
and acknowledges that the Files will be held by the Custodian, as agent of the
Indenture Trustee, in trust, for the use and benefit of the Issuer, the Note
Insurer and all present and future Owners of the Notes, in New York, New York.
The Indenture Trustee further agrees and acknowledges that each other item of
Collateral that is physically delivered to the Indenture Trustee will be held by
the Indenture Trustee in New York, New York.
The Indenture Trustee further acknowledges that in the event the
conveyance of the Mortgage Loans by the Seller to the Issuer pursuant to the
Trust Agreement is determined to constitute a financing, the Indenture Trustee
holds the Mortgage Loans as the designee of the Issuer, subject, however, to a
prior lien in favor of the Noteholders and the Note Insurer.
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
SECTION 1.1 Definitions. Except as otherwise specified herein or as the
context may otherwise require, the following terms have the respective meanings
set forth below for all purposes of this Indenture.
"Act": The meaning specified in Section 11.3(a) hereof.
"Affiliate": With respect to any specified Person, any other Person
controlling or controlled by or under common control with such specified Person.
For the purposes of this definition, "control" when used with respect to any
Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person,
directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by
contract or otherwise; and the terms "controlling" and "controlled" have
meanings correlative to the foregoing.
"Authorized Officer": With respect to the Issuer, any officer of the
Owner Trustee who is authorized to act for the Owner Trustee in matters relating
to the Issuer and who is identified on the list of Authorized Officers delivered
by the Owner Trustee to the Indenture Trustee on the Closing Date (as such list
may be modified or supplemented from time to time thereafter).
"Book-Entry Notes": A beneficial interest in the Notes, the ownership
and transfer of which shall be made through book entries by a Clearing Agency as
described in Section 2.10.
"Book-Entry Owner": With respect to a Book-Entry Note, the Person who
is the beneficial owner of such Book-Entry Note, as reflected on the books of
the Clearing Agency or on the books of a Person maintaining an account with such
Clearing Agency (directly as a Clearing Agency Participant or as an indirect
participant, in each case in accordance with the rules of such Clearing Agency).
"Business Day": Any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day on which
commercial banking institutions in the States of New York or California or in
the city in which the Corporate Trust Office is located or the city in which the
principal office of the Note Insurer is located are authorized or obligated by
law or executive order to be closed.
"Certificate of Trust": The certificate of trust of the Issuer
substantially in the form of Exhibit A to the Trust Agreement.
"Clearing Agency": An organization registered as a "clearing agency"
pursuant to Section 17A of the Exchange Act.
"Clearing Agency Participant": A broker, dealer, bank, other financial
institution or other Person for whom from time to time a Clearing Agency effects
book-entry transfers and pledges of securities deposited with the Clearing
Agency.
"Closing Date": March 27, 1998.
"Code": The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to
time, and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
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"Collateral": The meaning specified in the Granting Clause of this
Indenture.
"Corporate Trust Office": The principal office of the Indenture Trustee
at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be
administered, which office at the date of execution of this Agreement is located
at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: First Alliance
Mortgage Loan Trust 1998-1A, or at such other address as the Indenture Trustee
may designate from time to time by notice to the Owners and the Issuer, or the
principal corporate trust office of any successor Indenture Trustee at the
address designated by such successor Indenture Trustee by notice to the Owners,
the Note Insurer and the Issuer.
"Default": Any occurrence that is, or with notice or the lapse of time
or both would become, an Event of Default.
"Definitive Notes": The meaning specified in Section 2.12.
"Event of Default": The meaning specified in Section 5.1 hereof.
"Exchange Act": The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
"Final Payment Date": April 20, 2028.
"Grant": To mortgage, pledge, bargain, sell, warrant, alienate, remise,
release, convey, assign, transfer, create, and ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇ ▇▇▇▇ upon and a security
interest in and right of set-off against, deposit, set over and confirm pursuant
to this Indenture. A Grant of the Collateral or of any other agreement or
instrument shall include all rights, powers and options (but none of the
obligations) of the granting party thereunder, including the immediate and
continuing right to claim for, collect, receive and give receipt for principal
and interest payments in respect of the Collateral and all other moneys payable
thereunder, to give and receive notices and other communications, to make
waivers or other agreements, to exercise all rights and options, to bring
Proceedings in the name of the granting party or otherwise, and generally to do
and receive anything that the granting party is or may be entitled to do or
receive thereunder or with respect thereto.
"Indenture Trustee": The Chase Manhattan Bank, a New York banking
corporation, as Indenture Trustee under this Indenture, or any successor
Indenture Trustee under this Indenture.
"Independent": When used with respect to any specified Person, that the
Person (a) is in fact independent of the Issuer, any other obligor on the Notes,
the Seller and any Affiliate of any of the foregoing Persons, (b) does not have
any direct financial interest or any material indirect financial interest in the
Issuer, any such other obligor, the Seller or any Affiliate of any of the
foregoing Persons and (c) is not connected with the Issuer, any such other
obligor, the Seller or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing Persons as an
officer, employee, promoter, underwriter, trustee, partner, director or person
performing similar functions.
"Independent Certificate": A certificate or opinion to be delivered to
the Indenture Trustee under the circumstances described in, and otherwise
complying with, the applicable requirements of Section 11.1, made by an
Independent appraiser or other expert appointed by an Issuer Order and approved
by the Indenture Trustee in the exercise of reasonable care, and such opinion or
certificate shall state that the signer has read the definition of "Independent"
in this Indenture and that the signer is Independent within the meaning thereof.
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"Issuer": First Alliance Mortgage Loan Trust 1998-1A until a successor
replaces it and, thereafter, means the successor and, for purposes of any
provision contained herein and required by the TIA, each other obligor on the
Notes.
"Issuer Order" and "Issuer Request": A written order or request signed
in the name of the Issuer by any one of its Authorized Officers and delivered to
the Indenture Trustee.
"Moody's": ▇▇▇▇▇'▇ Investor Service, Inc., and any successor thereto.
"Note": The Issuer's Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loan Asset Backed Notes,
Series 1998-1A, substantially in the Form of Exhibit A hereto.
"Note Register" and "Note Registrar": The respective meanings specified
in Section 2.3.
"Officer's Certificate": A certificate signed by any Authorized Officer
of the Issuer, under the circumstances described in, and otherwise complying
with, the applicable requirements of Section 11.1, and delivered to the
Indenture Trustee.
"Opinion of Counsel": One or more written opinions of counsel who may,
except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture, be employees of or
counsel to the Issuer and who shall be satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee and
the Note Insurer, and which opinion or opinions shall be addressed to the
Indenture Trustee, as Indenture Trustee, and the Note Insurer and shall comply
with any applicable requirements of Section 11.1 and shall be in form and
substance satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee and the Note Insurer.
"Outstanding": With respect to any Note and as of the date of
determination, any Note theretofore authenticated and delivered under this
Indenture except:
(i) Notes theretofore canceled by the Note Registrar or delivered to
the Note Registrar for cancellation;
(ii) Notes or portions thereof the payment for which money in the
necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the
Indenture Trustee or any Paying Agent in trust for the Owners
of such Notes (provided, however, that if such Notes are to be
redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given
pursuant to this Indenture or provision for such notice has
been made, satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee);
(iii) Notes in exchange for or in lieu of which other Notes have
been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture
unless proof satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee is
presented that any such Notes are held by a bona fide
purchaser; provided, that in determining whether the Owners of
the requisite Outstanding Amount of the Notes have given any
request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, or
waiver hereunder or under any Operative Document, Notes owned
by the Issuer, any other obligor upon the Notes, the Seller or
any Affiliate of any of the foregoing Persons shall be
disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in
determining whether the Indenture Trustee shall be protected
in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent, or waiver, only Notes that the
Indenture Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so
disregarded. Notes so owned that have been pledged in good
faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the
4
pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Indenture
Trustee the pledgee's right so to act with respect to such
Notes and that the pledgee is not the Issuer, any other
obligor upon the Notes, the Seller or any Affiliate of any of
the foregoing Persons;
(iv) Notes alleged to have been destroyed, lost or stolen for which
replacement Notes have been issued as provided for in Section
2.4 thereof; and
(v) Notes as to which the Indenture Trustee has made the final
distribution thereon, whether or not such Notes are ever
returned to the Indenture Trustee.
"Outstanding Amount": The aggregate principal amount of all Notes that
are Outstanding at the date of determination.
"Owner": The Person in whose name a Note is registered on the Note
Register; provided that the exercise of any rights of such Owner under this
Indenture shall at all times be subject to Section 11.18 hereto.
"Owner Trustee": Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual
capacity but solely as Owner Trustee under the Trust Agreement, or any successor
Owner Trustee under the Trust Agreement.
"Paying Agent": The Indenture Trustee or any other Person that meets
the eligibility standards for the Indenture Trustee specified in Section 6.11
and is authorized by the Issuer to make payments to and distributions from the
Note Account, including payment of principal of or interest on the Notes on
behalf of the Issuer.
"Payment Date": The 20th day of any month or if such day is not a
Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day, commencing in April 1998.
"Predecessor Note": With respect to any particular Note, every previous
Note evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such
particular Note; and, for the purpose of this definition, any Note authenticated
and delivered under Section 2.4 in lieu of a mutilated, lost, destroyed or
stolen Note shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, lost,
destroyed or stolen Note.
"Proceeding": Any suit in equity, action at law or other judicial or
administrative proceeding.
"Rating Agency": Either or both of (i) Standard & Poor's or (ii)
Moody's. If no such organization or successor is any longer in existence,
"Rating Agency" shall be a nationally recognized statistical rating organization
or other comparable Person designated by the Note Insurer, notice of which
designation shall be given to the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee, the Owner
Trustee and the Servicer.
"Rating Agency Condition": With respect to any action to which a Rating
Agency Condition applies, that each Rating Agency shall have been given 10 days
(or such shorter period as is acceptable to each Rating Agency) prior notice
thereof and that each of the Rating Agencies shall have notified the Seller, the
Servicer, the Note Insurer and the Issuer in writing that such action will not
result in a reduction or withdrawal of the then current rating of the Notes.
"Record Date": With respect to any Payment Date, the last day of the
calendar month immediately preceding the calendar month in which such Payment
Date occurs, whether or not such day is a Business Day.
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"Redemption Price": In the case of a redemption of the Notes pursuant
to Section 10.1, an amount equal to the sum of (i) the unpaid principal amount
of the Notes redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon (and any
Available Funds Cap Carry-Forward Amounts) at the Note Rate to but excluding the
Redemption Date, (ii) any unpaid Indenture Trustee Fees, Owner Trustee Fees and
Premium Amounts, (iii) all other amounts owed to the Note Insurer pursuant to
the Insurance Agreement and (iv) any unreimbursed Delinquency Advances and
Servicing Advances.
"Registered Owner": The Person in whose name a Note is registered on
the Note Register on the applicable Record Date.
"Responsible Officer": With respect to the Indenture Trustee, any
officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Indenture Trustee, including
any Vice President, Assistant Vice President, Assistant Treasurer, Assistant
Secretary or any other officer of the Indenture Trustee customarily performing
functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and
also, with respect to a particular matter, any other officer to whom such matter
is referred because of such officer's knowledge of and familiarity with the
particular subject.
"Sale and Servicing Agreement": The Sale and Servicing Agreement dated
as of March 1, 1998, among the Issuer, the Seller, the Servicer and the
Indenture Trustee, as Indenture Trustee.
"Securities Act": The Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Seller": First Alliance Mortgage Company, in its capacity as seller
under the Sale and Servicing Agreement, and its successor in interest.
"Servicer": First Alliance Mortgage Company, in its capacity as
servicer under the Sale and Servicing Agreement, and any Successor Servicer
thereunder.
"Standard & Poor's": Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, a division of
The ▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇ Companies, Inc., and any successor thereto.
"State": Any one of the ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ or
the District of Columbia.
"Successor Servicer": The meaning specified in Section 3.7(e).
"Trust Estate": The assets subject to this Agreement, the Sale and
Servicing Agreement and the Trust Agreement and assigned to the Trust, which
assets consist of (a) the Initial Mortgage Loans listed in Schedule I to the
Sale and Servicing Agreement and any Subsequent Mortgage Loans listed in
Schedule I to any Subsequent Transfer Agreement, including the related Files
that the Seller causes to be delivered to the Indenture Trustee, all payments of
principal received, collected or otherwise recovered after the Cut-Off Date (or
Subsequent Cut-Off Date) for each Mortgage Loan (other than any principal
payments due thereon on or prior to the Cut-Off Date or Subsequent Cut-Off
Date), all payments of interest accruing on each Mortgage Loan after the Cut-Off
Date (or Subsequent Cut-Off Date) therefor (other than any interest payments due
thereon on or prior to the Cut-Off Date or Subsequent Cut-Off Date) and all
other proceeds received in respect of such Mortgage Loans, (b) the Note
Insurance Policy, (c) any Insurance Policies, (d) all cash, instruments or other
property held or required to be deposited in the Principal and Interest Account,
the Note Account, and the Available Funds Cap Carry-Forward Amount Account,
including all investments made with funds in such accounts (but not including
any income on funds deposited in, or investments made
6
with funds deposited in, the Principal and Interest Account, which income shall
belong to and be for the account of the Servicer, and not including any income
on funds deposited in, or investments made with funds deposited in, the Note
Account or Available Funds Cap Carry-Forward Amount Account, which income shall
belong to and be for the account of the Issuer), (e) the Issuer's rights under
the Sale and Servicing Agreement, and (f) all proceeds of the conversion,
voluntary or involuntary, of any of the foregoing into cash or other liquid
assets, including, without limitation, all insurance proceeds and condemnation
awards.
"Trust Indenture Act" or "TIA": The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended, as in force on the date hereof, unless otherwise specifically provided.
"UCC": Unless the context otherwise requires, the Uniform Commercial
Code, as in effect in the relevant jurisdiction, as amended from time to time.
(b) Except as otherwise specified herein or as the context may
otherwise require, for all purposes of this Indenture capitalized terms used but
not otherwise defined herein have the respective meanings set forth in the Sale
and Servicing Agreement or, if not defined therein, in the Trust Agreement.
SECTION 1.2 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act. Whenever
this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated
by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used
in this Indenture have the following meanings:
"Commission" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
"indenture securities" means the Notes.
"indenture security Owner" means an Owner.
"indenture to be qualified" means this Indenture.
"indenture trustee" or "institutional trustee" means the Indenture
Trustee.
"obligor" on the Indenture securities means the Issuer and any other
obligor on the Indenture securities.
All other TIA terms used in this Indenture that are defined in the TIA,
defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by Commission rule have
the meaning assigned to them by such definitions.
SECTION 1.3 Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise
requires:
(i) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(ii) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning
assigned to it in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles as in effect from time to time;
(iii) "or" is not exclusive;
(iv) "including" means including without limitation;
7
(v) words in the singular include the plural and words in the
plural include the singular; and
(vi) any agreement, instrument or statute defined or referred to
herein or in any instrument or certificate delivered in
connection herewith means such agreement, instrument or
statute as from time to time amended, modified or supplemented
(as provided in such agreements) and includes (in the case of
agreements or instruments) references to all attachments
thereto and instruments incorporated therein; references to a
Person are also to its permitted successors and assigns.
ARTICLE II
THE NOTES
SECTION 2.1 Form. The Notes shall be designated as the "First Alliance
Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loan Asset Backed Notes, Series 1998-1A" and, together
with the Indenture Trustee's certificate of authentication, shall be in
substantially the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto, with such appropriate
insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or
permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks
of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may,
consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Notes, as
evidenced by their execution thereof. Any portion of the text of any Note may be
set forth on the reverse thereof, with an appropriate reference thereto on the
face of the Note.
The Definitive Notes shall be typewritten, printed, lithographed or
engraved or produced by any combination of these methods, all as determined by
the officers executing such Notes, as evidenced by their execution of such
Notes.
The terms of the Notes set forth in Exhibit A are part of the terms of
this Indenture.
The Notes may be marked as temporary, and any Note being so marked may
be cancelled and destroyed for substitution by a replacement Note, subject to
the provisions of Section 2.2.
SECTION 2.2 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. The Notes
shall be executed on behalf of the Issuer by an Authorized Officer. The
signature of any such Authorized Officer on the Notes may be manual or
facsimile.
Notes bearing the manual or facsimile signature of individuals who were
at any time Authorized Officers of the Owner Trustee shall bind the Issuer,
notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such
offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Notes or did not hold
such offices at the date of such Notes.
Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.8,
the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and deliver Notes for original issue in
an aggregate principal amount of $54,600,000. The aggregate principal amount of
Notes Outstanding at any time may not exceed such amount.
The Notes that are authenticated and delivered by the Indenture Trustee
to or upon the order of the Issuer on the Closing Date shall be dated March 27,
1998. All other Notes that are authenticated after the Closing Date for any
other purpose under this Indenture shall be dated the date of their
authentication. The
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Notes shall be issuable as registered Notes in the minimum denomination of
$25,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
No Note shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be
valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Note a
certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein
executed by the Indenture Trustee by the manual signature of one of its
authorized signatories, and such certificate upon any Note shall be conclusive
evidence, and the only evidence, that such Note has been duly authenticated and
delivered hereunder.
SECTION 2.3 Registration; Registration of Transfer and Exchange. The
Issuer shall cause to be kept a register (the "Note Register") in which, subject
to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Issuer shall provide for
the registration of Notes and the registration of transfers of Notes. The
Indenture Trustee initially shall be the "Note Registrar" for the purpose of
registering Notes and transfers of Notes as herein provided. Upon any
resignation of any Note Registrar, the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor
or, if it elects not to make such an appointment, assume the duties of Note
Registrar.
If a Person other than the Indenture Trustee is appointed by the Issuer
as Note Registrar with the consent of the Note Insurer, the Issuer will give the
Indenture Trustee prompt written notice of the appointment of such Note
Registrar and of the location, and any change in the location, of the Note
Register, and the Indenture Trustee shall have the right to inspect the Note
Register at all reasonable times and to obtain copies thereof, and the Indenture
Trustee and the Note Insurer shall have the right to rely upon a certificate
executed on behalf of the Note Registrar by an Authorized Officer thereof as to
the names and addresses of the Owners of the Notes and the principal amounts and
number of such Notes.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Note at the office
or agency of the Issuer to be maintained as provided in Section 3.2, the Issuer
shall execute, and the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and the Owner shall
obtain from the Indenture Trustee, in the name of the designated transferee or
transferees, one or more new Notes in any authorized denominations, of a like
aggregate principal amount.
At the option of any Owner, Notes owned by such Owner may be exchanged
for other Notes in any authorized denominations, of a like aggregate principal
amount, upon surrender of the Notes to be exchanged at such office or agency.
Whenever any Notes are so surrendered for exchange, the Issuer shall execute,
and the Indenture Trustee shall authenticate and the Owner shall obtain from the
Indenture Trustee, the Notes which the Owner making the exchange is entitled to
receive.
All Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes
shall be the valid obligations of the Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and
entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Notes surrendered
upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
Every Note presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or
exchange shall be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by a written instrument of
transfer in form satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee duly executed by the
Owner thereof or such Owner's attorney duly authorized in writing, with such
signature guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" meeting the
requirements of the Note Registrar, which requirements include membership or
participation in the Securities Transfer Agent's Medallion Program ("STAMP") or
such other "signature guarantee program" as may be determined by the Note
Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with
the Exchange Act.
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Any Noteholder using the assets of (i) an employee benefit plan (as
defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974,
as amended ("ERISA")) that is subject to the provisions of Title I of ERISA,
(ii) a plan described in Section 4975(e)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended, or (iii) any entity whose underlying assets include plan
assets by reason of a plan's investment in the entity to purchase the Notes, or
to whom the Notes are transferred, will be deemed to have represented that the
acquisition and continued holding of the Notes will be covered by a U.S.
Department of Labor Class Exemption.
No service charge shall be made to an Owner for any registration of
transfer or exchange of Notes, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in
connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, other than
exchanges pursuant to Section 2.4 or Section 9.6 not involving any transfer.
The preceding provisions of this Section notwithstanding, the Issuer
shall not be required to make, and the Note Registrar need not register,
transfers or exchanges of Notes selected for redemption or of any Note for a
period of 15 days preceding the due date for any payment with respect to such
Note.
SECTION 2.4 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes. If (i) any
mutilated Note is surrendered to the Indenture Trustee, or the Indenture Trustee
receives evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any
Note, and (ii) there is delivered to the Indenture Trustee such security or
indemnity as may be required by it to hold the Issuer, the Note Insurer and the
Indenture Trustee harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Issuer, the
Note Registrar or the Indenture Trustee that such Note has been acquired by a
bona fide purchaser, and provided that the requirements of Section 8-405 of the
UCC are met, the Issuer shall execute, and upon its request the Indenture
Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such
mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note, a replacement Note; provided,
however, that if any such destroyed, lost or stolen Note, but not a mutilated
Note, shall have become or within seven days shall be due and payable, or shall
have been called for redemption, instead of issuing a replacement Note, the
Issuer may pay such destroyed, lost or stolen Note when so due or payable or
upon the Redemption Date without surrender thereof. If, after the delivery of
such replacement Note or payment of a destroyed, lost or stolen Note pursuant to
the proviso to the preceding sentence, a bona fide purchaser of the original
Note in lieu of which such replacement Note was issued presents for payment such
original Note, the Issuer, the Note Insurer and the Indenture Trustee shall be
entitled to recover such replacement Note (or such payment) from the Person to
whom it was delivered or any Person taking such replacement Note from such
Person to whom such replacement Note was delivered or any assignee of such
Person, except a bona fide purchaser, and shall be entitled to recover upon the
security or indemnity provided therefor to the extent of any loss, damage, cost
or expense incurred by the Issuer, the Note Insurer or the Indenture Trustee in
connection therewith.
Upon the issuance of any replacement Note under this Section, the
Issuer may require the payment by the Owner of such Note, other than the Note
Insurer, of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that
may be imposed in relation thereto and any other reasonable expenses (including
the fees and expenses of the Indenture Trustee) connected therewith.
Every replacement Note issued pursuant to this Section in replacement
of any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall constitute an original
additional contractual obligation of the Issuer, whether or not the mutilated,
destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and
shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and
proportionately with any and all other Notes duly issued hereunder.
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The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the
extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or
payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes.
SECTION 2.5 Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment for
registration of transfer of any Note, the Issuer, the Note Insurer, the
Indenture Trustee and any agent of the Issuer, the Note Insurer or the Indenture
Trustee may treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered (as of the day
of determination) as the owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving
payments of principal of and interest, if any, on such Note and for all other
purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Note be overdue, and none of the
Issuer, the Note Insurer, the Indenture Trustee or any agent of the Issuer or
the Indenture Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
SECTION 2.6 Payment of Principal and Interest; Defaulted Interest.
(a) The Notes shall accrue interest at the Note Rate as set forth in
the Sale and Servicing Agreement, and such interest shall be payable on each
Payment Date as specified therein, subject to Section 3.1 hereof. Any
installment of interest or principal, if any, payable on any Note that is
punctually paid or duly provided for by the Issuer on the applicable Payment
Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Note (or one or more
Predecessor Notes) is registered on the Record Date by check mailed first-class
postage prepaid to such Person's address as it appears on the Note Register on
such Record Date, except that, unless Definitive Notes have been issued pursuant
to Section 2.12, with respect to Notes registered on the Record Date in the name
of the nominee of the Clearing Agency (initially, such nominee to be Cede &
Co.), payment will be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to
the account designated by such nominee and except for the final installment of
principal payable with respect to such Note on a Payment Date or on the
applicable Final Payment Date (and except for the Redemption Price for any Note
called for redemption pursuant to Section 10.1), which shall be payable as
provided below. The funds represented by any such checks returned undelivered
shall be held in accordance with Section 3.3.
(b) The principal of each Note shall be payable in installments on each
Payment Date as provided in the Sale and Servicing Agreement and the form of the
Notes set forth in Exhibit A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the entire unpaid
principal amount of the Notes shall be due and payable, if not previously paid,
on the earlier of (i) the Final Payment Date, (ii) the Redemption Date or (iii)
the date on which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, if
the Indenture Trustee or the Owners of Notes representing not less than a
majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes have declared the Notes to be
immediately due and payable in the manner provided in Section 5.2. All principal
payments on the Notes shall be made pro rata to the Owners. The Indenture
Trustee shall notify the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close
of business on the Record Date preceding the Payment Date on which the Issuer
expects that the final installment of principal of and interest on such Note
will be paid. Such notice shall be mailed or transmitted by facsimile prior to
such final Payment Date and shall specify that such final installment will be
payable only upon presentation and surrender of such Note and shall specify the
place where such Note may be presented and surrendered for payment of such
installment. A copy of such form of notice shall be sent to the Note Insurer by
the Indenture Trustee. Notices in connection with redemptions of Notes shall be
mailed to Owners as provided in Section 10.2.
SECTION 2.7 Cancellation. All Notes surrendered for payment,
registration of transfer, exchange or redemption shall, if surrendered to any
Person other than the Indenture Trustee, be delivered to the Indenture Trustee
and shall be promptly canceled by the Indenture Trustee. The Issuer may at any
time deliver to the Indenture Trustee for cancellation any Notes previously
authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Issuer may have acquired in any
manner whatsoever, and all Notes so delivered shall be promptly
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canceled by the Indenture Trustee. No Notes shall be authenticated in lieu of or
in exchange for any Notes canceled as provided in this Section, except as
expressly permitted by this Indenture. All canceled Notes may be held or
disposed of by the Indenture Trustee in accordance with its standard retention
or disposal policy as in effect at the time, unless the Issuer shall direct by
an Issuer Order that they be destroyed or returned to it; provided, that such
Issuer Order is timely and the Notes have not been previously disposed of by the
Indenture Trustee.
SECTION 2.8 Authentication of Notes. The Notes may be authenticated by
the Indenture Trustee upon Issuer Request.
SECTION 2.9 Release of Collateral.
(a) Subject to subsections (b) and (c) hereof, Section 11.1 hereof and
the terms of the Operative Documents, the Indenture Trustee shall release
property from the lien of this Indenture only upon receipt of an Issuer Request
accompanied by an Officer's Certificate, an Opinion of Counsel and Independent
Certificates in accordance with TIA Sections 314(c) and 314(d)(l) or an Opinion
of Counsel in lieu of such Independent Certificates to the effect that the TIA
does not require any such Independent Certificates.
(b) The Servicer, on behalf of the Issuer, shall be entitled to obtain
a release from the lien of this Indenture for any Mortgage Loan and the related
Property at any time (i) after a payment by the Seller or the Issuer of the Loan
Purchase Price of the Mortgage Loan, (ii) after a Qualified Replacement Mortgage
is substituted for such Mortgage Loan and payment of the Substitution Amount if
any, (iii) after liquidation of the Mortgage Loan in accordance with Section
4.13 of the Sale and Servicing Agreement and the deposit of all Liquidation
Proceeds thereon in the Principal and Interest Account, or (iv) upon the
termination of a Mortgage Loan (due to, among other causes, a prepayment in full
of the Mortgage Loan and sale or other disposition of the related Property), if
the Issuer delivers to the Indenture Trustee and the Note Insurer an Issuer
Request (A) identifying the Mortgage Loan and the related Property to be
released, (B) requesting the release thereof, (C) setting forth the amount
deposited in the Principal and Interest Account with respect thereto, and (D)
certifying that the amount deposited in the Principal and Interest Account (x)
equals the Loan Purchase Price of the Mortgage Loan, in the event a Mortgage
Loan and the related Property are being released from the lien of this Indenture
pursuant to item (i) above, (y) equals the Substitution Amount related to the
Qualified Replacement Mortgage and the Mortgage Loan being released from the
lien of this Indenture pursuant to item (ii) above, or (z) equals the entire
amount of recoveries received with respect to such Mortgage Loan and the related
Property in the event of a release from the lien of this Indenture pursuant to
items (iii) or (iv) above.
(c) The Indenture Trustee shall, if requested in writing by the
Servicer, temporarily release or cause the Custodian to temporarily release to
the Servicer the File pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.14 of the Sale and
Servicing Agreement upon compliance by the Servicer of the provisions thereof
provided that the Indenture Trustee's File shall have been stamped to signify
the Issuer's pledge to the Indenture Trustee under this Indenture.
SECTION 2.10 Book-Entry Notes. The Notes, upon original issuance, will
be issued in the form of typewritten Notes representing the Book-Entry Notes, to
be delivered to The Depository Trust Company, the initial Clearing Agency, by,
or on behalf of, the Issuer. The Book-Entry Notes shall be registered initially
on the Note Register in the name of Cede & Co., the nominee of the initial
Clearing Agency, and no Owner of any Note will receive a definitive Note
representing such Book-Entry Owner's interest in such Note, except as provided
in Section 2.12. Unless and until definitive, fully registered Notes (the
"Definitive
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Notes") have been issued to such Book-Entry Owners pursuant to Section 2.12:
(i) the provisions of this Section shall be in full force and effect;
(ii) the Note Registrar, the Note Insurer and the Indenture Trustee
shall be entitled to deal with the Clearing Agency for all purposes of this
Indenture (including the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes and
the giving of instructions or directions hereunder) as the sole Owner of the
Notes, and shall have no obligation to the Book-Entry Owners;
(iii) to the extent that the provisions of this Section conflict with
any other provisions of this Indenture, the provisions of this Section shall
control;
(iv) the rights of Book-Entry Owners shall be exercised only through
the Clearing Agency and shall be limited to those established by law and
agreements between such Book-Entry Owners and the Clearing Agency and/or the
Clearing Agency Participants. Unless and until Definitive Notes are issued
pursuant to Section 2.12, the initial Clearing Agency will make book-entry
transfers among the Clearing Agency Participants and receive and transmit
payments of principal of and interest on the Notes to such Clearing Agency
Participants; and
(v) whenever this Indenture requires or permits actions to be taken
based upon instructions or directions of Owners of Notes evidencing a specified
percentage of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, the Clearing Agency shall be
deemed to represent such percentage only to the extent that it has received
instructions to such effect from Book-Entry Owners and/or Clearing Agency
Participants owning or representing, respectively, such required percentage of
the beneficial interest in the Notes and has delivered such instructions to the
Indenture Trustee.
SECTION 2.11 Notices to Clearing Agency. Whenever a notice or other
communication to the Owners is required under this Indenture, unless and until
Definitive Notes shall have been issued to such Book-Entry Owners pursuant to
Section 2.12, the Indenture Trustee shall give all such notices and
communications specified herein to be given to Owners of the Notes to the
Clearing Agency, and shall have no obligation to such Book-Entry Owners.
SECTION 2.12 Definitive Notes. If (i) the Clearing Agency is no longer
willing or able to properly discharge its responsibilities with respect to the
Book-Entry Notes and the Issuer is unable to locate a qualified successor, (ii)
the Issuer at its option advises the Indenture Trustee in writing that it elects
to terminate the book-entry system through the Clearing Agency or (iii) after
the occurrence of an Event of Default, Owners of the Book-Entry Notes
representing beneficial interests aggregating at least a majority of the
Outstanding Amount of such Notes advise the Clearing Agency in writing that the
continuation of a book-entry system through the Clearing Agency is no longer in
the best interests of such Book-Entry Owners, then the Clearing Agency shall
notify all Book-Entry Owners and the Indenture Trustee of the occurrence of such
event and of the availability of Definitive Notes to Book-Entry Owners
requesting the same. Upon surrender to the Indenture Trustee of the typewritten
Notes representing the Book-Entry Notes by the Clearing Agency, accompanied by
registration instructions, the Issuer shall execute and the Indenture Trustee
shall authenticate the Definitive Notes in accordance with the instructions of
the Clearing Agency. None of the Issuer, the Note Registrar, the Note Insurer or
the Indenture Trustee shall be liable for any delay in delivery of such
instructions and may conclusively rely on, and shall be protected in relying on,
such instructions. Upon the issuance of Definitive Notes, the Indenture Trustee
shall recognize the Owners of the Definitive Notes as Owners.
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SECTION 2.13 Tax Treatment. The Issuer has entered into this Indenture,
and the Notes will be issued, with the intention that, for federal, state and
local income, single business and franchise tax purposes, the Notes will qualify
as indebtedness of the Issuer secured by the Collateral. The Issuer, by entering
into this Indenture, and each Owner, by its acceptance of a Note (and each
Book-Entry Owner by its acceptance of an interest in the applicable Book-Entry
Note), agree to treat the Notes for federal, state and local income, single
business and franchise tax purposes as indebtedness of the Issuer.
ARTICLE III
COVENANTS
SECTION 3.1 Payment of Principal and Interest. The Issuer will duly and
punctually pay (or will cause to be duly and punctually paid) the principal of
and interest, if any, on the Notes in accordance with the terms of the Notes and
this Indenture. Without limiting the foregoing, subject to and in accordance
with Section 8.2(c), on each Payment Date the Issuer will cause to be
distributed all amounts on deposit in the Note Account deposited or retained
therein pursuant to the Sale and Servicing Agreement for the benefit of the
Notes, to the Owners and the Note Insurer. Amounts properly withheld under the
Code by any Person from a payment to any Owner of interest and/or principal
shall be considered as having been paid by the Issuer to such Owner for all
purposes of this Indenture.
The Notes shall be non-recourse obligations of the Issuer and shall be
limited in right of payment to amounts available from the Collateral and any
amounts received by the Indenture Trustee under the Note Insurance Policy in
respect of the Notes, as provided in this Indenture and the Sale and Servicing
Agreement. The Issuer shall not otherwise be liable for payments on the Notes.
If any other provision of this Indenture shall be deemed to conflict with the
provisions of this Section 3.1, the provisions of this Section 3.1 shall
control.
SECTION 3.2 Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Issuer will maintain
in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, an office or agency where
Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, and where
notices and demands to or upon the Issuer in respect of the Notes and this
Indenture may be served. The Issuer hereby initially appoints the Indenture
Trustee to serve as its agent for the foregoing purposes. The Issuer will give
prompt written notice to the Indenture Trustee and the Note Insurer of the
location, and of any change in the location, of any such office or agency. If at
any time the Issuer shall fail to maintain any such office or agency or shall
fail to furnish the Indenture Trustee with the address thereof, such surrenders,
notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office, and the
Issuer hereby appoints the Indenture Trustee as its agent to receive all such
surrenders, notices and demands.
SECTION 3.3 Money for Payments To Be Held in Trust. As provided in
Section 8.2 (a) and (b), all payments of amounts due and payable with respect to
any Notes that are to be made from amounts withdrawn from the Principal and
Interest Account or retained in the Note Account pursuant to Section 8.2(c)
shall be made on behalf of the Issuer by the Indenture Trustee or by the Paying
Agent, and no amounts so withdrawn from the Principal and Interest Account or
retained in the Note Account for payments of Notes shall be paid over to the
Issuer except as provided in this Section 3.3.
On or before the second Business Day preceding each Payment Date and
Redemption Date, the Indenture Trustee shall cause to be deposited in the Note
Account an aggregate sum sufficient to pay the
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amounts due on such Payment Date under the Notes, such sum to be held in trust
for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto.
Subject to the prior consent of the Note Insurer, any Paying Agent
shall be appointed by Issuer Order with written notice thereof to the Indenture
Trustee and the Note Insurer. Any Paying Agent appointed by the Issuer shall be
a Person who would be eligible to be Indenture Trustee hereunder as provided in
Section 6.11. The Issuer shall not appoint any Paying Agent (other than the
Indenture Trustee) which is not, at the time of such appointment, a Designated
Depository Institution.
The Issuer will cause each Paying Agent to execute and deliver to the
Indenture Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the
Indenture Trustee (and if the Indenture Trustee acts as Paying Agent, it hereby
so agrees), subject to the provisions of this Section 3.3, that such Paying
Agent will:
(i) hold all sums held by it for the payment of amounts due with
respect to the Notes in trust for the benefit of the Owners entitled
thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Owners or otherwise
disposed of as herein provided and pay such sums to such Owners as
herein provided;
(ii) give the Indenture Trustee, the Rating Agencies and the Note
Insurer notice of any default by the Issuer (or any other obligor upon
the Notes) of which it has actual knowledge in the making of any
payment required to be made with respect to the Notes;
(iii) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the
written request of the Indenture Trustee, forthwith pay to the
Indenture Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent;
(iv) immediately resign as a Paying Agent and forthwith pay to the
Indenture Trustee all sums held by it in trust for the payment of Notes
if at any time it ceases to meet the standards required to be met by a
Paying Agent at the time of its appointment;
(v) comply with all requirements of the Code with respect to the
withholding from any payments made by it on any Notes of any applicable
withholding taxes imposed thereon and with respect to any applicable
reporting requirements in connection therewith; provided, however, that
with respect to withholding and reporting requirements applicable to
original issue discount (if any) on the Notes, the Issuer shall have
first provided the calculations pertaining thereto to the Indenture
Trustee; and
(vi) not commence a bankruptcy proceeding against the Issuer in
connection with this Indenture.
The Issuer may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the
satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, by Issuer
Order direct any Paying Agent to pay to the Indenture Trustee all sums held in
trust by such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Indenture Trustee upon
the same trusts as those upon which the sums were held by such Paying Agent; and
upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Indenture Trustee, such Paying
Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.
Subject to applicable laws with respect to escheat of funds or
abandoned property, any money held by the Indenture Trustee or any Paying Agent
in trust for the payment of any amount due with respect to any
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Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such amount has become due and
payable shall be discharged from such trust and be paid to the Issuer on Issuer
Request; and the Owner of such Note shall thereafter, as an unsecured general
creditor, look only to the Issuer for payment thereof (but only to the extent of
the amounts so paid to the Issuer), and all liability of the Indenture Trustee
or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money shall thereupon cease;
provided, however, that the Indenture Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being
required to make any such repayment, shall at the expense and direction of the
Issuer cause to be published once, in a newspaper published in the English
language, customarily published on each Business Day and of general circulation
in The City of New York, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that,
after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the
date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining
will be repaid to the Issuer. The Indenture Trustee shall also adopt and employ,
at the expense and direction of the Issuer, any other reasonable means of
notification of such repayment (including, but not limited to, mailing notice of
such repayment to Owners whose Notes have been called but have not been
surrendered for redemption or whose right to or interest in moneys due and
payable but not claimed is determinable from the records of the Indenture
Trustee or of any Paying Agent, at the last address of record for each such
Owner).
SECTION 3.4 Existence.
(a) Subject to subsection (b) of this Section 3.4, the Issuer will keep
in full effect its existence, rights and franchises as a business trust under
the laws of the State of Delaware (unless it becomes, or any successor Issuer
hereunder is or becomes, organized under the laws of any other State or of the
United States of America, in which case the Issuer will keep in full effect its
existence, rights and franchises under the laws of such other jurisdiction) and
will obtain and preserve its qualification to do business in each jurisdiction
in which such qualification is or shall be necessary to protect the validity and
enforceability of this Indenture, the Notes and the Collateral.
(b) Any successor to the Owner Trustee appointed pursuant to Section
10.2 of the Trust Agreement shall be the successor Owner Trustee under this
Indenture without the execution or filing of any paper, instrument or further
act to be done on the part of the parties hereto.
(c) Upon any consolidation or merger of or other succession to the
Owner Trustee, the Person succeeding to the Owner Trustee under the Trust
Agreement may exercise every right and power of the Owner Trustee under this
Indenture with the same effect as if such Person had been named as the Owner
Trustee herein.
SECTION 3.5 Protection of Collateral. The Issuer will from time to time
and upon the direction of the Note Insurer execute and deliver all such
supplements and amendments hereto and all such financing statements,
continuation statements, instruments of further assurance and other instruments,
and will take such other action necessary or advisable to:
(i) provide further assurance with respect to the Grant of all
or any portion of the Collateral;
(ii) maintain or preserve the lien and security interest (and the
priority thereof) of this Indenture or carry out more
effectively the purposes hereof;
(iii) perfect, publish notice of or protect the validity of any
Grant made or to be made by this Indenture;
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(iv) enforce any rights with respect to the Collateral; or
(v) preserve and defend title to the Collateral and the rights of
the Indenture Trustee, the Owners and the Note Insurer in such
Collateral against the claims of all persons and parties.
SECTION 3.6 Annual Opinions as to Collateral. On or before March 15 in
each calendar year, beginning in 1999, the Issuer shall furnish to the Indenture
Trustee and the Note Insurer an Opinion of Counsel either stating that, in the
opinion of such counsel, such action has been taken with respect to the
recording, filing, re-recording and refiling of this Indenture, any indentures
supplemental hereto and any other requisite documents and with respect to the
execution and filing of any financing statements and continuation statements as
is necessary to maintain the lien and security interest created by this
Indenture and reciting the details of such action or stating that in the opinion
of such counsel no such action is necessary to maintain such lien and security
interest. Such Opinion of Counsel shall also describe the recording, filing,
re-recording and refiling of this Indenture, any indentures supplemental hereto
and any other requisite documents and the execution and filing of any financing
statements and continuation statements that will, in the opinion of such
counsel, be required to maintain the lien and security interest of this
Indenture until March 15 of the following calendar year.
SECTION 3.7 Performance of Obligations; Servicing of Mortgage Loans.
(a) The Issuer will not take any action and will use its best efforts
not to permit any action to be taken by others that would release any Person
from any of such Person's material covenants or obligations under any instrument
or agreement included in the Collateral or that would result in the amendment,
hypothecation, subordination, termination or discharge of, or impair the
validity or effectiveness of, any such instrument or agreement, except as
expressly provided in this Indenture, the Sale and Servicing Agreement or such
other instrument or agreement.
(b) Subject to the prior consent of the Note Insurer, the Issuer may
contract with or otherwise obtain the assistance of other Persons to assist it
in performing its duties under this Indenture, and any performance of such
duties by a Person identified to the Indenture Trustee and the Note Insurer in
an Officer's Certificate of the Issuer shall be deemed to be action taken by the
Issuer. Initially, the Issuer has contracted with the Servicer pursuant to the
Sale and Servicing Agreement to assist the Issuer in performing its duties under
this Indenture.
(c) The Issuer will punctually perform and observe all of its
obligations and agreements contained in this Indenture, the Operative Documents
and in the instruments and agreements included in the Collateral, including but
not limited to (i) filing or causing to be filed all UCC financing statements
and continuation statements required to be filed by the terms of this Indenture
and the Sale and Servicing Agreement and (ii) recording or causing to be
recorded all Mortgages, Assignments of Mortgage, all intervening Assignments of
Mortgage and all assumption and modification agreements required to be recorded
by the terms of the Sale and Servicing Agreement, in accordance with and within
the time periods provided for in this Indenture and/or the Sale and Servicing
Agreement, as applicable. Except as otherwise expressly provided therein, the
Issuer shall not waive, amend, modify, supplement or terminate any Operative
Document or any provision thereof without the consent of the Indenture Trustee,
the Note Insurer, and the Owners of at least a majority of the Outstanding
Amount of the Notes.
(d) If the Issuer shall have knowledge of the occurrence of an Event of
Servicing Termination under the Sale and Servicing Agreement, the Issuer shall
promptly notify the Indenture Trustee, the Note
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Insurer and the Rating Agencies thereof, and shall specify in such notice the
action, if any, the Issuer is taking with respect of such default. If such Event
of Servicing Termination shall arise from the failure of the Servicer to perform
any of its duties or obligations under the Sale and Servicing Agreement with
respect to the Mortgage Loans, the Issuer shall take all reasonable steps
available to it to remedy such failure.
(e) As promptly as possible after the giving of notice of termination
to the Servicer of the Servicer's rights and powers pursuant to Section 4.20 of
the Sale and Servicing Agreement, the Issuer, upon the prior written consent of
or upon the direction of the Note Insurer, shall appoint a successor servicer
(the "Successor Servicer") in accordance with the provisions of Section 4.21 of
the Sale and Servicing Agreement.
(f) Upon any termination of the Servicer's rights and powers pursuant
to the Sale and Servicing Agreement, the Issuer shall promptly notify the
Indenture Trustee and the Note Insurer. As soon as a Successor Servicer is
appointed pursuant to Section 4.21 of the Sale and Servicing Agreement, the
Issuer shall notify the Indenture Trustee and the Rating Agencies of such
appointment, specifying in such notice the name and address of such Successor
Servicer.
(g) Without derogating from the absolute nature of the assignment
granted to the Indenture Trustee under this Indenture or the rights of the
Indenture Trustee hereunder, the Issuer agrees (i) that it will not, without the
prior written consent of the Indenture Trustee and the Note Insurer, or, if a
Note Insurer Default has occurred and is continuing, the Owners of at least a
majority in Outstanding Amount of the Notes, amend, modify, waive, supplement,
terminate or surrender, or agree to any amendment, modification, supplement,
termination, waiver or surrender of, the terms of any Collateral (except to the
extent otherwise provided in the Sale and Servicing Agreement) or the Operative
Documents, or waive timely performance or observance by the Servicer or the
Seller under the Sale and Servicing Agreement; and (ii) that any such amendment
shall not (A) increase or reduce in any manner the amount of, or accelerate or
delay the timing of, distributions that are required to be made for the benefit
of the Owners or (B) reduce the aforesaid percentage of the Notes that is
required to consent to any such amendment, without the consent of the Owners of
all the outstanding Notes. If any such amendment, modification, supplement or
waiver shall be so consented to by the Indenture Trustee and the Note Insurer,
the Issuer agrees, promptly following a request by the Indenture Trustee or the
Note Insurer to do so, to execute and deliver, in its own name and at its own
expense, such agreements, instruments, consents and other documents as the
Indenture Trustee or the Note Insurer may deem necessary or appropriate in the
circumstances.
SECTION 3.8 Negative Covenants. So long as any Notes are Outstanding,
the Issuer shall not:
(i) except as expressly permitted by this Indenture, or the Sale and
Servicing Agreement, sell, transfer, exchange or otherwise dispose of
any of the properties or assets of the Issuer, including those included
in the Collateral, unless directed to do so by the Indenture Trustee or
the Note Insurer;
(ii) claim any credit on, or make any deduction from the principal or
interest payable in respect of, the Notes (other than amounts properly
withheld from such payments under the Code) or assert any claim against
any present or former Owner by reason of the payment of the taxes
levied or assessed upon any part of the Collateral;
(iii) engage in any business or activity other than as permitted by the
Trust Agreement or other than in connection with, or relating to, the
issuance of Notes pursuant to this Indenture, or amend
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the Trust Agreement as in effect on the Closing Date other than in
accordance with Section 11.1 thereof,
(iv) issue debt obligations under any other indenture;
(v) incur or assume any indebtedness or guaranty any indebtedness
of any Person, except for such indebtedness as may be incurred
by the Issuer in connection with the issuance of the Notes
pursuant to this Indenture;
(vi) dissolve or liquidate in whole or in part or merge or
consolidate with any other Person;
(vii) (A) permit the validity or effectiveness of this Indenture to be
impaired, or permit the lien of this Indenture to be amended,
hypothecated, subordinated, terminated or discharged, or permit any
Person to be released from any covenants or obligations with respect to
the Notes under this Indenture except as may be expressly permitted
hereby, (B) permit any lien, charge, excise, claim, security interest,
mortgage or other encumbrance (other than the lien of this Indenture)
to be created on or extend to or otherwise arise upon or burden the
Collateral or any part thereof or any interest therein or the proceeds
thereof (other than tax liens, mechanics' liens and other liens that
arise by operation of law, in each case on any of the Properties and
arising solely as a result of an action or omission of the related
Mortgagor) or (C) permit the lien of this Indenture not to constitute a
valid first priority (other than with respect to any such tax,
mechanics' or other lien) security interest in the Collateral;
(viii) take any other action or fail to take any action which may cause
the Issuer to be taxable as (a) an association pursuant to Section 7701
of the Code and the corresponding regulations or (b) as a taxable
mortgage pool pursuant to Section 7701(i) of the Code and the
corresponding regulations.
SECTION 3.9 Annual Statement as to Compliance. The Issuer will deliver
to the Indenture Trustee and the Note Insurer, within 120 days after the end of
each fiscal year of the Issuer (commencing with the 1998 fiscal year), an
Officer's Certificate stating, as to the Authorized Officer signing such
Officer's Certificate, that:
(i) a review of the activities of the Issuer during such year and of
its performance under this Indenture has been made under such
Authorized Officer's supervision; and
(ii) to the best of such Authorized Officer's knowledge, based on such
review, the Issuer has complied with all conditions and covenants under
the Indenture throughout such year, or, if there has been a default in
its compliance with any such condition or covenant, specifying each
such default known to such Authorized Officer and the nature and status
thereof.
SECTION 3.10 Covenants of the Issuer. All covenants of the Issuer in
the Indenture are covenants of the Issuer and are not covenants of the Owner
Trustee. The Owner Trustee is, and any successor Owner Trustee under the Trust
Agreement will be, entering into this Indenture solely as Owner Trustee under
the Trust Agreement and not in its respective individual capacity, and in no
case whatsoever shall the Owner Trustee or any such successor Owner Trustee be
personally liable on, or for any loss in respect of, any of the statements,
representations, warranties or obligations of the Issuer hereunder, as to all of
which the parties hereto agree to look solely to the property of the Issuer.
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SECTION 3.11 Investment Company Act. The Issuer shall not become an
"investment company" or under the "control" of an "investment company" as such
terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (or any
successor or amendatory statute), and the rules and regulations thereunder
(taking into account not only the general definition of the term "investment
company" but also any available exceptions to such general definition);
provided, however, that the Issuer shall be in compliance with this Section 3.11
if it shall have obtained an order exempting it from regulation as an
"investment company" so long as it is in compliance with the conditions imposed
in such order.
SECTION 3.12 Restricted Payments. The Issuer shall not, directly or
indirectly, (i) pay any dividend or make any distribution (by reduction of
capital or otherwise), whether in cash, property, securities or a combination
thereof, to the Owner Trustee or any owner of a beneficial interest in the
Issuer or otherwise with respect to any ownership or equity interest or security
in or of the Issuer or to the Servicer, (ii) redeem, purchase, retire or
otherwise acquire for value any such ownership or equity interest or security or
(iii) set aside or otherwise segregate any amounts for any such purpose;
provided, however, that the Issuer may make, or cause to be made, distributions
to the Servicer, the Indenture Trustee, the Owner Trustee, the Note Insurer, the
Owners and the Certificateholders as contemplated by, and to the extent funds
are available for such purpose under, the Sale and Servicing Agreement or the
Trust Agreement. The Issuer will not, directly or indirectly, make or cause to
be made payments to or distributions from the Principal and Interest Account
except in accordance with this Indenture and the Operative Documents.
SECTION 3.13 Treatment of Notes as Debt for Tax Purposes. The Issuer
shall treat the Notes as indebtedness for all federal, state and local income
and franchise tax purposes.
SECTION 3.14 Notice of Events of Default. The Issuer shall give the
Indenture Trustee, the Note Insurer and the Rating Agencies prompt written
notice of each Event of Default hereunder and each default on the part of the
Servicer or the Seller of its obligations under the Sale and Servicing
Agreement.
SECTION 3.15 Further Instruments and Acts. Upon request of the
Indenture Trustee or the Note Insurer, the Issuer will execute and deliver such
further instruments and do such further acts as may be reasonably necessary or
proper to carry out more effectively the purpose of this Indenture.
SECTION 3.16 No Other Business. The Issuer shall not engage in any
business other than financing, purchasing, owning, selling and managing the
Mortgage Loans and the issuance of the Notes and Certificates in the manner
contemplated by this Indenture and the Operative Documents and all activities
incidental thereto.
SECTION 3.17 No Borrowing. The Issuer shall not issue, incur, assume,
guarantee or otherwise become liable, directly or indirectly, for any
indebtedness except for the Notes and amounts due to the Note Insurer under this
Indenture and the Insurance Agreement.
SECTION 3.18 Guarantees, Loans, Advances and Other Liabilities. Except
as contemplated by this Indenture or the Operative Documents, the Issuer shall
not make any loan or advance or credit to, or guarantee (directly or indirectly
or by an instrument having the effect of assuring another's payment or
performance on any obligation or capability of so doing or otherwise), endorse
or otherwise become contingently liable, directly or indirectly, in connection
with the obligations, stocks or dividends of, or own, purchase, repurchase or
acquire (or agree contingently to do so) any stock, obligations, assets or
securities of, or any other interest in, or make any capital contribution to,
any other Person.
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SECTION 3.19 Capital Expenditures. The Issuer shall not make any
expenditure (by long-term or operating lease or otherwise) for capital assets
(either realty or personalty).
ARTICLE IV
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
SECTION 4.1 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture
shall cease to be of further effect with respect to the Notes (except as to (i)
rights of registration of transfer and exchange, (ii) substitution of mutilated,
destroyed, lost or stolen Notes, (iii) rights of Owners to receive payments of
principal thereof and interest thereon, (iv) Sections 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.8 and
3.10 hereof, (v) the rights, obligations and immunities of the Indenture Trustee
hereunder (including the rights of the Indenture Trustee under Section 6.7 and
the obligations of the Indenture Trustee under Section 4.2) and (vi) the rights
of Owners as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with
the Indenture Trustee payable to all or any of them), and the Indenture Trustee,
on demand of and at the expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments
acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the
Notes, when all of the following have occurred:
(A) either
(1) all Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (i)
Notes that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or
paid as provided in Section 2.4 and (ii) Notes for whose payment money has
theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the
Issuer and thereafter repaid to the Issuer or discharged from such trust, as
provided in Section 3.3) have been delivered to the Indenture Trustee for
cancellation; or
(2) all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Indenture Trustee for
cancellation
a. have become due and payable,
b. are to be called for redemption within one year under
arrangements satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee for the giving of notice of
redemption by the Indenture Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the
Issuer, and the Issuer, in the case of a. or b. above, has irrevocably deposited
or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Indenture Trustee cash or direct
obligations of or obligations guaranteed by the United States of America (which
will mature prior to the date such amounts are payable), in trust for such
purpose, in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on
such Notes not theretofore delivered to the Indenture Trustee for cancellation
when due to the Final Payment Date or Redemption Date (if Notes shall have been
called for redemption pursuant to Section 10.1), as the case may be;
(B) the later of (a) eighteen months after payment in full of all
outstanding obligations under the Notes, (b) the payment in full of all unpaid
Indenture Trustee Fees and Premium Amounts and all sums owing to the Note
Insurer under the Insurance Agreement and (c) the date on which the Issuer has
paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Issuer; and
(C) the Issuer has delivered to the Indenture Trustee an Officer's
Certificate, an Opinion of Counsel and (if required by the TIA or the Indenture
Trustee) an Independent Certificate from a firm of
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certified public accountants, each meeting the applicable requirements of
Section 11.1 and, subject to Section 11.2, each stating that all conditions
precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this
Indenture with respect to the Notes have been complied with.
SECTION 4.2 Application of Trust Money. All moneys deposited with the
Indenture Trustee pursuant to Sections 3.3 and 4.3 hereof shall be held in trust
and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Notes and this
Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent, as the
Indenture Trustee may determine, to the Owners of the Notes for the payment or
redemption of which such moneys have been deposited with the Indenture Trustee,
of all sums due and to become due thereon for principal and interest; but such
moneys need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required
herein or in the Sale and Servicing Agreement or required by law.
SECTION 4.3 Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent. In connection
with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the Notes,
all moneys then held by any Paying Agent other than the Indenture Trustee under
the provisions of this Indenture with respect to such Notes shall, upon demand
of the Issuer, be paid to the Indenture Trustee to be held and applied according
to Section 3.3 and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all
further liability with respect to such moneys.
ARTICLE V
REMEDIES
SECTION 5.1 Events of Default. "Event of Default," wherever used
herein, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such
Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected
by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or
any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):
(a) default in the payment of any Current Interest on any Note when the
same becomes due and payable (it being understood that any Available Funds Cap
Carry-Forward Amount does not constitute interest due and payable); or
(b) default in the payment of the Principal Payment Amount of any Note
when the same becomes due and payable; or
(c) default in the observance or performance of any covenant or
agreement of the Issuer made in this Indenture (other than a covenant or
agreement, a default in the observance or performance of which is elsewhere in
this Section 5.1 specifically dealt with), or any representation or warranty of
the Issuer made in this Indenture, the Insurance Agreement, the Sale and
Servicing Agreement or in any certificate or other writing delivered pursuant
hereto or in connection herewith proving to have been incorrect in any material
respect as of the time when the same shall have been made, and such default
shall continue or not be cured, or the circumstance or condition in respect of
which such misrepresentation or warranty was incorrect shall not have been
eliminated or otherwise cured, for a period of 30 days after there shall have
been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Issuer by the Indenture
Trustee or to the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee by the Owners of a majority
of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, a written notice specifying such default
or incorrect representation or warranty and requiring it to be remedied and
stating that such notice is a notice of Default hereunder; or
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(d) the filing of a decree or order for relief by a court having
jurisdiction in the premises in respect of the Issuer or any substantial part of
the Collateral in an involuntary case under any applicable federal or state
bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or
appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or
similar official of the Issuer or for any substantial part of the Collateral, or
ordering the winding-up or liquidation of the Issuer's affairs, and such decree
or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive
days; or
(e) the commencement by the Issuer of a voluntary case under any
applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or
hereafter in effect, or the consent by the Issuer to the entry of an order for
relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or the consent by the Issuer
to the appointment or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee,
custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Issuer or for any
substantial part of the Collateral, or the making by the Issuer of any general
assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the failure by the Issuer generally
to pay its debts as such debts become due, or the taking of any action by the
Issuer in furtherance of any of the foregoing.
The Issuer shall deliver to the Indenture Trustee and the Note Insurer,
within five days after the occurrence thereof, written notice in the form of an
Officer's Certificate of any event which with the giving of notice and the lapse
of time would become an Event of Default under clause (c) above, its status and
what action the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.
SECTION 5.2 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an
Event of Default should occur and be continuing, the Indenture Trustee (x)
shall, at the direction or upon the prior written consent of the Note Insurer
or, (y) may, if a Note Insurer Default has occurred and is continuing, at the
direction of the Owners of Notes representing not less than a majority of the
Outstanding Amount of the Notes declare all the Notes to be immediately due and
payable, by a notice in writing to the Issuer (and to the Indenture Trustee if
given by Owners), and upon any such declaration the unpaid principal amount of
such Notes, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon through the date
of acceleration, shall become immediately due and payable.
At any time after such declaration of acceleration of maturity with
respect to an Event of Default has been made and before a judgment or decree for
payment of the money due has been obtained by the Indenture Trustee as
hereinafter in this Article V provided, the Note Insurer or, if a Note Insurer
Default exists, the Holders of Notes representing a majority of the Note
Principal Balances of all Notes, by written notice to the Issuer and the
Indenture Trustee, may waive the related Event of Default and rescind and annul
such declaration and its consequences if:
(a) the Issuer has paid or deposited with the Indenture Trustee a sum
sufficient to pay:
(i) all payments of principal of and interest on all
Notes and all other amounts that would then be due
hereunder or upon such Notes if the Event of Default
giving rise to such acceleration had not occurred;
and
(ii) all sums paid or advanced by the Indenture Trustee
hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses,
disbursements and advances of the Indenture Trustee
and its agents and counsel; and
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(iii) all Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of
the principal of the Notes that has become due solely
by such acceleration, have been cured or waived as
provided in Section 5.12.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any
right consequent thereto.
SECTION 5.3 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by
Indenture Trustee.
(a) The Issuer covenants that if (i) default is made in the payment of
any interest on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, and such default
continues for a period of five days, or (ii) default is made in the payment of
the principal of or any installment of the principal of any Note when the same
becomes due and payable, the Issuer will, upon demand of the Indenture Trustee
and at the direction of the Note Insurer, pay to the Indenture Trustee, for the
benefit of the Owners of the Notes and the Note Insurer, the whole amount then
due and payable on such Notes for principal and interest, with interest upon the
overdue principal and, to the extent payment at such rate of interest shall be
legally enforceable, upon overdue installments of interest at the rate borne by
the Notes and in addition thereto such further amount as shall be sufficient to
cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable
compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Indenture Trustee and
the Note Insurer and their respective agents and counsel.
(b) In case the Issuer shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon
such demand, the Indenture Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express
trust, shall at the direction of the Note Insurer, and if a Note Insurer Default
has occurred and is continuing, the Indenture Trustee may, in its discretion,
and shall at the direction of the Owners of the Notes representing a majority of
the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, institute a Proceeding for the collection
of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such Proceeding to judgment or
final decree, and may enforce the same against the Issuer or other obligor upon
such Notes and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the
Issuer or other obligor upon such Notes, wherever situated, the moneys adjudged
or decreed to be payable.
(c) If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Indenture
Trustee shall, at the direction of the Note Insurer, and if a Note Insurer
Default has occurred and is continuing, the Indenture Trustee may, in its
discretion, and shall at the direction of the Owners of the Notes representing a
majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, as more particularly provided
in Section 5.4, proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the
Note Insurer and the Owners, by such appropriate Proceedings as the Indenture
Trustee shall deem most effective to protect and enforce any such rights,
whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this
Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce
any other proper remedy or legal or equitable right vested in the Indenture
Trustee by this Indenture or by law.
(d) In case there shall be pending, relative to the Issuer or any other
obligor upon the Notes or any Person having or claiming an ownership interest in
the Collateral, Proceedings under Title 11 of the United States Code or any
other applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law,
or in case a receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization,
liquidator, sequestrator or similar official shall have been appointed for or
taken possession of the Issuer or its property or such other obligor or Person,
or in case of any other comparable judicial Proceedings relative to the Issuer
or other obligor upon the Notes, or to the creditors or property of the Issuer
or such other obligor, the Indenture Trustee, irrespective of whether the
principal of any Notes shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by
declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Indenture Trustee shall
have made any demand
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pursuant to the provisions of this Section, shall be entitled and empowered,
upon the direction of the Note Insurer, by intervention in such Proceedings or
otherwise:
(i) to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole
amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in
respect of the Notes and to file such other papers or
documents as may be necessary or advisable in order
to have the claims of the Indenture Trustee
(including any claim for reasonable compensation to
the Indenture Trustee, each predecessor Indenture
Trustee and the Note Insurer, and their respective
agents, attorneys and counsel, and for reimbursement
of all expenses and liabilities incurred, and all
advances made, by the Indenture Trustee and each
predecessor Indenture Trustee (except as a result of
negligence or bad faith), the Note Insurer and of the
Owners allowed in such Proceedings;
(ii) unless prohibited by applicable law and regulations,
to vote on behalf of the Owners of Notes in any
election of a trustee, a standby trustee or Person
performing similar functions in any such Proceedings;
(iii) to collect and receive any moneys or other property
payable or deliverable on any such claims and to
distribute all amounts received with respect to the
claims of the Owners, the Note Insurer and the
Indenture Trustee on their behalf; and
(iv) to file such proofs of claim and other papers or
documents as may be necessary or advisable in order
to have the claims of the Indenture Trustee, the Note
Insurer or the Owners of Notes allowed in any
judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer, its
creditors and its property;
and any trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official in
any such Proceeding is hereby authorized by each of such Owners and the Note
Insurer to make payments to the Indenture Trustee and, in the event that the
Indenture Trustee shall consent to the making of payments directly to such
Owners and the Note Insurer, to pay to the Indenture Trustee such amounts as
shall be sufficient to cover reasonable compensation to the Indenture Trustee,
each predecessor Indenture Trustee and their respective agents, attorneys and
counsel, and all other expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made,
by the Indenture Trustee and each predecessor Indenture Trustee except as a
result of negligence or bad faith.
(e) Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Indenture
Trustee to authorize or consent to or vote for or accept or adopt on behalf of
any Owner or the Note Insurer any plan of reorganization, arrangement,
adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Owner thereof
or the Note Insurer or to authorize the Indenture Trustee to vote in respect of
the claim of any Owner in any such proceeding except, as aforesaid, to vote for
the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar Person.
(f) All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture,
or under any of the Notes, may be enforced by the Indenture Trustee without the
possession of any of the Notes or the production thereof in any trial or other
Proceedings relative thereto, and any such action or Proceedings instituted by
the Indenture Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express
trust, and any recovery of judgment, subject to the payment of the expenses,
disbursements and compensation of the Indenture Trustee, each predecessor
Indenture Trustee and their respective agents and attorneys, shall be for the
ratable benefit of the Owners of the Notes and the Note Insurer.
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(g) In any Proceedings brought by the Indenture Trustee (and also any
Proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to
which the Indenture Trustee shall be a party), the Indenture Trustee shall be
held to represent all the Owners, and it shall not be necessary to make any
Owner a party to any such Proceedings.
SECTION 5.4 Remedies; Priorities.
(a) If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, the
Indenture Trustee shall, at the direction of the Note Insurer, and if a Note
Insurer Default has occurred and is continuing, the Indenture Trustee may and at
the direction of the Owners of the Notes representing a majority of the
Outstanding Amount of the Notes shall, upon receipt of satisfactory indemnity
and assurances, do one or more of the following (subject to Section 5.5):
(i) institute Proceedings in its own name and as trustee
of an express trust for the collection of all amounts
then payable on the Notes or under this Indenture
with respect thereto, whether by declaration or
otherwise, enforce any judgment obtained, and collect
from the Issuer and any other obligor upon such Notes
moneys adjudged due;
(ii) institute Proceedings from time to time for the
complete or partial foreclosure of this Indenture
with respect to the Collateral;
(iii) exercise any remedies of a secured party under the
UCC and take any other appropriate action to protect
and enforce the rights and remedies of the Indenture
Trustee, the Note Insurer or the Owners; and
(iv) sell the Collateral or any portion thereof or rights
or interest therein in a commercially reasonable
manner, at one or more public or private sales called
and conducted in any manner permitted by law;
provided, however, that the Indenture Trustee may not sell or
otherwise liquidate the Collateral following an Event of
Default, unless (A) the Owners of 100% of the Outstanding
Amount of the Notes consent thereto, (B) the proceeds of such
sale or liquidation distributable to the Owners are sufficient
to discharge in full all amounts then due and unpaid upon such
Notes for principal and interest or (C) the Indenture Trustee
determines that the Collateral will not continue to provide
sufficient funds for the payment of principal of and interest
on the Notes as they would have become due if the Notes had
not been declared due and payable, and the Indenture Trustee
obtains the consent of Owners of 66-2/3% of the Outstanding
Amount of the Notes. In determining such sufficiency or
insufficiency with respect to clauses (B) and (C), the
Indenture Trustee may, but need not, obtain and rely upon an
opinion of an Independent investment banking or accounting
firm of national reputation as to the feasibility of such
proposed action and as to the sufficiency of the Collateral
for such purpose.
(b) If the Indenture Trustee collects any money or property pursuant to
this Article V, it shall pay out the money or property in the following order:
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FIRST: to the Indenture Trustee for the Indenture Trustee Fee then due
and any costs or expenses incurred by it in connection with the enforcement of
the remedies provided for in this Article V and to the Owner Trustee for the
Owner Trustee Fee then due;
SECOND: to the Note Insurer for the Premium Amount then due and unpaid;
THIRD: to the Servicer for the Servicing Fee then due and unpaid;
FOURTH: to Owners for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for Current
Interest, pro rata, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for
interest;
FIFTH: to Owners of the Notes for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes
for principal, pro rata;
SIXTH: to the Note Insurer for any amounts then due and payable under
the Insurance Agreement; and
SEVENTH: to Owners of the Notes for any Available Funds Cap
Carry-Forward Amount then unpaid; and
EIGHTH: to the Trust Paying Agent, for any amounts to be distributed,
pro rata, to the Certificateholders.
The Indenture Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any
payment to be made to the Owners pursuant to this Section. At least 15 days
before such record date, the Indenture Trustee shall mail to each Owner, the
Note Insurer and the Issuer a notice that states the record date, the payment
date and the amount to be paid.
SECTION 5.5 Optional Preservation of the Collateral. If the Notes have
been declared to be due and payable under Section 5.2 following an Event of
Default and such declaration and its consequences have not been rescinded and
annulled, the Indenture Trustee may, but need not, elect to maintain possession
of the Collateral. It is the desire of the parties hereto and the Owners that
there be at all times sufficient funds for the payment of principal of and
interest on the Notes, and the Indenture Trustee shall take such desire into
account when determining whether or not to maintain possession of the
Collateral. In determining whether to maintain possession of the Collateral, the
Indenture Trustee may, but need not, obtain and rely upon an opinion of an
Independent investment banking or accounting firm of national reputation as to
the feasibility of such proposed action and as to the sufficiency of the
Collateral for such purpose.
SECTION 5.6 Limitation of Suits. No Owner of any Note shall have any
right to institute any Proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this
Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other
remedy hereunder for so long as a Note Insurer Default has not occurred or is
not continuing and if a Note Insurer Default has occurred and is continuing,
unless:
(a) such Owner has previously given written notice to the Indenture
Trustee of a continuing Event of Default;
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(b) the Owners of a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes
have made written request to the Indenture Trustee to institute such Proceeding
in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Indenture Trustee
hereunder;
(c) such Owner or Owners have offered to the Indenture Trustee
reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred
in complying with such request;
(d) the Indenture Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice,
request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute such Proceedings; and
(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given
to the Indenture Trustee during such 60-day period by the Owners of a majority
of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes.
It is understood and intended that no one or more Owners of Notes shall
have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any
provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any
other Owners of Notes or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference
over any other Owners or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in
the manner herein provided.
In the event the Indenture Trustee shall receive conflicting or
inconsistent requests and indemnity from two or more groups of Owners of Notes,
each representing less than a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes,
the Indenture Trustee in its sole discretion may determine what action, if any,
shall be taken, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture.
SECTION 5.7 Unconditional Rights of Owners To Receive Principal and
Interest. Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Indenture, the Owner of
any Note shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive
payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Note on or after the
respective Final Payment Date thereof expressed in such Note or in this
Indenture (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date) and
to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such right shall
not be impaired without the consent of such Owner.
SECTION 5.8 Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Indenture
Trustee, the Note Insurer or any Owner has instituted any Proceeding to enforce
any right or remedy under this Indenture and such Proceeding has been
discontinued or abandoned for any reason or has been determined adversely to the
Indenture Trustee, the Note Insurer or to such Owner, then and in every such
case the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee, the Note Insurer and the Owners shall,
subject to any determination in such Proceeding, be restored severally and
respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and
remedies of the Indenture Trustee and the Owners shall continue as though no
such Proceeding had been instituted.
SECTION 5.9 Rights and Remedies Cumulative. No right or remedy herein
conferred upon or reserved to the Indenture Trustee, the Note Insurer or to the
Owners is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right
and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition
to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at
law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or
remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or
employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
SECTION 5.10 Delay or Omission Not a Waiver. No delay or omission of
the Indenture Trustee, the Note Insurer or any Owner of any Note to exercise any
right or remedy accruing upon any Default or Event of Default shall impair any
such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Default or Event
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of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this
Article V or by law to the Indenture Trustee, the Note Insurer or to the Owners
may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by
the Indenture Trustee, the Note Insurer or by the Owners, as the case may be,
subject, in each case, however, to the right of the Note Insurer to control any
such right and remedy, except as provided in Section 11.20.
SECTION 5.11 Control by Note Insurer or Owners. The Note Insurer, or if
a Note Insurer Default exists, the Owners of a majority of the Outstanding
Amount of the Notes shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of
conducting any Proceeding for any remedy available to the Indenture Trustee with
respect to the Notes or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Indenture
Trustee; provided that:
(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or
with this Indenture;
(b) if a Note Insurer Default exists, subject to the express terms of
Section 5.4, any direction to the Indenture Trustee to sell or liquidate the
Collateral shall be by Owners of Notes representing not less than 100% of the
Outstanding Amount of the Notes;
(c) if the conditions set forth in Section 5.5 have been satisfied and
the Indenture Trustee elects to retain the Collateral pursuant to such Section,
then any direction to the Indenture Trustee by Owners of Notes representing less
than 100% of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes to sell or liquidate the
Collateral shall be of no force and effect; and
(d) if a Note Insurer Default exists, the Indenture Trustee may take
any other action deemed proper by the Indenture Trustee that is not inconsistent
with such direction.
Notwithstanding the rights of the Note Insurer and the Owners set forth
in this Section, subject to Section 6.1, the Indenture Trustee need not take any
action that it determines might involve it in liability or, if a Note Insurer
Default exists, might materially adversely affect the rights of any Owners not
consenting to such action.
SECTION 5.12 Waiver of Past Defaults. Prior to the declaration of the
acceleration of the maturity of the Notes as provided in Section 5.2, the Note
Insurer, or if a Note Insurer Default exists, the Owners of Notes representing
not less than a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes may waive any
past Default or Event of Default and its consequences except a Default (a) in
the payment of principal of or interest on any of the Notes or (b) in respect of
a covenant or provision hereof that cannot be modified or amended without the
consent of the Note Insurer or the Owner of each Note, as applicable. In the
case of any such waiver, the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee, the Note Insurer and
the Owners of the Notes shall be restored to their former positions and rights
hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or
other Default or impair any right consequent thereto.
Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist and be deemed
to have been cured and not to have occurred, and any Event of Default arising
therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured and not to have occurred, for every
purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or
other Default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereto.
SECTION 5.13 Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture
agree, and each Owner of any Note by such Owner's acceptance thereof shall be
deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit
for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit
against
29
the Indenture Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as
Indenture Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an
undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its
discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees,
against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and
good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the
provisions of this Section shall not apply to (a) any suit instituted by the
Indenture Trustee or the Note Insurer, (b) any suit instituted by any Owner, or
group of Owners, in each case holding in the aggregate more than 10% of the
Outstanding Amount of the Notes or (c) any suit instituted by any Owner for the
enforcement of the payment of principal of or interest on any Note on or after
the respective due dates expressed in such Note and in this Indenture (or, in
the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date).
SECTION 5.14 Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws. The Issuer covenants (to
the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon,
or plead or in any manner whatsoever, claim or take the benefit or advantage of,
any stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in
force, that may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and
the Issuer (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives
all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder,
delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Indenture
Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though
no such law had been enacted.
SECTION 5.15 Action on Notes. The Indenture Trustee's right to seek and
recover judgment on the Notes or under this Indenture shall not be affected by
the seeking, obtaining or application of any other relief under or with respect
to this Indenture. Neither the lien of this Indenture nor any rights or remedies
of the Indenture Trustee or the Owners shall be impaired by the recovery of any
judgment by the Indenture Trustee against the Issuer or by the levy of any
execution under such judgment upon any portion of the Collateral or upon any of
the assets of the Issuer. Any money or property collected by the Indenture
Trustee shall be applied in accordance with Section 5.4(b).
SECTION 5.16 Performance and Enforcement of Certain Obligations.
(a) Promptly following a request from the Indenture Trustee to do so,
the Issuer shall take all such lawful action as the Indenture Trustee may
request to compel or secure the performance and observance by the Seller and the
Servicer, as applicable, of each of their obligations to the Issuer under or in
connection with the Sale and Servicing Agreement and to exercise any and all
rights, remedies, powers and privileges lawfully available to the Issuer under
or in connection with the Sale and Servicing Agreement to the extent and in the
manner directed by the Indenture Trustee, including the transmission of notices
of default on the part of the Seller or the Servicer thereunder and the
institution of legal or administrative actions or proceedings to compel or
secure performance by the Seller or the Servicer of each of their obligations
under the Sale and Servicing Agreement.
(b) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the
Indenture Trustee may, and at the written direction (which direction shall be in
writing or by telephone, confirmed in writing promptly thereafter) of the Owners
of 66-2/3% of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes shall, exercise all rights,
remedies, powers, privileges and claims of the Issuer against the Seller or the
Servicer under or in connection with the Sale and Servicing Agreement, including
the right or power to take any action to compel or secure performance or
observance by the Seller or the Servicer, as the case may be, of each of their
obligations to the Issuer thereunder and to give any consent, request, notice,
direction, approval, extension, or waiver under the Sale and Servicing Agreement
and any right of the Issuer to take such action shall be suspended.
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ARTICLE VI
THE INDENTURE TRUSTEE
SECTION 6.1 Duties of Indenture Trustee.
(a) If an Event of Default of which a Responsible Officer of the
Indenture Trustee shall have actual knowledge has occurred and is continuing,
the Indenture Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this
Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a
prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of
such person's own affairs.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(i) the Indenture Trustee undertakes to perform such duties
and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture
and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this
Indenture against the Indenture Trustee; and
(ii) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Indenture
Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and
the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates
(or similar documents) or opinions furnished to the Indenture Trustee
and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, the
Indenture Trustee shall examine the certificates (or similar documents)
and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the
requirements of this Indenture; provided that the Indenture Trustee
shall not be responsible for the accuracy or content of any certificate
(or similar document) or opinion furnished to it pursuant to the terms
of this Indenture.
(c) The Indenture Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its
own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful
misconduct, except that:
(i) this paragraph does not limit the effect of
paragraph (b) of this Section;
(ii) the Indenture Trustee shall not be personally liable for
any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer
unless it is proved that the Indenture Trustee was negligent in
ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
(iii) the Indenture Trustee shall not be personally liable
with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in
accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 5.11 or
for exercising or omitting to exercise any trust or power conferred
upon the Indenture Trustee under this Indenture.
(d) Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the
Indenture Trustee is subject to paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (g) of this
Section.
(e) The Indenture Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money
received by it except as the Indenture Trustee may agree in writing with the
Issuer and except to the extent of income or other gain on investments which are
deposits in or certificates of deposit of the Indenture Trustee in its
commercial capacity.
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(f) Money held in trust by the Indenture Trustee shall be segregated
from other funds except to the extent permitted by law or the terms of this
Indenture or the Sale and Servicing Agreement.
(g) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Indenture Trustee
to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur financial liability in the
performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its
rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds to believe that repayment
of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not
reasonably assured to it; provided, however, that the Indenture Trustee shall
not refuse or fail to perform any of its duties hereunder solely as a result of
nonpayment of its normal fees and expenses and further provided that nothing in
this Section 6.1(g) shall be construed to limit the exercise by the Indenture
Trustee of any right or remedy permitted under this Indenture or otherwise in
the event of the Issuer's failure to pay the Indenture Trustee's fees and
expenses pursuant to Section 6.7. In determining that such repayment or
indemnity is not reasonably assured to it, the Indenture Trustee must consider
not only the likelihood of repayment or indemnity by or on behalf of the Issuer
but also the likelihood of repayment or indemnity from amounts payable to it
from the Collateral pursuant to Section 6.7.
(h) Every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct of,
affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Indenture Trustee
shall be subject to the provisions of this Section and to the provisions of the
TIA.
SECTION 6.2 Rights of Indenture Trustee.
(a) The Indenture Trustee may rely on any document believed by it to be
genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Indenture
Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(b) Before the Indenture Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may
require an Officer's Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel, which shall not be at
the expense of the Indenture Trustee. The Indenture Trustee shall not be liable
for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on an
Officer's Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.
(c) The Indenture Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers
hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through
agents or attorneys or a custodian or nominee and the Indenture Trustee shall
not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such
agent or attorney or custodian appointed by the Indenture Trustee with due care.
(d) The Indenture Trustee shall not be liable for (i) any action it
takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or
within its rights or powers; provided, however, that such action or omission by
the Indenture Trustee does not constitute willful misconduct, negligence or bad
faith; or (ii) any willful misconduct or gross negligence on the part of the
Custodian.
SECTION 6.3 Individual Rights of Indenture Trustee. The Indenture
Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee
of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer or its Affiliates with the same
rights it would have if it were not Indenture Trustee. Any Paying Agent, Note
Registrar, co-registrar or co-paying agent may do the same with like rights.
However, the Indenture Trustee must comply with Sections 6.11 and 6.12.
32
SECTION 6.4 Indenture Trustee's Disclaimer. The Indenture Trustee shall
not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or
adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, shall not be accountable for the
Issuer's use of the proceeds from the Notes, or responsible for any statement of
the Issuer in this Indenture or in any document issued in connection with the
sale of the Notes or in the Notes other than the Indenture Trustee's certificate
of authentication.
SECTION 6.5 Notice of Defaults. If a Default occurs and is continuing
and if it is known to a Responsible Officer of the Indenture Trustee, the
Indenture Trustee shall mail to the Rating Agencies, the Note Insurer and each
Owner notice of the Default within 90 days after it occurs. Except in the case
of a Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Note (including
payments pursuant to the mandatory redemption provisions of such Note), the
Indenture Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of its
Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in
the interests of Owners.
SECTION 6.6 Reports by Indenture Trustee to Owners. The Indenture
Trustee shall deliver to each Owner such information as may be required to
enable such Owner to prepare its federal and state income tax returns.
SECTION 6.7 Compensation and Indemnity. The Indenture Trustee shall
receive compensation for fees and reimbursement for expenses pursuant to
Sections 3.5(b)(i)(A) and 3.5(b)(iv) of the Sale and Servicing Agreement. The
Indenture Trustee and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Indenture
Trustee shall be indemnified by the Trust and held harmless against any loss,
liability, or "unanticipated out-of-pocket" expense incurred or paid to third
parties (which expenses shall not include salaries paid to employees, or
allocable overhead, of the Indenture Trustee) in connection with the acceptance
or administration of its trusts hereunder or the Notes, other than any loss,
liability or expense incurred by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or
negligence in the performance of duties hereunder or by reason of reckless
disregard of obligations and duties hereunder. All such amounts described in the
preceding sentence shall be payable as provided in Section 3.5(b)(iv) of the
Sale and Servicing Agreement, subject to Section 6.1(g) of this Indenture. The
provisions of this Section 6.7 shall survive the termination of this Indenture.
SECTION 6.8 Replacement of Indenture Trustee. No resignation or removal
of the Indenture Trustee and no appointment of a successor Indenture Trustee
shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor
Indenture Trustee pursuant to this Section. The Indenture Trustee may resign at
any time by so notifying the Issuer, the Rating Agencies and the Note Insurer.
The Owners of a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes (with the
consent of the Note Insurer) may remove the Indenture Trustee by so notifying
the Indenture Trustee and may appoint a successor Indenture Trustee. The Note
Insurer (or the Issuer upon the prior written consent of the Note Insurer) shall
remove the Indenture Trustee if:
(a) the Indenture Trustee fails to comply with Section 6.11;
(b) the Indenture Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent;
(c) a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the
Indenture Trustee or its property; or
(d) the Indenture Trustee otherwise becomes incapable of acting.
33
If the Indenture Trustee resigns or is removed, or if a vacancy exists
in the office of Indenture Trustee for any reason (the Indenture Trustee in such
event being referred to herein as the retiring Indenture Trustee), the Issuer
shall promptly appoint a successor Indenture Trustee acceptable to the Note
Insurer. A successor Indenture Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its
appointment to the retiring Indenture Trustee, the Note Insurer and to the
Issuer. Thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Indenture Trustee
shall become effective, and the successor Indenture Trustee shall have all the
rights, powers and duties of the Indenture Trustee under this Indenture. The
successor Indenture Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to the Owners.
The retiring Indenture Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it
as Indenture Trustee to the successor Indenture Trustee.
If a successor Indenture Trustee does not take office within 60 days
after the retiring Indenture Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring
Indenture Trustee, the Issuer or the Owners of a majority of the Outstanding
Amount of the Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the
appointment of a successor Indenture Trustee.
If the Indenture Trustee fails to comply with Section 6.11, any Owner
may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the
Indenture Trustee and the appointment of a successor Indenture Trustee.
Notwithstanding the replacement of the Indenture Trustee pursuant to
this Section, the Issuer's obligations under Section 6.7 shall continue for the
benefit of the retiring Indenture Trustee.
SECTION 6.9 Successor Indenture Trustee by Merger. If the Indenture
Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or
substantially all its corporate trust business or assets to, another corporation
or banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation
without any further act shall be the successor Indenture Trustee; provided, that
such corporation or banking association shall be otherwise qualified and
eligible under Section 6.11. The Indenture Trustee shall provide the Note
Insurer and the Rating Agencies prior written notice of any such transaction.
In case at the time such successor or successors by merger, conversion
or consolidation to the Indenture Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by
this Indenture any of the Notes shall have been authenticated but not delivered,
any such successor to the Indenture Trustee may adopt the certificate of
authentication of any predecessor trustee, and deliver such Notes so
authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Notes shall not have been
authenticated, any successor to the Indenture Trustee may authenticate such
Notes either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the
successor to the Indenture Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates
shall have the full force provided in the Notes or in this Indenture.
SECTION 6.10 Appointment of Co-Indenture Trustee or Separate Indenture
Trustee.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, at any
time, for the purpose of meeting any legal requirement of any jurisdiction in
which any part of the Collateral may at the time be located, the Indenture
Trustee shall have the power, with the prior written consent of the Note
Insurer, and may execute and deliver all instruments to appoint one or more
Persons to act as a co-trustee or co-trustees, or separate trustee or separate
trustees, of all or any part of the Trust, and to vest in such Person or
Persons, in such capacity and for the benefit of the Owners, such title to the
Collateral, or any part hereof, and, subject to the other provisions of this
Section, such powers, duties, obligations, rights and trusts as the Indenture
Trustee may consider necessary or desirable. No co-trustee or separate trustee
hereunder shall be required
34
to meet the terms of eligibility as a successor trustee under Section 6.11 and
no notice to Owners of the appointment of any co-trustee or separate trustee
shall be required under Section 6.8 hereof; provided that the Indenture Trustee
shall deliver notice of any such co-trustee or separate trustee to the Servicer
and the Note Insurer.
(b) Every separate trustee and co-trustee shall, to the extent
permitted by law, be appointed and act subject to the following provisions and
conditions:
(i) all rights, powers, duties and obligations conferred or
imposed upon the Indenture Trustee shall be conferred or
imposed upon and exercised or performed by the Indenture
Trustee and such separate trustee or co-trustee jointly (it
being understood that such separate trustee or co-trustee is
not authorized to act separately without the Indenture Trustee
joining in such act), except to the extent that under any law
of any jurisdiction in which any particular act or acts are to
be performed the Indenture Trustee shall be incompetent or
unqualified to perform such act or acts, in which event such
rights, powers, duties and obligations (including the holding
of title to the Collateral or any portion thereof in any such
jurisdiction) shall be exercised and performed singly by such
separate trustee or co-trustee, but solely at the direction of
the Indenture Trustee;
(ii) no trustee hereunder shall be personally liable by
reason of any act or omission of any other trustee hereunder;
and
(iii) the Indenture Trustee may at any time accept the
resignation of or remove any separate trustee or co-trustee.
(c) Any notice, request or other writing given to the Indenture Trustee
shall be deemed to have been given to each of the then separate trustees and
co-trustees, as effectively as if given to each of them. Every instrument
appointing any separate trustee or co-trustee shall refer to this Indenture and
the conditions of this Article VI. Each separate trustee and co-trustee, upon
its acceptance of the trusts conferred, shall be vested with the estates or
property specified in its instrument of appointment, jointly with the Indenture
Trustee, subject to all the provisions of this Indenture, specifically including
every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct of, affecting the
liability of, or affording protection to, the Indenture Trustee. Every such
instrument shall be filed with the Indenture Trustee.
(d) Any separate trustee or co-trustee may at any time constitute the
Indenture Trustee its agent or attorney-in-fact with full power and authority,
to the extent not prohibited by law, to do any lawful act under or in respect of
this Indenture on its behalf and in its name. If any separate trustee or
co-trustee shall die, become incapable of acting, resign or be removed, all of
its estates, properties, rights, remedies and trusts shall vest in and be
exercised by the Indenture Trustee, to the extent permitted by law, without the
appointment of a new or successor trustee.
SECTION 6.11 Eligibility; Disqualification. The Indenture Trustee shall
at all times be acceptable to the Note Insurer and authorized to exercise
corporate trust powers. The Indenture Trustee shall also satisfy the
requirements of TIA Section 310(a) and have a combined capital and surplus of at
least $50,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of
condition and it or its parent shall have a long-term debt rating of Baa3 or
better by Moody's and BBB or better by Standard & Poor's. The Indenture Trustee
shall comply with TIA Section 310(b), including the optional provision permitted
by the second sentence of TIA Section 310(b)(9); provided, however, that there
shall be excluded from the
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operation of TIA Section 310(b)(1) any indenture or indentures under which other
securities of the Issuer are outstanding if the requirements for such exclusion
set forth in TIA Section 310(b)(1) are met. If at any time the Indenture Trustee
shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it
shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in Section
6.8 hereof.
SECTION 6.12 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Issuer. The
Indenture Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 311(a), excluding any creditor
relationship listed in TIA Section 311(b). An Indenture Trustee who has resigned
or been removed shall be subject to TIA Section 311(a) to the extent indicated.
SECTION 6.13 Tax Administration of the Issuer. The Servicer shall
prepare and file (or cause to be prepared and filed), on behalf of the Owner
Trustee, all tax returns and information reports, tax elections and such annual
or other reports of the Issuer as are necessary for preparation of tax returns
and information reports as provided in Section 5.5 of the Trust Agreement,
including without limitation Form 1099.
SECTION 6.14 Representations and Warranties. The Indenture Trustee
hereby represents that:
(i) The Indenture Trustee is duly organized and validly
existing as a banking corporation in good standing under the laws of New York
with power and authority to own its properties and to conduct its business as
such properties are currently owned and such business is presently conducted;
(ii) The Indenture Trustee has the power and authority to
execute and deliver this Indenture and to carry out its terms; and the
execution, delivery and performance of this Indenture have been duly authorized
by the Indenture Trustee by all necessary corporate action;
(iii) The consummation of the transactions contemplated by
this Indenture and the fulfillment of the terms hereof do not conflict with,
result in any breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute (with
or without notice or lapse of time) a default under, the articles of
organization or bylaws of the Indenture Trustee or any agreement or other
instrument to which the Indenture Trustee is a party or by which it is bound;
(iv) To the Indenture Trustee's best knowledge, there are no
proceedings or investigations pending or threatened before any court, regulatory
body, administrative agency or other governmental instrumentality having
jurisdiction over the Indenture Trustee or its properties: (A) asserting the
invalidity of this Indenture, (B) seeking to prevent the consummation of any of
the transactions contemplated by this Indenture or (C) seeking any determination
or ruling that might materially and adversely affect the performance by the
Indenture Trustee of its obligations under, or the validity or enforceability
of, this Indenture; and
(v) This Indenture when executed by the Indenture Trustee,
will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Indenture
Trustee, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability
may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other
similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and general equitable
principles.
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SECTION 6.15 Directions to Indenture Trustee. The Indenture Trustee is
hereby directed:
(a) to accept the pledge of the Mortgage Loans and hold the assets of
the Owner Trust Estate in trust for the Noteholders and the Note Insurer;
(b) to authenticate and deliver the Notes substantially in the form
prescribed by Exhibit A in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; and
(c) to take all other actions as shall be required to be taken by the
terms of this Indenture.
ARTICLE VII
OWNERS' LISTS AND REPORTS
SECTION 7.1 Issuer To Furnish Indenture Trustee Names and Addresses of
Owners. The Issuer will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Indenture
Trustee (a) not more than five days after each Record Date, a list, in such form
as the Indenture Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of
the Owners as of such Record Date, (b) at such other times as the Indenture
Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after receipt by the Issuer of
any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than
10 days prior to the time such list is furnished; provided, however, that so
long as the Indenture Trustee is the Note Registrar, no such list shall be
required to be furnished.
SECTION 7.2 Preservation of Information; Communications to Owners.
(a) The Indenture Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is
reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of the Owners contained in the
most recent list furnished to the Indenture Trustee as provided in Section 7.1
and the names and addresses of Owners received by the Indenture Trustee in its
capacity as Note Registrar. The Indenture Trustee may destroy any list furnished
to it as provided in such Section 7.1 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.
(b) Owners may communicate pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other
Owners with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Notes.
(c) The Issuer, the Indenture Trustee and the Note Registrar shall have
the protection of TIA Section 312(c).
SECTION 7.3 Reports by Issuer. The Issuer shall:
(a) file with the Indenture Trustee and the Note Insurer, within 15
days after the Issuer is required to file the same with the Commission, copies
of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or
copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time
to time by rules and regulations prescribe) that the Issuer may be required to
file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act;
(b) file with the Indenture Trustee and the Note Insurer and the
Commission in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed from time to
time by the Commission such additional information,
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documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Issuer with the
conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time
by such rules and regulations; and
(c) supply to the Indenture Trustee (and the Indenture Trustee shall
transmit by mail to all Owners described in TIA Section 313(c)) such summaries
of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Issuer
pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) of this Section 7.3(a) and by rules and
regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.
SECTION 7.4 Reports by Indenture Trustee. If required by TIA Section
313(a), within 60 days after each January 1, beginning with January 1, 1999, the
Indenture Trustee shall mail to the Note Insurer and to each Owner as required
by TIA Section 313(c) a brief report dated as of such date that complies with
TIA Section 313(a). The Indenture Trustee also shall comply with TIA Section
313(b).
A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Owners shall be
filed by the Indenture Trustee with the Commission and each securities exchange,
if any, on which the Notes are listed. The Issuer shall notify the Indenture
Trustee if and when the Notes are listed on any securities exchange.
ARTICLE VIII
ACCOUNTS, DISBURSEMENTS AND RELEASES
SECTION 8.1 Collection of Money.
(a) General. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, the
Indenture Trustee may demand payment or delivery of, and shall receive and
collect, directly and without intervention or assistance of any fiscal agent or
other intermediary, all money and other property payable to or receivable by the
Indenture Trustee pursuant to this Indenture. The Indenture Trustee shall apply
all such money received by it as provided in this Indenture. Except as otherwise
expressly provided in this Indenture, if any default occurs in the making of any
payment or performance under any agreement or instrument that is part of the
Collateral, the Indenture Trustee may, and upon written request of the Note
Insurer shall, take such action as may be appropriate to enforce such payment or
performance, including the institution and prosecution of appropriate
Proceedings. Any such action shall be without prejudice to any right to claim a
Default or Event of Default under this Indenture and any right to proceed
thereafter as provided in Article V.
(b) Claims Under Note Insurance Policy. The Notes will be insured by
the Note Insurance Policy pursuant to the terms set forth therein,
notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in this Indenture or
the Sale and Servicing Agreement. All amounts received under the Note Insurance
Policy shall be used solely for the payment to Owners of Insured Payments;
provided, however that the Note Insurance Policy does not insure the payment of
the Available Funds Cap Carry-Forward Amount.
SECTION 8.2 Accounts; Distributions.
(a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Issuer shall cause the
Servicer to establish and maintain, in the name of the Indenture Trustee for the
benefit of the Owners and the Note Insurer, the Accounts as provided in the Sale
and Servicing Agreement. The Indenture Trustee shall deposit amounts into the
Accounts in accordance with the terms hereof and the Sale and Servicing
Agreement.
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(b) On or before the Remittance Date prior to each Payment Date, the
Servicer shall withdraw from the Principal and Interest Account the amounts
specified in Section 3.3(a) of the Sale and Servicing Agreement and will deposit
such amount into the Note Account. No later than the Business Day prior to each
Payment Date, to the extent funds are available in the Note Account, the
Indenture Trustee shall either retain funds in the Note Account or make the
withdrawals from the Note Account and deposits into the other Accounts for
distribution on such Payment Date as required pursuant to Section 3.3(b) of the
Sale and Servicing Agreement.
(c) On each Payment Date and the Redemption Date, to the extent funds
are available in the Note Account, the Indenture Trustee shall make the
following distributions from the amounts on deposit in the Note Account in the
following order of priority (except as otherwise provided in Section 5.4(b)):
(i) to the Owners of the Notes, the Current Interest for
such Payment Date; provided, that if there are not
sufficient funds in the Note Account to pay the
entire amount of accrued and unpaid interest then due
on the Notes, the amount in the Note Account shall be
applied to the payment of such interest on the Notes
pro rata on the basis of the total such interest due
on the Notes; and
(ii) to the Owners of the Notes, the Principal Payment
Amount for such Payment Date.
(d) The Indenture Trustee shall make claims under the Note Insurance
Policy pursuant to Section 3.3 of the Sale and Servicing Agreement and in
accordance with the Note Insurance Policy. The Indenture Trustee shall deposit
any Insured Payment received from the Note Insurer in the Note Account. All
amounts received under the Note Insurance Policy shall be used solely for the
payment to Owners of principal and interest on the Notes.
SECTION 8.3 General Provisions Regarding Accounts.
(a) So long as no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and
be continuing, all or a portion of the funds in the Accounts shall be invested
in Eligible Investments and reinvested by the Indenture Trustee at the direction
of the Seller in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.6 of the Sale and
Servicing Agreement. The Issuer will not direct the Indenture Trustee to make
any investment of any funds or to sell any investment held in any of the
Accounts unless the security interest Granted and perfected in such Account will
continue to be perfected in such investment or the proceeds of such sale, in
either case without any further action by any Person, and, in connection with
any direction to the Indenture Trustee to make any such investment or sale.
(b) Subject to Section 6.1(c), the Indenture Trustee shall not in any
way be held liable by reason of any insufficiency in any of the Accounts
resulting from any loss on any Eligible Investment included therein except for
losses attributable to the Indenture Trustee's failure to make payments on such
Eligible Investments issued by the Indenture Trustee, in its commercial capacity
as principal obligor and not as trustee, in accordance with their terms.
(c) If (i) the Seller shall have failed to give investment directions
for any funds on deposit in the Accounts to the Indenture Trustee by 11:00 a.m.
Eastern Time (or such other time as may be agreed by the Issuer and Indenture
Trustee) on any Business Day or (ii) a Default or Event of Default shall have
occurred and be continuing with respect to the Notes but the Notes shall not
have been declared due and
39
payable pursuant to Section 5.2 or (iii) if such Notes shall been declared due
and payable following an Event of Default, amounts collected or receivable from
the Collateral are being applied in accordance with Section 5.5 as if there had
not been such a declaration, then the Indenture Trustee shall, to the fullest
extent practicable, invest and reinvest funds in the Accounts in one or more
Eligible Investments.
SECTION 8.4 Monthly Statements. On each Payment Date (to the extent it
receives the supporting documentation from the Servicer on a timely basis), the
Indenture Trustee shall deliver the report required by Section 3.8 of the Sale
and Servicing Agreement with respect to such Payment Date to the Seller, the
Servicer, the Rating Agencies, and the Note Insurer.
SECTION 8.5 Release of Collateral.
(a) Subject to the payment of its fees and expenses pursuant to
Section 6.7, the Indenture Trustee may, and when required by the provisions of
this Indenture and the Sale and Servicing Agreement shall, execute instruments
to release property from the lien of this Indenture, or convey the Indenture
Trustee's interest in the same, in a manner and under circumstances that are not
inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture. No party relying upon an
instrument executed by the Indenture Trustee as provided in this Article VIII
shall be bound to ascertain the Indenture Trustee's authority, inquire into the
satisfaction of any conditions precedent or see to the application of any
moneys.
(b) The Indenture Trustee shall, at such time as there are no Notes
Outstanding and all sums due to the Note Insurer, the Indenture Trustee and the
Owner Trustee have been paid, release any remaining portion of the Collateral
that secured the Notes from the lien of this Indenture and release to the Issuer
or any other Person entitled thereto any funds then on deposit in the Accounts.
(c) The Indenture Trustee shall release property from the lien of this
Indenture pursuant to this Subsection (b) only upon receipt of an Issuer Request
accompanied by an Officer's Certificate, an Opinion of Counsel and (if required
by the TIA) Independent Certificates in accordance with TIA Sections 314(c) and
314(d)(1) meeting the applicable requirements of Section 11.1.
SECTION 8.6 Opinion of Counsel. The Indenture Trustee and the Note
Insurer shall receive at least seven Business Days notice when requested by the
Issuer to take any action pursuant to Section 8.5(a), accompanied by copies of
any instruments involved, and the Indenture Trustee shall also require, as a
condition to such action, an Opinion of Counsel, in form and substance
satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee, stating the legal effect of any such
action, outlining the steps required to complete the same, and concluding that
all conditions precedent to the taking of such action have been complied with
and such action will not materially and adversely impair the security for the
Notes or the rights of the Owners in contravention of the provisions of this
Indenture; provided, however, that such Opinion of Counsel shall not be required
to express an opinion as to the fair value of the Collateral. Counsel rendering
any such opinion may rely, without independent investigation, on the accuracy
and validity of any certificate or other instrument delivered to the Indenture
Trustee in connection with any such action.
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ARTICLE IX
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
SECTION 9.1 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Owners.
(a) Without the consent of the Owners of any Notes but with prior
notice to the Rating Agencies and with the prior written consent of the Note
Insurer, the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee, when authorized by an Issuer
Order, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures
supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust
Indenture Act as in force at the date of the execution thereof), in form
satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee, for any of the following purposes:
(i) to correct or amplify the description of any property
at any time subject to the lien of this Indenture, or
better to assure, convey and confirm unto the
Indenture Trustee any property subject or required to
be subjected to the lien of this Indenture, or to
subject to the lien of this Indenture additional
property;
(ii) to evidence the succession, in compliance with the
applicable provisions hereof, of another person to
the Issuer, and the assumption by any such successor
of the covenants of the Issuer herein and in the
Notes contained;
(iii) to add to the covenants of the Issuer, for the
benefit of the Owners of the Notes, or to surrender
any right or power herein conferred upon the Issuer;
(iv) to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge any
property to or with the Indenture Trustee;
(v) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any
provision herein or in any supplemental indenture
that may be inconsistent with any other provision
herein or in any supplemental indenture or to make
any other provisions with respect to matters or
questions arising under this Indenture or in any
supplemental indenture; provided, that such action
shall not adversely affect the interests of the
Owners of the Notes;
(vi) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of the
appointment hereunder by a successor trustee with
respect to the Notes and to add to or change any of
the provisions of this Indenture as shall be
necessary to facilitate the administration of the
trusts hereunder by more than one trustee, pursuant
to the requirements of Article VI;
(vii) to modify, eliminate or add to the provisions of this
Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to
effect the qualification of the Indenture under the
TIA or under any similar federal statute hereafter
enacted and to add to the Indenture such other
provisions as may be expressly required by the TIA;
or
(viii) to modify or alter the provisions of the definitio
of the term "Outstanding".
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The Indenture Trustee is hereby authorized to join in the execution of
any such supplemental indenture and to make any further appropriate agreements
and stipulations that may be therein contained.
(b) The Issuer and the Indenture Trustee, with the prior written
consent of the Note Insurer, when authorized by an Issuer Order, may, upon
satisfaction of the Rating Agency Condition but without the consent of any of
the Owners , enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the
purpose of adding any provisions to, or changing in any manner or eliminating
any of the provisions of, this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the
rights of the Owners of the Notes under this Indenture; provided, however, that
such action shall not, as evidenced by (i) an Opinion of Counsel or (ii)
satisfaction of the Rating Agency Condition, adversely affect in any material
respect the interests of any Owner.
SECTION 9.2 Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Owners. The Issuer
and the Indenture Trustee, when authorized by an Issuer Order, also may, with
the prior consent of the Note Insurer and with the consent of the Owners of not
less than a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, by Act of such
Owners delivered to the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee, enter into an
indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any
provisions to, or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions
of, this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Owners of the
Notes under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental
indenture shall, without the consent of the Owner of each Note affected thereby
and the Note Insurer if affected thereby:
(a) change the date of payment of any installment of principal of or
interest on any Note, or reduce the principal amount thereof or, the Note Rate,
change the provisions of this Indenture relating to the application of
collections on, or the proceeds of the sale of, the Collateral to payment of
principal of or interest on the Notes, or change any place of payment where, or
the coin or currency in which, any Note or the interest thereon is payable, or
impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of the provisions of this
Indenture requiring the application of funds available therefor, as provided in
Article V, to the payment of any such amount due on the Notes on or after the
respective due dates thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the
Redemption Date);
(b) reduce the percentage of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes, the
consent of the Owners of which is required for any such supplemental indenture,
or the consent of the Owners of which is required for any waiver of compliance
with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and
their consequences provided for in this Indenture;
(c) reduce the percentage of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes
required to direct the Indenture Trustee to direct the Issuer to sell or
liquidate the Collateral pursuant to Section 5.4;
(d) modify any provision of this Section except to increase any
percentage specified herein or to provide that certain additional provisions of
this Indenture or the Operative Documents cannot be modified or waived without
the consent of the Owner of each Note affected thereby;
(e) modify any of the provisions of this Indenture in such manner as to
affect the calculation of the amount of any payment of interest or principal due
on any Note on any Payment Date (including the calculation of any of the
individual components of such calculation) or to affect the rights of the Owners
of Notes to the benefit of any provisions for the mandatory redemption of the
Notes contained herein; or
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(f) permit the creation of any lien ranking prior to or on a parity
with the lien of this Indenture with respect to any part of the Collateral or,
except as otherwise permitted or contemplated herein, terminate the lien of this
Indenture on any property at any time subject hereto or deprive the Owner of any
Note of the security provided by the lien of this Indenture.
The Indenture Trustee may in its discretion determine whether or not
any Notes would be affected by any supplemental indenture and any such
determination shall be conclusive upon the Owners of all Notes, whether
theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder. The Indenture
Trustee shall not be liable for any such determination made in good faith.
In connection with requesting the consent of the Owners pursuant to
this Section, the Indenture Trustee shall mail to the Owners of the Notes to
which such amendment or supplemental indenture relates a notice setting forth in
general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture. It shall not be
necessary for any Act of Owners under this Section to approve the particular
form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such
Act shall approve the substance thereof.
SECTION 9.3 Execution of Supplemental Indentures. In executing, or
permitting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture
permitted by this Article IX or the modification thereby of the trusts created
by this Indenture, the Indenture Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and
subject to Sections 6.1 and 6.2, shall be fully protected in relying upon, an
Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is
authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Indenture Trustee may, but shall
not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture that affects the
Indenture Trustee's own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this
Indenture or otherwise.
SECTION 9.4 Effect of Supplemental Indenture. Upon the execution of any
supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions hereof, this Indenture shall
be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith with respect to the
Notes affected thereby, and the respective rights, limitations of rights,
obligations, duties, liabilities and immunities under this Indenture of the
Indenture Trustee, the Issuer and the Owners of the Notes shall thereafter be
determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such
modifications and amendments, and all the terms and conditions of any such
supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and
conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.
SECTION 9.5 Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every amendment of
this Indenture and every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this
Article IX shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then
in effect so long as this Indenture shall then be qualified under the Trust
Indenture Act.
SECTION 9.6 Reference in Notes to Supplemental Indentures. Notes
authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture
pursuant to this Article IX may, and if required by the Indenture Trustee shall,
bear a notation in form approved by the Indenture Trustee as to any matter
provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Issuer or the Indenture
Trustee shall so determine, new notes so modified as to conform, in the opinion
of the Indenture Trustee and the Issuer, to any such supplemental indenture may
be prepared and executed by the Issuer and authenticated and delivered by the
Indenture Trustee in exchange for Notes.
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SECTION 9.7 Amendments to Trust Agreement. Subject to Section 11.1 of
the Trust Agreement, the Indenture Trustee shall, upon Issuer Order, consent to
any proposed amendment to the Trust Agreement or an amendment to or waiver of
any provision of any other document relating to the Trust Agreement, such
consent to be given without the necessity of obtaining the consent of the Owners
of any Notes upon satisfaction of the requirements under Section 11.1 of the
Trust Agreement.
Nothing in this Section shall be construed to require that any Person
obtain the consent of the Indenture Trustee to any amendment or waiver or any
provision of any document where the making of such amendment or the giving of
such waiver without obtaining the consent of the Indenture Trustee is not
prohibited by this Indenture or by the terms of the document that is the subject
of the proposed amendment or waiver.
SECTION 9.8 Notice of Supplemental Indentures. The Indenture Trustee
shall, upon execution thereof, provide notice of the form and substance of any
Supplemental Indenture to each party hereto, the Note Insurer, the Rating
Agencies and each Owner.
ARTICLE X
REDEMPTION OF NOTES
SECTION 10.1 Redemption. The Owners of a majority of the Outstanding
Amount of the Certificates (the "Majority Certificateholders") have the option
to purchase all of the Collateral at the Redemption Price on the Redemption Date
or any Payment Date thereafter pursuant to Section 5.2 of the Sale and Servicing
Agreement. If the Majority Certificateholder declines to exercise such option to
purchase the Collateral, the Note Insurer may do so as provided in Section
5.2(c) of the Sale and Servicing Agreement. Upon such purchase by either the
Majority Certificateholder or the Note Insurer, the Issuer shall use the
proceeds it receives to redeem the Notes, in whole and not in part, and
terminate this Indenture.
Any such redemption by the Majority Certificateholders or the Note
Insurer, as applicable, shall be accomplished by the Majority Certificateholders
or the Note Insurer, as applicable, depositing or causing to be deposited into
the Principal and Interest Account by 10:00 A.M. New York City time on the
Remittance Date prior to the Redemption Date the amount of the Redemption Price.
On the Payment Date after the date that the Redemption Price (or such later
Payment Date on which the Collateral is purchased) is deposited into the
Principal and Interest Account, the Redemption Price shall be transferred to the
Note Account for distribution to the Owners on the Redemption Date; and any
amounts received with respect to the Mortgage Loans and REO Properties
subsequent to such transfer shall belong to the Servicer or the Note Insurer, as
applicable.
The Majority Certificateholder or the Issuer shall furnish the
Indenture Trustee, the Rating Agencies and the Note Insurer notice of any such
redemption in accordance with Section 10.2 no later than 15 days prior to the
Redemption Date.
SECTION 10.2 Form of Redemption Notice.
(a) Notice of redemption under Section 10.1 shall be given by the
Indenture Trustee by first-class mail, postage prepaid, or by facsimile mailed
or transmitted not later than 10 days prior to the applicable Redemption Date to
each Owner of Notes, as of the close of business on the Record Date
44
preceding the applicable Redemption Date, at such Owner's address or facsimile
number appearing in the Note Register.
All notices of redemption shall state:
(i) the Redemption Date;
(ii) the Redemption Price; and
(iii) the place where such Notes are to be surrendered for
payment of the Redemption Price (which shall be the
office or agency of the Issuer to be maintained as
provided in Section 3.2).
Notice of redemption of the Notes shall be given by the Indenture
Trustee in the name of the Issuer and at the expense of the Servicer. Failure to
give notice of redemption, or any defect therein, to any Owner of any Note shall
not impair or affect the validity of the redemption of any other Note
SECTION 10.3 Notes Payable on Redemption Date; Provision for Payment of
Indenture Trustee, Owner Trustee and Note Insurer. The Notes or portions thereof
to be redeemed shall, following notice of redemption as required by Section 10.2
(in the case of redemption pursuant to Section 10.1), on the Redemption Date
become due and payable at the Redemption Price and (unless the Issuer shall
default in the payment of the Redemption Price) no interest shall accrue on the
Redemption Price for any period after the date to which accrued interest is
calculated for purposes of calculating the Redemption Price. The Issuer may not
redeem the Notes unless, (i) all outstanding obligations under the Notes have
been paid in full and (ii) the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee have been
paid all amounts to which they are entitled hereunder and the Note Insurer has
been paid all Premium Amounts and Reimbursement Amounts to which it is entitled
as of the applicable Redemption Date.
SECTION 10.4 Notice of Final Payment. The Indenture Trustee shall
provide notice to the Note Insurer, the Seller, the Servicer, the Rating
Agencies and each Owner of the final payment under the Notes, whether by
redemption, acceleration or payment of the Notes in accordance with their terms.
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 11.1 Compliance Certificates and Opinions, etc.
Upon any application or request by the Issuer to the Indenture Trustee
to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Issuer shall
furnish to the Indenture Trustee (i) an Officer's Certificate stating that all
conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the
proposed action have been complied with, and (ii) (if required by the TIA) an
Independent Certificate from a firm of certified public accountants meeting the
applicable requirements of this Section, except that, in the case of any such
application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is
specifically required by any provision of this Indenture, no additional
certificate or opinion need be furnished.
45
Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a
condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:
(1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or
opinion has read or has caused to be read such covenant or condition and the
definitions herein relating thereto;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such
certificate or opinion are based; and
(3) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such signatory,
such condition or covenant has been complied with.
SECTION 11.2 Form of Documents Delivered to Indenture Trustee. In any
case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an
opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be
certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they
be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify
or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such
Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion
as to such matters in one or several documents.
Any certificate or opinion of an Authorized Officer of the Issuer may
be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion
of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the
exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or
representations with respect to the matters upon which such officer's
certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such certificate of an
Authorized Officer or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to
factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an
officer or officers of the Servicer, the Seller or the Issuer, stating that the
information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the
Servicer, the Seller or the Issuer, unless such counsel knows, or in the
exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or
representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.
Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more
applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other
instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and
form one instrument.
Whenever in this Indenture, in connection with any application or
certificate or report to the Indenture Trustee, it is provided that the Issuer
shall deliver any document as a condition of the granting of such application,
or as evidence of the Issuer's compliance with any term hereof, it is intended
that the truth and accuracy, at the time of the granting of such application or
at the effective date of such certificate or report (as the case may be), of the
facts and opinions stated in such document shall in such case be conditions
precedent to the right of the Issuer to have such application granted or to the
sufficiency of such certificate or report. The foregoing shall not, however, be
construed to affect the Indenture Trustee's right to rely upon the truth and
accuracy of any statement or opinion contained in any such document as provided
in Article VI.
SECTION 11.3 Acts of Owners.
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by Owners
may be embodied in and evidenced by one or
46
more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Owners in person
or by agents duly appointed in writing; and except as herein otherwise expressly
provided such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments
are delivered in writing to the Indenture Trustee, and, where it is hereby
expressly required, to the Issuer. Such instrument or instruments (and the
action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to
as the "Act" of the Owners signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of
execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall
be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 6.1)
conclusive in favor of the Indenture Trustee and the Issuer, if made in the
manner provided in this Section.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any person of any such
instrument or writing may be proved in any manner that the Indenture Trustee
deems sufficient.
(c) The ownership of Notes shall be proved by the Note Register.
(d) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other action by the Owner of any Notes shall bind the Owner of every
Note issued upon the registration thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu
thereof, in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the
Indenture Trustee or the Issuer in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of
such action is made upon such Note.
SECTION 11.4 Notices, etc., to Indenture Trustee, Issuer, Rating
Agencies and Note Insurer. Any request, demand, authorization, direction,
notice, consent, waiver or Act of Owners or other documents provided or
permitted by this Indenture shall be in writing and if such request, demand,
authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or act of Owners is to be made
upon, given or furnished to or filed with:
(a) the Indenture Trustee by any Owner or by the Issuer shall be
sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in
writing to or with the Indenture Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or
(b) in the case of the Issuer, Rating Agencies or Note Insurer as
provided in Section 6.16 of the Sale and Servicing Agreement.
SECTION 11.5 Notices to Owners; Waiver. Where this Indenture provides
for notice to Owners of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given
(unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed,
first-class, postage prepaid to each Owner affected by such event, at his
address as it appears on the Note Register, not later than the latest date, and
not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice. In
any case where notice to Owners is given by mail, neither the failure to mail
such notice nor any defect in any notice so mailed to any particular Owner shall
affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Owners, and any
notice that is mailed in the manner herein provided shall conclusively be
presumed to have been duly given.
Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may
be waived in writing by any Person entitled to receive such notice, either
before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such
notice. Waivers of notice by Owners shall be filed with the Indenture Trustee
but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action
taken in reliance upon such a waiver.
In case, by reason of the suspension of regular mail service as a
result of a strike, work stoppage or similar activity, it shall be impractical
to mail notice of any event to Owners when such notice is required
47
to be given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture, then any manner of
giving such notice as shall be satisfactory to the Indenture Trustee shall be
deemed to be a sufficient giving of such notice.
Where this Indenture provides for notice to the Rating Agencies,
failure to give such notice shall not affect any other rights or obligations
created hereunder, and shall not under any circumstance constitute a Default or
Event of Default.
SECTION 11.6 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act. If any provision hereof
limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision hereof that is required to
be included in this Indenture by any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture
Act, such required provision shall control.
The provisions of TIA Sections 310 through 317 that impose duties on
any person (including the provisions automatically deemed included herein unless
expressly excluded by this Indenture) are a part of and govern this Indenture,
whether or not physically contained herein.
SECTION 11.7 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and
Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and
shall not affect the construction hereof.
SECTION 11.8 Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in
this Indenture and the Notes by the Issuer shall bind its successors and
assigns, whether so expressed or not. All agreements of the Indenture Trustee in
this Indenture shall bind its successors, co-trustees and agents.
SECTION 11.9 Separability. In case any provision in this Indenture or
in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality,
and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected
or impaired thereby.
SECTION 11.10 Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in
the Notes, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties
hereto and their successors hereunder, and the Owners, and any other party
secured hereunder, and any other Person with an ownership interest in any part
of the Collateral, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim
under this Indenture, except that the Note Insurer is an express third party
beneficiary to this Indenture as provided in Section 11.19.
SECTION 11.11 Legal Holidays. In any case where the date on which any
payment is due shall not be a Business Day, then (notwithstanding any other
provision of the Notes or this Indenture) payment need not be made on such date,
but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and
effect as if made on the date on which nominally due, and no interest shall
accrue for the period from and after any such nominal date.
SECTION 11.12 Governing Law. THIS INDENTURE SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS
CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS, AND THE OBLIGATIONS, RIGHTS AND REMEDIES OF THE
PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUCH LAWS.
SECTION 11.13 Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in any
number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an
original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the
same instrument.
48
SECTION 11.14 Recording of Indenture. If this Indenture is subject to
recording in any appropriate public recording offices, such recording is to be
effected by the Issuer and at its expense accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel
(which may be counsel to the Indenture Trustee or any other counsel reasonably
acceptable to the Indenture Trustee) to the effect that such recording is
necessary either for the protection of the Owners or any other Person secured
hereunder or for the enforcement of any right or remedy granted to the Indenture
Trustee under this Indenture.
SECTION 11.15 Trust Obligation. No recourse may be taken, directly or
indirectly, with respect to the obligations of the Issuer, the Owner Trustee or
the Indenture Trustee on the Notes or under this Indenture or any certificate or
other writing delivered in connection herewith or therewith, against (i) the
Indenture Trustee or the Owner Trustee in its individual capacity, (ii) any
owner of a beneficial interest in the Issuer or (iii) any partner, owner,
beneficiary, agent, officer, director, employee or agent of the Indenture
Trustee or the Owner Trustee in its individual capacity, any Owner of a
beneficial interest in the Issuer, the Owner Trustee or the Indenture Trustee or
of any successor or assign of the Indenture Trustee or the Owner Trustee in its
individual capacity, except as any such Person may have expressly agreed (it
being understood that the Indenture Trustee and the Owner Trustee have no such
obligations in their individual capacity) and except that any such partner,
owner or beneficiary shall be fully liable, to the extent provided by applicable
law, for any unpaid consideration for stock, unpaid capital contribution or
failure to pay any installment or call owing to such entity. For all purposes of
this Indenture, in the performance of any duties or obligations of the Issuer
hereunder, the Owner Trustee shall be subject to, and entitled to the benefits
of, the terms and provisions of Article VI, VII and VIII of the Trust Agreement.
SECTION 11.16 No Petition. The Indenture Trustee, by entering into this
Indenture, and each Owner, by accepting a Note, hereby covenant and agree that
they will not at any time institute against the Issuer, or join in any
institution against the Issuer of, any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement,
insolvency or liquidation proceedings, or other proceedings under any United
States federal or state bankruptcy or similar law in connection with any
obligations relating to the Notes, this Indenture or any of the Operative
Documents.
SECTION 11.17 Inspection. The Issuer agrees that, on reasonable prior
notice, it will permit any representative of the Indenture Trustee or the Note
Insurer, during the Issuer's normal business hours, to examine all the books of
account, records, reports and other papers of the Issuer, to make copies and
extracts therefrom, to cause such books to be audited by Independent certified
public accountants, and to discuss the Issuer's affairs, finances and accounts
with the Issuer's officers, employees, and Independent certified public
accountants, all at such reasonable times and as often as may be reasonably
requested. The Indenture Trustee shall and shall cause its representatives to
hold in confidence all such information except to the extent disclosure may be
required by law (and all reasonable applications for confidential treatment are
unavailing) and except to the extent that the Indenture Trustee may reasonably
determine that such disclosure is consistent with its obligations hereunder.
SECTION 11.18 Grant of Owner Rights to Note Insurer. In consideration
for the guarantee of the Notes by the Note Insurer pursuant to the Note
Insurance Policy, the Owners hereby grant to the Note Insurer the right to act
as the Owner of 100% of the outstanding Notes for the purpose of exercising the
rights of the Owners of the Notes hereunder, including the voting rights of such
Owners, but excluding those rights requiring the consent of all such Owners
under Section 9.2 and any rights of such Owners to distributions under Section
8.2 hereof; provided that the preceding grant of rights to the Note Insurer by
the Owners shall be subject to Section 11.20 hereof. The rights of the Note
Insurer to direct certain actions and consent to
49
certain actions of the Owners hereunder will terminate at such time as the
Principal Balance has been reduced to zero and the Note Insurer has been
reimbursed for all Insured Payments and any other amounts owed under the Note
Insurance Policy and the Insurance Agreement and the Note Insurer has no further
obligation under the Note Insurance Policy.
SECTION 11.19 Third Party Beneficiary. The parties hereto acknowledge
that the Note Insurer is an express third party beneficiary hereof entitled to
enforce any rights reserved to it hereunder as if it were actually a party
hereto.
SECTION 11.20 Suspension and Termination of Note Insurer's Rights.
(a) During the continuation of a Note Insurer Default, rights granted
or reserved to the Note Insurer hereunder shall vest instead in the Owners;
provided that the Note Insurer shall be entitled to any distributions in
reimbursement of the Reimbursement Amount, and the Note Insurer shall retain
those rights under Section 9.2 hereof to consent to any supplement to this
Indenture.
(b) At such time as either (i) the Note Principal Balance has been
reduced to zero or (ii) the Note Insurance Policy has been terminated following
a Note Insurer Default, and in either case of (i) or (ii) the Note Insurer has
been reimbursed for all Insured Payments and any other amounts owed under the
Note Insurance Policy and the Insurance Agreement (and the Note Insurer no
longer has any obligation under the Note Insurance Policy, except for breach
thereof by the Note Insurer), then the rights and benefits granted or reserved
to the Note Insurer hereunder (including the rights to direct certain actions
and receive certain notices) shall terminate and the Owners shall be entitled to
the exercise of such rights and to receive such benefits of the Note Insurer
following such termination to the extent that such rights and benefits are
applicable to the Owners.
50
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer and the Indenture Trustee have caused
this Indenture to be duly executed by their respective officers, thereunto duly
authorized and duly attested, all as of the day and year first above written.
FIRST ALLIANCE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 1998-1A
By: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY,
not in its individual capacity
but solely as Owner Trustee
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
----------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Financial Services Officer
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
as Indenture Trustee
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
-----------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President
51
STATE OF Delaware )
) ss
COUNTY OF New Castle )
BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, a Notary Public in and for said
county and state, on this day personally appeared ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇, known to me
to be the person and officer whose name is subscribed to the foregoing
instrument and acknowledged to me that the same was the act of the said
WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, not in its individual capacity, but solely as Owner
Trustee on behalf of FIRST ALLIANCE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 1998-1A, a Delaware
business trust, and that such person executed the same as the act of said
business trust for the purpose and consideration therein expressed, and in the
capacities therein stated.
GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL OF OFFICE, this 25th day of March, 1998.
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
------------------------------------
Notary Public
in and for the State of Delaware
(Seal)
My commission expires: October 31, 1998
52
STATE OF New York )
) ss
COUNTY OF New York )
BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, a Notary Public in and for said
county and state, on this day personally appeared ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, known to me to
be the person and officer whose name is subscribed to the foregoing instrument
and acknowledged to me that the same was the act of THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, a
New York banking corporation and that such person executed the same as the act
of said corporation for the purpose and consideration therein stated.
GIVEN UNDER MY HAND AND SEAL OF OFFICE, this 25th day of March, 1998.
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
------------------------------------
Notary Public
in and for the State of New York
(Seal)
My commission expires: April 22, 1999
53
SCHEDULE A
Available Upon Request to the Indenture Trustee
EXHIBIT A
Form of Note
UNLESS THIS NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION ("DTC"), TO THE ISSUER OR ITS
AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY NOTE ISSUED IS
REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO
SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY
TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON
IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST
HEREIN.
THE PRINCIPAL OF THIS NOTE IS PAYABLE IN INSTALLMENTS AS SET FORTH
HEREIN. ACCORDINGLY, THE OUTSTANDING PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF THIS NOTE AT ANY TIME
MAY BE LESS THAN THE AMOUNT SHOWN ON THE FACE HEREOF.
Date of Indenture: As of March 1, 1998 Original Note Principal
Balance: $54,600,000
First Payment Date: April 20, 1998 CUSIP No.______________
Denomination: $______________________ Note No: ___________
FIRST ALLIANCE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 1998-1A
ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED NOTES, SERIES 1998-1A
FIRST ALLIANCE MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 1998-1A, a business trust organized
and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein referred to as the
"Issuer"), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or
registered assigns, the principal sum of _____________ ($___________) payable on
each Payment Date in an amount equal to the result obtained by multiplying (i) a
fraction the numerator of which is $____________ and the denominator of which is
$________________ by (ii) the aggregate amount, if any, payable under this Note
pursuant to the Indenture dated as of March 1, 1998, between the Issuer and The
Chase Manhattan Bank, a New York banking corporation as Indenture Trustee (the
"Indenture Trustee"); provided, however, that the entire unpaid principal amount
of this Note shall be due and payable on the earlier of (i) the Payment Date
occurring in April 2028 (the "Final Payment Date"), (ii) the Redemption Date, if
any, pursuant to Article X of the Indenture or (iii) the date on which an Event
of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, if the Note Insurer or in the
event of a Note Insurer
Default, the Indenture Trustee or the Owners of Notes representing not less than
a majority of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes have declared the Notes to be
immediately due and payable in the manner provided in Section 5.2 of the
Indenture. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein are defined in Article
I of the Indenture.
Pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, payments will be made on the
20th day of each month or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the Business
Day immediately following such 20th day (the "Payment Date"), commencing on the
first Payment Date specified above, to the Person in whose name this Note is
registered at the close of business on the applicable Record Date, in an amount
equal to the product of (a) the Percentage Interest evidenced by this Note and
(b) the sum of the Current Interest, Principal Payment Amount and any Insured
Payment with respect to such Payment Date, all as more specifically set forth in
the Indenture and the Sale and Servicing Agreement.
The principal of and interest on this Note are payable in such coin or
currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal
tender for payment of public and private debts. All payments made by the Issuer
with respect to this Note shall be applied first to interest due and payable on
this Note as provided above and then to the unpaid principal of this Note.
Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on
the reverse hereof, which shall have the same effect as though fully set forth
on the face of this Note.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by
the Indenture Trustee whose name appears below by manual signature, this Note
shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture referred to on the
reverse hereof, or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
[Signatures follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has caused this instrument to be signed,
manually or in facsimile, by its Authorized Officer, as of the date set forth
below.
Date: _______________________________
FIRST ALLIANCE MORTGAGE LOAN
TRUST 1998-1A
By: WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY
not in its individual capacity
but solely as Owner Trustee under
the Trust Agreement
By: _______________________________
Authorized Signatory
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Notes designated above and referred to in the
within-mentioned Indenture.
Date: ______________________________
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK,
as Indenture Trustee
By: ______________________________
Authorized Signatory
[Reverse of Note]
This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of Notes of the Issuer,
designated as its Adjustable Rate Mortgage Loan Asset-Backed Notes, Series
1998-1A (herein called the "Notes"), issued under the Indenture, to which
Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a
statement of the respective rights and obligations thereunder of the Issuer, the
Indenture Trustee and the Owners of the Notes. To the extent that any provision
of this Note contradicts or is inconsistent with the provisions of the
Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall control and supersede such
contradictory or inconsistent provision herein. The Notes are subject to all
terms of the Indenture.
The Notes are and will be equally and ratably secured by the collateral
pledged as security therefor as provided in the Indenture.
Principal of the Notes will be payable on each Payment Date in an
amount described on the face hereof.
As described above, the entire unpaid principal amount of this Note
shall be due and payable on the earlier of the Final Payment Date and the
Redemption Date, if any, pursuant to Article X of the Indenture. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, the entire unpaid principal amount of the Notes shall be due and
payable on the date on which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing and the Indenture Trustee, upon the prior written direction of MBIA
Insurance Corporation (the "Note Insurer") or, upon the occurrence of a Note
Insurer Default, the Owners of the Notes representing not less than a majority
of the Outstanding Amount of the Notes have declared the Notes to be immediately
due and payable in the manner provided in Section 5.2 of the Indenture. All
principal payments on the Notes shall be made pro rata to the Owners entitled
thereto on the basis of their Note Principal Balance.
The Note Insurer, has issued a Note Insurance Policy in the name of the
Indenture Trustee for the benefit of the Owners. Unless a Note Insurer Default
shall be continuing, subject to Section 11.18 of the Indenture, the Note Insurer
shall be deemed to be the Owner of 100% of the Note Principal Balance of the
Outstanding Notes for the purpose of exercising the rights, including voting
rights, of the Owners under the Indenture. In addition, on each Payment Date,
after the Owners have been paid all amounts to which they are entitled, the Note
Insurer will be entitled to be reimbursed for any unreimbursed Insured Payments
and any other amounts owed under the Note Insurance Policy.
Payments of interest on this Note are due and payable on each Payment
Date, together with the installment of principal, if any, to the extent not in
full payment of this Note, shall be made by check mailed to the Person whose
name appears as the Owner of the Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes) on the
Note Register as of the close of business on each Record Date, except that with
respect to Notes registered on the Record Date in the name of the nominee of the
Clearing Agency (initially, such nominee to be Cede & Co.), payments will be
made by wire transfer in
immediately available funds to the account designated by such nominee. Such
checks shall be mailed to the Person entitled thereto at the address of such
Person as it appears on the Note Register as of the applicable Record Date
without requiring that this Note be submitted for notation of payment. Any
reduction in the principal amount of this Note (or any one or more Predecessor
Notes) effected by any payments made on any Payment Date shall be binding upon
all future Owners of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of
transfer hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof, whether or not noted
hereon. If funds are expected to be available, as provided in the Indenture, for
payment in full of the then remaining unpaid principal amount of this Note on a
Payment Date, then the Indenture Trustee, in the name of and on behalf of the
Issuer, will notify the Person who was the Owner hereof as of the Record Date
preceding such Payment Date by notice mailed or transmitted by facsimile prior
to such Payment Date, and the amount then due and payable shall be payable only
upon presentation and surrender of this Note at the Indenture Trustee's
principal Corporate Trust Office or at the office of the Indenture Trustee's
agent appointed for such purposes located in The City of New York.
As provided in the Indenture, the Notes may be redeemed in whole, but
not in part, at the option of the Majority Certificateholders, on any Payment
Date on and after the Remittance Date pursuant to Article X of the Indenture and
Section 5.2 of the Sale and Servicing Agreement. If the Majority
Certificateholders decline to exercise such option, the Note Insurer may do so
as provided in Article X of the Indenture and Section 5.2 of the Sale and
Servicing Agreement.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations set
forth therein, the transfer of this Note may be registered on the Note Register
upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency
designated by the Issuer pursuant to the Indenture, duly endorsed by, or
accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the
Indenture Trustee duly executed by, the Owner hereof or such Owner's attorney
duly authorized in writing, with such signature guaranteed by an "eligible
guarantor institution" meeting the requirements of the Note Registrar, which
requirements include membership or participation in the Securities Transfer
Agent's Medallion Program ("STAMP") or such other "signature guarantee program"
as may be determined by the Note Registrar in addition to, or in substitution
for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and thereupon one more new Notes of authorized denominations and in the
same aggregate principal amount will be issued to the designated transferee or
transferees. No service charge will be charged for any registration of transfer
or exchange of this Note, but the transferor may be required to pay a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in
connection with any such registration of transfer or exchange.
Each Owner, by acceptance of a Note or, in the case of a Book-Entry
Owner, a beneficial interest in a Note, covenants and agrees that no recourse
may be taken, directly or indirectly, with respect to the obligations of the
Issuer, the Seller, the Servicer, the Owner Trustee or the Indenture Trustee on
the Notes or under the Indenture or any certificate or other writing delivered
in connection therewith, against (i) the Indenture Trustee or the Owner Trustee
in its individual capacity, (ii) any owner of a beneficial interest in the
Issuer or (iii) any partner, owner, beneficiary,
agent, officer, director or employee of the Indenture Trustee or the Owner
Trustee in its individual capacity, any holder of a beneficial interest in the
Issuer, the Owner Trustee or the Indenture Trustee or of any successor or assign
of the Indenture Trustee or the Owner Trustee in its individual capacity, except
as any such person may have expressly agreed and except that any such partner,
owner or beneficiary shall be fully liable, to the extent provided by applicable
law, for any unpaid consideration for stock, unpaid capital contribution or
failure to pay any installment or call owing to such entity.
Each Owner or Book-Entry Owner, by acceptance of a Note or, in the case
of a Book-Entry Owner, a beneficial interest in a Note, covenants and agrees by
accepting the benefits of the Indenture that such Owner or Book-Entry Owner will
not at any time institute against the Seller, the Servicer, or the Issuer, or
join in any institution against the Seller, the Servicer, or the Issuer of, any
bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or similar law in connection
with any obligations relating to the Notes, the Indenture or any of the
Operative Documents.
The Issuer has entered into the Indenture and this Note is issued with
the intention that, for federal, state and local income, single business and
franchise tax purposes, the Notes will qualify as indebtedness of the Issuer
secured by the Trust Estate. Each Owner, by acceptance of a Note (and each
Book-Entry Owner by acceptance of a beneficial interest in a Note), agrees to
treat the Notes for federal, state and local income, single business and
franchise tax purposes as indebtedness of the Issuer.
Prior to the due presentment for registration of transfer of this Note,
the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Indenture
Trustee may treat the person in whose name this Note (as of the day of
determination or as of such other date as may be specified in the Indenture) is
registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note be
overdue, and none of the Issuer, the Indenture Trustee or any such agent shall
be affected by notice to the contrary.
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Issuer and the rights of the Owners of the Notes under the Indenture at any time
by the Issuer with the consent of the Note Insurer and the Owner of Notes
representing a majority of the Outstanding Amount of Notes. The Indenture also
contains provisions permitting the Owners of Notes representing the majority of
the Outstanding Amount of the Notes on behalf of the Owners of all the Notes to
waive compliance by the Issuer with certain provisions of the Indenture and
certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such
consent or waiver by the Owner of this Note (or any one or more Predecessor
Notes) shall be conclusive and binding upon such Owners and upon all future
Owners of this Note and of any Note issued upon the registration of transfer
hereof or in exchange hereof or in lieu hereof whether or not notation of such
consent or waiver is made upon this Note. The Indenture also permits the
amendment thereof, in certain limited circumstances, or the waiver of certain
terms and conditions set forth in the Indenture, without the consent of Owners
of the Notes issued thereunder.
The term "Issuer" as used in this Note includes any successor to the
Issuer under the Indenture.
The Notes are issuable only in registered form in denominations as
provided in the Indenture, subject to certain limitations therein set forth.
This Note and the Indenture shall be construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of New York, without reference to its conflict of law
provisions, and the obligations, rights and remedies of the parties hereunder
and thereunder shall be determined in accordance with such laws.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or
of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Issuer, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Note at
the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency herein prescribed.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, except as expressly
provided in the Operative Documents, none of the Issuer in its individual
capacity, the Owner Trustee in its individual capacity, any owner of a
beneficial interest in the Issuer, or any of their respective partners,
beneficiaries, agents, officers, directors, employees or successors or assigns
shall be personally liable for, nor shall recourse be had to any of them for,
the payment of principal of or interest on this Note or performance of, or
omission to perform, any of the covenants, obligations or indemnifications
contained in the Indenture. The Owner of this Note by its acceptance hereof
agrees that, except as expressly provided in the Operative Documents, in the
case of an Event of Default under the Indenture, the Owner shall have no claim
against any of the foregoing for any deficiency, loss or claim therefrom;
provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be taken to prevent
recourse to, and enforcement against, the assets of the Issuer for any and all
liabilities, obligations and undertakings contained in the Indenture or in this
Note.
ASSIGNMENT
Social Security or Taxpayer I.D. or other identifying number of assignee:
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sells, assigns and transfers
unto:
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(name and address of assignee)
the within Note and all rights thereunder, and hereby irrevocably constitutes
and appoints _______________________, attorney, to transfer said Note on the
books kept for registration thereof, with full power of substitution in the
premises.
Dated: __________________*/
Signature Guaranteed:
________________________*/
*/ NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the
name of the registered owner as it appears on the face of the within Note in
every particular, without alteration, enlargement or any change whatever. Such
signature must be guaranteed by an "eligible guarantor institution" meeting the
requirements of the Note Registrar, which requirements include membership or
participation in STAMP or such other "signature guarantee program" as may be
determined by the Note Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP,
all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.