COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

NOTE 9                      COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

The Corporation is a party to certain financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk such as commitments under standby letters of credit, unused portions of lines of credit, overdraft protection and commitments to fund new loans.  In accordance with U.S. GAAP, these financial instruments are not recorded in the financial statements.  The Corporation's policy is to record such instruments when funded.  These transactions involve, to varying degrees, elements of credit, interest rate and liquidity risk.  Such transactions are generally used by the Corporation to manage clients' requests for funding and other client needs.

The Bank is a party in two legal proceedings involving its Wealth Management Group Services. In both proceedings, the Bank, as trustee pursuant to written trust instruments, has sought judicial settlement of trust accounts in the New York Surrogate’s Court for Chemung County. Individuals who are beneficiaries under the trusts have filed formal objections and/or demand letters with the Court in both of these accounting proceedings, objecting to the final settlement of the trust accounts. The objectants primarily assert that the Bank acted imprudently by failing to diversify the trusts’ investments and they claim $9.6 million and $24.1 million, consisting of damages and disallowed trustee’s commissions, plus unspecified legal fees in the respective proceedings. These proceedings are pending in the Surrogate’s Court and are now in the discovery phase. While the outcome of litigation is not predictable the Bank believes that the claims are without merit and is vigorously defending them.  As of June 30, 2013, no amount has been accrued for potential losses related to these proceedings as a potential loss is not considered probable or reasonably estimable in the opinion of management.

In the normal course of business, there are various outstanding claims and legal proceedings involving the Corporation or its subsidiaries.  Except for the above matter, we believe that we are not a party to any pending legal, arbitration, or regulatory proceedings that could have a material adverse impact on our financial results or liquidity.