Law Commons^™

The Uniform Commercial Code Comes Of Age, Roy L. Steinheimer Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Once upon a time back in the elegant and well-ordered Victorian age, a new organization known as the National Conference of State Boards of Commissioners for Promoting Uniformity of Legislation in the United States undertook the task of drafting a Negotiable Instruments Law (NIL) for adoption by the legislatures of the various states. The law was finally prepared and recommended by the Commissioners for adoption in 1896, and, by December of 1900, fifteen states had adopted it. In that month, Dean Ames, of the Harvard Law School, loosed a blast at this new law in an article in the Harvard …

Government Contracts-Adoption Of Uniform Commercial Code As The Applicable Federal Law In An Action For Breach Of Government Contract-United States V. Wegematic Corp., Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Appellant contracted to supply the Federal Reserve Board with a "truly revolutionary" electronic digital computing system. After twice requesting postponement of the delivery date, appellant informed the Board that delivery under the terms of the contract would be impracticable because of unforeseen engineering difficulties that would require at least one year and one million dollars to overcome. Appellant asked for cancellation of the contract, but the Board refused and brought a suit for damages. Both parties conceded that federal law governed the action; appellant, however, argued that section 2-615 of the Uniform Commercial Code (Code) should be adopted as the …

Secured Transactions-Insurance-A Security Interest In The "Proceeds" Of Secured Collateral Does Not Include Insurance Proceeds-Universal C.I.T. Corp. V. Prudential Investment Corp., Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

In return for a loan, a debtor executed a promissory note to codefendant, Prudential Investment Corporation, and entered into a written agreement to secure this note, designating as collateral a semi-tractor and the proceeds therefrom. Under this type of arrangement, Prudential's security interest would attach automatically to any property received from a sale, exchange, or other disposition of the tractor. Petitioner, Universal C.I.T. Corp., held the conditional sales contract which was executed in financing the purchase of the tractor and was named as loss payee in the insurance contract covering the tractor. When the tractor was totally destroyed, petitioner collected …

Security Aspects Of The Abc Transaction, John T. Schmidt

Michigan Law Review

In recent years, investments in subterraneous oil and gas have become a common addition to the investment portfolios of national financial institutions. Relying on the assurances of reputable geological studies, traditionally conservative financers have invested amounts ranging up to several hundred million dollars against collateral once accepted only by speculators and a few adventurous oil-country bankers. The increased interest in these investments is in part attributable to the development of the ABC method of financing the purchase of producing oil and gas properties. This method offers unique tax advantages, which have been discussed elsewhere, but also creates problems for the …

Bankruptcy Preferences-Secured Transactions-Security Interest In After-Acquired Property Is Voidable Preference If Received Within Four Months Of Bankruptcy-In Re Portland Newspaper Publishing Co., Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

In an effort to provide employment for several hundred workers who had lost their jobs in an unsuccessful strike against Portland's two largest newspapers, the local printers' unions and several civic leaders organized the Portland Reporter Publishing Co. (Reporter) to publish a rival newspaper. The unions also formed the Rose City Development Co. (Rose City), which leased facilities and equipment to Reporter and subsequently made several emergency operating loans to it. These loans were secured by an agreement designating as collateral all of Reporter's previously unsecured accounts receivable, both present and after-accruing. This type of agreement -securing after-acquired property of …

Article Eight: A Premise And Three Problems, Ernest L. Folk Iii

Michigan Law Review

This essay concerns itself with a basic premise and three problems concerning investment securities under Article Eight of the Uniform Commercial Code (Code). Although some amount of relevant exposition is necessary to make the arguments intelligible, general familiarity with the essentials of the Code's treatment of investment securities is assumed.

Bank Statements, Cancelled Checks, And Article Four In The Electronic Age, Norman Penney

Michigan Law Review

My task was to prepare a short article dealing in some depth with specific problems which have arisen under Article Four of the Uniform Commercial Code (Code). Unfortunately for purposes of criticism, but happily for those affected by Article Four, a canvass of recent reported cases as well as bank operations people and bank counsel has revealed very few problems of any significance to either the general practitioner or even the so-called commercial law specialist. This prompts two comments: (1) Article Four seems to be working so smoothly that to develop a "problem" would be to make a mountain out …

Some Petty Complaints About Article Three, James J. White

Articles

IN many ways Article Three of the Uniform Commercial Code (Code) is like a huge machine assembled by a mad inventor and comprised of assorted sprockets, gears, levers, pulleys, and belts. Few thoroughly understand all of the jobs which this machine is to perform; and a search through the reported cases suggests that the machine is either performing so efficiently that it commits no mistakes worth litigating or it is not performing at all. In their study of the intricacies of Article Three, law students resemble persons climbing about on the machine-pulling its levers, testing its belts and pulleys, and …

Reclamation Of Goods From A Fradulent Buyer, Robert Braucher

Michigan Law Review

Sections 2-702(2) and (3) of the Uniform Commercial Code (Code), defining the right of a seller to reclaim goods from an insolvent buyer, have for years been the subject of controversy. The sponsors of the Code have stood firm on the basic policy of these sections for more than twenty-five years, but, in its 1966 Official Recommendations for Amendment of the Uniform Commercial Code, the Permanent Editorial Board includes an amendment striking the words "or lien creditor" from section 2-702(3). That change has already been made in six states: California, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York. In …

Seller's Damages Following Resale Under Article Two Of The Uniform Commercial Code, Robert J. Nordstrom

Michigan Law Review

The seller's right to resell contracted-for goods following a breach by the buyer is set forth in section 2-706 of the Uniform Commercial Code (Code). That section also contains a statement of the conditions placed upon the exercise of that right and provides the measure of recovery if the resale is made "in good faith and in a commercially reasonable manner":

[T]he seller may recover the difference between the resale price and the contract price together with any incidental damages allowed under the provisions of this Article (Section 2-710), but less expenses saved in consequence of the buyer's breach.

In …

The Irregular Issuance Of Warehouse Receipts And Article Seven Of The Uniform Commercial Code, Douglass G. Boshkoff

Michigan Law Review

The draftsmen of Article Seven were well aware of the problems caused by irregular issuance of warehouse receipts and there will be fewer problems of irregularity under the Code for two reasons. First, the Code's formal requirements for issuance of warehouse receipts are less stringent than are those imposed by the UWRA, thereby lessening the chances of any irregularity occurring. Second, the Code contains two sections which aim to minimize the consequences of any irregularities which may occur. In this article I will discuss the types of defects that have been troublesome over the years, focussing on the ways in …

The Trustee In Bankruptcy As A Secured Creditor Under The Uniform Commercial Code, Frank R. Kennedy

Michigan Law Review

The thesis of this article is that a trustee cannot exploit the advantage of the lien or security of any creditor unless he can avoid it and displace a creditor. Moreover, when he can and does avoid a lien and displace a creditor, he can enforce the rights of that creditor as against any lien or interest otherwise indefeasible in bankruptcy only to the extent of the lien or security of the creditor he displaces.

Actions On Commercial Paper: Holder's Procedural Advantages Under Article Three, Stanley V. Kinyon

Michigan Law Review

The discussion will also be concerned primarily with the usual action "on the instrument": an action by the holder to enforce payment by a person who has signed it as maker, acceptor, certifier, drawer, indorser, or guarantor and has thus become "liable on" it. These instruments, of course, may be involved in other types of actions, such as: an action for conversion of the instrument (section 3-419); an action to recover damages for breach of the warranties of a collector or transferor (sections 3-417 and 4-207); an action to compel indorsement (section 3-201); an action to enjoin payment (section 5-114(2)(b)); …

Protection Of The Installment Buyer Of Goods Under The Uniform Commercial Code, Robert H. Skilton, Orrin L. Helstad

Michigan Law Review

The present topic for discussion, protection of the installment buyer under the Code, is part of a larger topic-protection of the consumer under the Code. The remarks that follow sometimes apply generally to the status of the consumer under the Code. There are times when no distinction should be made between our model installment buyer and other consumer buyers.