Banking and Finance Law Commons^™

Waiver Of Protest: A Comparative Study, Raúl Olivera Y Borges

Michigan Law Review

Parallel to the study of protest, it is pertinent to consider the nature and legal effects of exempting clauses which, while not essential, may be found in bills of exchange. Waiver of protest appears to have been introduced by the practice in France during the first third of the nineteenth century. It is generally used to moderate the consequences of non-payment, by a drawer who lacks confidence in the solvency of the drawee, or who fears that he may not be able to provide the necessary funds before maturity. The drawer can thus spare the susceptibilities of a drawee who …

Bills And Notes--Irregular Indorsers--Parol Evidence

Michigan Law Review

Defendant signed a note otherwise than as maker. Held, error to exclude evidence that he was a co-maker. Glick v. Lieb, (App. Div. N.Y., 1944) 53 N.Y. Supp. (2d) 80.

Capacity Under The Negotiable Instruments Laws Of The Americas: A Comparative Study, Luis M. Ramirez B.

Michigan Law Review

Closely related to the legal rules that regulate the different aspects and effects of endorsement is the question of capacity to endorse bills of exchange. This forms part of negotiatory capacity in general, which, in a broad sense, may be defined as the faculty of a person to acquire rights and to assume obligations on negotiable instruments.

Principal And Surety- Right Of Surety On Building Contract To Be Subrogated To Funds In Owner's Hands As Against Right Of Bank That Advanced Funds To Contractor, Mary Jane Morris

Michigan Law Review

A contract for construction of a city sewerage system provided for progress payments on the fifteenth of each month of ninety per cent of the engineer's estimate of work done during the preceeding month, ten per cent being retained by the owner until final completion of the contract. The contract also required the contractor by the twentieth of the month to pay all labor costs and ninety per cent of the cost of materials delivered the month before. Because the necessary estimates had not been made, the June check was not paid to the contractor on the payment date. On …

Bills And Notes -Acceleration Provision As Affecting Negotiability

Michigan Law Review

In an action against the maker of a promissory note by an indorsee thereof, claiming to be a holder in due course, the question was the negotiability of the note. It contained a provision that "If the maker or anyone of the makers hereof shall fail to furnish additional security upon the demand of said company, said company is authorized to declare all indebtedness owed to it by the maker or makers hereof immediately due and payable without giving notice of said declaration." Held, the quoted language rendered the note nonnegotiable. American Finance Corp. v. Bourne, 190 Okla. …

The Enforcement Of Oral Promises To Give Real Estate Security, Theodore A. Smedley

Washington and Lee Law Review

No abstract provided.

Vendor And Purchaser-Vendor's Release Of Sub-Assignee Held A Discharge Of All Prior Assignees, Robert M. Warren

Michigan Law Review

The bank for which plaintiff is receiver sold land on contract. There followed four successive assignments of the vendee's interest, in each of which the assignee expressly assumed the contract obligation. After the fourth assignment, default occurred as to payments and taxes, and plaintiff began negotiations to sell the property to an intermediate assignee, R. To effectuate this sale, plaintiff procured an assignment in blank from the fourth assignee, W, in consideration of a release of W from further liability on the contract. The negotiations with R having failed, plaintiff brought suit against the vendee and all the …

Contracts - Effect Of Fail Ure Of Performance In An Aleatory Contract, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff held a note of defendant's husband, long overdue. Defendant promised to guarantee payment of her husband's note, in consideration of plaintiff's promise to lend her money. Thereafter plaintiff, in breach of its promise, refused defendant a loan. Defendant immediately repudiated the contract. Plaintiff sued on the contract to recover the amount of the note with interest. Held, the promises were dependent; plaintiff's refusal to make the loan was a material breach of its promise, and excused defendant from further performance under the contract. People's Trust & Savings Bank v. Wassersteen, (Wis. 1937) 276 N. W. 330.

Contracts - Assignments - Sufficiency Of Notice To A Bank Of The Assignment Of An Account, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

On March 25, 1933 an account in D Bank was assigned to P. A week later the bank received from P a formal statement of the assignment, which the bank totally ignored for nine months. In the meantime the bank debited the account for the price of thirty shares of its stock which the depositor-assignor bought in October. On January 2, 1934, D Bank acknowledged receipt of the letter of notice, but denied any liability to P thereunder. In a suit brought by P for the account, the only question was the right of D Bank to take the …

Mortgages - Deed In Lieu Of Foreclosure - Validity, Elbridge D. Phelps

Michigan Law Review

Depression years have brought to the fore a question much controverted in the early law, but now said to have become settled. That question regards the effect and efficacy of a conveyance of the mortgaged land, or a transfer of the equity of redemption, by the mortgagor to his mortgagee. It seems to have been cheerfully assumed by some lawyers, and by laymen in general, that in the absence of liens subsequent to the mortgage, the procedure is perfectly safe and proper in every case. It is the purpose of this discussion, however, to point out certain dangers inherent in …

Unforgetable Knowledge, Maurice H. Merrill

Michigan Law Review

In another article, the writer had occasion to analyze the concept of notice. He there called attention to the fact that in some instances the existence of notice depends upon awareness by the person to be charged, either of the ultimate facts or of circumstances placing him upon inquiry thereof, while in other cases notice exists entirely independent of such awareness. To characterize notice of the first class he suggested the term "cognitive notice," applying to the latter the designation "absolute notice."

Bills And Notes-Holders In Due Course-Effect Of Knowledge Of Executory Character Of Consideration

Michigan Law Review

In an action on a promissory note the plaintiff claimed, as a holder in due course, to be free from the defense of failure of consideration. When the plaintiff acquired the note it was physically attached to a conditional sales contract by the terms of which the payee was to furnish the maker with an oil burner which in truth was never furnished, this being the claimed failure of consideration. Breach of the sales contract apparently took place after the plaintiff acquired the note. Held, plaintiff, having knowledge of the terms of the contract, was not a holder in …

Banks And Banking - Power To Pledge Assets To Secure Private Depositors

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff railway company deposited funds in the national bank of the defendant receiver. Dissatisfied with the guaranty of his deposits by surety bonds, the plaintiff demanded and received from the bank Liberty Loan Bonds, which were deposited with the trust officer of the bank to be held as security for the repayment, on demand, of the deposits. On the insolvency of the bank, the receiver refused to turn over the bonds, whereupon the plaintiff brought an action on the contract of pledge. Held, that the contract of pledge of the bank's assets to secure the private deposit was invalid …

Banks And Banking - Land Contract As Item For Collection Under The Bank Collection Code

Michigan Law Review

The petitioner deposited with A Bank a land contract. The bank was to collect payments thereon and remit them to the petitioner. After making two collections amounting to $100, the bank became insolvent and the petitioner sought a preferred claim against all the assets of the bank. The Bank Collection Code (sec. 13 of Act No. 240 of the Public Acts of Michigan, 1931) was the basis of his claim. The trial judge allowed him a preference as to cash assets on hand at the time the receiver took possession. Since it was doubtful whether there would be any cash …

Quasi-Contracts -- Sufficiency Of Technical Benefit

Michigan Law Review

A brokerage house, the R. Co., having purchased stock on margin for the plaintiff, requested a payment of $1100 in order to protect themselves in carrying the account. Doubting the financial stability of R. Co. the plaintiff decided to transfer the account to another firm, the defendant, and accordingly delivered to R. Co. a personal check naming the defendant as payee, at the same time orally directing R. Co. to transfer the stock and check to the defendant and from them receive payment in full. R. Co., however, falsely represented that the check was really theirs and that the plaintiff …

Banks And Banking - Right To Recover For Benefits Conferred Under An Illegal Contract

Michigan Law Review

The Rowena State Bank, a corporation organized under the laws of South Dakota, borrowed a sum of money from the plaintiff who was the president of the bank. A state statute provided : "In all cases where money is borrowed, a bank shall issue its 'Bills Payable' and shall show the true amount of borrowed money on its books." The bank failed to comply with this statute. A short time later the defendant as superintendent of banks took charge of this bank. The plaintiff brought an action to recover upon a quantum meruit for the money loaned. Held, that …

Bills And Notes - Estoppel As Against Bona Fide Purchaser Of Non-Negotiable Chose

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiffs bought some interim certificates (at that time non-negotiable in New York), and delivery was made to them. Because of inability to make payment that day, they asked the vendor to send a runner for the certificates, and when a person appeared asking for the amount due the vendor, plaintiffs' cashier gave him the certificates. Shortly thereafter the proper runner arrived, and plaintiff's at once gave notice of the theft in newspapers and otherwise. Some of the stolen certificates were pledged with defendant who acted in good faith in taking them. The defense to this suit for recovery of the …

Banks And Banking--Damages--Liability Of Bank To Depositor For Wrongful Dishonor Of Check

Michigan Law Review

In an action by a creditor against his debtor for the non-payment of the debt, the ordinary measure of damages for non-performance of the contract is the sum of money itself with interest at the legal rate from the time it was due. Tradition has it that the relation between bank and depositor is that of debtor and creditor. Clearly, it is a contractual relationship. The contract, however, is not merely to pay the creditor but also to pay, on his behalf, such third persons as he may designate. It is not an adequate description to say, merely, that the …

Contracts--Usury--Commission For Securing Loans, Anne Slifkin

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Corporations-Debts In Excess Of Statuatory Limit

Michigan Law Review

Business Corporations generally have the power to borrow money for the purpose of their ordinary business, and to give the customary evidence of the debt and security therefor. Such power can be limited only by statute or by the charter. Statutes frequently provide that corporations should not incur indebtedness in excess of some particular stated amount, usually a certain proportion of the capital stock. A recent Nebraska case allowed the lender full recovery from the guarantor of corporate notes given in exchange for a loan in excess of the statutory limit, holding that excessive indebtedness does not necessarily invalidate contract …

Bills And Notes-Discharge-What Is "Renunciation."

Michigan Law Review

The recent and interesting Minnesota case of McGlynn v. Granstrom again raises the question of the construction of certain sections of the Uniform Negotiable Instruments Law. It is there held, that Sec. 122 of the N. I. L., requiring a "renunciation" to be in writing, does not apply to a discharge by accord and satisfaction.

New Types Of Negotiable Paper

Michigan Law Review

Admirers of the common law are prone to point with pride to its adaptability to meet changing conditions. In codification the tendency toward rigidity would seem to be almost inevitable, particularly in so far as there is an indulgence in attempts at definition. The Uniform Negotiable Instruments Law affords examples of the price to be paid in departing from the ready elasticity of the common law.

The Reckoning Of Damages In Fluctuating Exchange, Joseph H. Drake

Michigan Law Review

Not the least serious of the evil effects of the Great War has been the resultant collapse in value of the currencies of foreign countries and the consequent dislocation of exchanges. The case of Sirie v. Godfrey, decided in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, presents clearly one of the legal problems arising out of this situation. Goods were bought by an American lady in Paris, in 1913 and 1914, at a cost of about 10,000 francs. These goods were delivered in due time but were not paid for. At the time the goods were …

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.

Commercial Instruments, The Law Merchant And Negotiability, Ralph W. Aigler

Articles

“Until recently apparently no serious attempt had been to make a comprehensive examination into the origins and history of commercial instruments or to explain the special doctrines attached to negotiability….

“The bill of exchange, it is said, developed as a bit of machinery to give effect to the medieval contract of cambium which was concerned with the special case of the exchange of money for money. With the growth of foreign trade the difficulties and dangers of payments multiplied. Naturally those whose business it was to exchange monies were resorted to in this connection. They, in turn, out of necessities …

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

No abstract provided.

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Carriers of Passengers - Duty to Stop at Station to Permit Passenger to Alight-Contributory Negligence of Passenger Plaintiff's intestate was riding in the front end of a crowded vestibule car in the coach next to the tender of the eengine. When the train stopped at his station he tried to leave by the front end, but found the door from the vestibule closed. As he did not know how to open it, or was unwilling to be carried by his station, he stepped from his platform to the bumper of the tender and tried to follow it to the side …

Duty Of Creditor To Pursue Remedy Against Principal Before Looking To Guarantor, H. C. J.

West Virginia Law Review

No abstract provided.

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.

Recent Important Decisions

Michigan Law Review

A collection of recent important court decisions.