Banking and Finance Law Commons^™

Bills And Notes - Accommodation Paper - Defenses Which Can Be Asserted Dy Maker Against One Not A Holder In Due Course, Robert A. Solomon

Michigan Law Review

The defendant, at the request of her husband, signed a blank promissory note. After making the note payable to himself, the husband discounted the note before maturity at the plaintiff bank. In an action by the bank against the wife, the accommodation maker claimed that the bank took in bad faith and that the negotiation to the bank was a diversion from the intended purpose of the accommodation. The plaintiff bank sought to recover upon the ground that the defendant was liable to it as a holder for value irrespective of whether it was a holder in due course. Held …

Bills And Notes - Liability Of Drawer Of Bank Draft - Statute Of Limitations, John P. Cofrin

Michigan Law Review

On April 1, 1918, defendant bank's predecessor issued a draft. The draft was negotiated by the payee to the plaintiff on August 10, 1937; presentment, refusal of payment, protest, notice of protest and dishonor all took place on that day. Defendant suffered no loss by reason of the delayed presentment. In a suit to enforce its liability as drawer, the defendant demurred on the ground that the complaint showed the action was barred by the statute of limitations. Held, the cause of action does not accrue in the sense that word is used in the statute until presentment, dishonor, …

Banks And Banking - Stockholder's Statutory Liability For Additional Assessment - Statute Of Limitations, Charles F. Dugan

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff, receiver of the Bank of Saginaw, a Michigan state bank, sought to collect an assessment of one hundred per cent on ninety-six shares of stock of the bank, held by the respondent as trustee for Gardner Grout Rose. On August 31, 1933, the Commissioner of the Michigan State Banking Department, with the approval of the Governor, ordered the then conservator to levy an assessment on stockholders of the bank. On October 31, 1933, the conservator was replaced by a receiver. On September 5, 1934, the Michigan State Banking Commissioner, also with the approval of the Governor, made an …

Mortgages - Limitation Of Actions - Deficiency Decree On Basis Of Covenant In Mortgage When Action On Note Barred, Donald M. Swope

Michigan Law Review

Defendant executed and delivered to plaintiff a promissory note and a mortgage securing it. The mortgage contained a covenant to pay $10,000 (the principal amount of the note) "according to the terms of a certain promissory note bearing even date herewith." Upon foreclosure it was held, three judges dissenting, that the mortgagee was entitled to a deficiency decree notwithstanding action on the note was barred by the statute of limitations. Guardian Depositors Corporation of Detroit v. Savage, 287 Mich. 193,283 N. W. 26 (1938).

Banks And Banking - Liability Of Bank For Payment Of Checks With Improper Signatures - Duty Of Depositor To Inspect Monthly Statements, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, trustee, a man of banking experience, opened an account with the defendant bank, instructing that only checks signed by him, or by one of his agents, and countersigned by one of two different agents should be honored. Over a period of three years there were numerous departures from the original instructions given to the bank, participated in by the plaintiff as well as by his agents. Two of the agents misappropriated trust funds by cashing checks through defendant bank without the instructed countersignatures, and without knowledge of the plaintiff, but during this period the plaintiff failed to inspect his …

Bankruptcy -Trustee's Liability - Effect Of Requirement Of Deposit In Designated Depositary On Trustee's Common Law Duty Of Due Care, Russel T. Walker

Michigan Law Review

In a suit to charge a trustee in bankruptcy for the loss of funds of the bankrupt estate caused by insolvency of the depositary bank, the trustee contended that as he had fulfilled the requirement of section 61 of the Bankruptcy Act by depositing the funds of the estate in a "designated depositary," he could not be charged with liability for any loss occurring thereafter; he argued that section 61 repealed, by implication, the trustee's common-law duty of due care in the handling of estate funds after they were deposited in a "designated depositary." Held, the fact that the …

Bills And Notes - Effect Of Statute Of Limitations On Demand Certificates Of Deposit And Certified Checks, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff sued on a certificate of deposit and a certified check, the former being issued by the defendant bank in 1905 and the latter being certified in 1919. Both were negotiated in 1937 and presented for payment the next day. Defendant pleaded the ten year statute of limitations as a bar. Held, at common law the statute of limitations did not operate on demand certificates of deposit until demand had been made, and section 70 of the Negotiable Instrument Law does not alter this common-law requirement. This applies also to certified checks, for they are substantially the same as …

Bills And Notes - Alteration -Additional Maker As A Material Alteration, John M. Ulman

Michigan Law Review

Defendant A made and delivered the note in question in 1921, payable in two years. In 1931 after the death of the payee, the note was duly assigned to plaintiff. When plaintiff received the note, the signature of defendant B appeared below that of A. The court found that B's signature had been added by someone unknown claiming a benefit under the note after delivery and for the purpose of giving a greater security to the note and that neither defendant authorized or had any knowledge of the addition of B's name. The plaintiff sued both defendants …

Bills And Notes - Indorser - Language Showing Other Intent, William K. Jackson

Michigan Law Review

Defendants were accommodation parties on a note, signing in the following manner: "For value received we hereby guarantee the payment of the within note at maturity or at any time thereafter with interest at the rate of seven per cent per annum until paid, and agree to pay all cost or expenses paid or incurred in collecting the same, waiving demand of payment, protest and notice of protest." Held, the signers, having written out their contract in some detail, expressed a sufficient intention to be bound as guarantors and not an indorsers, notwithstanding the additional words "waiving demand of …

Bills And Notes - Consideration - Burden Of Proof When Holder Not A Holder In Due Course, Robert Meisenholder

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff, a maid and housekeeper for the decedent, sued the decedent's estate as payee of two checks signed by the decedent and dishonored by the drawee bank. In support of the defense of lack of consideration, the estate introduced evidence that plaintiff had been paid by the estate for her services to the decedent, and that plaintiff's daughter had told the bank's cashier that the checks had been given to her mother by decedent to be cashed when it became certain that decedent would not live. There was no other evidence. Held, the trial court properly directed a verdict …

Bills And Notes - Domiciled Note As A Check - Incidence Of Loss From The Failure Of The Bank Of Domicile After Maturity, Charles H. Haines Jr.

Michigan Law Review

Bonds of D County gave the holder the option of demanding payment at the office of the county treasurer or at a designated New York bank. At maturity, funds were available at the bank for payment, but the holder, P, made no presentment until eighteen days later, five days after the bank had failed, when demand was made on the county treasurer and payment refused. P sued. Held, the holder should recover the face of the bond regardless of the loss through the failure of the bank of domicile. Employers Mutual Insurance Co. v. Board of County Commissioners …

The Maturity Of Certificates Of Deposit And Promissory Notes Payable On Demand, Orrin B. Evans

Michigan Law Review

In one form or another a dozen cynics have voiced the sentiment that "speech exists to conceal thoughts." Perhaps because language is too intimately integrated with their livelihood, the lawyers have not generally admitted the assertion. However, in the interpretation of written instruments their brethren on the bench have at times so far disregarded the literal meaning of the words under consideration that one must suspect they secretly approve.

Promissory notes "payable on demand" furnish an illustration. Many cases testify that the true intention of the maker is to create an obligation due immediately and that an action to collect …

Bills And Notes - Effect Of Endorsement "For Deposit'' - Liability Of Later Intermeddlers, Robert Meisenholder

Michigan Law Review

Plaintiff's evidence indicated that as payee of a check she endorsed it "for deposit Lena Soma" and gave it to one Handrulis for safekeeping. On the pretense that the check was his, he gave it to Sarah Alkoff, who endorsed it in blank and deposited it at the Globe bank. The Globe bank in turn sent it through the Federal Reserve Bank for collection to the drawee bank, which paid the check. The amount of the check credited to Sarah Alkoff was paid out by the Globe bank on her checks to Handrulis. The suit for diversion of the check …

Deeds - Covenant Of Warranty Limited By Exceptions In Another Covenant, Seward R. Stroud

Michigan Law Review

A mortgaged land to B and thereafter executed a second mortgage on the same land to C. In the second mortgage, A covenanted that "they are seized of good and perfect title . . . in fee simple and that the title so conveyed is clear, free and unincumbered except . . . (the Hixton Bank mortgage) [mortgage to B] and that they will forever warrant and defend the same . . . against all claims whatsoever." The first mortgage to B was foreclosed, and B purchased at the foreclosure sale. B sold the land to A, …

Banks And Banking - Trusts - Special Deposits - Agreement Between Depositor And Bank, Robert E. Sipes

Michigan Law Review

During a period of widespread bank failures, plaintiff corporation ceased depositing its funds with the defendant bank. To maintain the public's impression that the plaintiff was a regular customer of the bank, an agreement was entered into by the bank and the plaintiff whereby the bank was appointed "agent" of the plaintiff to collect and remit promptly money due plaintiff. Branch offices of the plaintiff deposited money under this agreement to be transmitted to the plaintiff. When the bank failed with some of this money still in its hands, plaintiff sought to be allowed a preferred claim. Held, the …

Trusts Banks And Banking - Liability Of Depository For Trustee's Misappropriation Of Trust Funds - Uniform Fiduciary Act, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Defendant bank was the depository of trust funds specially earmarked for payment of an outstanding issue of trust notes. The trustee's individual account in defendant was overdrawn; and the trustee was also indebted to defendant on a promissory note. The trustee drew a fiduciary check in favor of himself for the entire amount of the trust account, indorsed it, and deposited it in his individual account. This wiped out the overdraft and left a credit balance. Then the trustee paid his note to defendant with a check drawn on his individual account in favor of defendant. Held, under the …

Bills And Notes - False Impersonation - Effect Of Absence Of Prior Negotiations With Impostor, Edward D. Ransom

Michigan Law Review

The plaintiff obtained a draft drawn on defendant bank with the plaintiff as payee, and indorsed by her in blank. The draft was for payment of a condemnation award to be sold at a discount through a broker. The plaintiff's husband, acting as her agent, went to the broker's office with his attorney. A man came in and was introduced, by one acting as his attorney, as Harry Wolter, the owner of the award. Thereupon plaintiff's husband handed the draft to his attorney, who wrote over the blank indorsements "pay to the order of Harry Wolter." There were no further …

Vendor And Purchaser - Priorities As Between Vendee's Lien And Intervening Judgment Creditor, Arthur A. Greene

Michigan Law Review

In 1903 one Bekkedal purchased certain real property, and used it for a summer home. In 1924 he and his sons organized a corporation with himself as president, and took over the assets of their copartnership. In 1926 the corporation made advances for improvements on the real property of Bekkedal to the extent of nearly $9,000. A year later auditors found that the president had overdrawn his personal account with the corporation by about $33,000, and at their suggestion his account was credited with the value of the property, $20,000, less the amount advanced for improvements, and the assets were …

Corporations - Liability Of Stockholders Of Bank Stock Holding Company For Statutory Assessment On Bank Stock., Edward J. Wendrow

Michigan Law Review

The late depression with its attendant bank failures and the consequent assessment of shareholders has resulted in bringing before the courts a question that has never been litigated until comparatively recent times. That is, can the shareholders of a holding company, whose assets consist of stock of the closed bank, be subjected to the statutory assessment when the corporation itself is unable to meet the assessment? The case of Nettles v. Rhett is the latest of this series, and is fairly typical of the issues involved. This case concerned a suit by the receiver of the Peoples State Bank of …

Mortgages - Foreclosure Sale - Possibility Of Setting Aside Sale Because Of Probable Higher Bid, James W. Mehaffy

Michigan Law Review

A trust deed secured a loan of $85,000. The mortgage was foreclosed, the trustee authorized to bid at the sale, and an upset price of $12,500 fixed. A stranger made a higher bid than the trustee, and the property was sold to him for $40,100. The trustee now seeks a resale, offering evidence to show that the property could bring $50,000 to $60,000 if the trustee bought it, remodeled the building, and had time to find a suitable purchaser. There was no question of a deficiency decree. Held, that the lower court erred in refusing to confirm the original …

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.

Banks And Banking - Taxation Of National Bank - Safe Deposit Vault As Integral Function Of National Bank, Marcus L. Plant

Michigan Law Review

The council of the city of Portland passed an ordinance declaring it unlawful to carry on certain businesses without securing an appropriate license from the city. Among the business activities specified was "Safe Deposit Vault" for which an annual license fee of forty dollars was imposed. The plaintiff, a national bank, and other national banks, all of which operated safe deposit vaults, brought an action to restrain the city and its officers from collecting the fee. It was held that the safe deposit business is a necessary and integral function of a national bank, and therefore the city was without …

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 …

Principal And Surety - Duty Of Obligee To Disclose To Surety - Surety's Right Of Subrogation, Julian Caplan

Michigan Law Review

Surety defended an action on the bond of the town treasurer on the ground that at the time the bond was entered into the treasurer, in violation of statute, had deposited in a local bank an amount exceeding thirty per cent of the total deposits of the bank and that the town selectmen, although well aware of the situation, failed to disclose the facts to the surety. Plaintiff contended that there was no duty to disclose these facts to the surety, especially since the treasurer's annual report showed that the amount of the deposits exceeded the legal limit. As an …

Trusts - Effect Of Exculpatory Clauses On The Liability Of Corporate Trustees, Milton A. Kramer

Michigan Law Review

The average investor doubtlessly relies upon the fact that some banking institution is a trustee for the bond issue in which he places his savings, and expects a degree of care commensurate with the confidence he has in that institution. The fact is, however, because of innumerable exculpatory clauses found in the corporate mortgage, the trustee's duties in regard to the protection of the bondholders' interests are practically negligible. But before proceeding further with the subject, it is necessary to distinguish two situations: first, a case where the trustee has no duty whatsoever to act; and secondly, where a duty …

Banks And Banking - Relationship To Customers - Principal Or Creditor, Charles E. Nadeau

Michigan Law Review

A collection agreement permitted plaintiff to clear items through defendant bank in return for maintaining a balance of $10,000 which was not subject to check. All items received immediate credit, and twice weekly defendant bank remitted, in New York exchange, all amounts in excess of $10,000. On insolvency of defendant bank, plaintiff sought a preferred claim on the basis that the bank was its agent for collection. Held, where, as here, the bank may use the funds before remittance, or where the depositor may withdraw any part of the funds, the relationship is that of debtor-creditor and not of …

Mortgages - Set-Off In Action Against Assuming Grantee On Third Party Beneficiary Theory, Anthony L. Dividio

Michigan Law Review

Evans and Fulmer entered into an agreement for an exchange of two pieces of property. Fulmer assumed two mortgages on the property conveyed to her. According to the agreement, Evans gave a first mortgage on the property conveyed to him to a third person and a second mortgage to Fulmer. Evans defaulted on the first mortgage assumed by him; Fulmer, who held the second mortgage, foreclosed and as a result suffered a $17,000 loss. Later, Evans regained possession of the promissory notes evidencing the second mortgage on the property conveyed to Fulmer, and assigned them to Goldfarb who sued Fulmer, …

Bills And Notes - Signing In Representative Capacity - Personal Liability, Erwin B. Ellmann

Michigan Law Review

Defendant, while acting as trustee of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, an unincorporated religious association, executed to the plaintiff negotiable promissory notes in the following forms: (1) "Ninety days after date, for value received for The Calvary Cemetery . . . we promise to pay . . . [Signed] Joseph Schrembs, Bishop of Cleveland. Calvary Cemetery Association, By: J. T. B., Treas." (2) "Six months after date, for value received for Sacred Heart of Mary Church . . . we promise to pay . . . [Signed] Councilmen: A. S.; L. F.; V. J. H.; H. S. Z.; Joseph Schrembs, …

Bills And Notes - Indorsement Of Renewal Note As Waiver Of Notice Of Dishonor By The Indorser, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

In 1926, a promissory note representing money loaned was made, payable to the order of plaintiff. After various renewals, defendant, in 1929, became an additional accommodation indorser of the renewal notes and continued as such until February 4, 1932, when a renewal note, likewise indorsed by him, payable March 4, 1932, was accepted by plaintiff. On its due date, the maker presented another renewal note, again indorsed by defendant, but this plaintiff refused to accept until the maker paid the interest due on the debt. Plaintiff did, however, retain both notes but failed to give defendant notice of dishonor of …

Bills And Notes - Qualified Indorsement - By Assignment Of "Right, Title And Interest'', Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Defendant, payee of a promissory note, transferred it by writing on the back, "For value received, I hereby assign all my rights, title and interest to the within note .... " Held, defendant's indorsement was qualified, and she was not liable for its payment. Fecko v. Tarczynski,. 281 Mich. 590,275 N. W. 502 (1937).