Assignment #1 - The Basic Checking Relationship and the Bank's Right to Pay Checks

A. The Basic Relationship
Figure 1.3 - Payment by Check

B. The Bank's Right to Pay

1. When is it Proper for the Bank to Pay

(a) Overdrafts
(b) Stopping Payment
(c) Death or Incompetence of the Drawer

2. Remedies for Improper Payment

Assignment #2 - The Bank's Obligation to Pay Checks

A. When Are Funds Available for Payment?

1. Time of Evaluation
2. Availability of Funds

Figure 2.1 -- Basic Funds Availability Rules
Figure 2.2 -- Low-Risk Items Availability Rules
First National Bank v. Colonial Bank

B. Wrongful Dishonor: What Happens if the Bank Refuses to Pay?

Assignment #3 - Collection of Checks

A. The Payor Bank's Obligation to the Payee 
Outdoor Technologies, Inc. v. Allfirst Financial, Inc. 

B. The Process of Collection

1. Obtaining Payment Directly
Figure 3.1 - Direct Presentment

2. Obtaining Payment Through Intermediaries

(a) Payee/Customer to Depositary Bank
(b) Depositary Bank to Payor Bank

(i) Multilateral arrangements (clearinghouses)

Kimberly A. Allen Trust v. FirstBank of Lakewood, N.A.
Figure 3.2 - Clearinghouse Collection

(ii) Bilateral Arrangements (direct-send and correspondent clearing)

Figure 3.3 - Direct-Send Collection

(iii) Collection through the Federal Reserve system

Figure 3.4 - Federal Reserve Collection
The Regulation CC return deadline
Regulation CC and the UCC's midnight deadline
The Regulation CC notice of nonpayment deadline

Figure 3.5 - Sample EARNS Notice
Figure 3.6 - Return Obligations

Assignment #4 - Risk of Loss in the Checking System - The Basic Framework

A. Non-payment

Figure 4.1 - Indorser Liability

B. Forged Signatures

1. Forged Drawers' Signatures and the Rule of Price v. Neal

(a) What if the Payor Bank Pays the Forged Check?

Figure 4.2 -- Presentment and Transfer Warranties
Decibel Credit Union v. Pueblo Bank & Trust Company

(b) What if the Payor Bank Dishonors the Forged Check?

2. Forged Indorsements

(a) What if the Payor Bank Pays the Check Despite the Forged Indorsement?
(b) What if the Payor Bank Dishonors the Check because of the Forged Indorsement?
(c) Conversion

C. Alteration

Assignment #5 - Special Rules for Checking Losses

A. Negligence

HSBC Bank USA v. F & M Bank Northern Virginia

B. Bank Statements

Stowell v. Cloquet Co-op Credit Union

C. Theft by Employees

Cable Cast Magazine v. Premier Bank
Gina Chin & Associates v. First Union Bank

D. Impostors

Meng v. Maywood Proviso State Bank

Assignment #6 - The Credit Card System

A. The Issuer/Cardholder Relationship

B. Using the Credit-Card Account

C. Collection by the Payee

1. The Mechanics of Collection
Figure 6.1 - Payment by Credit Card
Figure 6.2 - Dividing the Credit-Card Dollar

2. Finality of Payment
Hyland v. First USA Bank

Problem Set 6

Assignment #7 - Error and Fraud in Credit-Card Transactions

A. Erroneous Charges

Belmont v. Associates National Bank (Delaware)

B. Unauthorized Charges

Minskoff v. American Express Travel Related Services Co.

Assignment #8 - Debit Cards

A. Payment with a Debit Card

1. Establishing the Debit-Card Relationship
2. Transferring Funds with a Debit Card
3. Collection by the Payee

(a) PIN-Based Debit Cards
(b) PIN-Less Debit Cards

B. Error and Fraud in Debit-Card Transactions

1. Erroneous Transactions
2. Fraudulent Transactions

Heritage Bank v. Lovett

Assignment #9 - Automated Clearinghouse Payments

A. The Basic Terminology of ACH Transfers

Figure 9.1 - ACH Entries

B. The Mechanics of ACH Entries

C. Types of ACH Entries

D. Finality, Fraud, and Error in ACH Transfers

1. Finality
2. Fraud and Error in ACH Transfers

Problem Set 9

Appendix: NACHA Rules (Selected)

Assignment #10 - The Wire-Transfer System

A. The Basic Terminology of ACH Transfers

A. Introduction

B. How Does It Work?

1. Initiating the Wire Transfer: From the Originator to the Originator’s Bank

Figure 10.1 - Payment by Wire Transfer
Banco de la Provincia v. BayBank Boston N.A.

2. Executing the Transfer: From the Originator’s Bank to the Beneficiary’s Bank

(a) Bilateral Systems (Including SWIFT)
(b) CHIPS

Figure 10.2 - Multilateral Netting on Chips

(c) Fedwire

Figure 10.3 - Sample Fedwire Message (txt)

3. Completing the Funds Transfer: From the Beneficiary’s Bank to the Beneficiary

C. Discharge of the Originator’s Underlying Obligation

D. Finality of Payment

Aleo International, Ltd. v. Citibank, N.A.

Problem Set 10

Assignment #11 - Error in Wire-Transfer Transactions

A. Recovering from Parties in the System

1. Errors by the Originator

Corfan Banco Asuncion Paraguay v. Ocean Bank

2. Errors in the System

(a) Sending Excessive Funds
(b) Sending Inadequate Funds 
(c) Bank-Statement Rule

B. Recovering from the Mistaken Recipient

Problem Set 11

Assignment #12 - Fraud, System Failure, and International Issues in Wire-Transfer Transactions

A. Fraud

B. System Failure

C. International Transfers

1. Choice-of-Law Rules

Grain Traders, Inc. v. Citibank, N.A.

2. Error and Fraud in SWIFT Transactions

Problem Set 12

Assignment #13 - Letters of Credit - The Basics

A. The Underlying Transaction

Figure 13.1 - Irrevocable Commercial Letter of Credit

B. Advising and Confirming Banks

Figure 13.2 - The Letter of Credit Transaction

C. The Terms of the Credit

D. Drawing on the Credit

Samuel Rappaport Family Partnership v. Meridian Bank

E. Reimbursement

Figure 13.3 - Payment with a Letter of Credit

Problem Set 13

Appendix - Excerpts from the ICC Uniform Customs and Practices for Documentary Credits

Assignment #14 - Letters of Credit - Advanced Topics

A. Error and Fraud in Letter-of-Credit Transactions

1. Wrongful Honor
2. Wrongful Dishonor
3. Fraud

(a) Forged Drafts
(b) Fraudulent Submissions by the Beneficiary

B. Assigning Letters of Credit

C. Choice-of-Law Rules

Problem Set 14

Assignment #15 - Promissory Notes and Interest Rates

A. Promissory Notes

Schillace v. Channell Shopping Partnership
Promissory Note

B. Determining the Amount of Compensation

1. Fixed and Variable Interest Rates
2. Interest-Rate Swaps

Figure 15.1 - Interest-Rate Swap

3. The Enforceability of Interest-Rate Agreements

Problem Set 15

Assignment #16 - Usury

A. The Basic Concept

Schnee v. Plemmons

B. Typical Usury Problems

C. Exemptions from Usury Statutes

Trapp v. Hancuh

Problem Set 16

Assignment #17 - Late Payment and Prepayment

A. Late Payment

Mattvidi Associates Limited Partnership v. NationsBank

B. Prepayment

Carlyle Apartments Joint Venture v. AIG Life Insurance Co.

Problem Set 17

Assignment #18 - Credit Enhancement by Guaranty

A. The Role of Guaranties

Thomas S. Hemmendinger, Hillman on Commercial Loan Documentation - Continuing Guaranty

B. Rights of the Creditor Against the Guarantor

F.T.L., Inc. v. Crestar Bank (In re F.T.L., Inc.)

Problem Set 18

Assignment #19 - Protections for Guarantors

A. Rights of the Guarantor Against the Principal

1. Performance
2. Reimbursement

Figure 19.1 - Rights of the Guarantor

3. Subrogation

Corporate Buying Service v. Lenox Hill Radiology Associates
Figure 19.2 - Guarantor Preferences

B. Rights of the Guarantor Against the Creditor

1. Suretyship Defenses
2. Waiver of Suretyship Defenses

Modern Photo Offset Supply v. The Woodfield Group

C. Bankruptcy of the Guarantor

Trimec, Inc. v. Zale Corporation

Problem Set 19

Assignment #20 - Third-Party Credit Enhancement - Standby Letters of Credit

A. The Standby Letter-of-Credit Transaction

Figure 20.1 - Standby Letters of Credit
Figure 20.2 - Form Standby Letter of Credit
Wood v. State Bank

B. Problems in Standby Letter-of-Credit Transactions

1. Bankruptcy of the Applicant

In re Ocana

2. The Issuer’s Right of Subrogation

CCF, Inc. v. First National Bank (In re Slamans)

Problem Set 20

Assignment #21 - Negotiable Instruments

A. Negotiability and Liquidity

B. A Typical Transaction

Figure 21.1 - Sample Negotiable Draft

C. The Negotiability Requirements

Diagram 21.2 - The Players in a Negotiable Draft Transaction
Diagram 21.3 - The Negotiability Requirements

1. The Promise or Order Requirement
2. The Unconditional Requirement

DBA Enterprises, Inc. v. Findlay

3. The Money Requirement
4. The Fixed Amount Requirement

Nagel v. Cronebaugh

5. The Payable-to-Bearer-or-Order Requirement
6. The Demand or Definite Time Requirement
7. The No Extraneous Undertakings Requirement

Problem Set 21

Assignment #22 - Transfer and Enforcement of Negotiable Instruments

A. Transferring a Negotiable Instrument

1. Negotiation and Status as a Holder
2. Special and Blank Indorsements
3. Restrictive and Anomalous Indorsements

B. Enforcement and Collection of Instruments

1. The Right To Enforce an Instrument
2. Presentment and Dishonor
3. Defenses to Enforcement

Turman v. Ward’s Home Improvement, Inc.

C. Liability on an Instrument

Figure 22.1 - Liability on an Instrument

D. The Effect of the Instrument on the Underlying Obligation

McMahon Food Corp. v. Burger Dairy Co.

Problem Set 22

Assignment #23 - Holders in Due Course

A. Holder-in-Due-Course Status

1. The Requirements for Holder-in-Due-Course Status
2. Rights of Holders in Due Course

State St. Bank & Trust co. v. Strawser

3. Payment and Discharge
4. Transferees Without Holder-in-Due-Course Status

B. The Fading Role of Negotiability

1. Declining Use of Negotiable Instruments
2. The Decreasing Relevance of Negotiability to Negotiable Instruments

Problem Set 23

Assignment #24 - Documents of Title

A. The Mechanics of Documents of Title

1. Delivering Goods to a Carrier
2. Recovering Goods from a Carrier

(a) Nonnegotiable Documents

Figure 24.1 - Negotiable Bill of Lading

(b) Negotiable Documents

B. Transactions with Documentary Drafts

1. The Role of Documentary Draft Transactions
2. Steps in the Transaction

(a) Preliminaries - Sale Contract, Shipment, and Issuance of the Draft

Figure 24.2 - Documentary Collection: Parties/Document Flow

(b) Processing by the Remitting Bank

Figure 24.3 - Sight Draft for Documentary Collection
Figure 24.4 - Form Collection Document

(c) Processing by the Presenting Bank

C. Credit Transactions and Banker's Acceptances

Figure 24.5 - Banker's Acceptance Transaction

Problem Set 24

Assignment #25 - Securitization

A. Securitization and Liquidity

B. The Rise of Securitization

C. Investment Securities and Article 8

1. The Subject Matter: What Is a Security?
2. The Obligation of the Issue
3. The Two Holding Systems

(a) The Direct Holding System

(I) Making the Transfer Effective as Between Seller and Purchaser
(II) Making the Transfer Effective Against the Issuer
(III) The Effect of a Transfer on Third Parties

(b) The Indirect Holding System

(I) The Basic Framework
(II) Rights Against the Intermediary
(III) Rights Against Third Parties

Problem Set 25