Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 30. TRADE AND COMMERCE

CHAPTER 3. UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS

Part 2. Transfer and Negotiation

Restrictive Indorsement

30-3-205. Restrictive indorsement. (1) An indorsement limiting payment to a particular person or otherwise prohibiting further transfer or negotiation of the instrument is not effective to prevent further transfer or negotiation of the instrument.

(2) An indorsement stating a condition to the right of the indorsee to receive payment does not affect the right of the indorsee to enforce the instrument. A person paying the instrument or taking it for value or collection may disregard the condition, and the rights and liabilities of that person are not affected by whether the condition has been fulfilled.

(3) The following rules apply to an instrument bearing an indorsement, described in 30-4-201(2), or in blank or to a particular bank using the words "for collection", "for deposit", or other words indicating a purpose of having the instrument collected by a bank for the indorser or for a particular account:

(a) A person, other than a bank, that purchases the instrument when so indorsed converts the instrument unless the proceeds of the instrument are received by the indorser or are applied consistently with the indorsement.

(b) A depositary bank that purchases the instrument or takes it for collection when so indorsed converts the instrument unless the proceeds of the instrument are received by the indorser or applied consistently with the indorsement.

(c) A payor bank that is also the depositary bank or that takes the instrument for immediate payment over the counter from a person other than a collecting bank converts the instrument unless the proceeds of the instrument are received by the indorser or applied consistently with the indorsement.

(d) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3)(c), a payor bank or intermediary bank may disregard the indorsement and is not liable if the proceeds of the instrument are not received by the indorser or applied consistently with the indorsement.

(4) Except for an indorsement covered by subsection (3), the following rules apply to an instrument bearing an indorsement using words to the effect that payment is to be made to the indorsee as agent, trustee, or other fiduciary for the benefit of the indorser or another person:

(a) Unless there is notice of breach of fiduciary duty as provided in 30-3-308, a person that purchases the instrument from the indorsee or takes the instrument from the indorsee for collection or payment may pay the proceeds of payment or the value given for the instrument to the indorsee without regard to whether the indorsee violates a fiduciary duty to the indorser.

(b) A later transferee of the instrument or person that pays the instrument is neither given notice nor otherwise affected by the restriction in the indorsement unless the transferee or payor knows that the fiduciary dealt with the instrument or its proceeds in breach of fiduciary duty.

(5) Purchase of an instrument bearing an indorsement to which this section applies does not prevent the purchaser from becoming a holder in due course of the instrument unless the purchaser is a converter under subsection (3).

(6) In an action to enforce the obligation of a party to pay the instrument, the obligor has a defense if payment would violate an indorsement to which this section applies and the payment is not permitted by this section.

History: En. Sec. 3-205, Ch. 264, L. 1963; R.C.M. 1947, 87A-3-205; amd. Sec. 112, Ch. 410, L. 1991.