Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 30. TRADE AND COMMERCE

CHAPTER 7. UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE -- WAREHOUSE RECEIPTS, BILLS OF LADING, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS OF TITLE

Part 5. Warehouse Receipts and Bills of Lading Negotiation and Transfer

Rights Acquired In The Absence Of Due Negotiation -- Effect Of Diversion -- Stoppage Of Delivery

30-7-504. Rights acquired in the absence of due negotiation -- effect of diversion -- stoppage of delivery. (1) A transferee of a document of title, whether negotiable or nonnegotiable, to which the document has been delivered but not duly negotiated, acquires the title and rights that its transferor had or had actual authority to convey.

(2) In the case of a nonnegotiable document of title, until but not after the bailee receives notification of the transfer, the rights of the transferee may be defeated:

(a) by those creditors of the transferor who could treat the sale as void under 30-2-402 or 30-2A-308; or

(b) by a buyer from the transferor in ordinary course of business if the bailee has delivered the goods to the buyer or received notification of the buyer's rights; or

(c) as against the bailee, by good faith dealings of the bailee with the transferor.

(3) A diversion or other change of shipping instructions by the consignor in a nonnegotiable bill of lading which causes the bailee not to deliver to the consignee defeats the consignee's title to the goods if the goods have been delivered to a buyer in ordinary course of business or a lessee in ordinary course of business and in any event defeats the consignee's rights against the bailee.

(4) Delivery of goods pursuant to a nonnegotiable document may be stopped by a seller under 30-2-705 or a lessor under 30-2A-526, subject to the requirements of due notification in those sections. A bailee honoring the seller's instructions is entitled to be indemnified by the seller against any resulting loss or expense.

History: En. Sec. 7-504, Ch. 264, L. 1963; R.C.M. 1947, 87A-7-504; amd. Sec. 65, Ch. 575, L. 2005.