403.401 Signature. (1) A person is not liable on an instrument unless the person signed the instrument, or the person is represented by an agent or representative who signed the instrument and the signature is binding on the represented person under s. 403.402. (2) A signature may be made manually or by means of a […]
403.402 Signature by representative. (1) If a person acting, or purporting to act, as a representative signs an instrument by signing either the name of the represented person or the name of the signer, the represented person is bound by the signature to the same extent that the represented person would be bound if the […]
403.403 Unauthorized signature. (1) Unless otherwise provided in this chapter or ch. 404, an unauthorized signature is ineffective except as the signature of the unauthorized signer in favor of a person who in good faith pays the instrument or takes it for value. An unauthorized signature may be ratified for all purposes of this chapter. […]
403.404 Impostors; fictitious payees. (1) If an impostor, by use of the mails or otherwise, induces the issuer of an instrument to issue the instrument to the impostor, or to a person acting in concert with the impostor, by impersonating the payee of the instrument or a person authorized to act for the payee, an […]
403.405 Employer’s responsibility for fraudulent endorsement by employee. (1) In this section: (a) “Employee” includes an independent contractor and employee of an independent contractor retained by the employer. (b) “Fraudulent endorsement” means, in the case of an instrument payable to the employer, a forged endorsement purporting to be that of the employer or, in the […]
403.406 Negligence contributing to forged signature or alteration of instrument. (1) A person whose failure to exercise ordinary care substantially contributes to an alteration of an instrument or to the making of a forged signature on an instrument is precluded from asserting the alteration or the forgery against a person who, in good faith, pays […]
403.407 Alteration. (1) “Alteration” means an unauthorized change in an instrument that purports to modify in any respect the obligation of a party or an unauthorized addition of words or numbers or other change to an incomplete instrument relating to the obligation of a party. (2) Except as provided in sub. (3), an alteration fraudulently […]
403.408 Drawee not liable on unaccepted draft. A check or other draft does not of itself operate as an assignment of funds in the hands of the drawee available for its payment, and the drawee is not liable on the instrument until the drawee accepts it. History: 1995 a. 449.
403.409 Acceptance of draft; certified check. (1) “Acceptance” means the drawee’s signed agreement to pay a draft as presented. The acceptance shall be written on the draft and may consist of the drawee’s signature alone. Acceptance may be made at any time and becomes effective when notification pursuant to instructions is given or the accepted […]
403.410 Acceptance varying draft. (1) If the terms of a drawee’s acceptance vary from the terms of the draft as presented, the holder may refuse the acceptance and treat the draft as dishonored. In that case, the drawee may cancel the acceptance. (2) The terms of a draft are not varied by an acceptance to […]
403.411 Refusal to pay cashier’s checks, teller’s checks and certified checks. (1) In this section, “obligated bank” means the acceptor of a certified check or the issuer of a cashier’s check or teller’s check bought from the issuer. (2) If the obligated bank wrongfully refuses to pay a cashier’s check or certified check, wrongfully stops […]
403.412 Obligation of issuer of note or cashier’s check. The issuer of a note or cashier’s check or other draft drawn on the drawer is obliged to pay the instrument according to its terms at the time that it was issued or, if not issued, at the time that it first came into possession of […]
403.413 Obligation of acceptor. (1) The acceptor of a draft is obliged to pay the draft according to its terms at the time that it was accepted, even though the acceptance states that the draft is payable “as originally drawn” or equivalent terms, if the acceptance varies the terms of the draft, according to the […]
403.414 Obligation of drawer. (1) This section does not apply to cashier’s checks or other drafts drawn on the drawer. (2) If an unaccepted draft is dishonored, the drawer is obliged to pay the draft according to its terms at the time that it was issued or, if not issued, at the time that it […]
403.415 Obligation of endorser. (1) Subject to subs. (2) to (5) and to s. 403.419 (4), if an instrument is dishonored, an endorser is obliged to pay the amount due on the instrument according to the terms of the instrument at the time that it was endorsed, or if the endorser endorsed an incomplete instrument, […]
403.416 Transfer warranties. (1) A person who transfers an instrument for consideration warrants to the transferee and, if the transfer is by endorsement, to any subsequent transferee that all of the following apply: (a) The warrantor is a person entitled to enforce the instrument. (b) All signatures on the instrument are authentic and authorized. (c) […]
403.417 Presentment warranties. (1) If an unaccepted draft is presented to the drawee for payment or acceptance and the drawee pays or accepts the draft, the person obtaining payment or acceptance, at the time of presentment, and a previous transferor of the draft, at the time of transfer, warrant to the drawee making payment or […]
403.418 Payment or acceptance by mistake. (1) Except as provided in sub. (3), if the drawee of a draft pays or accepts the draft and the drawee acted on the mistaken belief that payment of the draft had not been stopped pursuant to s. 404.403 or that the signature of the drawer of the draft […]
403.419 Instruments signed for accommodation. (1) If an instrument is issued for value given for the benefit of a party to the instrument (“accommodated party”) and another party to the instrument (“accommodation party”) signs the instrument for the purpose of incurring liability on the instrument without being a direct beneficiary of the value given for […]
403.420 Conversion of instrument. (1) The law applicable to conversion of personal property applies to instruments. An instrument is also converted if it is taken by transfer, other than a negotiation, from a person not entitled to enforce the instrument or a bank makes or obtains payment with respect to the instrument for a person […]
