North Dakota Code 41-12-06 – (12-106) Discharge of account debtor on controllable account or controllable payment intangible
1. An account debtor on a controllable account or controllable payment intangible may discharge its obligation by paying:
Terms Used In North Dakota Code 41-12-06
- Debtor: means a natural person whose name was provided in a financing statement record as an individual debtor or one of the types of persons listed in section 41-09-76. See North Dakota Code 41-10-01
- Individual: means a human being. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Person: means an individual, organization, government, political subdivision, or government agency or instrumentality. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
- Rule: includes regulation. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
a. The person having control of the controllable electronic record that evidences the controllable account or controllable payment intangible; or
b. Except as provided in subsection 2, a person that formerly had control of the controllable electronic record.
2. Subject to subsection 4, the account debtor may not discharge its obligation by paying a person that formerly had control of the controllable electronic record if the account debtor receives a notification that:
a. Is signed by a person that formerly had control or the person to which control was transferred; b. Reasonably identifies the controllable account or controllable payment intangible; c. Notifies the account debtor that control of the controllable electronic record that evidences the controllable account or controllable payment intangible was transferred; d. Identifies the transferee, in any reasonable way, including by name, identifying number, cryptographic key, office, or account number; and
e. Provides a commercially reasonable method by which the account debtor is to pay the transferee.
3. After receipt of a notification that complies with subsection 2, the account debtor may discharge its obligation by paying in accordance with the notification and may not discharge the obligation by paying a person that formerly had control.
4. Subject to subsection 8, notification is ineffective under subsection 2:
a. Unless, before the notification is sent, the account debtor and the person that, at that time, had control of the controllable electronic record that evidences the controllable account or controllable payment intangible agree in a signed record to a commercially reasonable method by which a person may furnish reasonable proof that control has been transferred; b. To the extent an agreement between the account debtor and seller of a payment intangible limits the account debtor’s duty to pay a person other than the seller and the limitation is effective under law other than this chapter; or
c. At the option of the account debtor, if the notification notifies the account debtor to:
(1) Divide a payment; (2) Make less than the full amount of an installment or other periodic payment; or (3) Pay any part of a payment by more than one method or to more than one person.
5. Subject to subsection 8, if requested by the account debtor, the person giving the notification under subsection 2 seasonably shall furnish reasonable proof, using the method in the agreement referred to in subdivision a of subsection 4, that control of the controllable electronic record has been transferred. Unless the person complies with the request, the account debtor may discharge its obligation by paying a person that formerly had control, even if the account debtor has received a notification under subsection 2.
6. A person furnishes reasonable proof under subsection 5 that control has been transferred if the person demonstrates, using the method in the agreement referred to in subdivision a of subsection 4, that the transferee has the power to:
a. Avail itself of substantially all the benefit from the controllable electronic record; b. Prevent others from availing themselves of substantially all the benefit from the controllable electronic record; and
c. Transfer the powers specified in subdivisions a and b to another person.
7. Subject to subsection 8, an account debtor may not waive or vary its rights under subdivision a of subsection 4 and subsection 5 or its option under subdivision c of subsection 4.
8. This section is subject to law other than this chapter which establishes a different rule for an account debtor who is an individual and who incurred the obligation primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.