This chapter may be cited as Uniform Commercial Code - Documents of Title.
An unauthorized alteration or filling in of a blank in a bill of lading leaves the bill enforceable according to its original tenor.
The endorsement of a document of title issued by a bailee does not make the endorser liable for a default by the bailee or by previous endorsers.
If a blank in a negotiable warehouse receipt has been filled in without authority, a purchaser for value and without notice of the want of authority may treat the insertion as authorized. Any other unauthorized alteration leaves a receipt enforceable against the issuer according to its original tenor.
The transferee of a negotiable document of title has a specifically enforceable right to have the transferor supply a necessary endorsement, but the transfer becomes a negotiation only as of the time the endorsement is supplied.
A buyer in the ordinary course of business of fungible goods sold and delivered by a warehouseman who is also in the business of buying and selling the goods takes free of a claim under a warehouse receipt even though it has been duly negotiated.
If more than one person claims title or possession of the goods, the bailee is excused from delivery until the bailee has had a reasonable time to ascertain the validity of the adverse claims or to bring an action to compel all claimants to interplead and may compel this interpleader, either in defending an action for nondelivery of the goods or by original action, whichever is appropriate.
To the extent that a treaty or statute of the United States, regulatory statute of the state, or tariff, classification, or regulation filed or issued under a treaty or statute is applicable, this chapter is subject to it.
A collecting bank or other intermediary known to be entrusted with documents on behalf of another or with collection of a draft or other claim against delivery of documents warrants by the delivery of the documents only its own good faith and authority. This rule applies even though the intermediary has purchased or made advances against the claim or draft to be collected.
(a) Instead of issuing a bill of lading to the consignor at the place of shipment, a carrier may, at the request of the consignor, procure the bill to be issued at destination or at any other place designated in the request.
(b) Upon request of anyone entitled as against the carrier to control the goods while in transit and on surrender of an outstanding bill of lading or other receipt covering the goods, the issuer may procure a substitute bill to be issued at any place designated in the request.
This chapter does not repeal or modify laws prescribing the form or contents of documents of title or the services or facilities to be afforded by bailees, or otherwise regulating bailees' businesses in respects not specifically dealt with in this chapter; but the fact that the laws are violated does not affect the status of a document of title which otherwise complies with the definition of a document of title (AS 45.01.201).
Neither a duplicate nor any other document of title purporting to cover goods already represented by an outstanding document of the same issuer confers a right in the goods, except as provided in the case of bills in a set, overissue of documents for fungible goods, and substitutes for lost, stolen, or destroyed documents. But the issuer is liable for damages caused by the issuer's overissue or failure to identify a duplicate document as such by conspicuous notation on its face.
The question whether a document is adequate to fulfill the obligations of a contract for sale or the conditions of a credit is governed by AS 45.02 on sales and AS 45.05 on letters of credit.
Article 06. WAREHOUSE RECEIPTS AND BILLS OF LADING: MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
(a) A warehouse receipt may be issued by a warehouseman.
(b) If goods including distilled spirits and agricultural commodities are stored under a statute requiring a bond against withdrawal or a license for the issuance of receipts in the nature of warehouse receipts, a receipt issued for the goods has like effect as a warehouse receipt even though issued by a person who is the owner of the goods and is not a warehouseman.
Except where the document was originally issued upon delivery of the goods by a person who had no power to dispose of them, no lien attaches by virtue of judicial process to goods in the possession of a bailee for which a negotiable document of title is outstanding unless the document is first surrendered to the bailee or its negotiation enjoined, and the bailee may not be compelled to deliver the goods under process until the document is surrendered to the bailee or impounded by the court. One who purchases the document for value without notice of the process or injunction takes free of lien imposed by judicial process.
A bailee who in good faith, including observance of reasonable commercial standards, has received goods and delivered or otherwise disposed of them according to the terms of the document of title or under this chapter is not liable for that disposal. This rule applies even though the person from whom the bailee received the goods had no authority to procure the document or to dispose of the goods and even though the person to whom the bailee delivered the goods had no authority to receive them.
Article 05. WAREHOUSE RECEIPTS AND BILLS OF LADING: NEGOTIATION AND TRANSFER
(a) Unless the warehouse receipt otherwise provides, a warehouseman must keep separate the goods covered by each receipt so as to permit at all times identification and delivery of those goods, except that different lots of fungible goods may be commingled.
(b) Fungible goods so commingled are owned in common by the persons entitled to them, and the warehouseman is severally liable to each owner for that owner's share. If, because of overissue, a mass of fungible goods is insufficient to meet all the receipts which the warehouseman has issued against it, the persons entitled include all holders to whom overissued receipts have been duly negotiated.
A party to or purchaser for value in good faith of a document of title other than a bill of lading relying in either case upon the description in the document of the goods may recover from the issuer damages caused by the nonreceipt or misdescription of the goods, except to the extent that the document conspicuously indicates that the issuer does not know whether any part or all of the goods in fact were received or conform to the description, as where the description is in terms of marks or labels of kind, quantity, or condition, or the receipt or description is qualified by 'contents, condition, and quality unknown,' 'said to contain,' or the like, if this indication is true, or the party or purchaser otherwise has notice.
The obligations imposed by this chapter on an issuer apply to a document of title regardless of the fact that
(1) the document may not comply with the requirements of this chapter or of any other law or regulation regarding its issue, form, or content;
(2) the issuer may have violated laws regulating the conduct of the issuer's business;
(3) the goods covered by the document were owned by the bailee at the time the document was issued; or
(4) the person issuing the document does not come within the definition of warehouseman if it purports to be a warehouse receipt.
If a person negotiates or transfers a document of title for value otherwise than as a mere intermediary under AS 45.07.508 , then, unless otherwise agreed, the person warrants to the immediate purchaser only in addition to any warranty made in selling the goods
(1) that the document is genuine;
(2) that the person has no knowledge of a fact which would impair its validity or worth; and
(3) that the negotiation or transfer is rightful and fully effective with respect to the title to the document and the goods it represents.
(a) A warehouse receipt, bill of lading, or other document of title is negotiable if
(1) by its terms the goods are to be delivered to bearer or to the order of a named person; or
(2) recognized in overseas trade, if it runs to a named person or assigns.
(b) Any other document is nonnegotiable. - A bill of lading in which it is stated that the goods are consigned to a named person is not made negotiable by a provision that the goods are to be delivered only against a written order signed by the same or another named person.
(a) Unless the bill of lading otherwise provides, the carrier may deliver the goods to a person or destination other than that stated in the bill or may otherwise dispose of the goods on instructions from
(1) the holder of a negotiable bill;
(2) the consignor on a nonnegotiable bill notwithstanding contrary instruction from the consignee;
(3) the consignee on a nonnegotiable bill in the absence of contrary instructions from the consignor if the goods have arrived at the billed destination or if the consignee is in possession of the bill; or
(4) the consignee on a nonnegotiable bill if the consignee is entitled as against the consignor to dispose of them.
(b) Unless the instructions are noted on a negotiable bill of lading, a person to whom the bill is duly negotiated can hold the bailee according to the original terms.
(a) A carrier has a lien on the goods covered by a bill of lading for charges after the date of its receipt of the goods for storage or transportation (including demurrage and terminal charges) and for expenses necessary for preservation of the goods incident to their transportation or reasonably incurred in their sale pursuant to law. But against a purchaser for value of a negotiable bill of lading, a carrier's lien is limited to charges stated in the bill or the applicable tariffs, or if no charges are stated, then to a reasonable charge.
(b) A lien for charges and expenses under (a) of this section on goods which the carrier was required by law to receive for transportation is effective against the consignor or a person entitled to the goods unless the carrier had notice that the consignor lacked authority to subject the goods to the charges and expenses. Any other lien under (a) of this section is effective against the consignor and a person who permitted the bailor to have control or possession of the goods unless the carrier had notice that the bailor lacked the authority.
(c) A carrier loses the lien on goods that the carrier voluntarily delivers or unjustifiably refuses to deliver.
(a) If a document has been lost, stolen, or destroyed, a court may order delivery of the goods or issuance of a substitute document and the bailee may, without liability to any person, comply with the order. If the document was negotiable, the claimant must post security approved by the court to indemnify a person who may suffer loss as a result of nonsurrender of the document. If the document was not negotiable, this security may be required at the discretion of the court. The court may also in its discretion order payment of the bailee's reasonable costs and counsel fees.
(b) A bailee who, without court order, delivers goods to a person claiming under a missing negotiable document is liable to a person injured by the delivery and, if the delivery is not in good faith, is liable for conversion. Delivery in good faith is not conversion if (1) made in accordance with a filed classification or tariff, or (2) no classification or tariff is filed, if the claimant posts security with the bailee in an amount at least double the value of the goods at the time of posting to indemnify a person injured by the delivery who files a notice of claim within one year after the delivery.
(a) A carrier who issues a bill of lading, whether negotiable or nonnegotiable, must exercise the degree of care in relation to the goods which a reasonably careful man would exercise under like circumstances. This subsection does not repeal or change any law or rule of law which imposes liability upon a common carrier for damages not caused by its negligence.
(b) Damages may be limited by a provision that the carrier's liability shall not exceed a value stated in the document if the carrier's rates are dependent upon value and the consignor by the carrier's tariff is afforded an opportunity to declare a higher value or a value as lawfully provided in the tariff, or if no tariff is filed the cosigner is otherwise advised of this opportunity; but no such limitation is effective with respect to the carrier's liability for conversion to its own use.
(c) Reasonable provisions as to the time and manner of presenting claims and instituting actions based on the shipment may be included in a bill of lading or tariff.
Article 04. WAREHOUSE RECEIPTS AND BILLS OF LADING: GENERAL OBLIGATIONS
(a) Except where customary in overseas transportation, a bill of lading must not be issued in a set of parts. The issuer is liable for damages caused by violation of this subsection.
(b) If a bill of lading is lawfully drawn in a set of parts, each of which is numbered and expressed to be valid only if the goods have not been delivered against any other part, the whole of the parts constitutes one bill.
(c) If a bill of lading is lawfully issued in a set of parts and different parts are negotiated to different persons, the title of the holder to whom the first due negotiation is made prevails as to both the document and the goods even though a later holder may have received the goods from the carrier in good faith and discharged the carrier's obligation by surrender of the later holder's part.
(d) A person who negotiates or transfers a single part of a bill of lading drawn in a set is liable to holders of that part as if it were the whole set.
(e) The bailee is obliged to deliver in accordance with AS 45.07.401 - 45.07.404 against the first presented part of a bill of lading lawfully drawn in a set. This delivery discharges the bailee's obligation on the whole bill.
(a) The omission from AS 45.07.201 - 45.07.210 of a provision corresponding to a provision made in AS 45.07.301 - 45.07.309 does not imply that a corresponding rule of law is not applicable.
(b) The omission from AS 45.07.301 - 45.07.309 of a provision corresponding to a provision made in AS 45.07.201 - 45.07.210 does not imply that a corresponding rule of law is not applicable.
Article 02. WAREHOUSE RECEIPTS: SPECIAL PROVISIONS
(a) A warehouseman is liable for damages for loss of or injury to the goods caused by the failure to exercise the care in regard to them that a reasonably careful person would exercise under like circumstances, but, unless otherwise agreed, the warehouseman is not liable for damages which could not have been avoided by the exercise of this care.
(b) Damages may be limited by a term in the warehouse receipt or storage agreement limiting the amount of liability in case of loss or damage, and setting out a specific liability per article or item, or value per unit of weight, beyond which the warehouseman shall not be liable; however, this liability may, on written request of the bailor at the time of signing the storage agreement, or within a reasonable time after receipt of the warehouse receipt, be increased on part or all of the goods under the receipt or agreement. In this event, increased rates may be charged based on the increased valuation, but no increase may be permitted contrary to a lawful limitation of liability contained in the warehouseman's tariff. No limitation is effective with respect to the warehouseman's liability for conversion to the warehouseman's own use.
(c) Reasonable provisions as to the time and manner of presenting claims and instituting actions based on the bailment may be included in the warehouse receipt or tariff.
(a) A negotiable document of title running to the order of a named person is negotiated by that person's endorsement and delivery. After the named person's endorsement in blank or to bearer any person can negotiate it by delivery alone.
(b) A negotiable document of title is also negotiated by delivery alone when by its original terms it runs to bearer. If a document running to the order of a named person is delivered to that person, the effect is the same as if the document had been negotiated.
(c) Negotiation of a negotiable document of title after it has been endorsed to a specified person requires endorsement by the special endorsee as well as delivery.
(d) A negotiable document of title is 'duly negotiated' when it is negotiated in the manner stated in this section to a holder who purchases it in good faith without notice of a defense against or claim to it by any person and for value, unless it is established that the negotiation is not in the regular course of business or financing or involves receiving the document in settlement or payment of a money obligation.
(e) Endorsement of a nonnegotiable document neither makes it negotiable nor adds to the transferee's rights.
(f) The naming in a negotiable bill of a person to be notified of the arrival of the goods does not limit the negotiability of the bill or constitute notice to a purchaser of the bill of an interest of the person in the goods.
(a) The issuer of a through bill of lading or other document embodying an undertaking to be performed in part by persons acting as the issuer's agents or by connecting carriers is liable to anyone entitled to recover on the document for a breach by the other persons or by a connecting carrier of its obligation under the document, but, to the extent that the bill covers an undertaking to be performed overseas or in territory not contiguous to the continental United States or an undertaking including matters other than transportation, this liability may be varied by agreement of the parties.
(b) If goods covered by a through bill of lading or other document embodying an undertaking to be performed in part by a person other than the issuer are received by the other person, that person is subject, with respect to the person's performance while the goods are in the person's possession, to the obligation of the issuer. The person's obligation is discharged by delivery of the goods to another such person under the document, and does not include liability for breach by another such person or by the issuer.
(c) The issuer of the through bill of lading or other document may recover, from the connecting carrier or other person in possession of the goods when the breach of the obligation under the document occurred, the amount the issuer is required to pay to anyone entitled to recover on the document for the breach, as may be evidenced by a receipt, judgment, or transcript of that amount, and the amount of expense reasonably incurred by the carrier in defending an action brought by anyone entitled to recover on the document for the breach.
(a) Subject to AS 45.07.503 and to the provisions of AS 45.07.205 on fungible goods, a holder to whom a negotiable document of title has been duly negotiated acquires
(1) title to the document;
(2) title to the goods;
(3) all rights accruing under the law of agency or estoppel, including rights to goods delivered to the bailee after the document was issued; and
(4) the direct obligation of the issuer to hold or deliver the goods according to the terms of the document free of a defense or claim by the issuer except one arising under the terms of the document or under this chapter; in the case of a delivery order the bailee's obligation accrues only upon acceptance, and the obligation acquired by the holder is that the issuer and an endorser will procure the acceptance of the bailee.
(b) Subject to AS 45.07.503 , title and rights so acquired are not defeated by a stoppage of the goods represented by the document or by surrender of the goods by the bailee, and are not impaired even though the negotiation or a prior negotiation constituted a breach of duty or even though a person has been deprived of possession of the document by misrepresentation, fraud, accident, mistake, duress, loss, theft, or conversion, or even though a previous sale or other transfer of the goods or document has been made to a third person.
(a) A transferee of a document, whether negotiable or not, to whom the document has been delivered but not duly negotiated acquires the title and rights which the transferor had or had actual authority to convey.
(b) In the case of a nonnegotiable document, until (but not after) the bailee receives notification of the transfer, the rights of the transferee may be defeated
(1) by those creditors of the transferor who could treat the sale as void under AS 45.02.402 ;
(2) 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
(3) as against the bailee by good faith dealings of the bailee with the transferor.
(c) 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 they have been delivered to a buyer in ordinary course of business and in any event defeats the consignee's rights against the bailee.
(d) Delivery under a nonnegotiable document may be stopped by a seller under AS 45.02.705 , and subject to the requirement of due notification set out in AS 45.02.705 . A bailee honoring the seller's instructions is entitled to be indemnified by the seller against a resulting loss or expense.
(a) A document of title confers no right in goods against a person who, before issuance of the document, had a legal interest or a perfected security interest in them and who neither
(1) delivered or entrusted them or a document of title covering them to the bailor or the bailor's nominee with actual or apparent authority to ship, store, or sell or with power to obtain delivery under AS 45.07.403 or with power of disposition under AS 45.02.403 and AS 45.29.320 or other statute or rule of law; nor
(2) acquiesced in the procurement by the bailor or the bailor's nominee of a document of title.
(b) Title to goods based upon an unaccepted delivery order is subject to the rights of anyone to whom a negotiable warehouse receipt or bill of lading covering the goods has been duly negotiated. Such a title may be defeated under AS 45.07.504 to the same extent as the rights of the issuer or a transferee from the issuer.
(c) Title to goods based upon a bill of lading issued to a freight forwarder is subject to the rights of anyone to whom a bill issued by the freight forwarder is duly negotiated; but delivery by the carrier in accordance with AS 45.07.401 - 45.07.404 under its own bill of lading discharges the carrier's obligation to deliver.
(a) A warehouseman has a lien against the bailor on the goods covered by a warehouse receipt or on the proceeds of the goods in the warehouseman's possession for charges for storage or transportation (including demurrage and terminal charges), insurance, labor, or charges present or future in relation to the goods, and for expenses necessary for preservation of the goods or reasonably incurred in their sale under law. If the person on whose account the goods are held is liable for like charges or expenses in relation to other goods, whenever deposited and it is stated in the receipt that a lien is claimed for charges and expenses in relation to other goods, the warehouseman also has a lien against that person for these charges and expenses whether or not the other goods have been delivered by the warehouseman. But against a person to whom a negotiable warehouse receipt is duly negotiated, a warehouseman's lien is limited to charges in an amount or at a rate specified on the receipt or, if no charges are so specified, then to a reasonable charge for storage of the goods covered by the receipt after the date of the receipt.
(b) The warehouseman may also reserve a security interest against the bailor for a maximum amount specified on the receipt for charges other than those specified in (a) of this section, such as for money advanced and interest. Such a security interest is governed by AS 45.29 on secured transactions.
(c) A warehouseman's lien for charges and expenses under (a) of this section or a security interest under (b) of this section is also effective against a person who so entrusted the bailor with possession of the goods that a pledge of them by the bailor to a good faith purchaser for value would have been valid, but is not effective against a person as to whom the document confers no right in the goods covered by it under AS 45.07.503 .
(d) A warehouseman loses the lien on goods that the warehouseman voluntarily delivers or unjustifiably refuses to deliver.
(a) A warehouseman may, on notifying the person on whose account the goods are held and any other person known to claim an interest in the goods, require payment of charges and removal of the goods from the warehouse at the termination of the period of storage fixed by the document, or, if no period is fixed, within a stated period not less than 30 days after the notification. If the goods are not removed before the date specified in the notification, the warehouseman may sell them in accordance with the provisions of the section on enforcement of a warehouseman's lien (AS 45.07.210 ).
(b) If a warehouseman in good faith believes that the goods are about to deteriorate or decline in value to less than the amount of the lien within the time prescribed in (a) of this section for notification, advertisement, and sale, the warehouseman may specify in the notification a reasonable shorter time for removal of the goods and, in case the goods are not removed, may sell them at public sale held not less than one week after a single advertisement or posting.
(c) If, as a result of a quality or condition of the goods of which the warehouseman had no notice at the time of deposit, the goods are a hazard to other property or to the warehouse or to persons, the warehouseman may sell the goods at public or private sale without advertisement on reasonable notification to all persons known to claim an interest in the goods. If the warehouseman after a reasonable effort is unable to sell the goods, the warehouseman may dispose of them in a lawful manner; the warehouseman incurs no liability by reason of this disposition.
(d) The warehouseman must deliver the goods to a person entitled to them under this chapter upon due demand made at any time before sale or other disposition under this section.
(e) The warehouseman may satisfy the lien from the proceeds of a sale or disposition under this section, but must hold the balance for delivery on the demand of a person to whom the warehouseman would have been bound to deliver the goods.
(a) The bailee must deliver the goods to a person entitled under the document who complies with (b) and (c) of this section, unless and to the extent that the bailee established any of the following:
(1) delivery of the goods to a person whose receipt was rightful as against the claimant;
(2) damage to or delay, loss, or destruction of the goods for which the bailee is not liable;
(3) previous sale or other disposition of the goods in lawful enforcement of a lien or on warehouseman's lawful termination of storage;
(4) the exercise by a seller of the right to stop delivery under AS 45.02.705;
(5) a diversion, reconsignment, or other disposition under AS 45.07.303 or tariff regulating this right;
(6) release, satisfaction, or any other fact affording a personal defense against the claimant;
(7) any other lawful excuse.
(b) A person claiming goods covered by a document of title must satisfy the bailee's lien if the bailee so requests or if the bailee is prohibited by law from delivering the goods until the charges are paid.
(c) Unless the person claiming is one against whom the document confers no right under AS 45.07.503 (a), the person must surrender for cancellation or notation of partial deliveries an outstanding negotiable document covering the goods, and the bailee must cancel the document or conspicuously note the partial delivery on the document or be liable to a person to whom the document is duly negotiated.
(d) 'Person entitled under the document' means holder in the case of a negotiable document, or the person to whom delivery is to be made by the terms of or under written instructions under a nonnegotiable document.
(a) A warehouse receipt need not be in any particular form.
(b) Unless a warehouse receipt embodies within its written or printed terms each of the following, the warehouseman is liable for damages caused by the omission to a person injured:
(1) the location of the warehouse where the goods are stored;
(2) the date of issue of the receipt;
(3) the consecutive number of the receipt;
(4) a statement whether the goods received will be delivered to the bearer, to a specified person, or to a specified person or the order of the specified person;
(5) the rate of storage and handling charges, except that, if goods are stored under a field warehousing arrangement, a statement of that fact is sufficient on a nonnegotiable receipt;
(6) a description of the goods or of the packages containing them;
(7) the signature of the warehouseman, which may be made by an authorized agent;
(8) if the receipt is issued for goods of which the warehouseman is owner, either solely or jointly or in common with others, the fact of this ownership; and
(9) a statement of the amount of advances made and of liabilities incurred for which the warehouseman claims a lien or security interest (AS 45.07.209 ); if the precise amount of the advances made or of the liabilities incurred is, at the time of the issue of the receipt, unknown to the warehouseman or to an agent who issues it, a statement of the fact that advances have been made or liabilities incurred and the purpose of making the advances or incurring the liabilities is sufficient.
(c) A warehouseman may insert in the receipt any other terms which are not contrary to the provisions of the code and do not impair the warehouseman's obligation of delivery (AS 45.07.403 ) or duty of care (AS 45.07.204 ). A contrary provision is ineffective.
(a) A consignee of a nonnegotiable bill who has given value in good faith or a holder to whom a negotiable bill has been duly negotiated, relying in either case upon the description in the bill of the goods or upon the date shown in the bill, may recover, from the issuer, damages caused by the misdating of the bill or the nonreceipt or misdescription of the goods, except to the extent that the document indicates that the issuer does not know whether any part or all of the goods in fact were received or conform to the description, as where the description is in terms of marks or labels or kind, quantity, or condition or the receipt or description is qualified by 'contents or condition of contents of packages unknown,' 'said to contain,' 'shipper's weight, load, and count,' or the like, if this indication is true.
(b) If goods are loaded by an issuer who is a common carrier, the issuer must count the packages of goods if package freight and ascertain the kind and quantity if bulk freight. In this case 'shipper's weight, load, and count' or other words indicating that the description was made by the shipper are ineffective except as to freight concealed by packages.
(c) If bulk freight is loaded by a shipper who makes available to the issuer adequate facilities for weighing the freight, an issuer who is a common carrier must ascertain the kind and quantity within a reasonable time after receiving the written request of the shipper to do so. In this case 'shipper's weight' or other words of like purport are ineffective.
(d) The issuer may by inserting in the bill the words 'shipper's weight, load, and count' or other words of like purport indicate that the goods were loaded by the shipper; and if the statement is true the issuer is not liable for damages caused by the improper loading. But their omission does not imply liability for the damages.
(e) The shipper is considered to have guaranteed to the issuer the accuracy at the time of shipment of the description, marks, labels, number, kind, quantity, condition, and weight as furnished by the shipper; and the shipper shall indemnify the issuer against damage caused by inaccuracies in these particulars. The right of the issuer to this indemnity in no way limits the issuer's responsibility and liability under the contract of carriage to a person other than the shipper.
(a) A carrier's lien may be enforced by public or private sale of the goods, in bloc or in parcels, at any time or place, and on any terms which are commercially reasonable, after notifying all persons known to claim an interest in the goods. This notification must include a statement of the amount due, the nature of the proposed sale, and the time and place of a public sale. The fact that a better price could have been obtained by a sale at a different time or in a different method from that selected by the carrier is not of itself sufficient to establish that the sale was not made in a commercially reasonable manner. If the carrier either sells the goods in the usual manner in a recognized market for them or if the carrier sells at the price current in the market at the time of the sale or if the carrier has otherwise sold in conformity with commercially reasonable practices among dealers in the type of goods sold, the carrier has sold in a commercially reasonable manner. A sale of more goods than apparently necessary to be offered to ensure satisfaction of the obligation is not commercially reasonable except in cases covered by the preceding sentence.
(b) Before a sale under this section, a person claiming a right in the goods may pay the amount necessary to satisfy the lien and the reasonable expenses incurred under this section. In that event the goods must not be sold, but must be retained by the carrier subject to the terms of the bill and this chapter.
(c) The carrier may buy at a public sale under this section.
(d) A purchaser in good faith of goods sold to enforce a carrier's lien takes the goods free of rights of persons against whom the lien was valid, despite noncompliance by the carrier with the requirements of this section.
(e) The carrier may satisfy the lien from the proceeds of a sale under this section, but must hold the balance for delivery on demand to a person to whom the carrier would have been bound to deliver the goods.
(f) The rights provided by this section are in addition to all other rights allowed by law to a creditor against a debtor.
(g) A carrier's lien may be enforced in accordance with either (a) of this section or the procedure set out in AS 45.07.210 (b).
(h) The carrier is liable for damages caused by failure to comply with the requirements for sale under this section and, in case of wilful violation, is liable for conversion.
(a) In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires,
(1) 'bailee' means the person who by a warehouse receipt, bill of lading, or other document of title acknowledges possession of goods and contracts to deliver them;
(2) 'consignee' means the person named in a bill to whom or to whose order the bill promises delivery;
(3) 'consignor' means the person named in a bill as the person from whom the goods have been received for shipment;
(4) 'delivery order' means a written order to deliver goods directed to a warehouseman, carrier, or other person who in the ordinary course of business issues warehouse receipts or bills of lading;
(5) 'document' means document of title as defined in the general definitions in AS 45.01.201 ;
(6) 'goods' means all things which are treated as movable for the purpose of a contract of storage or transportation;
(7) 'issuer' means a bailee who issued a document except that in relation to an unaccepted delivery order it means the person who orders the possessor of goods to deliver; issuer includes any person for whom an agent or employee purports to act in issuing a document if the agent or employee has real or apparent authority to issue documents, notwithstanding that the issuer received no goods or that the goods were misdescribed or that in any other respect the agent or employee violated instructions;
(8) 'warehouseman' is a person engaged in the business of storing goods for hire.
(b) Other definitions applying to this chapter, or to specified sections within this chapter and the sections in which the definitions appear are:
(1) 'duly negotiate' (AS 45.07.501 )
(2) 'person entitled under the document' (AS 45.07.403 ).
(c) Definitions in AS 45.02 applying to this chapter and the sections in which the definitions appear are:
(1) 'contract for sale' (AS 45.02.106 )
(2) 'overseas' (AS 45.02.323 )
(3) 'receipt' of goods (AS 45.02.103 ).
(d) In addition, AS 45.01 contains general definitions and principles of construction and interpretation applicable throughout this chapter.
(a) Except as provided in (b) of this section, a warehouseman's lien may be enforced by public or private sale of the goods in bloc or in parcels, at any time or place, and on terms which are commercially reasonable, after notifying all persons known to claim an interest in the goods. This notification must include a statement of the amount due, the nature of the proposed sale, and the time and place of a public sale. The fact that a better price could have been obtained by a sale at a different time or in a different method from that selected by the warehouseman is not of itself sufficient to establish that the sale was not made in a commercially reasonable manner. If the warehouseman either sells the goods in the usual manner in a recognized market for the goods, or if the warehouseman sells at the price current in the market at the time of the sale, or if the warehouseman has otherwise sold in conformity with commercially reasonable practices among dealers in the type of goods sold, the warehouseman has sold in a commercially reasonable manner. A sale of more goods than apparently necessary to be offered to insure satisfaction of the obligation is not commercially reasonable except in cases covered by the preceding sentence.
(b) A warehouseman's lien on goods other than goods stored by a merchant in the course of the merchant's business may be enforced only as follows:
(1) All persons known to claim an interest in the goods must be notified.
(2) The notification must be delivered in person or sent by registered letter to the last known address of a person to be notified.
(3) The notification must include an itemized statement of the claim, a description of the goods subject to the lien, a demand for payment within a specified time not less than 10 days after receipt of the notification, and a conspicuous statement that unless the claim is paid within that time the goods will be advertised for sale and sold by auction at a specified time and place.
(4) The sale must conform to the terms of the notification.
(5) The sale must be held at the nearest suitable place to that where the goods are held or stored.
(6) After the expiration of the time given in the notification, an advertisement of the sale must be published once a week for two weeks consecutively in a newspaper of general circulation where the sale is to be held. The advertisement must include a description of the goods, the name of the person on whose account they are being held, and the time and place of the sale. The sale must take place at least 15 days after the first publication. If there is no newspaper of general circulation where the sale is to be held, the advertisement must be posted at least 10 days before the sale in not less than three conspicuous places in the neighborhood of the proposed sale.
(c) Before a sale under this section, a person claiming a right in the goods may pay the amount necessary to satisfy the lien and the reasonable expenses incurred under this section. In that event the goods must not be sold, but must be retained by the warehouseman subject to the terms of the receipt and this chapter.
(d) The warehouseman may buy at a public sale under this section.
(e) A purchaser in good faith of goods sold to enforce a warehouseman's lien takes the goods free of rights of persons against whom the lien was valid despite noncompliance by the warehouseman with the requirements of this section.
(f) The warehouseman may satisfy the lien from the proceeds of a sale under this section, but must hold the balance, for delivery on demand to a person to whom the warehouseman would have been bound to deliver the goods.
(g) The rights provided by this section are in addition to all other rights allowed by law to a creditor against a debtor.
(h) If a lien is on goods stored by a merchant in the course of the merchant's business, the lien may be enforced in accordance with either (a) or (b) of this section.
(i) The warehouseman is liable for damages caused by failure to comply with the requirements for sale under this section and, in case of a wilful violation, is liable for conversion.
Article 03. BILLS OF LADING: SPECIAL PROVISIONS
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