Negotiable Instrument

ACT NO. 2031
February 03, 1911
THE NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS LAW

I. FORM AND INTERPRETATION

Section 1. Form of negotiable instruments. - An instrument to be negotiable must conform to the following requirements:
(a) It must be in writing and signed by the maker or drawer;
(b) Must contain an unconditional promise or order to pay a sum certain in money;
(c) Must be payable on demand, or at a fixed or determinable future time;
(d) Must be payable to order or to bearer; and
(e) Where the instrument is addressed to a drawee, he must be named or otherwise indicated therein with reasonable certainty.

Section 3. When promise is unconditional. - An unqualified order or promise to pay is unconditional within the meaning of this Act though coupled with:
(a) An indication of a particular fund out of which reimbursement is to be made or a particular account to be debited with the amount; or
(b) A statement of the transaction which gives rise to the instrument.
But an order or promise to pay out of a particular fund is not unconditional.

Section 7. When payable on demand. - An instrument is payable on demand:
(a) When it is so expressed to be payable on demand, or at sight, or on presentation; or
(b) In which no time for payment is expressed.
Where an instrument is issued, accepted, or indorsed when overdue, it is, as regards the person so issuing, accepting, or indorsing it, payable on demand.

Section 8. When payable to order – The instrument is payable to order where it is drawn payable to the order of a specified person or to him or his order. It may be drawn payable to the order of: (a) A payee who is not a maker, drawer, or drawee; or (b) The drawer or maker; or (c) The drawee; or (d) Two or more payees jointly; or (e) One or more of several payess; or (f) The holder of an office for the time being.
When the instrument is payable to order, the payee must be named or otherwise indicated therein with reasonable certainty.

Section 9. When payable to bearer. - The instrument is payable to bearer:
(a) When it is expressed to be so payable; or
(b) When it is payable to a person named therein or bearer; or
(c) When it is payable to the order of a fictitious or non-existing person, and such fact was known to the person making it so payable; or
(d) When the name of the payee does not purport to be the name of any person; or
(e) When the only or last indorsement is an indorsement in blank.

III. NEGOTIATION

Section 30. What constitutes negotiation. – An instrument is negotiated when it is transferred from one person to another in such manner as to constitute the transferee the holder thereof. If payable to bearer, it is negotiated by delivery; if payable to order, it is negotiated by the indorsement of the hlder completed by the delivery.