Cheques

Contents

Contents General Editor's Foreword Preface to the Second Edition Part One: Introduction 1. The Background 1.1 Economic Background 1.2 Legal Development 1.3 Mercantile Law and Common Law 2. Instruments and Negotiability 2.1 Instruments 2.2 Negotiability 2.3 Types of Negotiable Instruments 2.4 Illustrations of Documents Part Two: Cheques ix xi 3 3 5 8 13 13 13 14 15 21 3. The Nature, Functions and Definition of a Cheque 23 3.1 The Role of the Bank and the Contract with the Customer 23 3.2 The Functions and Forms of Cheques 25 3.3 Legal Definition of a Cheque 27 3.4 Bearer Cheques and Order Cheques 3 1 4. Indorsements and Crossings 35 4.1 Indorsements 35 4.2 Indorsements in Blank and Special Indorsements 36 4.3 Irregular Indorsements 37 4.4 Crossings 37 5. Parties, Holders and Defects 43 5.1 Parties 43 5.2 Holders 46 5.3 Defects 51 viii Cheques 6. Forgeries, Alterations and Protection of Banks 55 6.1 Forgeries 55 6.2 Alterations 57 6.3 Statutory Protection of the Paying Bank 59 6.4 Protection of the Collecting Bank 61 Part Three: Bills of Exchange and Other Instruments 67 7. Bills of Exchange 69 7.1 Bills of Exchange in Hong Kong 69 7.2 Characteristics of a Bill 70 7.3 Procedures 71 7.4 Advantages 72 7.5 Negotiability 73 7.6 Letters of Credit 73 7.7 Presentment, Payment and Dishonour 73 8. Promissory Notes and Other Instruments 79 8.1 Instruments other than Cheques and Bills 79 8.2 Promissory Notes 80 8.3 Bank Notes 81 8.4 Bank Drafts 81 8.5 Travellers' Cheques 82 8.6 Negotiable Company Securities 83 8.7 Credit Cards and Direct Debit 84 8.8 Bills of Lading and Warehouse Receipts 86 8.9 Conclusion Bibliography of Further Reading 89 Table of Statutes 91 Table of Cases 95 Glossary and Index 99 ...