Louisiana § RS 6:315 - Adverse claims to deposit; procedure, indemnifying bond

§ RS 6:315. Adverse claims to deposit; procedure, indemnifying bond

A.  Notice to any bank of an adverse claim, including an adverse claim of ownership of, right to control, or access to funds, to a deposit standing on the books of the bank to the credit of any person does not require the bank to recognize the adverse claimant unless the notice is given pursuant to either a restraining order, injunction, or other appropriate process against the bank in an action instituted by the adverse claimant wherein the person to whose credit the deposit stands is made a party and served with summons, or the adverse claimant has executed to the bank, in form and with sureties acceptable to it, a bond indemnifying the bank against any liability, loss, damage, costs, and expenses on account of payment or of dishonor of the check or other order of the person to whose credit the deposit stands.  However, this Section does not apply where the person to whose credit the deposit stands is a fiduciary for the adverse claimant, and the facts constituting this relationship, as well as the facts showing reasonable cause of belief on the part of the claimant that his fiduciary is about to misappropriate the deposit, are made to appear by the affidavit of the claimant.

B.(1)  A bank shall be entitled to act and rely upon:

(a)  A restraining order, injunction, or other appropriate process;

(b)  An agreement of the parties concerning an adverse claim;

(c)  A bond indemnifying the bank against liability, as provided in Subsection A.

(2)  Unless the restraining order, injunction, or other appropriate process specifically provides to the contrary, a bank with notice of an adverse claim to a deposit as provided herein may terminate the deposit account and transfer the contested funds into the registry of the court issuing the restraining order, injunction, or other appropriate process, or into the registry of a court of competent jurisdiction located in the parish in which the bank is located.

(3)  No bank, acting in reliance upon this Section, shall be liable to the depositor, adverse claimant, or any other person or entity for nonpayment, termination of the deposit account, or for any other damage alleged to have been caused by the bank's reliance on this Section notwithstanding the final disposition of the adverse claim.

C.  Nothing in this Section shall impair the effect of a discharge to which a bank would be entitled under R.S. 10:3-603.

Acts 1984, No. 719, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1985; Acts 1990, No. 530, §1, eff. July 18, 1990.