Security Interest, Agreements
A. Security interest (SI)—an interest in personal property or fixtures that secures payment or performance of an obligation
B. Agreement—a consensual agreement that provides for the SI; the substance of the
transaction controls, not the form
Parties
Collateral – Tangible
property subject to the SI
Tangible collateral
• Goods—anything that is moveable at time that the SI attaches; the debtor’s principal
use at the time the SI attaches determines the class of the goods
o Consumer goods—goods acquired primarily for personal, family, or household
purposes
o Farm products—goods that are crops or livestock and include supplies that are
used or produced in farming
o Inventory—goods, other than farm products, held for sale or lease; are furnished
under a service contract; or consist of raw materials, works in process, or materials
used or consumed in a business
o Equipment—catchall class; consists of goods that are not consumer goods, farm
products, or inventory
• Software—software embedded in goods is treated as part of goods in which it is
embedded; software not embedded in goods is treated as a general intangible
Collateral – Intangible
classification is determined without reference to the debtor’s use
• Chattel paper—paper that evidences your right to ongoing lease or sale
• Document—a document of title, which confers on the holder ownership rights in
goods held by a bailee
• Instruments—negotiable note or check
• Investment property—includes both certificated and uncertificated securities, as well
as securities accounts
• Accounts—the right to payment for goods sold OR services rendered
• Commercial tort claims—excludes tort claims by an individual for personal injury or
death
Eligible Transactions – General rule, Leases, Consignments, and Liens
Attachment of SI – In general
an SI that is enforceable against the debtor with respect to the collateral is said
to have “attached” to the collateral
Attachment of SI – Value given by secured party
can be consideration sufficient to form a contract,
extending credit, accepting delivery under a preexisting contract, or in satisfaction of a
preexisting claim
1. Future advances—may also be secured by collateral
Attachment of SI – debtor’s rights in collateral
Attachment of SI – security agreement–How to satisfy SoF
the secured party must satisfy the Art. 9 Statute of Frauds (SoF)
Attachment of SI – after-acquired collateral
Attachment of SI – proceeds
the SI attaches automatically to identifiable proceeds (i.e., whatever is acquired
upon disposition of the collateral)
Attachment of SI – rights and duties of secured party
Attachment of SI – rights of debtor
Attachment of SI – purchase-money security interest [PMSI]
Attachment of SI – Accessions
goods that are physically united with other goods such that the identity of the
original goods is not lost
Attachment of SI – Commingled Goods
goods that are physically united with other goods such that their identity is lost in a product or mass
Perfection of Security Interest – Methods of Perfection
the SI is perfected upon attachment of that interest and
compliance with one of the methods of perfection; perfection creates superior rights in the collateral for secured party over third parties’ rights in the collateral
Methods of perfection—filing, possession, control, and automatic perfection
Perfection of Security Interest – Filing of Financial Statement – Financing Statement
Perfection of Security Interest—the SI is perfected upon attachment of that interest and
compliance with one of the methods of perfection; perfection creates superior rights in the collateral for secured party over third parties’ rights in the collateral
must contain (i) the debtor’s name, (ii) the secured party’s name, and (iii) a description of collateral; it is a notice filing
• Alternatives—security agreement, mortgage
• Debtor’s name—the name on the debtor’s current driver’s license or state-issued
identification card (most states)
o Debtor’s trade name—insufficient by itself; not needed if the debtor’s name is
correctly provided
o Registered organization—the name shown on public organic records (e.g.,
articles of incorporation)
o Debtor’s change of name—the secured party has four months to amend the
financing statement; if not done, collateral acquired by the debtor after the fourmonth
period is not covered by the financing statement
o Error in debtor’s name—a financing statement is not effective unless a standard
search under the debtor’s correct name would disclose the statement
o Error in secured party’s name—an error in the name of the secured party
generally does not affect the perfection of the SI, but could subject the secured
party to estoppel in favor of another claimant
• Description of the collateral—unlike security agreement, the financing statement
may include a super-generic description of the collateral (“all debtor’s assets”) if the
description sufficiently indicates the collateral
o After-acquired property and future advances—a financing statement may be
effective to cover after-acquired property if such property falls within the collateral
described, whether mentioned or even contemplated by the parties at the time the
financing statement was authorized
o Proceeds—an SI in proceeds is perfected even if not mentioned in the financing
statement
o Error in description—the secured party must prepare a termination statement
with respect to the erroneous collateral
Perfection of Security Interest – Filling of Financial Statement – Debtor’s Authorization, Person Entitled to File Financing Statement
Perfection of Security Interest—the SI is perfected upon attachment of that interest and
compliance with one of the methods of perfection; perfection creates superior rights in the collateral for secured party over third parties’ rights in the collateral
Perfection of Security Interest – Filling of Financial Statement – Filing Location
Perfection of Security Interest—the SI is perfected upon attachment of that interest and
compliance with one of the methods of perfection; perfection creates superior rights in the collateral for secured party over third parties’ rights in the collateral
Filing Location
Collateral related to real property—the office for recording a mortgage on the
related real property; local filing
• All other collateral—the secretary of state of the state of the debtor’s location;
central filing
o Individual debtor—the state in which the debtor maintains his principal residence
o Nonregistered organization (partnership) debtor—the state in which it maintains its
place of business and, if it has more than one place of business, at its chief
executive office
o Registered organization (corporation)—the state in which it is organized
Perfection of Security Interest – Filling of Financial Statement – Effective Date of Filing
Perfection of Security Interest—the SI is perfected upon attachment of that interest and
compliance with one of the methods of perfection; perfection creates superior rights in the collateral for secured party over third parties’ rights in the collateral
Effective date of filing—upon delivery to the filing office and tender of the filing fee
• Filing office’s refusal to accept
o Justified refusal (e.g., failure to pay fee)—the financing statement is treated as
having not been filed
o Unjustified refusal—the financing statement is treated as having been filed; the
statement is effective except as to a purchaser of the collateral who gives value in
reasonable reliance upon the absence of the record from the files
• Filing office’s incorrect indexing of a statement—does not affect the
effectiveness of a filed statement; the risk of a filing-office error rests on those who
search files, not those who file the statement
Perfection of Security Interest – Filling of Financial Statement – Length of Perfection
Perfection of Security Interest—the SI is perfected upon attachment of that interest and
compliance with one of the methods of perfection; perfection creates superior rights in the collateral for secured party over third parties’ rights in the collateral
Length of perfection—a financing statement is generally effective for five years
• Effective during this period, even though there is no obligation secured by the collateral
and no commitment to make an advance, unless a termination statement has been filed
Perfection of Security Interest – Filling of Financial Statement – Continuation Statement
Perfection of Security Interest—the SI is perfected upon attachment of that interest and
compliance with one of the methods of perfection; perfection creates superior rights in the collateral for secured party over third parties’ rights in the collateral
Continuation statement—effective to extend perfection for an additional five years; no
need for the debtor’s signature; if not filed, the SI is treated as never having been
perfected as against a purchaser of the collateral for value
Perfection of Security Interest – Filling of Financial Statement – Amendment of Financing Statement
Perfection of Security Interest—the SI is perfected upon attachment of that interest and
compliance with one of the methods of perfection; perfection creates superior rights in the collateral for secured party over third parties’ rights in the collateral
Amendment of financing statement—filed to add or delete collateral covered by the statement; effective from the date of filing; does not extend period of effectiveness of the financing statement