2018 Mississippi Code
Title 75 - Regulation of Trade, Commerce and Investments
Chapter 44 - Grain Warehouses
§ 75-44-35. Actions on bonds or against self-insurers for failure to deliver grain to holder of warehouse receipt; costs.

(1) It shall be the duty of the grain warehouseman to deliver grain to the holder of a warehouse receipt within ten (10) days of the demand for the redemption of such receipt. In the event the grain warehouseman fails to deliver grain to the holder of a warehouse receipt within ten (10) days of the demand the holder of the warehouse receipt may make demand of the surety for payment under the bond. The surety has the responsibility to pay within fifteen (15) days following receipt by the surety of the notice of the demand for redemption. Any holder of a warehouse receipt issued by a grain warehouseman who has made demand for redemption of such receipt, which demand was, without lawful excuse, not satisfied within ten (10) days, shall notify the commissioner in writing and shall have the right to bring action against the grain warehouseman and the surety on the grain warehouseman’s bond for payment of the market value of the grain represented by such warehouse receipt, such market value to be determined as of the date of the demand, plus legal interest accrued from the date of the demand. In the event the grain warehouseman is a self-insurer as provided in Section 75-44-29 the holder of a warehouse receipt shall have the right to bring action against the grain warehouseman to the extent of the amount posted in lieu of the bond. The commissioner shall pay to the holder of the warehouse receipt, to the extent of the bond posted, any judgment obtained by the holder of a warehouse receipt against a self-insurer. The commissioner may also pay to the holder of a warehouse receipt the amount of the market value of the grain provided that the grain warehouseman agrees to such payment; provided, however, the license of the grain warehouseman shall be suspended upon such payment until such time as the warehouseman posts a bond as provided in this chapter or posts with the commissioner a sum equivalent to that paid by the commissioner on behalf of such warehouseman.

(2) In all actions in which judgment is rendered against any surety company under the provisions of this section, if it appears from evidence that the surety company has wilfully and without just cause refused to pay the loss upon demand, the court in rendering judgment shall allow the plaintiff the amount of the plaintiff’s expenses including court costs and attorney’s fees, to be recovered and collected as part of the costs. The amount of any payment of costs and attorney’s fees under this subsection will not reduce the surety’s remaining liability on its bond.