2018 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 55 - Uniform Commercial Code
Article 1 - General Provisions
Section 55-1-308 - Performance or acceptance under reservation of rights.
(a) A party that with explicit reservation of rights performs or promises performance or assents to performance in a manner demanded or offered by the other party does not thereby prejudice the rights reserved. Such words as "without prejudice", "under protest" or the like are sufficient.
(b) Subsection (a) of this section does not apply to an accord and satisfaction.
History: 1953 Comp., § 50A-1-207, enacted by Laws 1961, ch. 96, § 1-207; 1978 Comp. §55-1-207; recompiled by compiler as 1978 Comp. § 55-1-308; Laws 2005, ch. 144, § 22.
OFFICIAL COMMENTS
UCC Official Comments by ALI & the NCCUSL. Reproduced with permission of the PEB for the UCC. All rights reserved.
Source. — Former Section 1-207 [55-1-207 NMSA 1978].
Changes from former law. — This section is identical to former Section 1-207.
1. This section provides machinery for the continuation of performance along the lines contemplated by the contract despite a pending dispute, by adopting the mercantile device of going ahead with delivery, acceptance, or payment "without prejudice," "under protest," "under reserve," "with reservation of all our rights," and the like. All of these phrases completely reserve all rights within the meaning of this section. The section therefore contemplates that limited as well as general reservations and acceptance by a party may be made "subject to satisfaction of our purchaser," "subject to acceptance by our customers," or the like.
2. This section does not add any new requirement of language of reservation where not already required by law, but merely provides a specific measure on which a party can rely as that party makes or concurs in any interim adjustment in the course of performance. It does not affect or impair the provisions of this Act such as those under which the buyer's remedies for defect survive acceptance without being expressly claimed if notice of the defects is given within a reasonable time. Nor does it disturb the policy of those cases which restrict the effect of a waiver of a defect to reasonable limits under the circumstances, even though no such reservation is expressed.
The section is not addressed to the creation or loss of remedies in the ordinary course of performance but rather to a method of procedure where one party is claiming as of right something which the other believes to be unwarranted.
3. Subsection (b) states that this section does not apply to an accord and satisfaction. Section 3-311 [55-3-311 NMSA 1978] governs if an accord and satisfaction is attempted by tender of a negotiable instrument as stated in that section. If Section 3-311 does not apply, the issue of whether an accord and satisfaction has been effected is determined by the law of contract. Whether or not Section 3-311 applies, this section has no application to an accord and satisfaction.
Compiler's notes. — Laws 2005, ch. 144, § 22, effective January 1, 2006, enacted a new 55-1-308 NMSA 1978 relating to performance or acceptance under reservation of rights. With minor amendments, 55-1-207 NMSA 1978, relating to performance of acceptance under reservation of rights, has been enacted as a new 55-1-308 NMSA 1978 by Laws 2005, ch. 144, § 22. See 12-2A-14 NMSA 1978 for repeal and reenactment of a law that is not a new enactment. For provisions of former 55-1-207 NMSA 1978, see the 2004 NMSA 1978 on NMOneSource.com.
