2018 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 55 - Uniform Commercial Code
Article 2 - Sales
Section 55-2-616 - Procedure on notice claiming excuse.
(1) Where the buyer receives notification of a material or indefinite delay or an allocation justified under the preceding section [55-2-615 NMSA 1978], he may by written notification to the seller as to any delivery concerned, and where the prospective deficiency substantially impairs the value of the whole contract under the provisions of this article relating to breach of installment contracts (Section 2-612 [55-2-612 NMSA 1978]), then also as to the whole:
(a) terminate and thereby discharge any unexecuted portion of the contract; or
(b) modify the contract by agreeing to take his available quota in substitution.
(2) If after receipt of such notification from the seller, the buyer fails so to modify the contract within a reasonable time not exceeding thirty days, the contract lapses with respect to any deliveries affected.
(3) The provisions of this section may not be negated by agreement except insofar as the seller has assumed a greater obligation under the preceding section [55-2-615 NMSA 1978].
History: 1953 Comp., § 50A-2-616, enacted by Laws 1961, ch. 96, § 2-616.
OFFICIAL COMMENTS
UCC Official Comments by ALI & the NCCUSL. Reproduced with permission of the PEB for the UCC. All rights reserved.
Prior uniform statutory provision. — None.
Purposes. — This section seeks to establish simple and workable machinery for providing certainty as to when a supervening and excusing contingency "excuses" the delay, "discharges" the contract, or may result in a waiver of the delay by the buyer. When the seller notifies, in accordance with the preceding section, claiming excuse, the buyer may acquiesce, in which case the contract is so modified. No consideration is necessary in a case of this kind to support such a modification. If the buyer does not elect so to modify the contract, he may terminate it and under Subsection (2) his silence after receiving the seller's claim of excuse operates as such a termination. Subsection (3) denies effect to any contract clause made in advance of trouble which would require the buyer to stand ready to take delivery whenever the seller is excused from delivery by unforeseen circumstances.
Cross references. — Point 1: Sections 2-209 and 2-615.
"Buyer". Section 2-103.
"Contract". Section 1-201.
"Installment contract". Section 2-612.
"Notification". Section 1-201.
"Reasonable time". Section 1-204.
"Seller". Section 2-103.
"Termination". Section 2-106.
"Written". Section 1-201.
Law reviews. — For comment, "Commercial Law - Uniform Commercial Code - Section 2-609: Right to Adequate Assurance of Performance," see 7 Nat. Resources J. 397 (1967).
Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 77A C.J.S. Sales § 121 et seq.
