(a) The liability of an issuer, nominated person, or adviser for action or omission is governed by the law of the jurisdiction chosen by an agreement in the form of a record signed by the affected parties or by a provision in the person’s letter of credit, confirmation, or other undertaking. The jurisdiction whose law is chosen need not bear any relation to the transaction.

(b) Unless subdivision (a) applies, the liability of an issuer, nominated person, or adviser for action or omission is governed by the law of the jurisdiction in which the person is located. The person is considered to be located at the address indicated in the person’s undertaking. If more than one address is indicated, the person is considered to be located at the address from which the person’s undertaking was issued.

Terms Used In California Commercial Code 5116

  • agreement: means the total legal obligation that results from the parties' agreement as determined by this code and as supplemented by any other applicable laws. See California Commercial Code 1201
  • Bank: means a person engaged in the business of banking, and includes a savings bank, savings and loan association, credit union, and trust company. See California Commercial Code 1201
  • Branch: includes a separately incorporated foreign branch of a bank. See California Commercial Code 1201
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Person: means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity. See California Commercial Code 1201
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See California Commercial Code 1201

(c) For the purpose of jurisdiction, choice of law, and recognition of interbranch letters of credit, but not enforcement of a judgment, all branches of a bank are considered separate juridical entities and a bank is considered to be located at the place where its relevant branch is considered to be located under subdivision (d).

(d) A branch of a bank is considered to be located at the address indicated in the branch’s undertaking. If more than one address is indicated, the branch is considered to be located at the address from which the undertaking was issued.

(e) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, the liability of an issuer, nominated person, or adviser is governed by any rules of custom or practice, such as the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, to which the letter of credit, confirmation, or other undertaking is expressly made subject. If (i) this division would govern the liability of an issuer, nominated person, or adviser under subdivision (a) or (b), (ii) the relevant undertaking incorporates rules of custom or practice, and (iii) there is conflict between this division and those rules applied to that undertaking, those rules govern except to the extent of any conflict with the nonvariable provisions specified in subdivision (c) of Section 5103.

(f) If there is conflict between this division and Division 3 (commencing with Section 3101), Division 4 (commencing with Section 4101), or Division 9 (commencing with Section 9101), this division governs.

(g) The forum for settling disputes arising out of an undertaking within this division may be chosen in the manner and with the binding effect that governing law may be chosen in accordance with subdivision (a).

(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 210, Sec. 16. (SB 95) Effective January 1, 2024.)