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HomeCommercial CodeDiv. 9Ch. 4§ 9403 Assignment Claim Enforcement

§ 9403 Assignment Claim Enforcement

Commercial Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 9403 Assignment Claim Enforcement

Key Takeaways

  • •If someone owes you money and you sell that debt to another person, the person who owes the money can't use certain excuses to avoid paying the new owner.
  • •This rule only works if the new owner paid for the debt, acted honestly, and didn't know about any problems with the debt.
  • •If the debt is for personal stuff (like a family car or home loan), other rules might apply instead.
  • •If the original agreement didn't say the new owner could be fought in court, the person owing money can still fight back in some cases.

Example

You borrow money from a bank to buy a TV, but the TV is broken when you get it. The bank sells your debt to a new company.

You can still tell the new company you shouldn't have to pay because the TV was broken, even if your original agreement with the bank didn't mention this.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 9403 Assignment Claim Enforcement

(a) In this section, “value” has the meaning provided in subdivision (a) of Section 3303. (b) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an agreement between an account debtor and an assignor not to assert against an assignee any claim or defense that the account debtor may have against the assignor is enforceable by an assignee that takes an assignment that satisfies all of the following conditions: (1) It is taken for value. (2) It is taken in good faith. (3) It is taken without notice of a claim of a property or possessory right to the property assigned. (4) It is taken without notice of a defense or claim in recoupment of the type that may be asserted against a person entitled to enforce a negotiable instrument under subdivision (a) of Section 3305. (c) Subdivision (b) does not apply to defenses of a type that may be asserted against a holder in due course of a negotiable instrument under subdivision (b) of Section 3305. (d) In a consumer transaction, if a record evidences the account debtor’s obligation, law other than this division requires that the record include a statement to the effect that the rights of an assignee are subject to claims or defenses that the account debtor could assert against the original obligee, and the record does not include such a statement, then both of the following apply: (1) The record has the same effect as if the record included such a statement. (2) The account debtor may assert against an assignee those claims and defenses that would have been available if the record included such a statement. (e) This section is subject to law other than this division which establishes a different rule for an account debtor who is an individual and who incurred the obligation primarily for personal, family, or household purposes. (f) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision (d), this section does not displace law other than this division which gives effect to an agreement by an account debtor not to assert a claim or defense against an assignee. (Repealed (by Sec. 19) and added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 1003, Sec. 20. Effective January 1, 2001. Operative July 1, 2001, by Sec. 56 of Ch. 1003.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

account debtorassignorassigneevaluegood faithholder in due courseconsumer transaction

Related Statutes

  • § 9404 Account Debtor Defenses
  • § 9406 Payment Obligation After Assignment
  • § 9405 Contract Assignment Modifications
  • § 3402 Representative Signature Liability
  • § 3403 Unauthorized Signature Effectiveness

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Commercial Code. Section 9403.
View Official Source