Business Law 12th Edition by Roger LeRoy Miller ,Frank Cross

Exercise 14

CASE PROBLEM WITH SAMPLE ANSWER: Holder in Due Course
American International Group, Inc. (AIG), an insurance company, issued a check to Jermielem Meniwether in connection with a personal-injury matter. Merriwether presented the check to A-1 Check Cashing Emporium for payment. A-1's clerk forgot to have Meniwether sign the check. When he could not reach Meniwether and ask him to come back to A-1 to sign the check, the clerk printed Merriwether's name on the back mi deposited the check for collection. When the check was not paid, A-1 sold it to Robert Triffin, who is in the business of buying dishonored checks. When Triffin could not get the check honored, he sued AIG, contending that he, through A-1, had the right to collect on the check as a holder in due course (HDC). The trial court rejected that claim. Triffin appealed. On what basis could he claim HDC status? [ Triffin v. American International Group, Inc., __ A.2d __ (N.J.Super. 2008)]