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New Hampshire Bad Check Laws
New Hampshire Notice of Bad Check or NSF Check - Civil Laws
This is a Notice of Bad Check or NSF Check - Civil. A "dishonored check" (also
known as a "bounced check" or "bad check") is a Bad Check or NSF check which the
bank will not pay because there is no such checking account, or there are
insufficient funds in the account to pay the Bad Check or NSF check. In order to
attempt the greatest possible recovery on a Bad Check or NSF check, the business
owner, or any other person given a Bad Check or NSF check, may be required by
state law to notify the debtor that the Bad Check or NSF check was dishonored.
New Hampshire Bad Check Law Summary - New Hampshire Notice of Bad Check or NSF Check - Civil
Laws
New Hampshire Bad Check Law Summary
Notice of Bad Check or NSF Check
Note: This summary is not intended to be an all inclusive summary of the New
Hampshire
bad check laws, but does contain basic and other provisions.
TITLE LV - PROCEEDINGS IN SPECIAL CASES
CHAPTER 544-B CIVIL LIABILITY FOR BAD bad check or NSF checkS
544-B:1 Civil Penalties for Bad bad check or NSF checks.
I. In any action against a person who makes, issues, or draws any bad check or
NSF check, draft or order for the payment of money which has been dishonored for
lack of funds or credit to pay the same, or because the maker, issuer, or drawer
has no account with the drawee, the holder may recover from the maker, issuer,
or drawer the amount of the bad check or NSF check, draft, or order, plus court
costs, service costs, and collection costs incurred by the holder. The amount of
the bad check or NSF check, draft, or order plus the enumerated costs may be
recovered only if: (a) The holder gives notice pursuant to RSA 544-B:2, for
payment of the bad check or NSF check, draft, or order; and
(b) The maker, issuer, or drawer, fails to tender an amount equal to the amount
of the bad check or NSF check, draft, or order, plus bank fees and mailing
costs, within 10 days of receiving the notice as set forth in RSA 544-B:2. II.
If a judgment is made against a maker, issuer, or drawer pursuant to RSA
544-B:1, I(a) and (b) and he fails to make restitution on the date of judgment,
he shall pay to the holder $10 per business day that the debt remains
outstanding from the date of judgment up to a limit of $500.
III. An action under this section may be brought as a small claims action if the
amount claimed does not exceed the jurisdictional limits for small claims
action, or may be brought in any other court that has jurisdiction.
TITLE LV - PROCEEDINGS IN SPECIAL CASES
CHAPTER 544-B CIVIL LIABILITY FOR BAD bad check or NSF checkS
544-B:2 Notice of Nonpayment.
"Notice" as used in RSA 544-B:1, I(a) means notice given to the maker, drawer,
or issuer of the bad check or NSF check, draft, or order, either in person or in
writing. Such notice in writing shall be conclusively presumed to have been
given when properly deposited in the United States mails, postage prepaid, by
certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and addressed to such
maker, drawer, or issuer at his address as it appears on the bad check or NSF
check, draft, or order or at his last known address.
Title XXXI - Trade and Commerce
CHAPTER 358-C UNFAIR, DECEPTIVE OR UNREASONABLE COLLECTION PRACTICES
358-C:5 bad check or NSF check Collection Charges.
I. A creditor involved in a consumer credit transaction or a debt collector
designated to collect on a bad check or NSF check, negotiable order of
withdrawal, share draft, or other negotiable instrument may charge and receive a
bad check or NSF check collection charge of not more than $25, unless otherwise
expressly authorized by written agreement with the consumer.
II. In the case of a consumer credit transaction, disclosure of a bad check or
NSF check collection charge made pursuant to paragraph I of this section shall
be made in the promissory note or sales finance contract. In the case of debt
collectors, notification of imposition of a bad check or NSF check collection
charge pursuant to paragraph I of this section shall be done by telephone or
written notice sent by regular mail to the debtor at the debtor's last known
telephone number or address or at the address shown on the bad check or NSF
check or other instrument. The notice shall state the amount of the bad check or
NSF check collection charge that has been or will be imposed, and shall state
that the debtor is responsible for paying the bad check or NSF check collection
charge as well as the value of the bad check or NSF check or other instrument.
Criminal Provisions
Title LXII - Criminal Code
CHAPTER 638 FRAUD
638:4 Issuing Bad bad check or NSF checks.
I. A person is guilty of issuing a bad bad check or NSF check if he issues or
passes a bad check or NSF check for the payment of money and payment is refused
by the drawee, except in cases where a legal stop payment order has been issued
or where the drawee refuses payment for any other reason through no fault of the
person who issued or passed the bad check or NSF check.
I-a. A person who issues or passes a bad bad check or NSF check is subject to
prosecution in the jurisdiction in which he issued or passed the bad check or
NSF check.
II. For the purposes of this section, as well as in any prosecution for theft
committed by means of a bad bad check or NSF check, a person who issues a bad
check or NSF check for which payment is refused by the drawee is presumed to
know that such bad check or NSF check would not be paid if he had no account
with the drawee at the time of issue.
III. It is an affirmative defense that the actor paid the amount of the bad
check or NSF check, together with all costs and protest fees, to the person to
whom it was due, within 14 days after having received notice that payment was
refused. The actor's failure to make such payment within 14 days after receiving
notice that payment was refused shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of
paragraph I of this section.
IV. (a) Issuing a bad bad check or NSF check is: (1) A class A felony if the
face amount of the bad check or NSF check exceeds $1,000;
(2) A class B felony if the face amount of the bad check or NSF check exceeds
$500 but is not more than $1,000;
(3) A class A misdemeanor if the face amount of the bad check or NSF check does
not exceed $500 and the actor has been convicted of an offense under this
section within the previous 12 months;
(4) A class B misdemeanor in all other cases. (b) In any prosecution under
subparagraph IV(a), the prosecutor shall prove that the person issued or passed
the bad check or NSF check knowing or believing that the bad check or NSF check
would not be paid by the drawee.
(c) Face amounts involved in the issuance of bad bad check or NSF checks
committed pursuant to one scheme or course of conduct may be aggregated in
determining the grade of the offense. V. In addition to any other sentence which
it imposes, the court shall, if restitution is authorized under RSA 651:63,
order any person convicted of a violation of this section to make restitution to
the person to whom the bad check or NSF check was due. Such restitution shall
include the amount of the bad check or NSF check and may include all reasonable
costs and protest fees.
VI. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, in any
judicial proceeding under this section, a notarized or sworn statement by the
bank official who is the keeper of records of the bank upon which the bad check
or NSF check was drawn shall be admissible as evidence at trial to prove the
status or account balance of the person's account on the date the bad check or
NSF check was issued or passed. The admission of this statement shall eliminate
the need for the keeper of records to personally appear and testify before the
court.
(b) Nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the person who issued the bad check
or NSF check for which payment was refused from securing the appearance of the
keeper of the records before the court by subpoena or other legal process.
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