§ 19.325 Entitlement to payment; release of letter of credit to beneficiary; draft
19.325. Entitlement to payment; release of letter of credit to beneficiary; draft
(1) If an appellate judgment entitles a beneficiary to payment from the issuing bank of a letter of credit, the appellate judgment must direct the trial court administrator to release the letter of credit to the beneficiary. Upon issuance of the appellate judgment, the beneficiary may enforce the letter of credit by submitting a draft to the issuing bank in accordance with the terms of the letter of credit. The amount of the draft must include all amounts determined necessary to cover the interest that will accrue until the date that disbursement will be made to the beneficiary.
(2) Except as provided in this section, a draft submitted by a beneficiary under this section need not be in any particular form. The draft must be dated, must be for a specific sum of money and must contain the following language:
Pay to the order of the undersigned beneficiary the amount of this draft. The undersigned beneficiary hereby certifies that there is now an appellate judgment in this case pursuant to which the amount of the draft stated above is now due and owing to the beneficiary from the party on whose behalf the letter of credit was issued.
(3) In addition to the requirements of subsection (2) of this section, the following items must be attached to a draft submitted by a beneficiary under this section:
(a) The original letter of credit under which the draft is drawn.
(b) A copy of the appellate judgment certified by the State Court Administrator that shows the amount that the beneficiary is entitled to recover under the letter of credit.
(4) If the issuing bank of a letter of credit does not honor a letter of credit, on motion of the beneficiary the trial court shall enter judgment against the issuing bank unless the bank establishes that the bank is not required under the law to honor the letter of credit.