22.09.150 - Rights and duties of warehousemen -- Delivery of stored commodities -- Damages. - Washington Statutes

Rights and duties of warehousemen — Delivery of stored commodities — Damages.

(1) The duty of the warehouseman to deliver the commodities in storage is governed by the provisions of this chapter and the requirements of Article 7 of Title 62A RCW (62A.7). Upon the return of the receipt to the proper warehouseman, properly endorsed, and upon payment or tender of all advances and legal charges, the warehouseman shall deliver commodities of the grade and quantity named upon the receipt to the holder of the receipt, except as provided by Article 7 of Title 62A RCW (62A.7).

     (2) A warehouseman's duty to deliver any commodity is fulfilled if delivery is made pursuant to the contract with the depositor or if no contract exists, then to the several owners in the order of demand as rapidly as it can be done by ordinary diligence. Where delivery is made within forty-eight hours excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays after facilities for receiving the commodity are provided, the delivery is deemed to comply with this subsection.

     (3) No warehouseman may fail to deliver a commodity as provided in this section, and delivery shall be made at the warehouse or station where the commodity was received unless the warehouseman and depositor otherwise agree in writing.

     (4) In addition to being subject to penalties provided in this chapter for a violation of this section, if a warehouseman unreasonably fails to deliver commodities within the time as provided in this section, the person entitled to delivery of the commodity may maintain an action against the warehouseman for any damages resulting from the warehouseman's unreasonable failure to so deliver. In any such action the person entitled to delivery of the commodity has the option to seek recovery of his actual damages or liquidated damages of one-half of one percent of the value for each day's delay after the forty-eight hour period.

[1983 c 305 § 31; 1979 ex.s. c 238 § 17; 1963 c 124 § 15.]

Notes: Severability -- 1983 c 305: See note following RCW 20.01.010.