1. (a) With respect to an obligation on or a defense to a security, an “issuer” includes a person that:

   1. (1) Places or authorizes the placing of its name on a security certificate, other than as authenticating trustee, registrar, transfer agent, or the like, to evidence a share, participation, or other interest in its property or in an enterprise, or to evidence its duty to perform an obligation represented by the certificate;
   2. (2) Creates a share, participation, or other interest in its property or in an enterprise, or undertakes an obligation, that is an uncertificated security;
   3. (3) Directly or indirectly creates a fractional interest in its rights or property, if the fractional interest is represented by a security certificate; or
   4. (4) Becomes responsible for, or in place of, another person described as an issuer in this section.
2. (b) With respect to an obligation on or defense to a security, a guarantor is an issuer to the extent of its guaranty, whether or not its obligation is noted on a security certificate.
3. (c) With respect to a registration of a transfer, issuer means a person on whose behalf transfer books are maintained.

Uniform Commercial Code Comment

“Uncertificated security”. Section 8-102(a)(18).

“Security certificate”. Section 8-102(a)(16).

“Security”. Section 8-102(a)(15).

Definitional Cross References “Person”. Section 1-201(30).

3. Subsection (c) narrows the definition of “issuer” for purposes of Part 4 of this Article (registration of transfer). It is supplemented by Section 8-407.

2. Subsection (b) distinguishes the obligations of a guarantor as issuer from those of the principal obligor. However, it does not exempt the guarantor from the impact of subsection (d) of Section 8-202. Whether or not the obligation of the guarantor is noted on the security is immaterial. Typically, guarantors are parent corporations, or stand in some similar relationship to the principal obligor. If that relationship existed at the time the security was originally issued the guaranty would probably have been noted on the security. However, if the relationship arose afterward, e.g., through a purchase of stock or properties, or through merger or consolidation, probably the notation would not have been made. Nonetheless, the holder of the security is entitled to the benefit of the obligation of the guarantor.

1. The definition of “issuer” in this section functions primarily to describe the persons whose defenses may be cut off under the rules in Part 2. In large measure it simply tracks the language of the definition of security in Section 8-102(a)(15).

History

Dec. 30, 1963, 77 Stat. 734, Pub. L. 88-243, § 1

Mar. 16, 1993, D.C. Law 9-196, § 4, 39 DCR 9165

Apr. 9, 1997, D.C. Law 11-240, § 2, 44 DCR 1087

Prior Codifications

1973 Ed., § 28:8-201.

1981 Ed., § 28:8-201.

Section References

This section is referenced in § 28:8-102 and § 28:9-102.