403.205 Special endorsement; blank endorsement; anomalous endorsement.

(1) If an endorsement is made by the holder of an instrument, whether payable to an identified person or payable to bearer, and the endorsement identifies a person to whom it makes the instrument payable, it is a special endorsement. If specially endorsed, an instrument becomes payable to the identified person and may be negotiated only by the endorsement of that person. The principles stated in s. 403.110 apply to special endorsements.

(2) If an endorsement is made by the holder of an instrument and it is not a special endorsement, it is a blank endorsement. If endorsed in blank, an instrument becomes payable to bearer and may be negotiated by transfer of possession alone until specially endorsed.

(3) The holder may convert a blank endorsement that consists only of a signature into a special endorsement by writing, above the signature of the endorser, words identifying the person to whom the instrument is made payable.

(4) “Anomalous endorsement" means an endorsement made by a person who is not the holder of the instrument. An anomalous endorsement does not affect the manner in which the instrument may be negotiated.

History: 1995 a. 449.

When the plaintiff was the bearer of a note that was endorsed in blank, the note was payable to the plaintiff under sub. (2). PNC Bank, N.A. v. Bierbrauer, 2013 WI App 11, 346 Wis. 2d 1, 827 N.W.2d 124, 12-0456.

Under sub. (2), a note endorsed in blank is payable to the bearer and is negotiated by transfer of possession alone. A plaintiff may not enforce a note endorsed in blank that is in the possession of another, including the entity that services the loan for the plaintiff. Bank of New York Mellon v. Klomsten, 2018 WI App 25, 381 Wis. 2d 218, 911 N.W.2d 364, 17-0405.