Grosberg v. Michigan National Bank Oakland

This appeal involves an unusual admixture of partnership law in a case otherwise governed by Uniform Commercial Code principles. Although both courts below absolved defendant Michigan National Bank-Oakland of any liability to plaintiff Merwin K. Grosberg for conversion, the trial court reached its decision relying heavily on partnership principles, while the Court of Appeals focused instead on the commercial reasonableness of the bank’s conduct under the UCC. We find the partnership aspects to be controlling in this case and so affirm on that ground.

I

As developed below, plaintiff Grosberg…