2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 32. Financial Institutions › Chapter 1. Banks and Trust Companies › Part 5. Dissolution, Closing, and Liquidation › 32-1-538. Disposition of assets remaining after payment of claims

32-1-538. Disposition of assets remaining after payment of claims.
(1) Except as provided in subsection (4), when the department has paid to each depositor and creditor of the bank whose claims have been approved and allowed as provided in this chapter the amount due on them or made satisfactory adjustment of them and has made provisions for unclaimed and unpaid deposits and disputed claims and deposits and has paid all the expenses of liquidation, it shall file a report of its administration of the trust with the clerk of the district court of the county in which the bank is located. If there are remaining assets on hand, the department may apply to the judge of that court for an order authorizing it to surrender the remaining assets, together with all the stationery, correspondence, books, and records kept by the bank while it was a going concern, to the directors of the bank in office at the time of closing it, as trustees for stockholders, or to some other person, if any, designated as trustee by a majority of the stockholders. The report and petition must be set for hearing upon notice that the court may direct. Upon hearing and approval of the report and account and the surrender of the assets as directed, the department is discharged from all further liability or responsibility in connection with the assets and affairs of the bank. The court may, if requested, require the trustees to give bond in an amount the court may fix, conditioned for the faithful performance of their duties. The trustee or trustees shall complete the liquidation of any remaining assets and may sell and dispose of real and personal property as rapidly as possible and shall distribute the proceeds among the stockholders as their rights may appear or dispose of the proceeds in some other manner as the stockholders by majority action direct. The court may upon request of a majority of the stockholders order the department to close up the trust as provided in subsection (2).
(2) If the assets of the bank are insufficient for making payments in full to the depositors and creditors of the bank, then, when the department has liquidated all available assets and disbursed them as provided by law, the department shall file a final report of its liquidation of the bank with the clerk of court of the county in which the bank is located. Upon notice that the court may order, the report must be set for hearing before the court and, if found correct and all funds accounted for, the court shall approve it. The department may at the same time and in the report make application to the district court of the county in which the bank is located for an order directing the closing of the trust, and upon entry of the order closing the trust, the department is discharged from all further liability or responsibility in connection with the assets and affairs of the bank. The charter of the bank must be forfeited and all the stationery, correspondence, books, and records kept by the bank while it was a going concern and considered by the department to be of no value may be destroyed. However, correspondence or records may not be destroyed until 10 years after the date the bank ceased to be a going concern.
(3) On application for orders as provided in this section, the bank must be made a party by notice issued on order of the court or judge and served in a manner the court directs and applications authorized by this section may be heard at any time upon not less than 5 days' posted or served notice of the hearing.
(4) If the federal deposit insurance corporation is appointed as the liquidating agent, the reporting and district court approval requirements of subsections (1) through (3) do not apply.
History: En. Sec. 138, Ch. 89, L. 1927; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 78, L. 1935; re-en. Sec. 6014.148, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 60, Ch. 431, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 5-1118; amd. Sec. 44, Ch. 395, L. 1993.