Opinion ID: 453591
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Liability of Lyman

Text: 9 The debtors next assert that Lyman is personally liable for the $50,000.00 as the drawer of the check. Generally, the drawer of a dishonored check is personally liable to the holder. See Fla.Stat. Secs. 673.413(2), 673.507(2). However, [w]ant or failure of consideration is a defense as against any person not having the rights of a holder in due course. Id. Sec. 673.408; see also id. Sec. 673.306(3). 10 The bankruptcy court made no explicit finding of fact concerning whether Lyman received consideration for the check, reasoning only that the trustee has no cause of action against Lyman, whose bad check was tendered on behalf of his client, Fir, and accepted as such. Record, vol. 1 at 135. However, it is apparent from the record and undisputed on appeal 3 that adequate consideration was tendered to Lyman in the form of Tavormina's forbearance from declaring Fir in default. See, e.g., Record, vol. 2 at 81-82, 180-84. Under Florida law, a check is presumed to have been issued for valuable consideration. See City of Valparaiso v. Long, 141 So.2d 334, 335 (1st DCA Fla.1962). Because of Lyman's financial interest in Fir and the transaction, it is sufficient that the benefit flow to Fir instead of directly to him, see Equilease Corp. v. Williams Steel Industries, Inc., 452 So.2d 40, 41-42 (5th DCA Fla.), cert. denied, 459 So.2d 1042 (Fla.1984), and detriment to a promisee, such as forbearance to enforce a legal right, constitutes adequate consideration. See Fontainbleau Hotel Corp. v. Crossman, 323 F.2d 937, 942 (5th Cir.1963). Consequently, the district court erred in affirming the judgment of the bankruptcy court for this reason.