This section sets the steps for a voluntary bank liquidation, including commissioner approval, notices to creditors, handling deposit boxes, paying claims, and distributing any leftover assets.
§372. Liquidation procedure A. A voluntary liquidation takes effect upon: (1) The appointment of a liquidator in the stockholder agreement provided for in R.S. 6:371(A); and (2) Approval of the commissioner. B. When the voluntary liquidation takes effect, all the rights, powers, and duties of the officers and board of directors, except as otherwise provided by law, shall be vested in the liquidator appointed by the stockholders, and the authority and duties of the officers and directors of the bank shall cease, except insofar as may be necessary in the opinion of the liquidator to preserve the corporate assets or insofar as they may be continued by the liquidator or as may be necessary for termination of the proceeding for dissolution. C.(1) Within thirty days of the approval, a notice of liquidation shall be sent by mail to all known creditors of the bank and all other persons interested in funds or other property held by the bank. The notice shall be posted conspicuously on the premises of the bank and shall be given such other publication as the commissioner may require. The bank shall send with the notice a statement of the amount on the books to be the claim of the depositor or creditor. The notice shall demand that property held by the bank as depositary or in a safe deposit box be withdrawn by the person entitled thereto and that claims of depositors and creditors, if the amount claimed differs from that stated in the notice to be due, be filed with the bank before a specified date not earlier than sixty days thereafter in accordance with the procedure prescribed in the notice. (2) As soon after approval of the liquidation by the commissioner as may be practicable, the state bank shall resign all fiduciary positions and take such action as may be necessary to settle its fiduciary accounts. (3) Safety deposit boxes, the contents of which have not been removed within sixty days after notice of liquidation, shall be opened and the contents shall be placed in sealed packages which shall be transferred to the liquidator, who shall retain them for one year unless sooner claimed by the persons entitled to them. After one year the liquidator shall transfer the property to the commissioner, who shall dispose of the property as provided in R.S. 9:151 et seq. (4) The approval of an application for liquidation shall not impair any right of a depositor or creditor to payment in full, and all lawful claims of creditors and depositors shall be promptly paid. The unearned portion of the rental of a safety deposit box shall be returned to the lessee. (5)(a) Any assets remaining after the discharge of all obligations shall be distributed to the stockholders in accordance with their respective interests. No such distribution shall be made before: (i) All claims of depositors and creditors have been paid or, in the case of any disputed claim, the bank has deposited to the registry of the district court of the judicial district in which the liquidating bank is domiciled a sum adequate to meet any liability that may be judicially determined; and (ii) Any funds payable to a depositor or creditor and unclaimed have been transmitted to the commissioner. (b) Any unclaimed distribution to a stockholder or depositor shall be held until ninety days after the final distribution and then transmitted to the commissioner. Such unclaimed funds shall be held by the commissioner for two years and, unless sooner claimed by the person entitled thereto, shall be transferred to the administrator of the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act of 1997 as unclaimed property. D. If the commissioner finds that the assets will be insufficient for the full discharge of all obligations or that completion of the liquidation has been unduly delayed, he may take possession and complete the liquidation in the manner provided in this law for involuntary liquidations. E. The commissioner may require reports of the progress of the liquidation, and whenever he is satisfied that the liquidation has been properly completed, he shall cancel the certificate of authority of the bank. Acts 1984, No. 719, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1985; Acts 2000, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 135, §1, eff. July 1, 2000.