New York Consolidated Laws, Uniform Commercial Code - UCC § 3-603. Payment or Satisfaction

(1) The liability of any party is discharged to the extent of his payment or satisfaction to the holder even though it is made with knowledge of a claim of another person to the instrument unless prior to such payment or satisfaction the person making the claim either supplies indemnity deemed adequate by the party seeking the discharge or enjoins payment or satisfaction by order of a court of competent jurisdiction in an action in which the adverse claimant and the holder are parties.  This subsection does not, however, result in the discharge of the liability

(2) Payment or satisfaction may be made with the consent of the holder by any person including a stranger to the instrument.  Surrender of the instrument to such a person gives him the rights of a transferee (Section 3-201).