New York Uniform Commercial Code Law Section 3-411 - Certification of a Check.

Section 3--411. Certification of a Check.
(1)  Certification  of  a check is acceptance. Where a holder procures
  certification the drawer and all prior indorsers are discharged.
(2) Unless otherwise agreed a bank has  no  obligation  to  certify  a
  check.
(3)  A bank may certify a check before returning it for lack of proper
  indorsement. If it does so the drawer is discharged.

Last modified: February 3, 2019