Assignees; exception. In cases not governed by the uniform commercial code the

assignment of a thing in action shall be without prejudice to any defense, counterclaim or claim matured or not, if matured when pleaded, existing against the assignor in favor of the party pleading it. [Report 1943; amendment 1967; October 31, 1997, effective January 24, 1998; November 9, 2001, effective February 15, 2002]