Legal Significance of "Capital Stock"

The purpose of this article is to clarify, if possible, these different meanings. In essence, it will be shown that the first meaning, that is, "capital stock" in the sense of "shares", while possibly technically inaccurate is practically unimportant; second, that the concept of "capital stock" as "property" or as a "trust fund" for creditors is, if given a literal meaning, most inaccurate, confusing and unnecessary; and third, that the concept of "capital stock" as an "amount", is the only usage which is useful and correct under the present Washington statute.