An individual with a depository account at US Bank issued me a check from that account as payment. When attempting to cash the check at a US Bank branch, US Bank informed me that if I signed up for a checking account, then they would cash the check for free ; otherwise there would be a {$7.00} transaction fee. 

I take serious exception to the philosophical idea that a bank would charge a fee to cash their own check. They issue the check to their deposit customer as a service of that individual maintaining deposits within their institution. Then when that customer writes a check for payment the bank is charging a transaction fee for it 's use..? If the check is not accepted as a form of payment without additional fees, then why have a depository account? And why accept checks as payment? 

By the way, if I deposit the check in my bank and it does not clear, my bank charges me a fee. So depositing into my bank is not an option. 

If a bank is to be given the authority to administer checks on behalf of their depositors as form of payment, then they should be required by law to honor that payment. Coercing payees into opening an account or suffer paying a fee is not a useful means of monetary transaction. Ultimately, no one will be able to accept a personal check because even if the money is there, the bank wo n't honor it ... 
