RS 12:227 Indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents; insurance - Louisiana Statutes

§227.  Indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents; insurance

A.  A corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (including any action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another nonprofit, business or foreign corporation, partnership, joint venture or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful; provided that in case of actions by or in the right of the corporation, the indemnity shall be limited to expenses (including attorneys' fees, and amounts paid in settlement not exceeding, in the judgment of the board of directors, the estimated expense of litigating the action to conclusion) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action and no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the court shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, he is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper.  The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.

B.  To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of a corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any such action, suit or proceeding, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.  

C.  Any indemnification under subsection A of this section (unless ordered by the court) shall be made by the corporation only as authorized in a specific case upon a determination that the applicable standard of conduct has been met.  Such determination shall be made (1) by the board of directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (2) if such a quorum is not obtainable or a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel, or (3) by the members.  

D.  Expenses incurred in defending such an action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in advance of the final disposition thereof if authorized by the board of directors in the manner provided in subsection C of this section, upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount unless it shall ultimately be determined that he is entitled to be indemnified by the corporation as authorized in this section.  

E.  The indemnification provided by this section shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the person indemnified may be entitled under any by-law, agreement, authorization of members or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of his heirs and legal representative.

F.  A corporation shall have power to procure insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another nonprofit, business or foreign corporation, partnership, joint venture or other enterprise against any liability asserted against or incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this section.  

Acts 1968, No. 105, §1.  Amended by Acts 1970, No. 50, §15, emerg. eff. June 18, 1970, at 5:05 P.M.