1707.41 Civil liability of seller for fraud. - Ohio Statutes

1707.41 Civil liability of seller for fraud.

(A) In addition to the other liabilities imposed by law, any person that, by a written or printed circular, prospectus, or advertisement, offers any security for sale, or receives the profits accruing from such sale, is liable, to any person that purchased the security relying on the circular, prospectus, or advertisement, for the loss or damage sustained by the relying person by reason of the falsity of any material statement contained therein or for the omission of material facts, unless the offeror or person that receives the profits establishes that the offeror or person had no knowledge of the publication prior to the transaction complained of, or had just and reasonable grounds to believe the statement to be true or the omitted facts to be not material.

(B)(1) Whenever a corporation is liable as described in division (A) of this section, each director of the corporation is likewise liable unless the director shows that the director had no knowledge of the publication complained of, or had just and reasonable grounds to believe the statement therein to be true or the omission of facts to be not material.

(2) Any director, upon the payment by the director of a judgment so obtained against the director, shall be subrograted to the rights of the plaintiff against the corporation, and shall have the right of contribution for the payment of the judgment against the director’s fellow directors as would be individually liable under this section.

(C) For purposes of this section, lack of reasonable diligence in ascertaining the fact of a publication or the falsity of any statement contained in it or of the omission of a material fact shall be deemed knowledge of the publication and of the falsity of any untrue statement in it or of the omission of material facts.

(D) No action brought against any director, based upon the liability imposed by this section, shall be brought unless it is brought within two years after the plaintiff knew, or had reason to know, of the facts by reason of which the actions of the person or the director were unlawful, or within five years after the purchase of the securities, whichever is the shorter period, or, in the case of an action to enforce a right of contribution under this section, the action is brought within two years after the payment of the judgment for which contribution is sought.

Effective Date: 09-16-2003