7719 - Unlawful dividends. - Pennsylvania Statutes

§ 7719. Unlawful dividends. (a) Insolvency.--For shares of the corporation other than membership shares, the board of directors may declare and the corporation may pay dividends on its outstanding shares except when the corporation is insolvent or the payment would render the corporation insolvent. If a dividend is paid, the directors under whose administration the payment was made, except those who have caused their dissent to be entered on the minutes of the meeting at which the action was authorized and those who, being absent at the time, have promptly filed their written objection with the secretary of the corporation upon learning of the action, shall be jointly and severally liable to the corporation in an amount equal to the amount of the unlawful dividend. (b) Reliance on financial statements.--A director is not liable under this section if the director relied and acted in good faith upon financial statements of the corporation represented to be correct by the president of the corporation or by the officer having charge of the corporation's books of account or upon written reports, issued by an independent public or certified public accountant, which fairly purports to reflect the financial condition of the corporation. (c) Liability to corporation.--If an unlawful dividend is paid, each stockholder is liable to the corporation in an amount equal to the amount of the unlawful dividend to the stockholder. An action to enforce this liability must be brought within two years from the date of the receipt of the dividend.