35-14-851. Permissible indemnification. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a corporation may indemnify an individual who is a party to a proceeding because the individual is a director against liability incurred in the proceeding if:
(a) (i) the director acted in good faith; and
(ii) the director reasonably believed:
(A) in the case of conduct in an official capacity, that the conduct was in the best interests of the corporation; and
(B) in all other cases, that the conduct was at least not opposed to the best interests of the corporation; and
(iii) in the case of a criminal proceeding, the director had no reasonable cause to believe the conduct was unlawful; or
(b) the director engaged in conduct for which broader indemnification has been made permissible or obligatory under a provision of the articles of incorporation as authorized by 35-14-202(2)(e).
(2) A director's conduct with respect to an employee benefit plan for a purpose the director reasonably believed to be in the interests of the participants in and the beneficiaries of the plan is conduct that satisfies the requirement of subsection (1)(a)(ii)(B).
(3) The termination of a proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, or conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent is not, of itself, determinative that the director did not meet the relevant standard of conduct described in this section.
(4) Unless ordered by a court under 35-14-854(1)(c), a corporation may not indemnify a director:
(a) in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation except for expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding if it is determined that the director has met the relevant standard of conduct under subsection (1); or
(b) in connection with any proceeding with respect to conduct for which the director was adjudged liable on the basis of receiving a financial benefit to which the director was not entitled, regardless of whether it involved action in the director's official capacity.
History: En. Sec. 120, Ch. 271, L. 2019.
Structure Montana Code Annotated
Title 35. Corporations, Partnerships, and Associations
Chapter 14. Montana Business Corporation Act
Part 8. Directors and Officers
35-14-801. Board of directors -- requirements -- functions
35-14-802. Qualifications of directors
35-14-803. Directors -- number -- election
35-14-804. Election of directors -- certain classes or series of shares
35-14-805. Terms of directors generally
35-14-806. Staggered terms for directors
35-14-807. Resignation of directors
35-14-808. Removal of directors by shareholders
35-14-809. Removal of directors by judicial proceeding
35-14-810. Vacancy -- board of directors
35-14-811. Compensation of directors
35-14-812. through 35-14-819 reserved
35-14-821. Action without meeting
35-14-825. Committees of board
35-14-826. Submission of matters for shareholder vote
35-14-827. through 35-14-829 reserved
35-14-830. Standards of conduct for directors
35-14-831. Standards of liability for directors
35-14-832. Director's liability for unlawful distributions
35-14-833. through 35-14-839 reserved
35-14-841. Functions of officers
35-14-842. Standards of conduct for officers
35-14-843. Resignation and removal of officers
35-14-844. Contract rights of officers
35-14-845. through 35-14-849 reserved
35-14-850. Definitions -- indemnification and advance for expenses
35-14-851. Permissible indemnification
35-14-852. Mandatory indemnification
35-14-853. Advance for expenses
35-14-854. Court-ordered indemnification and advance for expenses
35-14-855. Determination and authorization of indemnification
35-14-856. Indemnification of officers
35-14-858. Variation by corporate action -- application
35-14-860. Definitions -- director's conflicting interest transactions
35-14-863. Shareholders' action