47-14A-25. Provisions of governing instrument.
A governing instrument may contain any provision relating to the management of the business and affairs of the business trust, and the rights, duties, and obligations of the trustees, beneficial owners, and other persons, which is not contrary to any provision or requirement of this section and, without limitation:
(1)May provide for classes, groups, or series of trustees or beneficial owners, or classes, groups, or series of beneficial interests, having such relative rights, powers, and duties as the governing instrument may provide, and may make provision for the future creation in the manner provided in the governing instrument of additional classes, groups, or series of trustees, beneficial owners, or beneficial interests, having such relative rights, powers, and duties as may from time to time be established, including rights, powers, and duties senior or subordinate to existing classes, groups, or series of trustees, beneficial owners, or beneficial interests;
(2)May establish or provide for the establishment of designated series of trustees, beneficial owners, or beneficial interests having separate rights, powers, or duties with respect to specified property or obligations of the business trust or profits and losses associated with specified property or obligations, and, to the extent provided in the governing instrument, any such series may have a separate business purpose or investment objective;
(3)May provide for the taking of any action, including the amendment of the governing instrument, the accomplishment of a merger or consolidation, the appointment of one or more trustees, the sale, lease, exchange, transfer, pledge, or other disposition of all or any part of the assets of the business trust or the assets of any series, or the dissolution of the business trust, or may provide for the taking of any action to create under the provisions of the governing instrument a class, group, or series of beneficial interests that was not previously outstanding, in any such case without the vote or approval of any particular trustee or beneficial owner, or class, group, or series of trustees or beneficial owners;
(4)May grant to (or withhold from) all or certain trustees or beneficial owners, or a specified class, group, or series of trustees or beneficial owners, the right to vote, separately or with any or all other classes, groups, or series of the trustees or beneficial owners, on any matter, such voting being on a per capita, number, financial interest, class, group, series, or any other basis;
(5)May, if and to the extent that voting rights are granted under the governing instrument, set forth provisions relating to notice of the time, place, or purpose of any meeting at which any matter is to be voted on, waiver of any such notice, action by consent without a meeting, the establishment of record dates, quorum requirements, voting in person, by proxy or in any other manner, or any other matter with respect to the exercise of any such right to vote;
(6)May provide for the present or future creation of more than one business trust, including the creation of a future business trust to which all or any part of the assets, liabilities, profits, or losses of any existing business trust will be transferred, and for the conversion of beneficial interests in an existing business trust, or series thereof, into beneficial interests in the separate business trust, or series thereof; or
(7)May provide for the appointment, election, or engagement, either as agents or independent contractors of the business trust or as delegatees of the trustees, of officers, employees, managers, or other persons who may manage the business and affairs of the business trust and may have such titles and such relative rights, powers, and duties as the governing instrument shall provide. Except to the extent otherwise provided in the governing instrument of a business trust, the trustees shall choose and supervise such officers, managers, employees, and other persons.
Source: SL 2001, ch 245, §25.
Structure South Dakota Codified Laws
Chapter 14A - South Dakota Business Trust Act
Section 47-14A-1 - Definitions.
Section 47-14A-2 - Beneficial owner's contribution to business trust--Contribution not required.
Section 47-14A-4 - Penalties or consequences for failure to make contribution.
Section 47-14A-5 - Liability of beneficial owners.
Section 47-14A-6 - Liability of trustees.
Section 47-14A-7 - Liability of officers, employees, and others managing business of trust.
Section 47-14A-8 - Usury not a defense against beneficial owner's obligation.
Section 47-14A-10 - Trustee may be served with process.
Section 47-14A-11 - Service of process--Fee if service made on secretary of state.
Section 47-14A-12 - Time for responsive pleading.
Section 47-14A-13 - Trustee or beneficial owner may consent to jurisdiction.
Section 47-14A-14 - Service of process not limited.
Section 47-14A-15 - Circuit court jurisdiction over business trusts.
Section 47-14A-16 - Doing business in state by reason of being trustee.
Section 47-14A-18 - Creditors of beneficial owners have no rights in business trust property.
Section 47-14A-19 - Beneficial owner's interest in business trust as personal property.
Section 47-14A-20 - Beneficial owner's interest transferable.
Section 47-14A-21 - Beneficial owner entitled to distribution becomes creditor of business trust.
Section 47-14A-22 - Title to property of business trust may be held by trustee.
Section 47-14A-23 - Creditors of trustee have no rights in business trust property.
Section 47-14A-25 - Provisions of governing instrument.
Section 47-14A-29 - Action by trustees--Notice and meeting not necessary if consent exists--Proxy.
Section 47-14A-30 - One trustee required to have residence or principal place of business in state.
Section 47-14A-31 - Exception to § 47-14A-30 for registered investment companies.
Section 47-14A-33 - Service of process on registered agent valid.
Section 47-14A-34 - Change of name or address of trustee or registered agent--Fee--Certificate.
Section 47-14A-36 - Death or incapacity of beneficial owner need not terminate business trust.
Section 47-14A-37 - Dissolution of trust determined by governing instrument.
Section 47-14A-38 - Powers of trust managers upon dissolution of trust.
Section 47-14A-41 - Powers of trust series managers upon dissolution of series--Liability.
Section 47-14A-42 - Laws applicable to business trusts.
Section 47-14A-44 - Certificate of amendment--Contents--Certificate of trust may be freely amended.
Section 47-14A-45 - Restated certificate of trust integrating all amendments--Contents.
Section 47-14A-46 - Certificate of cancellation to be filed upon termination of trust--Contents.
Section 47-14A-48 - Termination of certificate containing future effective date.
Section 47-14A-49 - Execution of certificates.
Section 47-14A-50 - Execution by agent--Authorization of agent.
Section 47-14A-51 - Execution of certificate by trustee constitutes oath as to truth of contents.
Section 47-14A-54 - Fees paid at request of secretary or upon filing of certificate.
Section 47-14A-56 - Certificate of trust on file with secretary is notice of business trust.
Section 47-14A-57 - Fees-Documents not effective until fee paid.
Section 47-14A-58 - Name of business trust to be distinguishable from other businesses--Exception.
Section 47-14A-59 - Name of person in name of business trust.
Section 47-14A-60 - Terms contained in name of business trust.
Section 47-14A-61 - Reservation of name.
Section 47-14A-62 - Reservation of name--Application--Duration--Transfer--Cancellation.
Section 47-14A-63 - Fees for reservation--When paid.
Section 47-14A-64 - Merger or consolidation of business trusts.
Section 47-14A-65 - Certificate of merger or consolidation to be filed with secretary--Contents.
Section 47-14A-66 - Validity of certain mergers not affected by failure to file certificate.
Section 47-14A-67 - Effective date of merger or consolidation.
Section 47-14A-68 - Certificate of merger or consolidation as certificate of cancellation.
Section 47-14A-69 - Amendment to or adoption of governing instrument upon merger--Effective date.
Section 47-14A-70 - Rights, property, and obligations of merging entities vest in resulting entity.
Section 47-14A-71 - Provision for contractual appraisal rights.
Section 47-14A-72 - Authority of beneficial owner to bring derivative action.
Section 47-14A-73 - Qualifications of plaintiff in derivative action.
Section 47-14A-74 - Complaint to specify efforts to secure action by trustees.
Section 47-14A-75 - Costs and attorney's fees of successful derivative action.
Section 47-14A-77 - Indemnification of trustee or beneficial owner.
Section 47-14A-78 - Absence of indemnity provision in governing instrument not conclusive.
Section 47-14A-79 - Power of business trust to acquire interest held by beneficial owner.
Section 47-14A-80 - Beneficial owners entitled to obtain certain information.
Section 47-14A-81 - Trustees entitled to examine certain information.
Section 47-14A-82 - Trustees authorized to keep certain information confidential.
Section 47-14A-84 - Conversion of existing business entity to business trust--Filing requirements.
Section 47-14A-85 - Certificate of conversion--Contents.
Section 47-14A-89 - Conversion deemed continuation of business entity as business trust.
Section 47-14A-90 - Conversion to be approved under business entity's governing instrument.
Section 47-14A-91 - Construction of chapter with other laws.
Section 47-14A-92 - Disposition of rights and interests of business entity upon conversion.
Section 47-14A-93 - Conversion of business trust to other business entity.
Section 47-14A-94 - Provisions of law subject to change.