Florida Statutes 607.0832 – Director conflicts of interest
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(1) As used in this section, the following terms and definitions apply:
(a) “Director’s conflict of interest transaction” means a transaction between a corporation and one or more of its directors, or another entity in which one or more of the corporation’s directors is directly or indirectly a party to the transaction, other than being an indirect party as a result of being a shareholder of the corporation, and has a direct or indirect material financial interest or other material interest.
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 607.0832
- Articles of incorporation: includes original, amended, and restated articles of incorporation, articles of share exchange, and articles of merger, and all amendments thereto. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Entity: includes corporation and foreign corporation; unincorporated association; business trust, estate, limited liability company, partnership, trust, and two or more persons having a joint or common economic interest; and state, United States, and foreign governments. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Interest: means :(a) A share in a corporation for profit;(b) A membership in a nonprofit corporation;(c) A partnership interest in a general partnership, including a limited liability partnership;(d) A partnership interest in a limited partnership, including a limited liability limited partnership;(e) A membership interest in a limited liability company;(f) A share or beneficial interest in a real estate investment trust;(g) A member's interest in a limited cooperative association;(h) A beneficial interest in a statutory trust, business trust, or common law business trust; or(i) A governance interest or distributional interest in another entity. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
- Person: includes an individual and an entity. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
- Proceeding: includes a civil suit, a criminal action, an administrative action, and an investigatory action. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
- Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
- Shareholder: means a record shareholder. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
- Shares: means the units into which the proprietary interests in a corporation are divided. See Florida Statutes 607.01401
(b) “Fair to the corporation” means that the transaction, as a whole, is beneficial to the corporation and its shareholders, taking into appropriate account whether it is:1. Fair in terms of the director’s dealings with the corporation in connection with that transaction; and2. Comparable to what might have been obtainable in an arm’s length transaction.(c) “Family member” includes any of the following:1. The director’s spouse.2. A child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, sibling, step sibling, or half sibling of the director or the director’s spouse.(d) A director is “indirectly” a party to a transaction if that director has a material financial interest in or is a director, officer, member, manager, or partner of a person, other than the corporation, who is a party to the transaction.(e) A director has an “indirect material financial interest” if a family member has a material financial interest in the transaction, other than having an indirect interest as a shareholder of the corporation, or if the transaction is with an entity, other than the corporation, which has a material financial interest in the transaction and controls, or is controlled by, the director or another person specified in this subsection.(f) “Material financial interest” or “other material interest” means a financial or other interest in the transaction that would reasonably be expected to impair the objectivity of the director’s judgment when participating in the action on the authorization of the transaction.
(2) If a director’s conflict of interest transaction is fair to the corporation at the time it is authorized, approved, effectuated, or ratified:
(a) Such transaction is not void or voidable; and
(b) The fact that the transaction is a director’s conflict of interest transaction is not grounds for any equitable relief, an award of damages, or other sanctions,
because of that relationship or interest, because such director or directors are present at the meeting of the board of directors or a committee thereof which authorizes, approves, or ratifies such transaction, or because his or her or their votes are counted for such purpose.
(3)(a) In a proceeding challenging the validity of a director’s conflict of interest transaction or in a proceeding seeking equitable relief, award of damages, or other sanctions with respect to a director’s conflict of interest transaction, the person challenging the validity or seeking equitable relief, award of damages, or other sanctions has the burden of proving the lack of fairness of the transaction if:
1. The material facts of the transaction and the director’s interest in the transaction were disclosed or known to the board of directors or committee that authorizes, approves, or ratifies the transaction and the transaction was authorized, approved, or ratified by a vote of a majority of the qualified directors even if the qualified directors constitute less than a quorum of the board or the committee; however, the transaction cannot be authorized, approved, or ratified under this subsection solely by a single director; or
2. The material facts of the transaction and the director’s interest in the transaction were disclosed or known to the shareholders who voted upon such transaction and the transaction was authorized, approved, or ratified by a majority of the votes cast by disinterested shareholders or by the written consent of disinterested shareholders representing a majority of the votes that could be cast by all disinterested shareholders. Shares owned by or voted under the control of a director who has a relationship or interest in the director’s conflict of interest transaction may not be considered shares owned by a disinterested shareholder and may not be counted in a vote of shareholders to determine whether to authorize, approve, or ratify a director’s conflict of interest transaction under this subparagraph. The vote of those shares, however, is counted in determining whether the transaction is approved under other sections of this chapter. A majority of the shares, whether or not present, that are entitled to be counted in a vote on the transaction under this subparagraph constitutes a quorum for the purpose of taking action under this section.
(b) If neither of the conditions provided in paragraph (a) has been satisfied, the person defending or asserting the validity of a director’s conflict of interest transaction has the burden of proving its fairness in a proceeding challenging the validity of the transaction.
(4) The presence of or a vote cast by a director with an interest in the transaction does not affect the validity of an action taken under paragraph (3)(a) if the transaction is otherwise authorized, approved, or ratified as provided in subsection (3), but the presence or vote of the director may be counted for purposes of determining whether the transaction is approved under other sections of this chapter.
(5) In addition to other grounds for challenge, a party challenging the validity of the transaction is not precluded from asserting and proving that a particular director or shareholder was not disinterested on grounds of financial or other interest for purposes of the vote on, consent to, or approval of the transaction.
(6) If directors’ action under this section does not otherwise satisfy a quorum or voting requirement applicable to the authorization of the transaction by directors as required by the articles of incorporation, the bylaws, this chapter, or any other law, an action to satisfy those authorization requirements, whether as part of the same action or by way of another action, must be taken by the board of directors or a committee in order to authorize the transaction. In such action, the vote or consent of directors who are not disinterested may be counted.
(7) If shareholders’ action under this section does not satisfy a quorum or voting requirement applicable to the authorization of the transaction by shareholders as required by the articles of incorporation, the bylaws, this chapter, or any other law, an action to satisfy those authorization requirements, whether as part of the same action or by way of another action, must be taken by the shareholders in order to authorize the transaction. In such action, the vote or consent of shareholders who are not disinterested shareholders may be counted.