Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 15-701 – Purchase of dissociated partner’s partnership interest
(a) If a partner is dissociated from a partnership without resulting in a dissolution and winding up of the partnership business or affairs under § 15-801 of this title, the partnership shall cause the dissociated partner’s interest in the partnership to be purchased for a buyout price determined pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.
Terms Used In Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 15-701
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Business: includes every trade, occupation and profession, the holding or ownership of property and any other activity for profit. See Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 15-101
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Economic interest: means a partner's share of the profits and losses of a partnership and the partner's right to receive distributions. See Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 15-101
- 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
- Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Partner: means a person who is admitted to a partnership as a partner of the partnership. See Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 15-101
- Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
- Partnership: means an association of 2 or more persons formed under § 15-202 of this title, predecessor law or comparable law of another jurisdiction to carry on any business, purpose or activity. See Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 15-101
- Partnership interest: means a partner's share of the profits and losses of a limited partnership and the right to receive distributions of partnership assets. See Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 17-101
- State: means the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico or any state, territory, possession or other jurisdiction of the United States other than the State of Delaware. See Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 15-101
- Statement: means a statement of partnership existence under § 15-303 of this title, a statement of denial under § 15-304 of this title, a statement of dissociation under § 15-704 of this title, a statement of dissolution under § 15-805 of this title, a statement of qualification under § 15-1001 of this title, a statement of foreign qualification under § 15-1102 of this title, and an amendment or cancellation of any of the foregoing under § 15-105 of this title and a statement of correction and a corrected statement under § 15-118 of this title. See Delaware Code Title 6 Sec. 15-101
- Year: means a calendar year, and is equivalent to the words "year of our Lord. See Delaware Code Title 1 Sec. 302
(b) The buyout price of a dissociated partner’s partnership interest is an amount equal to the fair value of such partner’s economic interest as of the date of dissociation based upon such partner’s right to share in distributions from the partnership. Interest must be paid from the date of dissociation to the date of payment.
(c) Damages for wrongful dissociation under § 15-602(b) of this title, and all other amounts owing, whether or not presently due, from the dissociated partner to the partnership, must be offset against the buyout price. Interest must be paid from the date the amount owed becomes due to the date of payment.
(d) A partnership shall indemnify a dissociated partner whose partnership interest is being purchased against all partnership obligations, whether incurred before or after the dissociation, except partnership obligations incurred by an act of the dissociated partner under § 15-702 of this title.
(e) If no agreement for the purchase of a dissociated partner’s partnership interest is reached within 120 days after a written demand for payment, the partnership shall pay, or cause to be paid, in cash to the dissociated partner the amount the partnership estimates to be the buyout price and accrued interest, reduced by any offsets and accrued interest under subsection (c) of this section.
(f) If a deferred payment is authorized under subsection (h) of this section, the partnership may tender a written offer to pay the amount it estimates to be the buyout price and accrued interest, reduced by any offsets under subsection (c) of this section, stating the time of payment, the amount and type of security for payment, and the other terms and conditions of the obligation.
(g) The payment or tender required by subsection (e) or (f) of this section must be accompanied by the following:
(1) A written statement of partnership assets and liabilities as of the date of dissociation;
(2) The latest available partnership balance sheet and income statement, if any;
(3) A written explanation of how the estimated amount of the payment was calculated; and
(4) Written notice which shall state that the payment is in full satisfaction of the obligation to purchase unless, within 120 days after the written notice, the dissociated partner commences an action in the Court of Chancery under subsection (i) of this section to determine the buyout price of that partner’s partnership interest, any offsets under subsection (c) of this section or other terms of the obligation to purchase.
(h) A partner who wrongfully dissociates before the expiration of a definite term or the completion of a particular undertaking is not entitled to payment of any portion of the buyout price until the expiration of the term or completion of the undertaking, unless the partner establishes to the satisfaction of the Court of Chancery that earlier payment will not cause undue hardship to the business of the partnership. A deferred payment must bear interest and, to the extent it would not cause undue hardship to the business of the partnership, be adequately secured.
(i) A dissociated partner may maintain an action against the partnership, pursuant to § 15-405(b)(2)(ii) of this title, to determine the buyout price of that partner’s partnership interest, any offsets under subsection (c) of this section, or other terms of the obligation to purchase. The action must be commenced within 120 days after the partnership has tendered payment or an offer to pay or within one year after written demand for payment if no payment or offer to pay is tendered. The Court of Chancery shall determine the buyout price of the dissociated partner’s partnership interest, any offset due under subsection (c) of this section, and accrued interest, and enter judgment for any additional payment or refund. If deferred payment is authorized under subsection (h) of this section, the Court of Chancery shall also determine the security, if any, for payment and other terms of the obligation to purchase. The Court of Chancery may assess reasonable attorney’s fees and the fees and expenses of appraisers or other experts for a party to the action, in amounts the Court of Chancery finds equitable, against a party that the Court of Chancery finds acted arbitrarily, vexatiously or not in good faith. The finding may be based on the partnership’s failure to tender payment or an offer to pay or to comply with subsection (g) of this section.