Montana Code 35-8-304. Liability of members, managers, and series of members to third parties
35-8-304. Liability of members, managers, and series of members to third parties. (1) Except as provided in 39-51-1105 and subsection (3) of this section, a person who is a member or manager, or both, of a limited liability company is not liable, solely by reason of being a member or manager, or both, under a judgment, decree or order of a court, or in any other manner, for a debt, obligation, or liability of the limited liability company, whether arising in contract, tort, or otherwise or for the acts or omissions of any other member, manager, agent, or employee of the limited liability company.
Terms Used In Montana Code 35-8-304
- Articles of organization: means articles filed pursuant to 35-8-201 and those articles as amended or restated. See Montana Code 35-8-102
- Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
- Business: includes every trade, occupation, profession, or other lawful purpose, whether or not carried on for profit. See Montana Code 35-8-102
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Court: includes every court having jurisdiction in the case. See Montana Code 35-8-102
- Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
- Manager: means a person who, whether or not a member of a manager-managed company, is vested with authority under 35-8-301. See Montana Code 35-8-102
- Member: means a person who has been admitted to membership in a limited liability company, as provided in 35-8-703, and who has not dissociated from the limited liability company. See Montana Code 35-8-102
- 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.
- Operating agreement: means an agreement, including amendments, as to the conduct of the business and affairs of a limited liability company and the relations among the members, managers, and the company that is binding upon all of the members. See Montana Code 35-8-102
- Person: means an individual, a general partnership, a limited partnership, a domestic or foreign limited liability company, a trust, an estate, an association, a corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Montana Code 35-8-102
- Series of members: means a group or collection of members of a limited liability company who share interests and have separate rights, powers, or duties with respect to property, obligations, or profits and losses associated with property or obligations and who are specified in the articles of organization or operating agreement of the limited liability company or are specified by one or more members or managers of the limited liability company or other persons as provided in the articles of organization or operating agreement. See Montana Code 35-8-102
- Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
- Usual: means according to usage. See Montana Code 1-1-206
- Writing: includes printing. See Montana Code 1-1-203
(2)The failure of a limited liability company to observe the usual company formalities or requirements relating to the exercise of its company powers or management of its business is not a ground for imposing personal liability on the members or managers of the limited liability company.
(3)All or specified members of a limited liability company are liable in their capacity as members for all or specified debts, obligations, or liabilities of the company if:
(a)a provision to that effect is contained in the articles of organization; and
(b)a member named as liable has consented in writing to the adoption of the provision or to be bound by the provision.
(4)The debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses incurred, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to a particular series of members are enforceable against the assets of that series of members only and not against the assets of the company generally or any other series of members if:
(a)separate and distinct records are maintained for the series of members and the assets associated with the series of members are held, directly or indirectly, including through a nominee or otherwise, and accounted for separately from the other assets of the company and any other series of members; and
(b)unless otherwise provided in the articles of organization or operating agreement, debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses incurred, contracted for, or otherwise existing with respect to the company generally or another series of members are not enforceable against the assets of the series of members.