On termination of the derivative proceeding the court may:

(1) Order the corporation to pay the plaintiff‘s reasonable expenses, including counsel fees, incurred in the proceeding if it finds that the proceeding has resulted in a substantial benefit to the corporation;

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Terms Used In South Dakota Codified Laws 47-1A-746

  • 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.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.
  • Proceeding: includes civil suit and criminal, administrative, and investigatory action. See South Dakota Codified Laws 47-1A-140

(2) Order the plaintiff to pay any defendant‘s reasonable expenses. including counsel fees, incurred in defending the proceeding if it finds that the proceeding was commenced or maintained without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose; or

(3) Order a party to pay an opposing party’s reasonable expenses, including counsel fees, incurred because of the filing of a pleading, motion or other paper, if it finds that the pleading, motion, or other paper was not well grounded in fact, after reasonable inquiry, or warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law and was interposed for an improper purpose, such as to harass or cause unnecessary delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation.

Source: SL 2005, ch 239, § 134.