(a) A corporation may not indemnify a director under § 48-18-502 unless authorized in the specific case after a determination has been made that indemnification of the director is permissible in the circumstances because the director has met the standard of conduct set forth in § 48-18-502.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 48-18-506

  • board of directors: means the governing board of a corporation, whether denominated the board of directors or otherwise, except that no person or group of persons is the board of directors because of powers delegated to that person or group pursuant to §. See Tennessee Code 48-51-201
  • 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.
  • Directors: means natural persons, designated in the charter or bylaws or elected or appointed by the incorporators, and their successors and natural persons elected or appointed to act as members of the board, irrespective of the names or titles by which such persons are described. See Tennessee Code 48-51-201
  • Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. Source: FDIC
  • Majority vote: means with respect to a vote of the members, if voting on a per capita basis, a majority in number of the members entitled to vote on a specific matter, or if the voting is determined otherwise, a majority of the voting interest (which may be expressed as a percentage) entitled to vote on a specific matter, and with respect to a vote of the governors, a majority in number of the governors entitled to vote on a specific matter. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Proceeding: includes civil suit and criminal, administrative, and investigatory action. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
(b) The determination shall be made:

(1) By the board of directors by majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors not at the time parties to the proceeding;
(2) If a quorum cannot be obtained under subdivision (b)(1), by majority vote of a committee duly designated by the board of directors (in which designation directors who are parties may participate), consisting solely of two (2) or more directors not at the time parties to the proceeding;
(3) By independent special legal counsel:

(A) Selected by the board of directors or its committee in the manner prescribed in subdivision (b)(1) or (b)(2); or
(B) If a quorum of the board of directors cannot be obtained under subdivision (b)(1) and a committee cannot be designated under subdivision (b)(2), selected by majority vote of the full board of directors (in which selection directors who are parties may participate); or
(4) By the shareholders, but shares owned by or voted under the control of directors who are at the time parties to the proceeding may not be voted on the determination.
(c) Authorization of indemnification and evaluation as to reasonableness of expenses shall be made in the same manner as the determination that indemnification is permissible, except that if the determination is made by special legal counsel, authorization of indemnification and evaluation as to reasonableness of expenses shall be made by those entitled under subdivision (b)(3) to select counsel.
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