Chapter 181

181.0877(3) (3) Applicability. Sections 181.0871 to 181.0883 do not affect a corporation’s power to pay or reimburse expenses incurred by a director or officer in any of the following circumstances:

181.0877(3)(a) (a) As a witness in a proceeding to which he or she is not a party.

181.0877(3)(b) (b) As a plaintiff or petitioner in a proceeding because he or she is or was an employee, agent, director or officer of the corporation.

181.0877 History History: 1997 a. 79.

181.0879 181.0879 Court-ordered indemnification.

181.0879(1) (1) Application to court. Except as provided otherwise by written agreement between the director or officer and the corporation, a director or officer who is a party to a proceeding may apply for indemnification to the court conducting the proceeding or to another court of competent jurisdiction. Application shall be made for an initial determination by the court under s. 181.0873 (5) or for review by the court of an adverse determination under s. 181.0873 (1), (2), (3), (4) or (6). After receipt of an application, the court shall give any notice it considers necessary.

181.0879(2) (2) Standards used by court. The court shall order indemnification if it determines any of the following:

181.0879(2)(a) (a) That the director or officer is entitled to indemnification under s. 181.0872 (1) or (2). If the court also determines that the corporation unreasonably refused the director’s or officer’s request for indemnification, the court shall order the corporation to pay the director’s or officer’s reasonable expenses incurred to obtain the court-ordered indemnification.

181.0879(2)(b) (b) That the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification in view of all the relevant circumstances, regardless of whether indemnification is required under s. 181.0872 (2).

181.0879 History History: 1997 a. 79.

181.0881 181.0881 Indemnification and allowance of expenses of employees and agents. A corporation may indemnify and allow reasonable expenses of an employee or agent who is not a director or officer to the extent provided by the articles of incorporation or bylaws, by general or specific action of the board of directors or by contract.

181.0881 History History: 1997 a. 79.

181.0883 181.0883 Insurance. A corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of an individual who is an employee, agent, director or officer of the corporation against liability asserted against and incurred by the individual in his or her capacity as an employee, agent, director or officer, or arising from his or her status as an employee, agent, director or officer, regardless of whether the corporation is required or authorized to indemnify or allow expenses to the individual against the same liability under ss. 181.0872, 181.0874, 181.0877 and 181.0881.

181.0883 History History: 1997 a. 79.

181.0889 181.0889 Indemnification and insurance against securities law claims.

181.0889(1) (1) In general. It is the public policy of this state to require or permit indemnification, allowance of expenses and insurance for any liability incurred in connection with a proceeding involving securities regulation described under sub. (2) to the extent required or permitted under ss. 181.0871 to 181.0883.

181.0889(2) (2) Scope of securities regulation. Sections 181.0871 to 181.0883 apply, to the extent applicable to any other proceeding, to any proceeding involving a federal or state statute, rule or regulation regulating the offer, sale or purchase of securities, securities brokers or dealers, or investment companies or investment advisers.

181.0889 History History: 1997 a. 79.

subch. IX of ch. 181 SUBCHAPTER IX

[RESERVED]

subch. X of ch. 181 SUBCHAPTER X

AMENDMENT OF ARTICLES OF
INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS

181.1001 181.1001 Authority to amend articles of incorporation. A corporation may amend its articles of incorporation at any time to add or change a provision that is required or permitted to be included in the articles of incorporation or to delete a provision that is not required in the articles of incorporation. Whether a provision is required or permitted to be included in the articles of incorporation is determined as of the effective date of the amendment.

181.1001 History History: 1997 a. 79.

181.1002 181.1002 Amendment of articles of incorporation by directors.

181.1002(1) (1) Corporations with voting rights. Unless the articles of incorporation provide otherwise, a corporation’s board may adopt any of the following amendments to the corporation’s articles of incorporation, without the approval of members with voting rights:

181.1002(1)(a) (a) To extend the duration of the corporation if it was incorporated at a time when limited duration was required by law.

181.1002(1)(b) (b) To delete the names and addresses of the initial directors.

181.1002(1)(c) (c) To delete the names and addresses of the incorporators.

181.1002(1)(d) (d) To delete the name and address of a former registered agent or registered office, if a statement of change is on file with the department.

181.1002(1)(e) (e) To change the registered agent or the registered office.

181.1002(1)(f) (f) To change the corporate name by substituting the word “corporation”, “incorporated”, “company” or, “limited”, or the abbreviation “corp.”, “inc.”, “co.”, or “ltd.”, or words or abbreviations of similar meaning in another language, for a similar word or abbreviation in the name, or by adding, deleting or changing a geographical attribution to the name.

181.1002(1)(g) (g) To make any other change expressly permitted by this chapter to be made without member approval.

181.1002(2) (2) Corporations with no voting members. If a corporation has no members with voting rights, its incorporators, until directors have been chosen, and thereafter its board, may adopt amendments to the corporation’s articles of incorporation subject to any approval required under s. 181.1030. The corporation shall provide notice of any meeting at which an amendment is to be voted upon. The notice shall be in accordance with s. 181.0822 (3). The notice must also state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider a proposed amendment to the articles of incorporation and contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of the amendment or state the general nature of the amendment. The amendment must be approved by a majority of the directors in office at the time that the amendment is adopted.

181.1002 History History: 1997 a. 79.

181.1003 181.1003 Amendment of articles of incorporation by directors and members.

181.1003(1) (1) In general. Unless this chapter, the articles of incorporation or the bylaws require a greater vote or voting by class, an amendment to a corporation’s articles of incorporation to be adopted must be approved by all of the following:

181.1003(1)(b) (b) Except as provided in s. 181.1002 (1), the members by two-thirds of the votes cast or a majority of the voting power, whichever is less.

181.1003(1)(c) (c) A person, in writing, whose approval is required by a provision of the articles of incorporation authorized under s. 181.1030.

181.1003(2) (2) Notice requirements. If the board or the members seek to have the amendment approved by the members at a membership meeting, the corporation shall give notice to its members of the proposed membership meeting in writing in accordance with s. 181.0705. The notice shall state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider and to act upon the proposed amendment and shall contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of the amendment.

181.1003(3) (3) Written consents or ballot. If the board or the members seek to have the amendment approved by the members by written consent or written ballot, the material soliciting the approval shall contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of the amendment.

181.1003 History History: 1997 a. 79.

181.1004 181.1004 Class voting by members on amendments to articles of incorporation.

181.1004(1) (1) When class entitled to vote. The members of a class in a corporation are entitled to vote as a class on a proposed amendment to the articles of incorporation if the amendment does any of the following:

181.1004(1)(a) (a) Affects the rights, privileges, preferences, restrictions or conditions of that class as to voting, dissolution, redemption or transfer of memberships in a manner different than such amendment would affect another class.

181.1004(1)(b) (b) Changes the rights, privileges, preferences, restrictions or conditions of that class as to voting, dissolution, redemption or transfer by changing the rights, privileges, preferences, restrictions or conditions of another class.

181.1004(1)(c) (c) Increases or decreases the number of memberships authorized for that class.

181.1004(1)(e) (e) Effects an exchange, reclassification or termination of the memberships of that class.

181.1004(2) (2) Approval by each class required. If a class is to be divided into 2 or more classes as a result of an amendment to the articles of incorporation of a corporation, the amendment must be approved by the members of each class that would be created by the amendment.

181.1004(3) (3) Voting requirements. Unless provided otherwise in the articles of incorporation or bylaws, if a class vote is required to approve an amendment to the articles of incorporation of a corporation, the amendment must be approved by the members of the class by two-thirds of the votes cast by the class or a majority of the voting power of the class, whichever is less.

181.1004 History History: 1997 a. 79.

181.1005 181.1005 Articles of amendment. A corporation amending its articles of incorporation shall deliver to the department for filing articles of amendment that include all of the following information:

181.1005(1) (1) Name. The name of the corporation.

181.1005(2) (2) Text. The text of each amendment adopted.

181.1005(3) (3) Dates. The date of each amendment’s adoption.

181.1005(4) (4) Method of approval. A statement that the amendment was adopted in accordance with s. 181.1002, 181.1003 or 181.1004, whichever is the case.

181.1005(5) (5) When approval by others is required. If approval of the amendment by a person other than the members, the board or the incorporators is required under s. 181.1030, a statement that the approval was obtained.

181.1005 History History: 1997 a. 79.

181.1006 181.1006 Restated articles of incorporation.

181.1006(1) (1) When permitted. A corporation’s board may restate its articles of incorporation at any time with or without approval by members or any other person.

181.1006(2) (2) Amendments may be included. The restatement may include amendments to the articles of incorporation. If the restatement includes an amendment requiring approval by the members or any other person, it must be adopted as provided in s. 181.1003.

181.1006(3) (3) Approval requirements. If the restatement includes an amendment requiring approval by members, the board must submit the restatement to the members for their approval.

181.1006(4) (4) Notice requirements. If the board seeks to have the restatement approved by the members at a membership meeting, the corporation shall notify each of its members of the proposed membership meeting in writing in accordance with s. 181.0705. The notice must also state that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the proposed restatement and contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of the restatement that identifies any amendments or other change it would make in the articles of incorporation.

181.1006(5) (5) Approval by written ballot or consent. If the board seeks to have the restatement approved by the members by written ballot or written consent, the material soliciting the approval shall contain or be accompanied by a copy or summary of the restatement that identifies any amendments or other change it would make in the articles of incorporation.

181.1006(6) (6) Voting requirements. A restatement requiring approval by the members must be approved by the same vote as an amendment to articles of incorporation under s. 181.1003.

181.1006(7) (7) Approval by 3rd persons. If the restatement includes an amendment requiring approval pursuant to s. 181.1030, the board must submit the restatement for such approval.

181.1006(8) (8) Filing requirements. A corporation restating its articles of incorporation shall deliver to the department for filing articles of restatement setting forth the name of the corporation and the text of the restated articles of incorporation together with a certificate including all of the following information:

181.1006(8)(a) (a) Whether the restatement contains an amendment to the articles of incorporation requiring approval by the members or any other person other than the board and, if it does not, that the board adopted the restatement.

181.1006(8)(b) (b) If the restatement contains an amendment to the articles of incorporation requiring approval by the members, the information required by s. 181.1005.

181.1006(8)(c) (c) If the restatement contains an amendment to the articles of incorporation requiring approval by a person whose approval is required under s. 181.1030, a statement that such approval was obtained.

181.1006(8)(d) (d) A statement that the restated articles of incorporation supersede and take the place of the existing articles of incorporation and any amendments to the articles of incorporation.

181.1006 History History: 1997 a. 79.

181.1007 181.1007 Amendment of articles of incorporation pursuant to judicial reorganization.

181.1007(1) (1) When authorized. A corporation’s articles of incorporation may be amended without board approval or approval by the members or approval required under s. 181.1030 to carry out a plan of reorganization ordered or decreed by a court of competent jurisdiction under federal statute if the articles of incorporation after amendment contain only provisions required or permitted under s. 181.0202.

181.1007(2) (2) Filing requirement. The individual or individuals designated by the court shall deliver to the department for filing articles of amendment that include all of the following information:

181.1007(2)(a) (a) The name of the corporation.

181.1007(2)(b) (b) The text of each amendment approved by the court.

181.1007(2)(c) (c) The date of the court’s order or decree approving the articles of amendment.

181.1007(2)(d) (d) The title of the reorganization proceeding in which the order or decree was entered.

181.1007(2)(e) (e) A statement that the court had jurisdiction of the proceeding under federal statute.

181.1007(3) (3) Applicability. This section does not apply after entry of a final decree in the reorganization proceeding even though the court retains jurisdiction of the proceeding for limited purposes unrelated to consummation of the reorganization plan.

181.1007 History History: 1997 a. 79.

181.1008 181.1008 Effect of amendment and restatement of articles of incorporation.

181.1008(1) (1) Rights and proceedings not affected. An amendment to a corporation’s articles of incorporation, including a restatement of its articles of incorporation under s. 181.1006 that includes an amendment to its articles of incorporation, does not affect any of the following:

181.1008(1)(a) (a) A cause of action existing against or in favor of the corporation.

181.1008(1)(b) (b) A civil, criminal, administrative or investigatory proceeding to which the corporation is a party.

181.1008(1)(c) (c) The existing rights of persons other than members of the corporation.

181.1008(2) (2) Proceedings not abated. An amendment, or a restatement including an amendment, changing a corporation’s name does not abate a civil, criminal, administrative or investigatory proceeding brought by or against the corporation in its former name.

181.1008 History History: 1997 a. 79.