(a) The legality of a proposed or completed corporate action described in Section 10A-2A-13.02(a) may not be contested, nor may the corporate action be enjoined, set aside or rescinded, in a legal or equitable proceeding by a stockholder after the stockholders have approved the corporate action.
Terms Used In Alabama Code 10A-2A-13.40
certificate of incorporation: as used in this chapter is synonymous to the term "certificate of formation" used in Chapter 1. See Alabama Code 10A-2A-1.40
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
Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a corporate action that:
(1) was not authorized and approved in accordance with the applicable provisions of:
(i) Article 9, 10, 11, or 12 of this chapter or Article 8 of Chapter 1;(ii) the certificate of incorporation or bylaws; or(iii) the resolution of the board of directors authorizing the corporate action;(2) was procured as a result of fraud, a material misrepresentation, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make statements made, in light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading;(3) is an interested transaction, unless it has been recommended by the board of directors in the same manner as is provided in Section 10A-2A-8.60 and has been approved by the stockholders in the same manner as is provided in Section 10A-2A-8.60 as if the interested transaction were a director’s conflicting interest transaction; or(4) is approved by less than unanimous consent of the voting stockholders pursuant to Section 10A-2A-7.04 if:
(i) the challenge to the corporate action is brought by a stockholder who did not consent and as to whom notice of the approval of the corporate action was not effective at least 10 days before the corporate action was effected; and(ii) the proceeding challenging the corporate action is commenced within 10 days after notice of the approval of the corporate action is effective as to the stockholder bringing the proceeding.
