Sec. 8. (a) A shareholder is entitled to dissent from, and obtain payment of the fair value of the shareholder’s shares in the event of, any of the following corporate actions:

(1) Consummation of a plan of merger to which the corporation is a party if:

Terms Used In Indiana Code 23-1-44-8

  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • 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.
  • corporation: means the issuer of the shares held by a dissenter before the corporate action, or the surviving or acquiring corporation by merger or share exchange of that issuer. See Indiana Code 23-1-44-1
  • Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
  • preferred shares: means a class or series of shares in which the holders of the shares have preference over any other class or series with respect to distributions. See Indiana Code 23-1-44-4.5
  • Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • shareholder: means the record shareholder or the beneficial shareholder. See Indiana Code 23-1-44-7
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
(A) shareholder approval is required for the merger by IC 23-1-40, IC 23-0.6-1-7, or the articles of incorporation; and

(B) the shareholder is entitled to vote on the merger.

(2) Consummation of a plan of share exchange to which the corporation is a party as the corporation whose shares will be acquired, if the shareholder is entitled to vote on the plan.

(3) Consummation of a sale or exchange of all, or substantially all, of the property of the corporation other than in the usual and regular course of business, if the shareholder is entitled to vote on the sale or exchange, including a sale in dissolution, but not including a sale pursuant to court order or a sale for cash pursuant to a plan by which all or substantially all of the net proceeds of the sale will be distributed to the shareholders within one (1) year after the date of sale.

(4) The approval of a control share acquisition under IC 23-1-42.

(5) Any corporate action taken pursuant to a shareholder vote to the extent the articles of incorporation, bylaws, or a resolution of the board of directors provides that voting or nonvoting shareholders are entitled to dissent and obtain payment for their shares.

(6) Election to become a benefit corporation under IC 23-1.3-3-2.

     (b) This section does not apply to the holders of shares of any class or series if, on the date fixed to determine the shareholders entitled to receive notice of and vote at the meeting of shareholders at which the merger, plan of share exchange, or sale or exchange of property is to be acted on, the shares of that class or series were a covered security under Section 18(b)(1)(A) or 18(b)(1)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

     (c) The articles of incorporation as originally filed or any amendment to the articles of incorporation may limit or eliminate the right to dissent and obtain payment for any class or series of preferred shares. However, any limitation or elimination contained in an amendment to the articles of incorporation that limits or eliminates the right to dissent and obtain payment for any shares:

(1) that are outstanding immediately before the effective date of the amendment; or

(2) that the corporation is or may be required to issue or sell after the effective date of the amendment under any exchange or other right existing immediately before the effective date of the amendment;

does not apply to any corporate action that becomes effective within one (1) year of the effective date of the amendment if the action would otherwise afford the right to dissent and obtain payment.

     (d) A shareholder:

(1) who is entitled to dissent and obtain payment for the shareholder’s shares under this chapter; or

(2) who would be so entitled to dissent and obtain payment but for the provisions of subsection (b);

may not challenge the corporate action creating (or that, but for the provisions of subsection (b), would have created) the shareholder’s entitlement.

     (e) Subsection (d) does not apply to a corporate action that was approved by less than unanimous consent of the voting shareholders under IC 23-1-29-4 if both of the following apply:

(1) The challenge to the corporate action is brought by a shareholder who did not consent and as to whom notice of the approval of the corporate action was not effective at least ten (10) days before the corporate action was effected.

(2) The proceeding challenging the corporate action is commenced not later than ten (10) days after notice of the approval of the corporate action is effective as to the shareholder bringing the proceeding.

As added by P.L.149-1986, SEC.28. Amended by P.L.107-1987, SEC.19; P.L.133-2009, SEC.39; P.L.119-2015, SEC.16; P.L.93-2015, SEC.2; P.L.149-2016, SEC.68; P.L.118-2017, SEC.20.