35-8-301. Agency power of members and managers. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), a member is an agent of the limited liability company for the purpose of its business or affairs and the act of a member, including but not limited to the execution of any instrument in the name of the limited liability company for apparently carrying on in the usual way the business or affairs of the limited liability company binds the limited liability company, unless the member so acting has, in fact, no authority to act for the limited liability company in the particular matter and the person with whom the member is dealing has knowledge of the fact that the member has no such authority.

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Terms Used In Montana Code 35-8-301

  • Articles of organization: means articles filed pursuant to 35-8-201 and those articles as amended or restated. See Montana Code 35-8-102
  • Business: includes every trade, occupation, profession, or other lawful purpose, whether or not carried on for profit. See Montana Code 35-8-102
  • Court: includes every court having jurisdiction in the case. See Montana Code 35-8-102
  • Manager: means a person who, whether or not a member of a manager-managed company, is vested with authority under 35-8-301. See Montana Code 35-8-102
  • Member: means a person who has been admitted to membership in a limited liability company, as provided in 35-8-703, and who has not dissociated from the limited liability company. See Montana Code 35-8-102
  • Operating agreement: means an agreement, including amendments, as to the conduct of the business and affairs of a limited liability company and the relations among the members, managers, and the company that is binding upon all of the members. See Montana Code 35-8-102
  • Person: means an individual, a general partnership, a limited partnership, a domestic or foreign limited liability company, a trust, an estate, an association, a corporation, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Montana Code 35-8-102
  • State: means a state, territory, or possession of the United States, the District of Columbia, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See Montana Code 35-8-102
  • Usual: means according to usage. See Montana Code 1-1-206

(2)If the articles of organization provide that management of the limited liability company is vested in a manager or managers:

(a)a member, acting solely in the capacity as a member, may not be an agent of the limited liability company; and

(b)a manager is an agent of the limited liability company for the purpose of its business or affairs, and the act of a manager, including but not limited to the execution of any instrument in the name of the limited liability company for apparently carrying on in the usual way the business or affairs of the limited liability company, binds the limited liability company, unless the manager so acting has, in fact, no authority to act for the limited liability company in the particular matter and the person with whom the manager is dealing has knowledge of the fact that the manager has no such authority.

(3)An act of a manager or a member that is not apparently for carrying on in the usual way the business of the limited liability company does not bind the limited liability company, unless authorized in accordance with the articles of organization or the operating agreement, at the time of the transaction or at any other time.

(4)An act of a manager or member in contravention of a restriction on authority may not bind the limited liability company to persons having knowledge of the restriction.

(5)Unless the articles of organization state otherwise, a member with a majority interest in the limited liability company may represent the limited liability company in justice’s court as provided in 25-31-601 and small claims court pursuant to 25-35-505.