North Dakota Code 10-19.1-28 – Defense of ultra vires
No act of a corporation and no conveyance or transfer of real or personal property to or by a corporation is invalid by reason of the fact that the corporation was without capacity or power to do such act or to make or receive such conveyance or transfer but such lack of capacity or power may be asserted:
Terms Used In North Dakota Code 10-19.1-28
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- 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.
- 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
- Personal property: All property that is not real property.
- Personal property: includes money, goods, chattels, things in action, and evidences of debt. See North Dakota Code 1-01-49
- Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
1. In a proceeding by a shareholder against the corporation to enjoin the doing of any act or acts or the transfer of real or personal property by or to the corporation. If the unauthorized acts or transfers sought to be enjoined are being, or are to be, performed or made pursuant to any contract to which the corporation is a party, the court may, if all of the parties to the contract are parties to the proceeding and if it deems the same to be equitable, set aside and enjoin the performance of such contract, and in so doing may allow to the corporation or to the other parties to the contract, as the case may be, compensation for the loss or damage sustained by either of them which may result from the action of the court in setting aside and enjoining the performance of such contract. However, anticipated profits to be derived from the performance of the contract shall not be awarded by the court as a loss or damage sustained.
2. In a proceeding by the corporation, whether acting directly or through a receiver, trustee, or other legal representative, or through shareholders in a representative suit, against the incumbent or former officers or directors of the corporation.
3. In a proceeding by the attorney general, as provided in this chapter, to dissolve the corporation or to enjoin the corporation from the transaction of unauthorized business.