(a)  Any shareholder of a corporation has the right to dissent from any of the following corporate actions:

(1)  Any plan of merger to which the corporation is a party, provided articles of merger have been filed in connection with the transaction under § 7-1.2-1003, unless the corporation is the surviving corporation in a merger and the approval of its shareholders was not required by virtue of the provisions of either § 7-1.2-1002 or § 7-1.2-1004; or

(2)  Any sale or exchange of all or substantially all of the property and assets of a corporation which requires the approval of the shareholders under § 7-1.2-1102.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-1201

  • Articles of incorporation: means the original or restated articles of incorporation and all of their amendments including agreements of merger. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • 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.
  • Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • Shareholder: means one who is a holder of record of shares in a corporation. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106
  • Shares: means the units into which the proprietary interests in a corporation are divided. See Rhode Island General Laws 7-1.2-106

(b)  A shareholder may not dissent as to less than all of the shares registered in his or her name which are owned beneficially by him or her. A nominee or fiduciary may not dissent on behalf of any beneficial owner as to less than all of the shares of the owner registered in the name of the nominee or fiduciary.

(c)  Unless otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation of the issuing corporation, there is no right to dissent for the holders of the shares of any class or series which, on the date fixed to determine the shareholders entitled to receive notice of the proposed transaction (or a copy of the agreement of merger under § 7-1.2-1004), were:

(1)  Registered on a national securities exchange or included as national market securities in the national association of securities dealers automated quotations system or any successor national market system; or

(2)  Held of record by not less than two thousand (2,000) shareholders.

(d)  A shareholder entitled to the right to dissent under this section may not challenge a completed corporate action for which the right to dissent is available unless such corporate action:

(1)  Was not effectuated in accordance with the applicable provisions of this chapter or the corporation’s articles of incorporation, bylaws or board of directors’ resolution authorizing the corporate action; or

(2)  Was procured as a result of fraud or material misrepresentation.

History of Section.
P.L. 2004, ch. 216, § 2; P.L. 2004, ch. 274, § 2; P.L. 2005, ch. 120, § 1; P.L. 2005, ch. 130, § 1.