(a)Member’s Power to Terminate Membership. If an LLC formed prior to July 1, 1999, has, pursuant to § 48-245-101(c)(1), eliminated as events of dissolution all of the events enumerated in § 48-245-101(a)(5)(A)-(J), unless otherwise provided by the articles or operating agreement, no member shall have the power or right to perform an event enumerated in § 48-245-101(a)(5)(B), (a)(5)(C), or (a)(5)(J) or the right to perform an event enumerated in § 48-245-101(a)(5)(G) or (a)(5)(H). Except as provided above, a member always has the power, though not necessarily the right, to terminate membership by withdrawing at any time. Unless otherwise provided in chapters 201-248 of this title, the articles, operating agreement, or the events enumerated in § 48-245-101(a)(5)(A), (D), (E) and (I), any other withdrawal or termination shall be deemed wrongful.

Need help with a review of an LLC operating agreement?
Have it reviewed by a lawyer, get answers to your questions and move forward with confidence.
Connect with a lawyer now

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 48-216-101

  • Business: includes every trade, occupation, profession, investment activity and other lawful purpose for gain or the preservation of assets whether or not carried on for profits. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Dissolution: means that the LLC has incurred an event under §. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Distribution: means a direct or indirect transfer of money or other property (except its own membership interests) with or without consideration, or an incurrence or issuance of indebtedness, (whether directly or indirectly, including through a guaranty) by an LLC to or for the benefit of any of its members in respect of membership interests. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Fair market value: The price at which an asset would change hands in a transaction between a willing, informed buyer and a willing, informed seller.
  • Financial rights: means a member's rights to:
    (A) Share in profits and losses as provided in §. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Governance rights: means a right to vote on one (1) or more matters and all a member's rights as a member in the LLC other than financial rights and the right to assign financial rights. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Interest: means either or both of the following rights under the organic law of an unincorporated entity:
    (A) The right to receive distributions from the entity either in the ordinary course or upon liquidation. See Tennessee Code 48-11-201
  • LLC: means a limited liability company, organized under chapters 201-248 of this title. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Member: means a person reflected in the required records of an LLC as the owner of some governance rights of a membership interest of the LLC. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Membership: means the rights and obligations a member has pursuant to a corporation's charter, bylaws and chapters 51-68 of this title. See Tennessee Code 48-51-201
  • Operating agreement: means a written agreement described in §. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Termination: means the end of an LLC's existence as a legal entity and occurs when the articles of termination are filed with the secretary of state under §. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
(b)When Expulsion Permitted. Unless otherwise provided in the articles, a member may not be expelled.
(c)Effect of Termination of Membership on the Governance Rights of the Terminated Member. If, for any reason, the continued membership of a member is terminated:

(1) If the existence and business of the LLC is continued, then the member whose membership has terminated loses all governance rights and will be considered merely an assignee of the financial rights owned before the termination of membership; and
(2) Unless the articles or operating agreement provide otherwise, if the existence and business of the LLC is not continued, the member whose continued membership has terminated, except through wrongful withdrawal or wrongful termination, retains all governance rights owned before the termination of the membership and may exercise those rights through the winding up and termination of the LLC.
(d)Additional Effects If Termination of Membership Is Wrongful. If a member withdraws in contravention of the articles or an operating agreement then:

(1) The member who has wrongfully withdrawn forfeits governance rights in the winding up and termination process or in the continued business; and
(2) The member who has wrongfully withdrawn is liable to all the other members and to the LLC to the extent damaged, including the loss of foregone profits, by the wrongful withdrawal. Such damages may be offset against any amount to be paid to the wrongfully withdrawing or terminating member by the LLC.
(e)Value If LLC Is Continued. If the business and existence of the LLC are continued, any withdrawing or terminating member, whether such withdrawal or termination was wrongful or otherwise, is entitled to receive, subject to subsection (d), the lesser of the fair market value of the withdrawing or terminating member’s interest determined on a going concern basis or the fair market value of the withdrawing member’s interest determined on a liquidation basis.
(f)Value If LLC Terminates. Except as provided in subsection (d), if the business and existence of the LLC are not continued, then any withdrawing or terminating member, whether such withdrawal or termination was wrongful or otherwise, is entitled to receive that member’s distribution under § 48-245-1101.
(g)Terms of Payment. Except as provided in the articles or operating agreement, any amount to which a withdrawing or terminating member is entitled under subsection (e) or (f) shall be paid to such withdrawing or terminating member within six (6) months of the determination of such amount.
(h)Modification by Articles or Operating Agreement. Notwithstanding other provisions in this section, the articles or operating agreement may establish the amount to be paid a withdrawing or terminating member or a method for establishing such amount and may also establish the terms of payment of such amount. Such established amount, or the method of determining such amount, and such established terms of payment shall control.