(a) Unless the charter provides for the removal of a member and termination of a membership without cause, no member may be expelled or suspended, and no membership or memberships may be terminated or suspended except pursuant to a procedure which is fair and reasonable and is carried out in good faith.

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 48-56-302

  • 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.
  • Bylaws: means the code or codes of rules (other than the charter) adopted pursuant to chapters 51-68 of this title for the regulation or management of the affairs of the corporation irrespective of the name or names by which such rules are designated. See Tennessee Code 48-51-201
  • Charter: includes amended and restated charters and articles of merger. See Tennessee Code 48-11-201
  • Class: when used with reference to membership interests, means a category of membership interests that differs in one (1) or more rights or preferences from another category of membership interests of the LLC. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • 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.
  • Court: includes every court and judge having jurisdiction in the case. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • 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
  • Person: includes individual and entity. See Tennessee Code 48-202-101
  • Proceeding: includes civil suit and criminal, administrative, and investigatory action. 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
  • written: means any information in the form of a document. See Tennessee Code 48-11-201
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) A procedure is fair and reasonable when either:

(1) The charter or bylaws set forth a procedure which provides:

(A) Not less than fifteen (15) days’ prior written notice of the expulsion, suspension, or termination and the reasons therefor; and
(B) An opportunity for the member to be heard, orally or in writing, not less than five (5) days before the effective date of the expulsion, suspension, or termination by a person or persons authorized to decide that the proposed expulsion, suspension, or termination not take place; or
(2) It is fair and reasonable taking into consideration all of the relevant facts and circumstances.
(c) A procedure is not necessarily unfair nor unreasonable:

(1) If a member’s attorney is excluded from the hearing;
(2) If the member is not allowed to cross-examine adverse witnesses; or
(3) If the person or persons authorized to make the decision consider matters and evidence which would be inadmissible in a court of law.
(d) Any written notice given by mail must be given by first class or certified mail sent to the last address of the member shown on the corporation‘s records.
(e) Any proceeding challenging an expulsion, suspension or termination, including a proceeding in which defective notice is alleged, must be commenced within one (1) year after the effective date of the expulsion, suspension or termination.
(f) A member who has been expelled or suspended may be liable to the corporation for dues, assessments or fees.
(g) This section shall not apply to any amendment of the charter or bylaws meeting the requirements of chapters 51-68 of this title and § 48-60-302.