Texas Local Government Code 501.066 – Indemnification
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(a) In this section, “director or officer” includes a former director or officer.
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (d), a corporation may indemnify a director or officer of the corporation for necessary expenses and costs, including attorney’s fees, actually incurred by the director or officer in connection with a claim asserted against the director or officer, by action in court or another forum, by reason of the director’s or officer’s being or having been a director or officer of the corporation.
Terms Used In Texas Local Government Code 501.066
- 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
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), if a corporation has not fully indemnified a director or officer under Subsection (b), the court in a proceeding in which a claim is asserted against the director or officer or a court having jurisdiction over an action brought by the director or officer on a claim for indemnity may assess indemnity against the corporation or the corporation’s receiver or trustee. The assessment must equal the amount that the director or officer paid to satisfy the judgment or compromise the claim, including attorney’s fees and not including any amount paid to the corporation, to the extent that:
(1) the amount paid was actually and necessarily incurred; and
(2) the court considers the amount paid reasonable and equitable.
(d) A corporation may not indemnify a director or officer for a matter in which the director or officer is guilty of negligence or misconduct. A court may assess indemnity against the corporation only if the court finds that the director or officer was not guilty of negligence or misconduct in the matter for which indemnity is sought.