(a) If a cooperative does not allow a member who complies with § 43-38-530(a) to inspect and copy any records required by that subsection to be available for inspection, a court in the county where the cooperative’s principal executive office, or, if none in this state, its registered office, is located may summarily order inspection and copying of the records demanded at the cooperative’s expense upon application of the member.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 43-38-532

  • Cooperative: means an association organized under this title conducting business on a cooperative plan as provided under this chapter. See Tennessee Code 43-38-103
  • 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 a cooperative to or for the benefit of any of its members in respect of membership interests. See Tennessee Code 43-38-103
  • Member: means a person or entity reflected on the books of the cooperative as the owner of governance rights of a membership interest of the cooperative and includes patron and nonpatron members. See Tennessee Code 43-38-103
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) If the court orders inspection and copying of the records demanded, it shall also order the cooperative to pay the member’s costs, including reasonable counsel fees, incurred to obtain the order, if the member proves that the cooperative refused inspection without a reasonable basis for doubt about the right of the member to inspect the records demanded.
(c) If the court orders inspection and copying of the records demanded, it may impose reasonable restrictions on the use or distribution of the records by the demanding member.