181.295
181.295
Members' derivative actions. 181.295(1)
(1) No action may be instituted or maintained in the right of any corporation by a member of such corporation unless:
181.295(1)(a)
(a) The plaintiff alleges in the complaint that the plaintiff was a member at the time of the transaction or any part thereof of which the plaintiff complains, or that the plaintiff's membership thereafter devolved upon the plaintiff by operation of law from a member who was a member at the time of the transaction or any part thereof complained of.
181.295(1)(b)
(b) The plaintiff alleges in the complaint with particularity the plaintiff's efforts to secure from the board of directors such action as the plaintiff desires and alleges further that the plaintiff has either informed the corporation or such board of directors in writing of the ultimate facts of each cause of action against each such defendant director or delivered to the corporation or such board of directors a true copy of the complaint which the plaintiff proposes to file, and the reasons for the plaintiff's failure to obtain such action or the reasons for not making such effort.
181.295(1)(c)
(c) The complaint in any such action shall be filed within 20 days after the action is commenced.
181.295(2)
(2) The action shall not be dismissed or compromised without the approval of the court.
181.295(3)
(3) If anything is recovered or obtained as the result of the action whether by means of a compromise and settlement or by a judgment, the court may, out of the proceeds of the action, award the plaintiff the reasonable expenses of maintaining the action, including reasonable attorneys' fees, and may direct the plaintiff to account to the corporation for the remainder of such proceeds.
181.295(4)
(4) In any action brought in the right of any corporation by fewer than 3% of the members, the defendants shall be entitled on application to the court to require the plaintiff or plaintiffs to give security for the reasonable expenses, including attorney fees. The amount of such security may thereafter from time to time be increased or decreased in the discretion of the court having jurisdiction of such action upon showing that the security provided has or may become inadequate or is excessive.
181.295 History
History: 1973 c. 128;
1993 a. 482,
490.
181.297
181.297
Limited liability of volunteers. 181.297(1)
(1)
Definition. In this section, "volunteer" means a natural person, other than an employe of the corporation, who provides services to or on behalf of the corporation without compensation.
181.297(2)
(2) Immunity. Except as provided in
sub. (3), a volunteer is not liable to any person for damages, settlements, fees, fines, penalties or other monetary liabilities arising from any act or omission as a volunteer, unless the person asserting liability proves that the act or omission constitutes any of the following:
181.297(2)(a)
(a) A violation of criminal law, unless the volunteer had reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was lawful or no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.
181.297(2)(c)
(c) If the volunteer is a director or officer of the corporation, an act or omission within the scope of the volunteer's duties as a director or officer.
181.297(2)(d)
(d) An act or omission for which the volunteer received compensation or anything of substantial value in lieu of compensation.
181.297(3)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), this section does not apply to any of the following:
181.297(3)(a)1.
1. A civil or criminal proceeding brought by or on behalf of any governmental unit, authority or agency.
181.297(3)(a)2.
2. A proceeding brought by any person for a violation of state or federal law where the proceeding is brought pursuant to an express private right of action created by state or federal statute.
181.297(3)(a)3.
3. Claims arising from the negligent operation of an automobile, truck, train, airplane or other vehicle by a volunteer.
181.297(3)(a)4.
4. A proceeding against a volunteer who is licensed, certified, permitted or registered under state law and which is based upon an act or omission within the scope of practice under the volunteer's license, certificate, permit or registration.
181.297(3)(b)
(b) Paragraph (a) 1. and
2. does not apply to a proceeding brought by or on behalf of a governmental unit, authority or agency in its capacity as a contractor.
181.297 Annotation
For the exemption to immunity under sub. (2) (b) for willful misconduct to apply, a creditor must show something additional to the dishonesty necessary to pierce the corporate veil. IGL-Wisconsin Awning v. Milwaukee Air & Water Show, 185 W (2d) 864, 524 NW (2d) 140 (Ct. App. 1994).
181.30
181.30
Incorporators. One or more natural persons of the age of 18 years or more may act as incorporator or incorporators of a corporation by signing, acknowledging and filing articles of incorporation for such corporation.
181.30 History
History: 1971 c. 213 s.
5;
1981 c. 337.
181.31
181.31
Articles of incorporation. 181.31(1)
(1) The articles of incorporation shall set forth:
181.31(1)(c)
(c) The purpose or purposes for which the corporation is organized. It shall be a sufficient compliance with this paragraph to state, either alone or with other purposes, that the corporation may engage in any lawful activity within the purposes for which corporations may be organized under this chapter, and all such lawful activities shall by such statement be deemed within the purposes of the corporation, subject to expressed limitations, if any.
181.31(1)(d)
(d) If the corporation is to have no members, a statement to that effect.
181.31(1)(e)
(e) If the corporation is to have one or more classes of members, any provision desired to be set forth designating the class or classes of members and stating the qualifications and rights of the members of each class.
181.31(1)(f)
(f) If the directors or any of them are not to be elected or appointed by one or more classes of members, a statement of the manner in which such directors shall be elected or appointed, or that the manner of such election or appointment shall be provided in the bylaws.
181.31(1)(g)
(g) The mailing address and county of the principal office of the corporation in some city, village or town in this state and the name and address, including street and number, if any, of its initial registered agent.
181.31(1)(h)
(h) The number of directors or manner of fixing the number of directors, or a provision that the number of directors shall be fixed by or in the manner provided in the bylaws, and the name and address of each of the initial directors.
181.31(1)(i)
(i) The name and address, including the street and street number, if any, of each incorporator.
181.31(2)
(2) It shall not be necessary to set forth in the articles of incorporation any of the corporate powers enumerated in this chapter. The articles of incorporation may include any provision, not inconsistent with law, which the incorporators elect to set forth in the articles of incorporation including any provision which under this chapter is required or permitted to be set forth in the bylaws and any provision for distribution of assets on dissolution or final liquidation. Whenever a provision of the articles of incorporation is inconsistent with a bylaw, the provision of the articles of incorporation shall be controlling.
181.32
181.32
Filing and recording articles of incorporation. 181.32(1)(1) The articles of incorporation shall be filed and recorded as provided in
s. 181.67. Duplicate originals of the articles of incorporation shall be submitted to the department. The department shall file one original and forward the other within 5 days to the register of deeds of the county in which the corporation's principal office is located for recording. On filing an original, the department shall issue a certificate of incorporation.
181.32(2)
(2) Upon issuing a certificate of incorporation, the department shall inform the corporation of the reporting requirements under
s. 440.42 for charitable organizations that solicit contributions.
181.32 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See s.
14.38 (14) for provision that certain corporate documents may not be filed with secretary of state unless they bear the drafter's name.
181.33
181.33
Effect of issuance of certificate of incorporation. The certificate of incorporation issued pursuant to
s. 181.32 shall be conclusive evidence that all conditions precedent required to be performed by the incorporators have been complied with and that the corporation has been incorporated under this chapter, except as against this state in a proceeding to cancel or revoke the certificate of incorporation.
181.34
181.34
Organization meetings. 181.34(1)
(1) After articles of incorporation have been filed, an organization meeting of the board of directors named in the articles of incorporation shall be held either within or without this state at the call of a majority of the incorporators, for the adoption of bylaws, for the election of officers, if the articles of incorporation or proposed bylaws provide for election of officers by the board of directors, and for the transaction of such other business as may come before the meeting. The incorporators calling the meeting shall give at least 3 days' notice thereof by mail to each director named, which notice shall state the time and place of the meeting.
181.34(2)
(2) A first meeting of the members may be held at the call of the board of directors, or at the call of a majority of the directors, upon at least 3 days' written notice, for such purposes as shall be stated in the notice of the meeting.
181.34 History
History: 1981 c. 337.
181.35
181.35
Right to amend articles of incorporation. A corporation may amend its articles of incorporation in any and as many respects as may be desired, provided that its articles of incorporation as amended contain only such provisions as might be lawfully contained in original articles of incorporation if made at the time of making such amendment.
181.35 History
History: 1973 c. 128.
181.36
181.36
Procedure to amend articles of incorporation. 181.36(1)(1) Amendments to the articles of incorporation shall be made in the following manner:
181.36(1)(a)
(a) Where there are members having voting rights, amendments may be made at any special meeting duly called for that purpose or at any annual meeting, provided that a statement of the nature of the proposed amendment is included in the notice of the meeting. An amendment shall be adopted upon receiving at least two-thirds of the votes entitled to be cast by members present or represented by proxy at such meeting.
181.36(1)(b)
(b) Where there are no members, or no members having voting rights, an amendment shall be adopted at a meeting of the board of directors upon receiving the vote of a majority of the directors in office.
181.36(2)
(2) Any number of amendments may be submitted and voted upon at any one meeting.
181.37
181.37
Articles of amendment. The articles of amendment shall be executed by the president or a vice president, and the secretary or an assistant secretary and shall be sealed with the corporate seal, if there be any, and shall set forth:
181.37(1)
(1) The name of the corporation and the county in which its principal office is located.
181.37(3)
(3) The date of the adoption of the amendment,
181.37(4)
(4) If
sub. (6) does not apply and there are members having voting rights, a statement of the total number of members with voting rights, the number of such members present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting at which the amendment was adopted and the number of members voting for and against such amendment, respectively.
181.37(5)
(5) If
sub. (6) does not apply and there are no members having voting rights, a statement that there are no members having voting rights, the date of the meeting of the board of directors at which the amendment was adopted and a statement of the fact that such amendment received the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors in office, or such larger number as may be required by the articles of incorporation.
181.37(6)
(6) Any action of a governmental agency in changing the address of the corporation's principal office, if there is no corresponding change in physical location.
181.37 History
History: 1981 c. 337;
1983 a. 134.
181.38
181.38
Filing of articles of amendment. The articles of amendment shall be filed and recorded, and upon filing of the articles, the department may issue a certificate of amendment.
181.38 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See s.
14.38 (14) for provision that certain corporate documents may not be filed with secretary of state unless they bear the drafter's name.
181.39
181.39
Restated articles of incorporation. 181.39(1)
(1) A corporation may by action taken in the same manner as required for amendment of articles of incorporation adopt restated articles of incorporation consisting of the articles of incorporation as amended to date. Restated articles of incorporation may, but need not be, adopted in connection with an amendment to the articles of incorporation. Restated articles of incorporation shall contain a statement that they supersede and take the place of the theretofore existing articles of incorporation and amendments thereto. Restated articles of incorporation shall contain all the statements required by this chapter to be included in original articles of incorporation except that:
181.39(1)(a)
(a) In lieu of setting forth the mailing address of the principal office of the corporation and the name and address of its initial registered agent, it shall set forth the mailing address and county of the principal office of the corporation and the name and address of its registered agent at the time of the adoption of the restated articles of incorporation; and
181.39(1)(b)
(b) No statement need be made with respect to the number or names and addresses of directors constituting the initial board of directors or the names and addresses of the incorporators.
181.39(2)
(2) Restated articles of incorporation shall be executed, filed and recorded in the manner prescribed in this chapter for articles of amendment and on filing shall supersede and take the place of the theretofore existing articles of incorporation and amendments thereto. The department shall upon request certify a copy of the articles of incorporation, or the articles of incorporation as restated, or any amendments to either thereof.
181.39 Annotation
The contents of restated articles of incorporation do not have to comply with 181.37, relating to the contents of amended articles. 60 Atty. Gen. 152.
181.40
181.40
Filing and recording court order under bankruptcy laws. The department and the register of deeds shall upon delivery to them respectively file and record in the manner and places and upon payment of fees as provided in this chapter in respect to articles of amendment, duly certified copies of any order of a court of the United States in proceedings under the national bankruptcy laws, if such order effects an amendment to the articles of incorporation. It shall be the duty of the principal officers of such corporation to cause each such order to be so filed and recorded promptly after such order has become final.
181.40 History
History: 1995 a. 27.
181.41
181.41
Effect of amendment. No amendment shall affect any existing cause of action in favor of or against such corporation, or any pending suit to which such corporation shall be party, or the existing rights of persons other than members, and, in the event the corporate name shall be changed by amendment, no suit brought by or against such corporation under its former name shall abate for that reason.
181.42
181.42
Procedure for merger. 181.42(1)
(1) Any 2 or more domestic corporations, subject to the provisions of this chapter, and organized for substantially the same or similar purposes, may merge into one of such corporations pursuant to a plan of merger approved in the manner provided in this chapter.
181.42(2)
(2) The board of directors of each corporation shall, by resolution adopted by each such board, approve a plan of merger setting forth:
181.42(2)(a)
(a) The names of the corporations proposing to merge, and the name of the corporation into which they propose to merge, hereinafter designated by the surviving corporation;
181.42(2)(b)
(b) The terms and conditions of the proposed merger;
181.42(2)(c)
(c) The respective interests and rights of members of the constituent corporations in the surviving corporation;
181.42(2)(d)
(d) Any change in the articles of incorporation of the surviving corporation to be effected by such merger;
181.42(2)(e)
(e) Such other provisions with respect to the proposed merger as are deemed necessary or desirable.
181.43
181.43
Procedure for consolidation. 181.43(1)
(1) Any 2 or more domestic corporations, subject to the provisions of this chapter and organized for substantially the same or similar purposes, may consolidate into a new corporation pursuant to a plan of consolidation approved in the manner provided in this chapter.
