Title 17 · WY

17-16-1403 through 17-16-1407.

Citation: Wyo. Stat. § 17-16-1403

Section: 17-16-1403

17-16-1403 through 17-16-1407.

(b) Unless the articles of incorporation provide otherwise, an amendment to the articles of incorporation to add, change or delete the authority to dissolve described in subsection (a) of this section must be approved by the holders of all the outstanding shares, whether or not otherwise entitled to vote on amendments, or if no shares have been issued, by all the subscribers for shares, if any, or if none, by all the incorporators.

Subarticle E. Judicial Supervision

17-17-140. Court action to protect shareholders.

(a) Subject to satisfying the conditions of subsections (c) and (d) of this section, a shareholder of a statutory close corporation may petition the district court for any of the relief described in W.S. 17-17-141 through 17-17-143 if:

(i) The directors or those in control of the corporation have acted, are acting, or will act in a manner that is illegal, oppressive, fraudulent or unfairly prejudicial to the petitioner, whether in his capacity as shareholder, director or officer of the corporation;

(ii) The directors or those in control of the corporation are deadlocked in the management of the corporation's affairs, the shareholders are unable to break the deadlock, and the corporation is suffering or will suffer irreparable injury or the business and affairs of the corporation can no longer be conducted to the advantage of the shareholders generally because of the deadlock; or

(iii) There exists one (1) or more grounds for judicial dissolution of the corporation under W.S. 17-16-1430.

(b) A shareholder must commence a proceeding under subsection (a) of this section in the district court of the county where the corporation's principal office, or, if none in this state, its registered office, is located. The jurisdiction of the court in which the proceeding is commenced is plenary and exclusive.

(c) If a shareholder has agreed in writing to pursue a nonjudicial remedy to resolve disputed matters, he may not commence a proceeding under this section with respect to the matters until he has exhausted the nonjudicial remedy.

(d) If a shareholder has dissenters' rights under this chapter or W.S. 17-16-1301 through 17-16-1331 with respect to proposed corporate action, he must commence a proceeding under this section before he is required to give notice of his intent to demand payment under W.S. 17-16-1321 or to demand payment under W.S. 17-16-1323 or the proceeding is barred.

(e) Except as provided in subsections (c) and (d) of this section, a shareholder's right to commence a proceeding under this section and the remedies available under W.S. 17-17-141 through 17-17-143 are in addition to any other right or remedy he may have.

17-17-141. Ordinary relief.

(a) If the court finds that one (1) or more of the grounds for relief described in W.S. 17-17-140(a) exist, it may order such relief as it deems appropriate including one (1) or more of the following types of relief:

(i) The performance, prohibition, alteration or setting aside of any action of the corporation or of its shareholders, directors, or officers or of any other party to the proceeding;

(ii) The cancellation or alteration of any provision in the corporation's articles of incorporation or bylaws;

(iii) The removal from office of any director or officer;

(iv) The appointment of any individual as a director or officer;

(v) An accounting with respect to any matter in dispute;

(vi) The appointment of a custodian to manage the business and affairs of the corporation;

(vii) The appointment of a provisional director who has all the rights, powers and duties of a duly elected director to serve for the term and under the conditions prescribed by the court;

(viii) The payment of dividends; or

(ix) The award of damages to any aggrieved party.

(b) If the court finds that a party to the proceeding acted arbitrarily, or otherwise not in good faith, it may award one (1) or more other parties their reasonable expenses, including counsel fees and the expenses of appraisers or other experts, incurred in the proceeding.

17-17-142. Extraordinary relief; share purchase.

(a) If the court finds that the ordinary relief described in W.S. 17-17-141(a) is or would be inadequate or inappropriate, it may order the corporation dissolved under W.S. 17-17-143 unless the corporation or one (1) or more of its shareholders purchases all the shares of the shareholder for their fair value and on terms determined under subsection (b) of this section.

(b) If the court orders a share purchase, it shall:

(i) Determine the fair value of the shares, considering among other relevant evidence the going concern value of the corporation, any agreement among some or all of the shareholders fixing the price or specifying a formula for determining share value for any purpose, the recommendations of appraisers, if any, appointed by the court, and any legal constraints on the corporation's ability to purchase the shares;

(ii) Specify the terms of the purchase, including if appropriate terms for installment payments, subordination of the purchase obligation to the rights of the corporation's other creditors, security for a deferred purchase price, and a covenant not to compete or other restriction on the seller;

(iii) Require the seller to deliver all his shares to the purchaser upon receipt of the purchase price or the first installment of the purchase price;

(iv) Provide that after the seller delivers his shares he has no further claim against the corporation, its directors, officers or shareholders, other than a claim to any unpaid balance of the purchase price and a claim under any agreement with the corporation or the remaining shareholders that is not terminated by the court; and

(v) Provide that if the purchase is not completed in accordance with the specified terms, the corporation is to be dissolved under W.S. 17-17-143.

(c) After the purchase order is entered, any party may petition the court to modify the terms of the purchase and the court may do so if it finds that changes in the financial or legal ability of the corporation or other purchaser to complete the purchase justify a modification.

(d) If the corporation is dissolved because the share purchase was not completed in accordance with the court's order, the selling shareholder has the same rights and priorities in the corporation's assets as if the sale had not been ordered.

17-17-143. Extraordinary relief; dissolution.

(a) The court may dissolve the corporation if it finds:

(i) There are one (1) or more grounds for judicial dissolution under W.S. 17-16-1430; or

(ii) All other relief ordered by the court under W.S.