The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 11B : Nonprofit Corporations

Chapter 006 : Members and Membership

Subchapter 004 : DERIVATIVE SUITS

• § 6.40. Derivative suits

  (a) A proceeding may be brought in the right of a domestic or foreign corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by:

  (1) any member or members having five percent or more of the voting power or by 50 members, whichever is less; or

  (2) any director.

  (b) In any such proceeding, each complainant shall be a member or director at the time of bringing the proceeding.

  (c) A complaint in a proceeding brought in the right of a corporation must be verified and allege with particularity the demand made, if any, to obtain action by the directors and either why the complainants could not obtain the action or why they did not make the demand. If a demand for action was made and the corporation’s investigation of the demand is in progress when the proceeding is filed, the court may stay the suit until the investigation is completed.

  (d) On termination of the proceeding the court may require the complainants to pay any defendant’s reasonable expenses (including counsel fees) incurred in defending the suit if it finds that the proceeding was commenced frivolously or in bad faith.

  (e) If the proceeding on behalf of the corporation results in the corporation taking some action requested by the complainants or otherwise was successful, in whole or in part, or if anything was received by the complainants as the result of a judgment, compromise, or settlement of an action or claim, the court may award the complainants reasonable expenses (including counsel fees).

  (f) The complainants shall notify the Attorney General within ten days after commencing any proceeding under this section if the proceeding involves a public benefit corporation or assets held in charitable trust by a mutual benefit corporation. (Added 1995, No. 179 (Adj. Sess.), § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1997.)