Chapter 124 |
2022 -- S 2813 Enacted 06/21/2022 |
A N A C T |
RELATING TO CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, AND PARTNERSHIPS -- UNIFORM PARTNERSHIP ACT |
Introduced By: Senators F Lombardi, Euer, Archambault, Ciccone, Lombardo, and McCaffrey |
Date Introduced: March 24, 2022 |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
SECTION 1. Sections 7-12-12, 7-12-13, 7-12-14, 7-12-15, 7-12-16, 7-12-17, 7-12-18, 7- |
12-19, 7-12-20, 7-12-21, 7-12-22, 7-12-23, 7-12-24, 7-12-25, 7-12-26, 7-12-27, 7-12-28, 7-12-29, |
7-12-30, 7-12-31, 7-12-32, 7-12-33, 7-12-34, 7-12-35, 7-12-36, 7-12-37, 7-12-38, 7-12-39, 7-12- |
40, 7-12-41, 7-12-42, 7-12-43, 7-12-44, 7-12-45, 7-12-46, 7-12-47, 7-12-48, 7-12-49, 7-12-50, 7- |
12-51, 7-12-52, 7-12-53, 7-12-54, 7-12-55, 7-12-56, 7-12-57, 7-12-58 and 7-12-59 of the General |
Laws in Chapter 7-12 entitled "Partnerships" are hereby repealed: |
7-12-12. Short title. |
Sections 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55 may be cited as the "Uniform Partnership Act". |
7-12-13. Definitions. |
In §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-59: |
(1) "Bankrupt" includes bankrupt under title 11 of the United States Code (Bankruptcy) or |
insolvent under any state insolvent act. |
(2) "Business" includes every trade, occupation, or profession. |
(3) "Conveyance" includes every assignment, lease, mortgage, or encumbrance. |
(4) "Court" includes every court and judge having jurisdiction in the case. |
(5) "Foreign registered limited-liability partnership" means a registered limited-liability |
partnership or a limited-liability partnership formed pursuant to an agreement governed by the laws |
of another jurisdiction and registered under the laws of that jurisdiction. |
(6) "Person" includes individuals, partnerships, corporations, and other associations. |
(7) "Real property" includes land and any interest or estate in land. |
(8) "Registered limited-liability partnership" means a partnership formed pursuant to an |
agreement governed by the laws of this state, registered under § 7-12-56 and in compliance with § |
7-12-58. |
7-12-14. Interpretation of knowledge and notice. |
(a) A person has "knowledge" of a fact within the meaning of §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55 not |
only when he or she has actual knowledge of it, but also when he or she has knowledge of any other |
facts that in the circumstances show bad faith. |
(b) A person has "notice" of a fact within the meaning of §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55 when the |
person who claims the benefit of the notice: |
(1) States the fact to the person; or |
(2) Delivers through the mail, or by other means of communication, a written statement of |
the fact to the person or to a proper person at his or her place of business or residence. |
7-12-15. Rules of construction. |
(a) The rule that statutes in derogation of the common law are to be strictly construed has |
no application to §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55. |
(b) The law of estoppel applies under §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55. |
(c) The law of agency applies under §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55. |
(d) Sections 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55 shall be so interpreted and construed as to effect their |
general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact them. |
(e) Sections 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55 shall not be construed so as to impair the obligations of |
any contract existing on October 1, 1957, nor to affect any action or proceedings or right accrued |
before October 1, 1957. |
7-12-16. Rules for cases not provided for. |
In any case not provided for in §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55, the rules of law and equity, including |
the law merchant, govern. |
7-12-17. Partnership defined. |
(a) A partnership is an association of two (2) or more persons to carry on as co-owners a |
business for profit, and includes a registered limited-liability partnership. |
(b) Any association formed under any other statute of this state, or any statute adopted by |
authority, other than the authority of the state, is not a partnership under §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-59, |
unless the association would have been a partnership in this state prior to May 6, 1957; but §§ 7- |
12-12 - - 7-12-59 apply to limited partnerships except insofar as the statutes relating to partnerships |
are inconsistent with these provisions. |
7-12-18. Rules for determining the existence of a partnership. |
In determining whether a partnership exists, these rules apply: |
(1) Except as provided by § 7-12-27, persons who are not partners as to each other are not |
partners as to third persons. |
(2) Joint tenancy, tenancy in common, tenancy by the entireties, joint property, common |
property, or part ownership does not of itself establish a partnership, whether the co-owners do or |
do not share any profits made by the use of the property. |
(3) The sharing of gross returns does not of itself establish a partnership, whether or not |
the persons sharing them have a joint or common right or interest in any property from which the |
returns are derived. |
(4) The receipt by a person of a share of the profits of a business is prima facie evidence |
that he or she is a partner in the business, but no such inference is drawn if profits were received in |
payment: |
(i) As a debt by installments or otherwise; |
(ii) As wages of an employee or rent to a landlord; |
(iii) As an annuity to a widow or representative of a deceased partner; |
(iv) As interest on a loan, though the amount of payment vary with the profits of the |
business; |
(v) As the consideration for the sale of a good will of a business or other property by |
installments or otherwise. |
7-12-19. Partnership property. |
(a) All property originally brought into the partnership stock or subsequently acquired by |
purchase or otherwise, on account of the partnership, is partnership property. |
(b) Unless the contrary intention appears, property acquired with partnership funds is |
partnership property. |
(c) Any estate in real property may be acquired in the partnership name. Title so acquired |
can be conveyed only in the partnership name. |
(d) A conveyance to a partnership in the partnership name, though without words of |
inheritance, passes the entire estate of the grantor unless a contrary intent appears. |
7-12-20. Partner agent of partnership as to partnership business. |
(a) Every partner is an agent of the partnership for the purpose of its business, and the act |
of every partner, including the execution in the partnership name of any instrument, for apparently |
carrying on in the usual way the business of the partnership of which he or she is a member, binds |
the partnership, unless the partner so acting has in fact no authority to act for the partnership in the |
particular matter, and the person with whom he or she is dealing has knowledge of the fact that he |
or she has no authority. |
(b) An act of a partner that is not apparently for the carrying on of the business of the |
partnership in the usual way does not bind the partnership unless authorized by the other partners. |
(c) Unless authorized by the other partners or unless they have abandoned the business, |
one or more but less than all the partners have no authority to: |
(1) Assign the partnership property in trust for creditors or on the assignee's promise to pay |
the debts of the partnership; |
(2) Dispose of the good will of the business; |
(3) Do any other act that would make it impossible to carry on the ordinary business of a |
partnership; |
(4) Confess a judgment; |
(5) Submit a partnership claim or liability to arbitration or reference. |
(d) No act of a partner in contravention of a restriction on authority shall bind the |
partnership to persons having knowledge of the restriction. |
7-12-21. Conveyance of real property of the partnership. |
(a) Where title to real property is in the partnership name, any partner may convey title to |
the property by a conveyance executed in the partnership name; but the partnership may recover |
the property unless the partner's act binds the partnership under the provisions of § 7-12-20(a), or |
unless the property has been conveyed by the grantee or a person claiming through the grantee to |
a holder for value without knowledge that the partner, in making the conveyance, has exceeded his |
or her authority. |
(b) Where title to real property is in the name of the partnership, a conveyance executed by |
a partner, in his or her own name, passes the equitable interest of the partnership, provided the act |
is one within the authority of the partner under the provisions of § 7-12-20(a). |
(c) Where title to real property is in the name of one or more but not all the partners, and |
the record does not disclose the right of the partnership, the partners in whose name the title stands |
may convey title to the property, but the partnership may recover the property if the partners' act |
does not bind the partnership under the provisions of § 7-12-20(a) unless the purchaser or his or |
her assignee, is a holder for value, without knowledge. |
(d) Where the title to real property is in the name of one or more or all of the partners, or |
in a third person in trust for the partnership, a conveyance executed by a partner in the partnership |
name, or in his or her own name, passes the equitable interest of the partnership, provided the act |
is one within the authority of the partner under the provision of § 7-12-20(a). |
(e) Where the title to real property is in the names of all the partners a conveyance executed |
by all the partners passes all their rights in the property. |
7-12-22. Partnership bound by admission of partner. |
An admission or representation made by any partner concerning partnership affairs within |
the scope of his or her authority as conferred by §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55 is evidence against the |
partnership. |
7-12-23. Partnership charged with knowledge of or notice to partner. |
Notice to any partner of any matter relating to partnership affairs, and the knowledge of |
the partners acting in the particular matter, acquired while a partner or then present to his or her |
mind, and the knowledge of any other partner who reasonably could and should have |
communicated it to the acting partner, operate as notice to or knowledge of the partnership, except |
in the case of a fraud on the partnership committed by or with the consent of that partner. |
7-12-24. Partnership bound by partner's wrongful act. |
Where, by any wrongful act or omission of any partner acting in the ordinary course of the |
business of the partnership or with the authority of his or her copartners, loss or injury is caused to |
any person, not being a partner in the partnership, or any penalty is incurred, the partnership is |
liable for the loss, injury, or penalty to the same extent as the partner acting or omitting to act. |
7-12-25. Partnership bound by partner's breach of trust. |
The partnership is bound to make good the loss: |
(1) Where one partner acting within the scope of his or her apparent authority receives |
money or property of a third person and misapplies it; and |
(2) Where the partnership in the course of its business receives money or property of a third |
person and the money or property so received is misapplied by any partner while it is in the custody |
of the partnership. |
7-12-26. Nature of partner's liability. |
(a) All partners are liable, except as provided in subsection (b): |
(1) Jointly and severally for everything chargeable to the partnership under §§ 7-12-24 and |
7-12-25. |
(2) Jointly for all other debts and obligations of the partnership; but any partner may enter |
into a separate obligation to perform a partnership contract. |
(b) Subject to subsection (c), a partner in a registered limited-liability partnership is not |
liable, directly or indirectly (including by way of indemnification, contribution, assessment or |
otherwise), for debts, obligations, and liabilities of, or chargeable to, the partnership whether in |
tort, contract, or otherwise, arising while the partnership is a registered limited-liability partnership. |
(c) Subsection (b) does not affect the individual liability of a partner in a registered limited- |
liability partnership for his or her own negligence, wrongful acts or misconduct, or that of any |
person under that partner's direct supervision and control other than in an administrative capacity. |
(d) A partner in a registered limited-liability partnership is not a proper party in his or her |
individual capacity to a proceeding by or against a registered limited-liability partnership, the object |
of which is to recover damages or enforce the obligations of the registered limited-liability |
partnership, unless the partner is personally liable under subsection (c). |
(e) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, the personal liability of a partner |
in a limited-liability partnership engaged in the rendering of professional services is not less than |
or greater than the personal liability of a shareholder of a professional corporation organized under |
chapter 5.1 of this title engaged in the rendering of the same professional services. |
7-12-27. Partner by estoppel. |
(a) When a person, by words spoken or written or by conduct, represents himself or herself, |
or consents to another representing him or her to any one, as a partner in an existing partnership or |
with one or more persons not actual partners, he or she is liable to any person to whom the |
representation has been made, who has, on the faith of the representation, given credit to the actual |
or apparent partnership, and if he or she has made a representation or consented to its being made |
in a public manner, he or she is liable to the person, whether the representation has or has not been |
made or communicated to the person giving credit by or with the knowledge of the apparent partner |
making the representation or consenting to its being made. |
(1) When a partnership liability results, he or she is liable as though he or she were an |
actual member of the partnership. |
(2) When no partnership liability results, he or she is liable jointly with the other persons, |
if any, so consenting to the contract or representation as to incur liability, otherwise separately. |
(b) When a person is represented to be a partner in an existing partnership, or with one or |
more persons not actual partners, he or she is an agent of the persons consenting to the |
representation to bind them to the same extent and in the same manner as though he or she were a |
partner in fact, with respect to persons who rely on the representation. Where all the members of |
the existing partnership consent to the representation, a partnership act or obligation results; but in |
all other cases it is the joint act or obligation of the person acting and the persons consenting to the |
representation. |
7-12-28. Liability of incoming partner. |
A person admitted as a partner into an existing partnership is liable for all the obligations |
of the partnership arising before his or her admission as though he or she had been a partner when |
the obligations were incurred, except that this liability is satisfied only out of partnership property. |
7-12-29. Rules determining rights and duties of partners. |
The rights and duties of the partners in relation to the partnership are determined, subject |
to any agreement between them, by the following rules: |
(1) Each partner is repaid his or her contributions, whether by way of capital or advances |
to the partnership property, and shares equally in the profits and surplus remaining after all |
liabilities, including those to partners, are satisfied; and except as provided in § 7-12-26(b), each |
partner must contribute toward the losses, whether of capital or otherwise, sustained by the |
partnership according to his or her share in the profits. |
(2) The partnership must indemnify every partner in respect of payments made and |
personal liabilities reasonably incurred by him or her in the ordinary and proper conduct of its |
business, or for the preservation of its business or property. |
(3) A partner, who in aid of the partnership makes any payment or advance beyond the |
amount of capital that he or she agreed to contribute, is paid interest from the date of the payment |
or advance. |
(4) A partner receives interest on the capital contributed by him or her only from the date |
when repayment should be made. |
(5) All partners have equal rights in the management and conduct of the partnership |
business. |
(6) No partner is entitled to remuneration for acting in the partnership business, except that |
a surviving partner is entitled to reasonable compensation for his or her services in winding up the |
partnership affairs. |
(7) No person can become a member of a partnership without the consent of all the partners. |
(8) Any difference arising as to ordinary matters connected with the partnership business |
may be decided by a majority of the partners; but no act in contravention of any agreement between |
the partners may be done rightfully without the consent of all the partners. |
7-12-30. Partnership books. |
The partnership books are kept, subject to any agreement between the partners, at the |
principal place of business of the partnership, and every partner shall at all times have access to |
and may inspect and copy any of them. |
7-12-31. Duty of partners to render information. |
Partners shall render on demand true and full information of all things affecting the |
partnership to any partner or the legal representative of any deceased partner or partner under legal |
disability. |
7-12-32. Partner accountable as a fiduciary. |
(a) Every partner must account to the partnership for any benefit, and hold as trustee for it |
any profits derived by him or her without the consent of the other partners from any transaction |
connected with the formation, conduct, or liquidation of the partnership or from any use by him or |
her of its property. |
(b) This section applies also to the representatives of a deceased partner engaged in the |
liquidation of the affairs of the partnership as the personal representatives of the last surviving |
partner. |
7-12-33. Right to an account. |
Any partner has the right to a formal account as to partnership affairs: |
(1) If he or she is wrongfully excluded from the partnership business or possession of its |
property by his or her copartners. |
(2) If the right exists under the terms of any agreement. |
(3) As provided by § 7-12-32. |
(4) Whenever other circumstances render it just and reasonable. |
7-12-34. Continuation of partnership beyond fixed term. |
(a) When a partnership for a fixed term or particular undertaking is continued after the |
termination of the term or particular undertaking without any express agreement, the rights and |
duties of the partners remain the same as they were at the termination, insofar as is consistent with |
a partnership at will. |
(b) A continuation of the business by the partners or those of them who habitually acted in |
the partnership during the term, without any settlement or liquidation of the partnership affairs, is |
prima facie evidence of a continuation of the partnership. |
7-12-35. Extent of property rights of a partner. |
The property rights of a partner are: |
(1) His or her rights in specific partnership property; |
(2) His or her interest in the partnership; and |
(3) His or her rights to participate in the management. |
7-12-36. Nature of a partner's right in specific partnership property. |
(a) A partner is co-owner with his or her partners of specific partnership property holding |
as a tenant in partnership. |
(b) The incidents of this tenancy are such that: |
(1) A partner, subject to the provisions of §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55 and to any agreement |
between the partners, has an equal right with his or her partners to possess specific partnership |
property for partnership purposes; but he or she has no right to possess the property for any other |
purpose without the consent of his or her partners. |
(2) A partner's right in specific partnership property is not assignable, except in connection |
with the assignment of rights of all the partners in the same property. |
(3) A partner's right in specific partnership property is not subject to attachment or |
execution, except on a claim against the partnership. When partnership property is attached for a |
partnership debt, the partners, or any of them, or the representatives of a deceased partner, cannot |
claim any right under the exemption laws. |
(4) On the death of a partner, his or her right in specific partnership property vests in the |
surviving partner or partners, except where the deceased was the last surviving partner, when his |
or her right in the property vests in his or her legal representative. The surviving partner, or partners, |
or the legal representative of the last surviving partner, has no right to possess the partnership |
property for any but a partnership purpose. |
(5) A partner's right in specific partnership property is not subject to dower, curtesy, or |
allowances to widows, heirs, or next of kin. |
7-12-37. Nature of partner's interest in the partnership. |
A partner's interest in the partnership is his or her share of the profits and surplus, and his |
or her share of the profits and surplus is personal property. |
7-12-38. Assignment of partner's interest. |
(a) A conveyance by a partner of his or her interest in the partnership does not of itself |
dissolve the partnership, nor, as against the other partners in the absence of agreement, entitle the |
assignee, during the continuance of the partnership, to interfere in the management or |
administration of the partnership business or affairs, to require any information or account of |
partnership transactions, or to inspect the partnership book. It merely entitles the assignee to |
receive, in accordance with his or her contract, the profits to which the assigning partner would |
otherwise be entitled. |
(b) In case of a dissolution of the partnership, the assignee is entitled to receive his or her |
assignor's interest and may require an account from the date only of the last account agreed to by |
all the partners. |
7-12-39. Partner's interest subject to charging order. |
(a) On due application to the superior court by any judgment creditor of a partner, the court |
may charge the interest of the debtor partner with payment of the unsatisfied amount of the |
judgment debt with interest on it; and may then or later appoint a receiver of his or her share of the |
profits, and of any other money due, or to fall due, to him or her in respect of the partnership, and |
make all other orders, directions, accounts, and inquiries that the debtor partner might have made, |
or that the circumstances of the case require. |
(b) The interest charged may be redeemed at any time before foreclosure, or in case of a |
sale being directed by the court, may be purchased without causing a dissolution: |
(1) With separate property, by any one or more of the partners; or |
(2) With partnership property, by any one or more of the partners with the consent of all |
the partners whose interests are not so charged or sold. |
(c) Nothing in §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55 deprives a partner of his or her right, if any, under |
the exemption laws, regarding his interest in the partnership. |
7-12-40. Dissolution defined. |
The dissolution of a partnership is the change in the relation of the partners caused by any |
partner ceasing to be associated in the carrying on as distinguished from the winding up of the |
business. |
7-12-41. Partnership not terminated by dissolution. |
On dissolution the partnership is not terminated, but continues until the winding up of |
partnership affairs is completed. |
7-12-42. Causes of dissolution. |
Dissolution is caused: |
(1) Without violation of the agreement between the partners: |
(i) By the termination of the definite term or particular undertaking specified in the |
agreement; |
(ii) By the express will of any partner when no definite term or particular undertaking is |
specified; |
(iii) By the express will of all the partners who have not assigned their interests or suffered |
them to be charged for their separate debts, either before or after the termination of any specified |
term or particular undertaking; |
(iv) By the expulsion of any partner from the business bona fide in accordance with the |
power conferred by the agreement between the partners; |
(2) In contravention of the agreement between the partners, where the circumstances do |
not permit a dissolution under any other provision of this section, by the express will of any partner |
at any time; |
(3) By any event that makes it unlawful for the business of the partnership to be carried on |
or for the members to carry it on in partnership; |
(4) By the death of any partner; |
(5) By the bankruptcy of any partner or the partnership; |
(6) By decree of court under § 7-12-43. |
7-12-43. Dissolution by decree of court. |
(a) On application by or for a partner, the court shall decree a dissolution whenever: |
(1) A partner has been declared mentally incompetent in any judicial proceeding or is |
shown to be of unsound mind; |
(2) A partner becomes in any other way incapable of performing his or her part of the |
partnership contract; |
(3) A partner has been guilty of any conduct that tends to affect prejudicially the carrying |
on of the business; |
(4) A partner willfully or persistently commits a breach of the partnership agreement, or |
otherwise so conducts him or herself in matters relating to the partnership business that it is not |
reasonably practicable to carry on the business in partnership with him or her; |
(5) The business of the partnership can only be carried on at a loss; |
(6) Other circumstances render a dissolution equitable. |
(b) On the application of the purchaser of a partner's interest under §§ 7-12-38 and 7-12- |
39, the court shall decree a dissolution: |
(1) After the termination of the specified term or particular undertaking; |
(2) At any time if the partnership was a partnership at will when the interest was assigned |
or when the charging order was issued. |
7-12-44. General effect of dissolution on authority of partner. |
Except insofar as is necessary to wind up partnership affairs or to complete transactions |
begun but not then finished, dissolution terminates all authority of any partner to act for the |
partnership: |
(1) Regarding the partners: |
(i) When the dissolution is not by the act, bankruptcy, or death of a partner; or |
(ii) When the dissolution is by the act, bankruptcy, or death of a partner, in cases where § |
7-12-45 so requires. |
(2) With respect to persons not partners, as declared in § 7-12-46. |
7-12-45. Right of partner to contribution from copartners after dissolution. |
Where the dissolution is caused by the act, death, or bankruptcy of a partner, each partner |
is liable to his or her copartners for his or her share of any liability created by any partner acting |
for the partnership as if the partnership had not been dissolved, unless: |
(1) The dissolution being by act of any partner, the partner acting for the partnership had |
knowledge of the dissolution; |
(2) The dissolution being by the death or bankruptcy of a partner, the partner acting for the |
partnership had knowledge or notice of the death or bankruptcy; or |
(3) The liability is for a debt or obligation for which the partner is not liable as provided in |
§ 7-12-26(b). |
7-12-46. Power of partner to bind partnership to third persons after dissolution. |
(a) After dissolution, a partner can bind the partnership except as provided in subsection |
(c) by: |
(1) Any act appropriate for winding up partnership affairs or completing transactions |
unfinished at dissolution; |
(2) Any transaction that would bind the partnership if dissolution had not taken place, |
provided the other party to the transaction: |
(i) Had extended credit to the partnership prior to dissolution and had no knowledge or |
notice of the dissolution; or |
(ii) Though he or she had not so extended credit, had nevertheless known of the partnership |
prior to dissolution, and, having no knowledge or notice of dissolution, the fact of dissolution had |
not been advertised in a newspaper of general circulation in the place (or in each place if more than |
one) at which the partnership business was regularly carried on. |
(b) The liability of a partner under subsection (a)(2) shall be satisfied out of partnership |
assets alone, when the partner had been, prior to dissolution: |
(1) Unknown as a partner to the person with whom the contract is made; and |
(2) So far unknown and inactive in partnership affairs that the business reputation of the |
partnership could not be said to have been in any degree due to his or her connection with it. |
(c) The partnership is in no case bound by any act of a partner after dissolution where: |
(1) The partnership is dissolved because it is unlawful to carry on the business, unless the |
act is appropriate for winding up partnership affairs; |
(2) The partner has become bankrupt; or |
(3) The partner has no authority to wind up partnership affairs, except by a transaction with |
one who: |
(i) Had extended credit to the partnership prior to dissolution and had no knowledge or |
notice of his or her want of authority; or |
(ii) Had not extended credit to the partnership prior to dissolution, and, having no |
knowledge or notice of his or her want of authority, the fact of his or her want of authority has not |
been advertised in the manner provided for advertising the fact of dissolution in subsection |
(a)(2)(ii). |
(d) Nothing in this section affects the liability under § 7-12-27 of any person who after |
dissolution represents him or herself or consents to another representing him or her as a partner in |
a partnership engaged in carrying on business. |
7-12-47. Effect of dissolution on partner's existing liability. |
(a) The dissolution of the partnership does not of itself discharge the existing liability of |
any partner. |
(b) A partner is discharged from any existing liability upon dissolution of the partnership |
by an agreement to that effect between himself or herself, the partnership creditor, and the person |
or partnership continuing the business. An agreement may be inferred from the course of dealing |
between the creditor having knowledge of the dissolution and the person or partnership continuing |
the business. |
(c) Where a person agrees to assume the existing obligations of a dissolved partnership, |
the partners whose obligations have been assumed are discharged from any liability to any creditor |
of the partnership who, knowing of the agreement, consents to a material alteration in the nature or |
time of payment of the obligations. |
(d) The individual property of a deceased partner is liable for those obligations of the |
partnership incurred while he or she was a partner and for which he or she is liable under § 7-12- |
26, but subject to the prior payment of his or her separate debts. |
7-12-48. Right to wind up. |
Unless otherwise agreed, the partners who have not wrongfully dissolved the partnership |
or the legal representative of the last surviving partner, not bankrupt, has the right to wind up the |
partnership affairs; provided, that any partner, his or her legal representative, or his or her assignee |
may obtain winding up by the court upon cause shown. |
7-12-49. Rights of partners to application of partnership property. |
(a) When dissolution is caused in any way, except in contravention of the partnership |
agreement, each partner, as against his or her copartners and all persons claiming through them in |
respect of their interests in the partnership, unless otherwise agreed, may have the partnership |
property applied to discharge its liabilities, and the surplus applied to pay in cash the net amount |
owing to the respective partners. But if dissolution is caused by the expulsion of a bona fide partner |
under the partnership agreement, and if the expelled partner is discharged from all partnership |
liabilities, either by payment or agreement under § 7-12-47(b), he or she receives in cash only the |
net amount due him or her from the partnership. |
(b) When dissolution is caused in contravention of the partnership agreement, the rights of |
the partners are as follows: |
(1) Each partner who has not wrongfully caused dissolution has: |
(i) All the rights specified in subsection (a); and |
(ii) The right, as against each partner who has wrongfully caused the dissolution, to |
damages for breach of the agreement. |
(2) The partners who have not wrongfully caused the dissolution, if they all desire to |
continue the business in the same name, either by themselves or jointly with others, may do so |
during the agreed term for the partnership and for that purpose may possess the partnership |
property, provided they secure the payment by bond approved by the court, or pay to any partner |
who has wrongfully caused the dissolution, the value of his or her interest in the partnership at the |
dissolution, less any damages recoverable under subsection (b)(1)(ii), and in like manner indemnify |
him or her against all present or future partnership liabilities. |
(3) A partner who has wrongfully caused the dissolution has: |
(i) If the business is not continued under the provisions of subsection (b)(2), all the rights |
of a partner under subsection (a), subject to subsection (b)(1)(ii); |
(ii) If the business is continued under subsection (b)(2), the right as against his or her |
copartners, and all claiming through them as to their interests in the partnership, to have the value |
of his or her interest in the partnership, less any damages caused to his or her copartners by the |
dissolution, ascertained and paid to him or her in cash, or the payment secured by bond approved |
by the court, and to be released from all existing liabilities of the partnership; but in ascertaining |
the value of the partner's interest, the value of the good will of the business is not considered. |
7-12-50. Rights where partnership is dissolved for fraud or misrepresentation. |
Where a partnership contract is rescinded on the ground of the fraud or misrepresentation |
of one of the parties to the contract, the party entitled to rescind is, without prejudice to any other |
right, entitled to: |
(1) A lien on, or right of retention of, the surplus of the partnership property, after satisfying |
the partnership liabilities to third persons, for any sum of money paid by him or her for the purchase |
of an interest in the partnership and for any capital or advances contributed by him; and |
(2) Stand, after all liabilities to third persons have been satisfied, in the place of the creditors |
of the partnership for any payments made by him or her as to the partnership liabilities; and |
(3) Indemnification by the person guilty of the fraud or making the representation against |
all debts and liabilities of the partnership. |
7-12-51. Rules for distribution. |
In settling accounts between the partners after dissolution, the following rules are observed, |
subject to any agreement to the contrary: |
(1) The assets of the partnership are: |
(i) The partnership property; |
(ii) The contributions of the partners specified in subdivision (4). |
(2) The liabilities of the partnership rank in order of payment, as follows: |
(i) Those owing to creditors other than partners; |
(ii) Those owing to partners other than for capital and profits; |
(iii) Those owing to partners in respect of capital; |
(iv) Those owing to partners in respect of profits. |
(3) The assets are applied in the order of their declaration in subdivision (1) to the |
satisfaction of the liabilities. |
(4) Except as provided in § 7-12-26(b), the partners shall contribute, as provided by § 7- |
12-29(1), the amount necessary to satisfy the liabilities; but if any, but not all, of the partners are |
insolvent, or not being subject to process, refuse to contribute, the other partners shall contribute |
their share of the liabilities, and, in the relative proportions in which they share the profits, the |
additional amount necessary to pay the liabilities. |
(5) An assignee for the benefit of creditors of any person appointed by the court has the |
right to enforce the contributions specified in subdivision (4). |
(6) Any partner, or his or her legal representative, has the right to enforce the contributions |
specified in subdivision (4), to the extent of the amount that he or she has paid in excess of his or |
her share. |
(7) The individual property of a deceased partner is liable for the contributions specified in |
subdivision (4). |
(8) When partnership property and the individual properties of the partners are in |
possession of a court for distribution, partnership creditors have priority on partnership property |
and separate creditors on individual property, saving the rights of lien or secured creditors as |
previously. |
(9) Where a partner has become bankrupt, or his or her estate is insolvent, the claims against |
his or her separate property rank in the following order: |
(i) Those owing to separate creditors; |
(ii) Those owing to partnership creditors; |
(iii) Those owing to partners by way of contribution. |
7-12-52. Liability of persons continuing the business in certain cases. |
(a) When any new partner is admitted into an existing partnership, or when any partner |
retires and assigns (or the representative of the deceased partner assigns) his or her rights in |
partnership property to two (2) or more of the partners, or to one or more of the partners, and one |
or more third persons, if the business is continued without liquidation of the partnership affairs, |
creditors of the first or dissolved partnership are also creditors of the partnership continuing the |
business. |
(b) When all but one partner retire and assign (or the representative of the deceased partner |
assigns) their rights in partnership property to the remaining partner, who continues the business |
without liquidation of partnership affairs, either alone or with others, creditors of the dissolved |
partnership are also creditors of the person or partnership continuing the business. |
(c) When any partner retires or dies and the business of the dissolved partnership is |
continued as described in subsections (a) and (b), with the consent of the retired partners or the |
representative of the deceased partner, but without any assignment of his or her right in partnership |
property, rights of creditors of the dissolved partnership and of the creditors of the person or |
partnership continuing the business are as if the assignment had been made. |
(d) When all the partners or their representatives assign their rights in partnership property |
to one or more third persons who promise to pay the debts and who continue the business of the |
dissolved partnerships, creditors of the dissolved partnerships are also creditors of the person or |
partnership continuing the business. |
(e) When any partner wrongfully causes a dissolution and the remaining partners continue |
the business under the provision of § 7-12-49(b)(2), either alone or with others, and without |
liquidation of the partnership affairs, creditors of the dissolved partnership are also creditors of the |
person or partnership continuing the business. |
(f) When a partner is expelled and the remaining partners continue the business either alone |
or with others, without liquidation of the partnership affairs, creditors of the dissolved partnership |
are also creditors of the person or partnership continuing the business. |
(g) The liability of a third person becoming a partner in the partnership continuing the |
business, under this section, to the creditors of the dissolved partnership is satisfied out of |
partnership property only. |
(h) When the business of a partnership after dissolution is continued under any conditions |
described in this section, the creditors of the dissolved partnership, as against the separate creditors |
of the retiring or deceased partner or the representative of the deceased partner, have a prior right |
to any claim of the retired partner or the representative of the deceased partner against the person |
or partnership continuing the business, on account of the retired or deceased partner's interest in the |
dissolved partnership or on account of any consideration promised for the interest or for his or her |
right in partnership property. |
(i) Nothing in this section can be held to modify any right of creditors to set aside any |
assignment on the ground of fraud. |
(j) The use by the person or partnership continuing the business of the partnership name, |
or the name of a deceased partner as part of it, does not of itself make the individual property of |
the deceased partner liable for any debts contracted by the person or partnership. |
7-12-53. Rights of retiring or estate of deceased partner when the business is |
continued. |
When any partner retires or dies, and the business is continued under any of the conditions |
described in subsection (a), (b), (c), (e) or (f) of § 7-12-52, or § 7-12-49(b)(2), without any |
settlement of accounts as between him or her or his or her estate and the person or partnership |
continuing the business, unless otherwise agreed, he or she or his or her legal representative as |
against the persons or partnership may have the value of his or her interest at the date of dissolution |
ascertained, and shall receive as an ordinary creditor an amount equal to the value of his or her |
interest in the dissolved partnership with interest, or, at his or her option or at the option of his or |
her legal representative, in lieu of interest, the profits attributable to the use of his or her right in |
the property of the dissolved partnership; provided, that the creditors of the dissolved partnership |
as against the separate creditors, or the representative of the retired or deceased partner, have |
priority on any claim arising under this section as provided by § 7-12-52(h). |
7-12-54. Accrual of actions. |
The right to an account of his or her interest accrues to any partner, or his or her legal |
representative, as against the winding up partners or the surviving partners or the person or |
partnership continuing the business, at the date of dissolution, in the absence of any agreement to |
the contrary. |
7-12-55. Other laws preserved. |
Nothing contained in §§ 7-12-12 - - 7-12-55 affects the provisions of §§ 7-12-1 - - 7-12-11 |
or of chapter 13 of this title. |
7-12-56. Registered limited-liability partnerships. |
(a) To become, and to continue as, a registered limited-liability partnership, a partnership |
shall file with the secretary of state an application, or a renewal application, stating the name of the |
partnership, the address of its principal office, if the partnership's principal office is not located in |
this state, the address of a registered office and the name and address of a registered agent for |
service of process in this state that a partnership is required to maintain. In addition, partnerships |
under this section shall provide the names and addresses of all resident partners, the place where |
the business records of the partnership are maintained, or if more than one location for business |
records is maintained, then the principal place of business of the partnership, number, a brief |
statement of the business in which the partnership engaged, and that the partnership applies for |
status, or renewal of its status, as a registered limited-liability partnership. |
(b) The application or renewal application shall be executed by a majority in interest of the |
partners or by one or more partners authorized to execute an application or renewal application. |
(c) The application shall be accompanied by a fee of one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for |
each partnership's initial filing. |
Renewal applications are to be filed yearly and are to be accompanied by a fee of fifty |
dollars ($50.00). |
(d) The secretary of state shall register as a registered limited-liability partnership, and shall |
renew the registration of any limited-liability partnership, any partnership that submits a completed |
application or renewal application with the required fee. |
(e) Registration is effective for one year after the date an application is filed, unless |
voluntarily withdrawn by filing with the secretary of state a written withdrawal notice executed by |
a majority in interest of the partners or by one or more partners authorized to execute a withdrawal. |
Registration, whether pursuant to an original application or a renewal application, as a registered |
limited-liability partnership is renewed if, during the sixty-day (60) period preceding the date the |
application or renewal application otherwise would have expired, the partnership filed with the |
secretary of state a renewal application. A renewal application expires one year after the date an |
original application would have expired if the last renewal of the application had not occurred. |
(f) The status of a partnership as a registered limited-liability partnership is not affected by |
changes after the filing of an application or a renewal application in the information stated in the |
application or renewal application. |
(g) The secretary of state may provide forms for application for, or renewal of, registration. |
Any renewals shall maintain resident partners as set out in this section. |
(h) A partnership that registers as a registered limited-liability partnership is not deemed to |
have dissolved as a result of that registration and is for all purposes the same partnership that existed |
before the registration and continues to be a partnership under the laws of this state. If a registered |
limited-liability partnership dissolves, a partnership that is a successor to the registered limited- |
liability partnership and that intends to be a registered limited-liability partnership is not required |
to file a new application and is deemed to have filed any documents required or permitted under |
this chapter that were filed by the predecessor partnership. |
(i) The fact that an application or renewal application is on file in the office of the secretary |
of state is notice that the partnership is a registered limited-liability partnership and is notice of all |
other facts stated in the application or renewal application. |
7-12-57. Name of registered limited-liability partnerships. |
(a) The name of a registered limited-liability partnership contains the words "registered |
limited-liability partnership" or the abbreviation "L.L.P" or "LLP" as the last words or letters of its |
name. |
(b) The name shall be distinguishable upon the records of the secretary of state from the |
name of any domestic for-profit or nonprofit corporation, or any domestic limited partnership, or |
any domestic limited-liability company or any registered limited-liability partnership existing |
under the laws of the state, or the name of any foreign for-profit or nonprofit corporation, or foreign |
limited partnership, or foreign limited-liability company, or foreign registered limited-liability |
partnership authorized to transact business in this state, or a name the exclusive right to which is, |
at the time filed, reserved or registered in the manner provided under this title, subject to the |
following: |
(1) This provision does not apply if the applicant files with the secretary of state a certified |
copy of a final decree of a court of competent jurisdiction establishing the prior right of the |
applicant to the use of the name in this state; and |
(2) The name may be the same as the name of a corporation, or limited-liability company, |
or registered limited-liability partnership, the certificate of incorporation, authority, organization, |
or registration of which has been revoked by the secretary of state as permitted by law and the |
revocation has not been withdrawn within one year from the date of the revocation. |
(3) Words and/or abbreviations that are required by statute to identify the particular type |
of business entity shall be disregarded when determining if a name is distinguishable upon the |
records of the secretary of state. |
(4) The secretary of state shall promulgate rules and regulations defining the term |
"distinguishable upon the record" for the administration of this chapter. |
7-12-58. Insurance or financial responsibility of registered limited-liability |
partnerships. |
(a) A registered limited-liability partnership that is to perform professional services as |
defined in § 7-5.1-2 shall carry, if reasonably available, liability insurance of a kind that is designed |
to cover the kinds of negligence, wrongful acts, or misconduct for which liability is limited by § 7- |
12-26(b). The insurance shall be in the aggregate amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) |
multiplied by the number of professional employees of the registered limited-liability partnership |
as of the policy anniversary date; provided, that in no case shall the coverage be less than one |
hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) but in no event shall the necessary coverage exceed a |
maximum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000); provided, further, that any policy for |
insurance coverage may include a deductible provision in any amount not to exceed twenty-five |
thousand dollars ($25,000) for each claim multiplied by the number of professional employees of |
the limited-liability partnership as of the date of the issuance of the policy. The policy or policies |
of insurance may be subject to any terms, conditions, exclusions and endorsements that are |
typically contained in policies of this type. |
(b) If, in any proceeding, compliance by a partnership with the requirements of subsection |
(a) is disputed: |
(1) That issue is determined by the court, and |
(2) The burden of proof of compliance is on the person who claims the limitation of liability |
in § 7-12-26(b). |
(c) If a registered limited-liability partnership is in compliance with the requirements of |
subsection (a), the requirements of this section shall not be admissible or in any way be made |
known to a jury in determining an issue of liability for or extent of the debt or obligation or damages |
in question. |
(d) Insurance is reasonably available for the purpose of subsection (a) if, at the time that |
the coverage would apply to the negligence, wrongful acts, or misconduct in question, it was |
reasonably available to similar types of partnerships through the admitted or eligible surplus lines |
market. |
(e) A registered limited-liability partnership is considered to be in compliance with |
subsection (a) if the partnership provides five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) of funds |
specifically designated and segregated for the satisfaction of judgments against the partnership |
based on the forms of negligence, wrongful acts, and misconduct for which liability is limited by § |
7-12-26(b) by: |
(1) Deposit in trust or in bank escrow of cash, bank certificates of deposit, or United States |
Treasury obligations; or |
(2) A bank letter of credit or insurance company bonds. |
(f) To the extent that a partnership maintains liability insurance or segregated funds |
pursuant to the laws or regulations of another jurisdiction, the liability insurance or segregated |
funds are deemed to satisfy this section if the amount hereof is equal to or greater than the amount |
specified in subsection (a) or (e). |
7-12-59. Applicability to foreign and interstate commerce. |
(a) A partnership, including a registered limited-liability partnership, formed and existing |
pursuant to an agreement governed by this chapter, may conduct its business, carry on its operations |
and have and exercise the powers granted by this chapter in any state, territory, district or possession |
of the United States, or in any foreign country. |
(b) It is the intent of the general assembly that the legal existence of partnerships, including |
registered limited-liability partnerships, formed in this state are recognized outside the boundaries |
of this state and that, subject to any reasonable requirement of registration, a partnership, including |
a registered limited-liability partnership, formed pursuant to an agreement governed by this chapter |
and transacting business outside this state is granted the protection of full faith and credit under the |
Constitution of the United States. |
(c) The liability of partners in a partnership, including registered limited-liability |
partnerships, formed and existing pursuant to an agreement governed by this chapter for the debts |
and obligations of the partnership, is at all times determined exclusively by the laws of this state. |
(d) Before transacting business in this state, a foreign registered limited-liability |
partnership shall comply with any statutory or administrative registration or filing requirements |
governing the specific type of business in which the partnership is engaged, and file a notice with |
the secretary of state, on any forms that the Secretary provides, stating: |
(1) The name of the partnership; |
(2) The jurisdiction, the laws of which govern its partnership agreement and under which |
it is registered as a limited-liability partnership; |
(3) The address of its principal office; |
(4) If the partnership's principal office is not located in this state; |
(5) The address of a registered office and the name and address of a registered agent for |
service of process in this state that the partnership shall be required to maintain; |
(6) The names and addresses of all resident partners in this state; |
(7) A brief statement of the business in which the partnership engages; |
(8) Any other information that the partnership determines to include; |
(9) A statement that the partnership is a registered limited-liability partnership. The notice |
shall be accompanied by a fee of one thousand dollars ($1,000). The notice is effective for two (2) |
years from the date of filing, after which time the partnership shall file a new notice. The filing of |
the notice with the secretary of state makes it unnecessary to file any other documents under §§ 6- |
1-1 - - 6-1-4. |
(e) The name of a foreign registered limited-liability partnership doing business in this state |
shall contain the words "Registered Limited-Liability Partnership" or "L.L.P." or "LLP", or any |
other similar words or abbreviation as are required or authorized by the laws of the state where the |
partnership is registered, as the last words or letters of its name. |
(f) The internal affairs of foreign registered limited-liability partnerships, including the |
liability of partners for debts, obligations, and liabilities of, or chargeable to, the partnership or |
another partner or partners, are subject to and governed by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the |
foreign registered limited-liability partnership is registered. |
SECTION 2. Title 7 of the General Laws entitled "CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, |
AND PARTNERSHIPS" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following chapter: |
CHAPTER 12.1 |
UNIFORM PARTNERSHIP ACT |
ARTICLE 1 |
GENERAL PROVISIONS |
7-12.1-101. Short title. |
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "The Uniform Partnership Act". |
7-12.1-102. Definitions. |
As used in this chapter: |
(1) "Business" includes every trade, occupation, and profession. |
(2) "Contribution", except in the phrase "right of contribution", means property or a benefit |
described in § 7-12.1-403 which is provided by a person to a partnership to become a partner or in |
the person's capacity as a partner. |
(3) "Debtor in bankruptcy" means a person that is the subject of: |
(i) An order for relief under Title 11 of the United States Code or a comparable order under |
a successor statute of general application; or |
(ii) A comparable order under federal, state, or foreign law governing insolvency. |
(4) "Delivering/delivered" means either physically transferring a paper document to the |
secretary of state or transferring a document to the secretary of state by electronic transmission |
through a medium provided and authorized by the secretary of state. |
(5) "Distribution" means a transfer of money or other property from a partnership to a |
person on account of a transferable interest or in a person's capacity as a partner. The term: |
(i) Includes: |
(A) A redemption or other purchase by a partnership of a transferable interest; and |
(B) A transfer to a partner in return for the partner's relinquishment of any right to |
participate as a partner in the management or conduct of the partnership's business or have access |
to records or other information concerning the partnership's business; and |
(ii) Does not include amounts constituting reasonable compensation for present or past |
service or payments made in the ordinary course of business under a bona fide retirement plan or |
other bona fide benefits program. |
(6) "Electronic transmission" means any form of communication, not directly involving |
the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and |
reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a |
recipient through an automated process. |
(7) "Foreign limited-liability partnership" means a foreign partnership whose partners have |
limited-liability for the debts, obligations, or other liabilities of the foreign partnership under a |
provision similar to § 7-12.1-306(c). |
(8) "Foreign partnership" means an unincorporated entity formed under the law of a |
jurisdiction other than this state which would be a partnership if formed under the law of this state. |
The term includes a foreign limited-liability partnership. |
(9) "Jurisdiction", used to refer to a political entity, means the United States, a state, a |
foreign country, or a political subdivision of a foreign country. |
(10) "Jurisdiction of formation" means the jurisdiction whose law governs the internal |
affairs of an entity. |
(11) "Limited-liability partnership", except in the phrase "foreign limited-liability |
partnership" and in Article 11 of this chapter, means a partnership that has filed a statement of |
qualification under § 7-12.1-901 and does not have a similar statement in effect in any other |
jurisdiction. |
(12) "Partner" means a person that: |
(i) Has become a partner in a partnership under § 7-12.1-402 or was a partner in a |
partnership when the partnership became subject to this chapter under § 7-12.1-110; and |
(ii) Has not dissociated as a partner under § 7-12.1-601. |
(13) "Partnership", except in Article 11 of this chapter, means an association of two (2) or |
more persons to carry on as co-owners of a business for profit formed under this chapter or that |
becomes subject to this chapter under Article 11 of this chapter or § 7-12.1-110. The term includes |
a limited-liability partnership. |
(14) "Partnership agreement" means the agreement, whether or not referred to as a |
partnership agreement and whether oral, implied, in a record, or in any combination thereof, of all |
the partners of a partnership concerning the matters described in § 7-12.1-105. The term includes |
the agreement as amended or restated. |
(15) "Partnership at will" means a partnership in which the partners have not agreed to |
remain partners until the expiration of a definite term or the completion of a particular undertaking. |
(16) "Person" means an individual, business corporation, nonprofit corporation, |
partnership, limited partnership, limited-liability company, general cooperative association, limited |
cooperative association, unincorporated nonprofit association, statutory trust, business trust, |
common-law business trust, estate, trust, association, joint venture, public corporation, government |
or governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality, or any other legal or commercial entity. |
(17) "Principal office" means the principal executive office of a partnership or a foreign |
limited-liability partnership, whether or not the office is located in this state. |
(18) "Property" means all property, whether real, personal, or mixed or tangible or |
intangible, or any right or interest therein. |
(19) "Record", used as a noun, means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium |
or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. |
(20) "Registered agent" means an agent of a limited-liability partnership or foreign limited- |
liability partnership which is authorized to receive service of any process, notice, or demand |
required or permitted by law to be served on the partnership. |
(21) "Registered foreign limited-liability partnership" means a foreign limited-liability |
partnership that is registered to do business in this state pursuant to a statement of registration filed |
with the secretary of state. |
(22) "Sign" means, with present intent to authenticate or adopt a record: |
(i) To execute or adopt a tangible symbol; or |
(ii) To attach to or logically associate with the record an electronic symbol, sound, or |
process. |
(23) "Signature" or "signed" or "executed" means an original signature, facsimile, or an |
electronically transmitted signature submitted through a medium provided and authorized by the |
secretary of state. |
(24) "State" means a state of the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the |
United States Virgin Islands, or any territory or insular possession subject to the jurisdiction of the |
United States. |
(25) "Transfer" includes: |
(i) An assignment; |
(ii) A conveyance; |
(iii) A sale; |
(iv) A lease; |
(v) An encumbrance, including a mortgage or security interest; |
(vi) A gift; and |
(vii) A transfer by operation of law. |
(26) "Transferable interest" means the right, as initially owned by a person in the person's |
capacity as a partner, to receive distributions from a partnership, whether or not the person remains |
a partner or continues to own any part of the right. The term applies to any fraction of the interest, |
by whomever owned. |
(27) "Transferee" means a person to which all or part of a transferable interest has been |
transferred, whether or not the transferor is a partner. |
7-12.1-103. Knowledge; Notice. |
(a) A person knows a fact if the person: |
(1) Has actual knowledge of it; or |
(2) Is deemed to know it under subsection (d)(1) of this section or law other than this |
chapter. |
(b) A person has notice of a fact if the person: |
(1) Has reason to know the fact from all the facts known to the person at the time in |
question; or |
(2) Is deemed to have notice of the fact under subsection (d)(2) of this section. |
(c) Subject to § 7-12.1-117(f), a person notifies another person of a fact by taking steps |
reasonably required to inform the other person in ordinary course, whether or not those steps cause |
the other person to know the fact. |
(d) A person not a partner is deemed: |
(1) To know of a limitation on authority to transfer real property as provided in § 7-12.1- |
303(g); and |
(2) To have notice of: |
(i) A person's dissociation as a partner ninety (90) days after a statement of dissociation |
under § 7-12.1-704 becomes effective; and |
(ii) A partnership's: |
(A) Dissolution ninety (90) days after a statement of dissolution under § 7-12.1-802 |
becomes effective; |
(B) Termination ninety (90) days after a statement of termination under § 7-12.1-802 |
becomes effective; and |
(C) Participation in a merger, interest exchange, conversion, or domestication, ninety (90) |
days after articles of merger, interest exchange, conversion, or domestication under Article 11 of |
this chapter become effective. |
(e) A partner's knowledge or notice of a fact relating to the partnership is effective |
immediately as knowledge of or notice to the partnership, except in the case of a fraud on the |
partnership committed by or with the consent of that partner. |
7-12.1-104. Governing law. |
The internal affairs of a partnership and the liability of a partner as a partner for a debt, |
obligation, or other liability of the partnership are governed by: |
(1) In the case of a limited-liability partnership, the law of this state; and |
(2) In the case of a partnership that is not a limited-liability partnership, the law of the |
jurisdiction in which the partnership has its principal office. |
7-12.1-105. Partnership agreement; Scope, Function, and Limitations. |
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (c) and (d) of this section, the partnership |
agreement governs: |
(1) Relations among the partners as partners and between the partners and the partnership; |
(2) The business of the partnership and the conduct of that business; and |
(3) The means and conditions for amending the partnership agreement. |
(b) To the extent the partnership agreement does not provide for a matter described in |
subsection (a) of this section, this chapter governs the matter. |
(c) A partnership agreement may not: |
(1) Vary the law applicable under § 7-12.1-104(1); |
(2) Vary the provisions of § 7-12.1-110; |
(3) Vary the provisions of § 7-12.1-307; |
(4) Unreasonably restrict the duties and rights under § 7-12.1-408, but the partnership |
agreement may impose reasonable restrictions on the availability and use of information obtained |
under that section and may define appropriate remedies, including liquidated damages, for a breach |
of any reasonable restriction on use; |
(5) Alter or eliminate the duty of loyalty or the duty of care, except as otherwise provided |
in subsection (d) of this section; |
(6) Eliminate the contractual obligation of good faith and fair dealing under § 7-12.1- |
409(d), but the partnership agreement may prescribe the standards, if not manifestly unreasonable, |
by which the performance of the obligation is to be measured; |
(7) Unreasonably restrict the right of a person to maintain an action under § 7-12.1-410(b); |
(8) Relieve or exonerate a person from liability for conduct involving bad faith, willful or |
intentional misconduct, or knowing violation of law; |
(9) Vary the power of a person to dissociate as a partner under § 7-12.1-602(a), except to |
require that the notice under § 7-12.1-601(1) to be in a record; |
(10) Vary the grounds for expulsion specified in § 7-12.1-601(5); |
(11) Vary the causes of dissolution specified in § 7-12.1-801(4) or (5); |
(12) Vary the requirement to wind up the partnership's business as specified in § 7-12.1- |
802(a), (b)(1), and (d); |
(13) Vary the right of a partner under § 7-12.1-901(f) to vote on or consent to a cancellation |
of a statement of qualification; |
(14) Vary the right of a partner to approve a merger, interest exchange, conversion, or |
domestication under §§ 7-12.1-11.23(a)(2), 7-12.1-11.33(a)(2), 7-12.1-11.43(a)(2), or 7-12.1- |
11.53(a)(2); |
(15) Vary the required contents of a plan of merger under § 7-12.1-11.22(a), plan of interest |
exchange under § 7-12.1-11.32(a), plan of conversion under § 7-12.1-11.42(a), or plan of |
domestication under § 7-12.1-11.52(a); |
(16) Vary any requirement, procedure, or other provision of this chapter pertaining to: |
(i) Registered agents; or |
(ii) The secretary of state, including provisions pertaining to records authorized or required |
to be filed with the secretary of state under this chapter; or |
(17) Except as otherwise provided in §§ 7-12.1-106 and 7-12.1-107(b), restrict the rights |
under this chapter of a person other than a partner. |
(d) Subject to subsection (c)(8) of this section, without limiting other terms that may be |
included in a partnership agreement, the following rules apply: |
(1) The partnership agreement may: |
(i) Specify the method by which a specific act or transaction that would otherwise violate |
the duty of loyalty may be authorized or ratified by one or more disinterested and independent |
persons after full disclosure of all material facts; and |
(ii) Alter the prohibition in § 7-12.1-406(a)(2) to the extent the prohibition requires only |
that the partnership's total assets not be less than the sum of its total liabilities. |
(2) To the extent the partnership agreement expressly relieves a partner of a responsibility |
that the partner would otherwise have under this chapter and imposes the responsibility on one or |
more other partners, the agreement also may eliminate or limit any fiduciary duty of the partner |
relieved of the responsibility which would have pertained to the responsibility. |
(3) If not manifestly unreasonable, the partnership agreement may: |
(i) Alter or eliminate the aspects of the duty of loyalty stated in § 7-12.1-409(b); |
(ii) Identify specific types or categories of activities that do not violate the duty of loyalty; |
(iii) Alter the duty of care, but may not authorize conduct involving bad faith, willful or |
intentional misconduct, or knowing violation of law; and |
(iv) Alter or eliminate any other fiduciary duty. |
(e) The court shall decide as a matter of law whether a term of a partnership agreement is |
manifestly unreasonable under subsection (c)(6) or (d)(3) of this section. The Providence County |
superior court: |
(1) Shall make its determination as of the time the challenged term became part of the |
partnership agreement and by considering only circumstances existing at that time; and |
(2) May invalidate the term only if, in light of the purposes and business of the partnership, |
it is readily apparent that: |
(i) The objective of the term is unreasonable; or |
(ii) The term is an unreasonable means to achieve the term's objective. |
7-12.1-106. Partnership agreement -- Effect on partnership and person becoming |
partner -- Preformation agreement. |
(a) A partnership is bound by and may enforce the partnership agreement, whether or not |
the partnership has itself manifested assent to the agreement. |
(b) A person that becomes a partner is deemed to assent to the partnership agreement. |
(c) Two (2) or more persons intending to become the initial partners of a partnership may |
make an agreement providing that upon the formation of the partnership the agreement will become |
the partnership agreement. |
7-12.1-107. Partnership agreement -- Effect on third parties and relationship to |
records effective on behalf of partnership. |
(a) A partnership agreement may specify that its amendment requires the approval of a |
person that is not a party to the agreement or the satisfaction of a condition. An amendment is |
ineffective if its adoption does not include the required approval or satisfy the specified condition. |
(b) The obligations of a partnership and its partners to a person in the person's capacity as |
a transferee or person dissociated as a partner are governed by the partnership agreement. Subject |
only to a court order issued under § 7-12.1-504(b)(2) to effectuate a charging order, an amendment |
to the partnership agreement made after a person becomes a transferee or is dissociated as a partner: |
(1) Is effective with regard to any debt, obligation, or other liability of the partnership or |
its partners to the person in the person's capacity as a transferee or person dissociated as a partner; |
and |
(2) Is not effective to the extent the amendment: |
(i) Imposes a new debt, obligation, or other liability on the transferee or person dissociated |
as a partner; or |
(ii) Prejudices the rights under § 7-12.1-701 of a person that dissociated as a partner before |
the amendment was made. |
(c) If a record delivered by a partnership to the secretary of state for filing becomes |
effective and contains a provision that would be ineffective under §§ 7-12.1-105(c) or 7-12.1- |
105(d)(3) if contained in the partnership agreement, the provision is ineffective in the record. |
(d) Subject to subsection (c) of this section, if a record delivered by a partnership to the |
secretary of state for filing becomes effective and conflicts with a provision of the partnership |
agreement: |
(1) The agreement prevails as to partners, persons dissociated as partners, and transferees; |
and |
(2) The record prevails as to other persons to the extent they reasonably rely on the record. |
7-12.1-108. Signing of records to be delivered for filing to secretary of state. |
(a) A record filed with the secretary of state pursuant to this chapter must be signed as |
follows: |
(1) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (a)(2) and (a)(3) of this section, a record |
signed by a partnership must be signed by a person authorized by the partnership. |
(2) A record filed on behalf of a dissolved partnership that has no partner must be signed |
by the person winding up the partnership's business under § 7-12.1-802(c) or a person appointed |
under § 7-12.1-802(d) to wind up the business. |
(3) A statement of denial by a person under § 7-12.1-304 must be signed by that person. |
(4) Any other record delivered on behalf of a person to the secretary of state for filing must |
be signed by that person. |
(b) A record filed under this chapter may be signed by an agent. Whenever this chapter |
requires a particular individual to sign a record and the individual is deceased or incompetent, the |
record may be signed by a legal representative of the individual. |
(c) A person that signs a record as an agent or legal representative affirms as a fact that the |
person is authorized to sign the record. |
7-12.1-109. Liability for inaccurate information in filed record. |
(a) If a record filed with the secretary of state under this chapter and filed by the secretary |
of state contains inaccurate information, a person that suffers loss by reliance on the information |
may recover damages for the loss from: |
(1) A person that signed the record, or caused another to sign it on the person's behalf, and |
knew the information to be inaccurate at the time the record was signed; and |
(2) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, a partner if: |
(i) The record was delivered for filing on behalf of the partnership; and |
(ii) The partner knew or had notice of the inaccuracy for a reasonably sufficient time before |
the information was relied upon so that, before the reliance, the partner reasonably could have: |
(A) Effected an amendment under § 7-12.1-901(f); |
(B) Filed a petition under § 7-12.1-112; or |
(C) Filed with the secretary of state a statement of change under § 7-12.1-909 or a statement |
of correction under § 7-12.1-116. |
(b) To the extent the partnership agreement expressly relieves a partner of responsibility |
for maintaining the accuracy of information contained in records delivered on behalf of the |
partnership to the secretary of state for filing under this chapter and imposes that responsibility on |
one or more other partners, the liability stated in subsection (a)(2) of this section applies to those |
other partners and not to the partner that the partnership agreement relieves of the responsibility. |
(c) An individual who signs a record authorized or required to be filed under this chapter |
affirms under penalty of perjury that the information stated in the record is accurate. |
7-12.1-110. Application to existing relationships. |
(a) This chapter governs only: |
(1) A partnership formed on or after January 1, 2023; and |
(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, a partnership formed |
before January 1, 2023, which elects, in the manner provided in its partnership agreement or by law |
for amending the partnership agreement, to be subject to this chapter. |
(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, on and after January 1, |
2023, this chapter governs all partnerships. |
(c) With respect to a partnership that elects pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this section to |
be subject to this chapter, after the election takes effect the provisions of this chapter relating to the |
liability of the partnership's partners to third parties apply to: |
(1) A third party that had not done business with the partnership in the year before the |
election took effect; and |
(2) A third party that had done business with the partnership in the year before the election |
took effect only if the third party knows or has been notified of the election. |
7-12.1-110.1. Election of existing limited-liability partnerships. |
(a) With respect to a limited-liability partnership that elects pursuant to §7-12.1-110 (a)(2) |
to be subject to this chapter, the partnership must deliver to the secretary of state a statement |
approved in the manner required by § 7-12.1-901(b). The statement must contain: |
(1) The name of the limited-liability partnership; |
(2) A statement that the partnership is a limited-liability partnership and elects to comply |
with the provisions of chapter 12.1 of title 7; |
(3) A statement that the partnership’s status as a limited-liability partnership is perpetual |
and remains effective, regardless of changes to the partnership, until it is canceled or |
administratively revoked pursuant to the provision provisions of chapter 12.1 of title 7; |
(4) The name and street address in this state of the partnership’s registered agent. |
(b) Prior to the effective date of this chapter outlined in § 7-12.1-110(b), a limited-liability |
partnership may renew its registration pursuant to § 7-12-56(e). Upon the effective date of this |
chapter, to maintain its status as a limited-liability partnership, the following actions must be taken: |
(1) A designation of a registered agent must be recorded with the secretary of state; and |
(2) At the time prescribed, the limited-liability partnership must file an annual report in |
accordance with the provisions of § 7-12.1-913. |
7-12.1-111. Delivery of record. |
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, permissible means of delivery of a record |
include delivery by hand, mail, conventional commercial practice, and electronic transmission. |
(b) Delivery to the secretary of state is effective only when a record is received by the |
secretary of state. |
7-12.1-112. Signing and filing pursuant to judicial order. |
(a) If a person required by this chapter to sign a record or deliver a record to the secretary |
of state for filing under this chapter does not do so, any other person that is aggrieved may petition |
the superior court to order: |
(1) The person to sign the record; |
(2) The person to deliver the record to the secretary of state for filing; or |
(3) The secretary of state to file the record unsigned. |
(b) If a petitioner under subsection (a) of this section is not the partnership or foreign |
limited-liability partnership to which the record pertains, the petitioner shall make the partnership |
or foreign partnership a party to the action. |
(c) A record filed under subsection (a)(3) of this section is effective without being signed. |
7-12.1-113. Filing requirements. |
(a) To be filed by the secretary of state pursuant to this chapter, a record must be received |
by the secretary of state, comply with this chapter, and satisfy the following: |
(1) The filing of the record must be required or permitted by this chapter; |
(2) The record must be physically delivered in written form unless and to the extent the |
secretary of state permits electronic delivery of records; |
(3) The words in the record must be in English, and numbers must be in Arabic or Roman |
numerals, but the name of an entity need not be in English if written in English letters or Arabic or |
Roman numerals; |
(4) The record must be signed by a person authorized or required under this chapter to sign |
the record; and |
(5) The record must state the name and capacity, if any, of each individual who signed it, |
either on behalf of the individual or the person authorized or required to sign the record, but need |
not contain a seal, attestation, acknowledgment, or verification. |
(b) If any law other than this chapter prohibits the disclosure by the secretary of state of |
information contained in a record filed with the secretary of state, the secretary of state shall file |
the record if the record otherwise complies with this chapter but may redact the information. |
(c) When a record is filed with the secretary of state, any fee required under this chapter |
and any fee, tax, interest, or penalty required to be paid under this chapter or law other than this |
chapter must be paid in a manner permitted by the secretary of state or by that law. |
(d) The secretary of state may require that a record delivered in written form be |
accompanied by an identical or conformed copy. |
(e) The secretary of state may provide forms for filings required or permitted to be made |
by this chapter, but, except as otherwise provided in this section, their use is not required. |
(f) The secretary of state may require that a cover sheet for a filing be on a form prescribed |
by the secretary of state. |
7-12.1-114. Effective date and time. |
Except as otherwise provided in § 7-12.1-115 and subject to § 7-12.1-116(c), a record filed |
under this chapter is effective: |
(1) On the date and at the time of its filing by the secretary of state, as provided in § 7- |
12.1-117(b); |
(2) On the date of filing and at the time specified in the record as its effective time, if later |
than the time under subsection (1) of this section; |
(3) At a specified delayed effective date and time, which may not be more than ninety (90) |
days after the date of filing; or |
(4) If a delayed effective date is specified, but no time is specified, at one minute past |
twelve am (12:01 a.m.) on the date specified, which may not be more than ninety (90) days after |
the date of filing. |
7-12.1-115. Withdrawal of filed record before effectiveness. |
(a) Except as otherwise provided in §§ 7-12.1-11.24, 7-12.1-11.34, 7-12.1-11.44, and 7- |
12.1-11.54, a record filed with the secretary of state may be withdrawn before it takes effect by |
delivering to the secretary of state for filing a statement of withdrawal. |
(b) A statement of withdrawal must: |
(1) Be signed by each person that signed the record being withdrawn, except as otherwise |
agreed by those persons; |
(2) Identify the record to be withdrawn; and |
(3) If signed by fewer than all the persons that signed the record being withdrawn, state |
that the record is withdrawn in accordance with the agreement of all the persons that signed the |
record. |
(c) On filing by the secretary of state of a statement of withdrawal, the action or transaction |
evidenced by the original record does not take effect. |
7-12.1-116. Correcting filed record. |
(a) A person on whose behalf a filed record was filed with the secretary of state may correct |
the record if: |
(1) The record at the time of filing was inaccurate; |
(2) The record was defectively signed; or |
(3) The electronic transmission of the record to the secretary of state was defective. |
(b) To correct a filed record, a person on whose behalf the record was delivered to the |
secretary of state must deliver to the secretary of state for filing a statement of correction. |
(c) A statement of correction: |
(1) May not state a delayed effective date; |
(2) Must be signed by the person correcting the filed record; |
(3) Must identify the filed record to be corrected; |
(4) Must specify the inaccuracy or defect to be corrected; and |
(5) Must correct the inaccuracy or defect. |
(d) A statement of correction is effective as of the effective date of the filed record that it |
corrects except for purposes of § 7-12.1-103(d) and as to persons relying on the uncorrected filed |
record and adversely affected by the correction. For those purposes and as to those persons, the |
statement of correction is effective when filed. |
7-12.1-117. Duty of secretary of state to file -- Review of refusal to file -- Delivery of |
record by secretary of state. |
(a) The secretary of state shall file a record filed with the secretary of state which satisfies |
this chapter. The duty of the secretary of state under this section is ministerial. |
(b) When the secretary of state files a record, the secretary of state shall record it as filed |
on the date and at the time of its delivery. After filing a record, the secretary of state shall deliver |
to the person that submitted the record a copy of the record with an acknowledgment of the date |
and time of filing and, in the case of a statement of denial, also to the partnership to which the |
statement pertains. |
(c) If the secretary of state refuses to file a record, the secretary of state shall, not later than |
ten (10) business days after the record is delivered: |
(1) Return the record or notify the person that submitted the record of the refusal; and |
(2) Provide a brief explanation in a record of the reason for the refusal. |
(d) If the secretary of state refuses to file a record, the person that submitted the record may |
petition the superior court to compel filing of the record. The record and the explanation of the |
secretary of state of the refusal to file must be attached to the petition. The Providence County |
superior court may decide the matter in a summary proceeding. |
(e) The filing of or refusal to file a record does not: |
(1) Affect the validity or invalidity of the record in whole or in part; or |
(2) Create a presumption that the information contained in the record is correct or incorrect. |
(f) Except as otherwise provided by § 7-12.1-909 or by law other than this chapter, the |
secretary of state may deliver any record to a person by delivering it: |
(1) In person to the person that submitted it; |
(2) To the address of the person's registered agent; |
(3) To the principal office of the person; |
(4) To an electronic address the person provides to the secretary of state for delivery; or |
(5) By providing, at no cost to the filer, access to a downloadable copy of the record from |
the secretary of state’s online corporate database. |
(g) Notwithstanding that any instrument authorized to be filed with the secretary of state |
under this chapter is when filed inaccurately, defectively or erroneously executed, sealed or |
acknowledged, or otherwise defective in any respect, the secretary of state has no liability to any |
individual for the preclearance for filing, the acceptance for filing or the filing and indexing of such |
instrument by the secretary of state. |
7-12.1-117.1. Fees for filing documents and issuing certificates. |
The secretary of state shall charge and collect for: |
(1) Filing a statement of partnership authority, one hundred dollars ($100); |
(2) Filing a statement of amendment or cancellation of partnership authority, fifty dollars |
($50.00); |
(3) Filing a statement of denial of partnership authority, fifty dollars ($50.00); |
(4) Filing a statement of dissociation, ten dollars ($10.00); |
(5) Filing an application to reserve a partnership name, fifty dollars ($50.00); |
(6) Filing a notice of transfer of a reserved partnership name, fifty dollars ($50.00); |
(7) Filing a statement of change of registered agent, twenty dollars ($20.00); |
(8) Filing a statement of change of name or address only for a registered agent, without |
fee; |
(9) Filing a statement of qualification for a limited-liability partnership, one hundred fifty |
dollars ($150) |
(10) Filing a statement of amendment or cancellation of a limited-liability partnership, fifty |
dollars ($50.00); |
(11) Filing a fictitious business name statement for a limited-liability partnership, fifty |
dollars ($50.00) |
(12) Filing an application of registration for a foreign limited-liability partnership, one |
hundred fifty dollars ($150); |
(13) Filing an amendment to an application of registration for a foreign limited-liability |
partnership, fifty dollars ($50.00) |
(14) Filing a certificate of withdrawal of registration as a foreign limited-liability |
partnership, fifty dollars ($50.00); |
(15) Filing any other document, statement, or report of a domestic or foreign limited- |
liability partnership, except an annual report, ten dollars ($10.00); |
(16) An annual report of a domestic or foreign limited-liability partnership, fifty dollars |
($50.00); |
(17) To withdraw the certificate of revocation of a limited-liability partnership, whether |
domestic or foreign, a penalty in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00) for each year or part of the |
year that has elapsed since the issuance of the certificate of revocation; |
(18) For issuing a certificate of good standing/letter of status, twenty dollars ($20.00); |
(19) For issuing a certificate of fact, thirty dollars ($30.00); |
(20) For furnishing a certified copy of any document, instrument, or paper relating to a |
partnership or limited-liability partnership, a fee of fifteen cents ($.15) per page and ten dollars |
($10.00) for the certificate and affirming the seal to it; |
(21) Service of process on the secretary of state as registered agent of a partnership or a |
limited-liability partnership, fifteen dollars ($15.00) which amount may be recovered as a taxable |
cost by the party to the suit or action making the service if the party prevails in the suit or action; |
(22) Filing articles of merger for a partnership or limited-liability partnership, one hundred |
dollars ($100); and |
(23) Filing a statement of domestication for a limited-liability partnership, fifty dollars |
($50.00). |
7-12.1-118. Reservation of power to amend or repeal. |
The general assembly has power to amend or repeal all or part of this chapter at any time, |
and all limited-liability partnerships and foreign limited-liability partnerships subject to this chapter |
shall be governed by the amendment or repeal. |
7-12.1-119. Supplemental principles of law. |
Unless displaced by particular provisions of this chapter, the principles of law and equity |
supplement this chapter. |
ARTICLE 2 |
NATURE OF PARTNERSHIP |
7-12.1-201. Partnership as entity. |
(a) A partnership is an entity distinct from its partners. |
(b) A partnership is the same entity regardless of whether the partnership has a statement |
of qualification in effect under § 7-12.1-901. |
7-12.1-202. Formation of partnership. |
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, the association of two |
(2) or more persons to carry on as co-owners a business for profit forms a partnership, whether or |
not the persons intend to form a partnership. |
(b) An association formed under a statute other than this chapter, a predecessor statute, or |
a comparable statute of another jurisdiction is not a partnership under this chapter. |
(c) In determining whether a partnership is formed, the following rules apply: |
(1) Joint tenancy, tenancy in common, tenancy by the entireties, joint property, common |
property, or part ownership does not by itself establish a partnership, even if the co-owners share |
profits made by the use of the property; |
(2) The sharing of gross returns does not by itself establish a partnership, even if the persons |
sharing them have a joint or common right or interest in property from which the returns are |
derived; and |
(3) A person who receives a share of the profits of a business is presumed to be a partner |
in the business, unless the profits were received in payment: |
(i) Of a debt by installments or otherwise; |
(ii) For services as an independent contractor or of wages or other compensation to an |
employee; |
(iii) Of rent; |
(iv) Of an annuity or other retirement or health benefit to a deceased or retired partner or a |
beneficiary, representative, or designee of a deceased or retired partner; |
(v) Of interest or other charge on a loan, even if the amount of payment varies with the |
profits of the business, including a direct or indirect present or future ownership of the collateral, |
or rights to income, proceeds, or increase in value derived from the collateral; or |
(vi) For the sale of the goodwill of a business or other property by installments or otherwise. |
7-12.1-203. Partnership property. |
Property acquired by a partnership is property of the partnership and not of the partners |
individually. |
7-12.1-204. When property is partnership property. |
(a) Property is partnership property if acquired in the name of: |
(1) The partnership; or |
(2) One or more partners with an indication in the instrument transferring title to the |
property of the person's capacity as a partner or of the existence of a partnership but without an |
indication of the name of the partnership. |
(b) Property is acquired in the name of the partnership by a transfer to: |
(1) The partnership in its name; or |
(2) One or more partners in their capacity as partners in the partnership, if the name of the |
partnership is indicated in the instrument transferring title to the property. |
(c) Property is presumed to be partnership property if purchased with partnership assets, |
even if not acquired in the name of the partnership or of one or more partners with an indication in |
the instrument transferring title to the property of the person's capacity as a partner or of the |
existence of a partnership. |
(d) Property acquired in the name of one or more of the partners, without an indication in |
the instrument transferring title to the property of the person's capacity as a partner or of the |
existence of a partnership and without use of partnership assets, is presumed to be separate property, |
even if used for partnership purposes. |
ARTICLE 3 |
RELATIONS OF PARTNERS TO PERSONS DEALING WITH PARTNERSHIP |
7-12.1-301. Partner agent of partnership. |
Subject to the effect of a statement of partnership authority under § 7-12.1-303, the |
following rules apply: |
(1) Each partner is an agent of the partnership for the purpose of its business. An act of a |
partner, including the signing of an instrument in the partnership name, for apparently carrying on |
in the ordinary course the partnership business or business of the kind carried on by the partnership |
binds the partnership, unless the partner did not have authority to act for the partnership in the |
particular matter and the person with which the partner was dealing knew or had notice that the |
partner lacked authority. |
(2) An act of a partner which is not apparently for carrying on in the ordinary course the |
partnership's business or business of the kind carried on by the partnership binds the partnership |
only if the act was actually authorized by all the other partners. |
7-12.1-302. Transfer of partnership property. |
(a) Partnership property may be transferred as follows: |
(1) Subject to the effect of a statement of partnership authority under § 7-12.1-303, |
partnership property held in the name of the partnership may be transferred by an instrument of |
transfer signed by a partner in the partnership name; |
(2) Partnership property held in the name of one or more partners with an indication in the |
instrument transferring the property to them of their capacity as partners or of the existence of a |
partnership, but without an indication of the name of the partnership, may be transferred by an |
instrument of transfer signed by the persons in whose name the property is held; or |
(3) Partnership property held in the name of one or more persons other than the partnership, |
without an indication in the instrument transferring the property to them of their capacity as partners |
or of the existence of a partnership, may be transferred by an instrument of transfer signed by the |
persons in whose name the property is held. |
(b) A partnership may recover partnership property from a transferee only if it proves that |
signing of the instrument of initial transfer did not bind the partnership under § 7-12.1-301 and: |
(1) As to a subsequent transferee who gave value for property transferred under subsections |
(a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section, proves that the subsequent transferee knew or had been notified |
that the person who signed the instrument of initial transfer lacked authority to bind the partnership; |
or |
(2) As to a transferee who gave value for property transferred under subsection (a)(3) of |
this section, proves that the transferee knew or had been notified that the property was partnership |
property and that the person who signed the instrument of initial transfer lacked authority to bind |
the partnership. |
(c) A partnership may not recover partnership property from a subsequent transferee if the |
partnership would not have been entitled to recover the property, under subsection (b) of this |
section, from any earlier transferee of the property. |
(d) If a person holds all the partners' interests in the partnership, all the partnership property |
vests in that person. The person may sign a record in the name of the partnership to evidence vesting |
of the property in that person and may file or record the record. |
7-12.1-303. Statement of partnership authority. |
(a) A partnership may deliver to the secretary of state for filing a statement of partnership |
authority. The statement: |
(1) Must include the name of the partnership and: |
(i) If the partnership is not a limited-liability partnership, the street and mailing addresses |
of its principal office; or |
(ii) If the partnership is a limited-liability partnership, the name and street and mailing |
addresses of its registered agent; |
(2) With respect to any position that exists in or with respect to the partnership, may state |
the authority, or limitations on the authority, of all persons holding the position to: |
(i) Sign an instrument transferring real property held in the name of the partnership; or |
(ii) Enter into other transactions on behalf of, or otherwise act for or bind, the partnership; |
and |
(3) May state the authority, or limitations on the authority, of a specific person to: |
(i) Sign an instrument transferring real property held in the name of the partnership; or |
(ii) Enter into other transactions on behalf of, or otherwise act for or bind, the partnership. |
(b) To amend or cancel a statement of authority filed by the secretary of state, a partnership |
must deliver to the secretary of state for filing an amendment or cancellation stating: |
(1) The name of the partnership; |
(2) If the partnership is not a limited-liability partnership, the street and mailing addresses |
of the partnership's principal office; |
(3) If the partnership is a limited-liability partnership, the name and street and mailing |
addresses of its registered agent; |
(4) The date the statement being affected became effective; and |
(5) The contents of the amendment or a declaration that the statement is canceled. |
(c) A statement of authority affects only the power of a person to bind a partnership to |
persons that are not partners. |
(d) Subject to subsection (c) of this section and § 7-12.1-103(d)(1), and except as otherwise |
provided in subsections (f), (g), and (h) of this section, a limitation on the authority of a person or |
a position contained in an effective statement of authority is not by itself evidence of any person's |
knowledge or notice of the limitation. |
(e) Subject to subsection (c) of this section, a grant of authority not pertaining to transfers |
of real property and contained in an effective statement of authority is conclusive in favor of a |
person that gives value in reliance on the grant, except to the extent that if the person gives value: |
(1) The person has knowledge to the contrary; |
(2) The statement has been canceled or restrictively amended under subsection (b) of this |
section; or |
(3) A limitation on the grant is contained in another statement of authority that became |
effective after the statement containing the grant became effective. |
(f) Subject to subsection (c) of this section, an effective statement of authority that grants |
authority to transfer real property held in the name of the partnership, a certified copy of which |
statement is recorded in the office for recording transfers of the real property, is conclusive in favor |
of a person that gives value in reliance on the grant without knowledge to the contrary, except to |
the extent that when the person gives value: |
(1) The statement has been canceled or restrictively amended under subsection (b) of this |
section, and a certified copy of the cancellation or restrictive amendment has been recorded in the |
office for recording transfers of the real property; or |
(2) A limitation on the grant is contained in another statement of authority that became |
effective after the statement containing the grant became effective, and a certified copy of the later- |
effective statement is recorded in the office for recording transfers of the real property. |
(g) Subject to subsection (c) of this section, if a certified copy of an effective statement |
containing a limitation on the authority to transfer real property held in the name of a partnership |
is recorded in the office for recording transfers of that real property, all persons are deemed to know |
of the limitation. |
(h) Subject to subsection (i) of this section, an effective statement of dissolution is a |
cancellation of any filed statement of authority for the purposes of subsection (f) of this section and |
is a limitation on authority for purposes of subsection (g) of this section. |
(i) After a statement of dissolution becomes effective, a partnership may deliver to the |
secretary of state for filing and, if appropriate, may record a statement of authority that is designated |
as a post-dissolution statement of authority. The statement operates as provided in subsections (f) |
and (g) of this section. |
(j) Unless canceled earlier, an effective statement of authority is canceled by operation of |
law five (5) years after the date on which the statement, or its most recent amendment, becomes |
effective. The cancellation is effective without recording under subsection (f) or (g) of this section. |
(k) An effective statement of denial operates as a restrictive amendment under this section |
and may be recorded by certified copy for purposes of subsection (f)(1) of this section. |
7-12.1-304. Statement of denial. |
A person named in a filed statement of authority granting that person authority may deliver |
to the secretary of state for filing a statement of denial that: |
(1) Provides the name of the partnership and the caption of the statement of authority to |
which the statement of denial pertains; and |
(2) Denies the grant of authority. |
7-12.1-305. Partnership liable for partner's actionable conduct. |
(a) A partnership is liable for loss or injury caused to a person, or for a penalty incurred, as |
a result of a wrongful act or omission, or other actionable conduct, of a partner acting in the ordinary |
course of business of the partnership or with the actual or apparent authority of the partnership. |
(b) If, in the course of the partnership's business or while acting with actual or apparent |
authority of the partnership, a partner receives or causes the partnership to receive money or |
property of a person not a partner, and the money or property is misapplied by a partner, the |
partnership is liable for the loss. |
7-12.1-306. Partner's liability. |
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, all partners are |
liable jointly and severally for all debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the partnership unless |
otherwise agreed by the claimant or provided by law. |
(b) A person that becomes a partner is not personally liable for a debt, obligation, or other |
liability of the partnership incurred before the person became a partner. |
(c) A debt, obligation, or other liability of a partnership incurred while the partnership is a |
limited-liability partnership is solely the debt, obligation, or other liability of the limited-liability |
partnership. A partner is not personally liable, directly or indirectly, by way of contribution or |
otherwise, for a debt, obligation, or other liability of the limited-liability partnership solely by |
reason of being or acting as a partner. This subsection applies: |
(1) Despite anything inconsistent in the partnership agreement that existed immediately |
before the vote or consent required to become a limited-liability partnership under § 7-12.1-901(b); |
and |
(2) Regardless of the dissolution of the limited-liability partnership. |
(d) The failure of a limited-liability partnership to observe formalities relating to the |
exercise of its powers or management of its business is not a ground for imposing liability on a |
partner for a debt, obligation, or other liability of the partnership. |
(e) The cancellation or administrative revocation of a limited-liability partnership's |
statement of qualification does not affect the limitation in this section on the liability of a partner |
for a debt, obligation, or other liability of the partnership incurred while the statement was in effect. |
7-12.1-307. Actions by and against partnership and partners. |
(a) A partnership may sue and be sued in the name of the partnership. |
(b) To the extent not inconsistent with § 7-12.1-306, a partner may be joined in an action |
against the partnership or named in a separate action. |
(c) A judgment against a partnership is not by itself a judgment against a partner. A |
judgment against a partnership may not be satisfied from a partner's assets unless there is also a |
judgment against the partner. |
(d) A judgment creditor of a partner may not levy execution against the assets of the partner |
to satisfy a judgment based on a claim against the partnership unless the partner is personally liable |
for the claim under § 7-12.1-306 and: |
(1) A judgment based on the same claim has been obtained against the partnership and a |
writ of execution on the judgment has been returned unsatisfied in whole or in part; |
(2) The partnership is a debtor in bankruptcy; |
(3) The partner has agreed that the creditor need not exhaust partnership assets; |
(4) A court grants permission to the judgment creditor to levy execution against the assets |
of a partner based on a finding that partnership assets subject to execution are clearly insufficient |
to satisfy the judgment, that exhaustion of partnership assets is excessively burdensome, or that the |
grant of permission is an appropriate exercise of the court's equitable powers; or |
(5) Liability is imposed on the partner by law or contract independent of the existence of |
the partnership. |
(e) This section applies to any debt, liability, or other obligation of a partnership which |
results from a representation by a partner or purported partner under § 7-12.1-308. |
7-12.1-308. Liability of purported partner. |
(a) If a person, by words or conduct, purports to be a partner, or consents to being |
represented by another as a partner, in a partnership or with one or more persons not partners, the |
purported partner is liable to a person to whom the representation is made, if that person, relying |
on the representation, enters into a transaction with the actual or purported partnership. If the |
representation, either by the purported partner or by a person with the purported partner's consent, |
is made in a public manner, the purported partner is liable to a person who relies upon the purported |
partnership even if the purported partner is not aware of being held out as a partner to the claimant. |
If partnership liability results, the purported partner is liable with respect to that liability as if the |
purported partner were a partner. If no partnership liability results, the purported partner is liable |
with respect to that liability jointly and severally with any other person consenting to the |
representation. |
(b) If a person is thus represented to be a partner in an existing partnership, or with one or |
more persons not partners, the purported partner is an agent of persons consenting to the |
representation to bind them to the same extent and in the same manner as if the purported partner |
were a partner with respect to persons who enter into transactions in reliance upon the |
representation. If all the partners of the existing partnership consent to the representation, a |
partnership act or obligation results. If fewer than all the partners of the existing partnership consent |
to the representation, the person acting and the partners consenting to the representation are jointly |
and severally liable. |
(c) A person is not liable as a partner merely because the person is named by another as a |
partner in a statement of partnership authority. |
(d) A person does not continue to be liable as a partner merely because of a failure to file |
a statement of dissociation or to amend a statement of partnership authority to indicate the person's |
dissociation as a partner. |
(e) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, persons who are |
not partners as to each other are not liable as partners to other persons. |
ARTICLE 4 |
RELATIONS OF PARTNERS TO EACH OTHER AND TO PARTNERSHIP |
7-12.1-401. Partner's rights and duties. |
(a) Each partner is entitled to an equal share of the partnership distributions and, except in |
the case of a limited-liability partnership, is chargeable with a share of the partnership losses in |
proportion to the partner's share of the distributions. |
(b) A partnership shall reimburse a partner for any payment made by the partner in the |
course of the partner's activities on behalf of the partnership, if the partner complied with this |
section and § 7-12.1-409 in making the payment. |
(c) A partnership shall indemnify and hold harmless a person with respect to any claim or |
demand against the person and any debt, obligation, or other liability incurred by the person by |
reason of the person's former or present capacity as a partner, if the claim, demand, debt, obligation, |
or other liability does not arise from the person's breach of this section or §§ 7-12.1-407 or 7-12.1- |
409. |
(d) In the ordinary course of its business, a partnership may advance reasonable expenses, |
including attorneys' fees and costs, incurred by a person in connection with a claim or demand |
against the person by reason of the person's former or present capacity as a partner, if the person |
promises to repay the partnership if the person ultimately is determined not to be entitled to be |
indemnified under subsection (c) of this section. |
(e) A partnership may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of a partner against |
liability asserted against or incurred by the partner in that capacity or arising from that status even |
if, under § 7-12.1-105(c)(7), the partnership agreement could not eliminate or limit the person's |
liability to the partnership for the conduct giving rise to the liability. |
(f) A partnership shall reimburse a partner for an advance to the partnership beyond the |
amount of capital the partner agreed to contribute. |
(g) A payment or advance made by a partner which gives rise to a partnership obligation |
under subsections subsection (b) or (f) of this section constitutes a loan to the partnership which |
accrues interest from the date of the payment or advance. |
(h) Each partner has equal rights in the management and conduct of the partnership's |
business. |
(i) A partner may use or possess partnership property only on behalf of the partnership. |
(j) A partner is not entitled to remuneration for services performed for the partnership, |
except for reasonable compensation for services rendered in winding up the business of the |
partnership. |
(k) A difference arising as to a matter in the ordinary course of business of a partnership |
may be decided by a majority of the partners. An act outside the ordinary course of business of a |
partnership and an amendment to the partnership agreement may be undertaken only with the |
affirmative vote or consent of all the partners. |
7-12.1-402. Becoming partner. |
(a) Upon formation of a partnership, a person becomes a partner under § 7-12.1-202(a). |
(b) After formation of a partnership, a person becomes a partner: |
(1) As provided in the partnership agreement; |
(2) As a result of a transaction effective under Article 11 of this chapter; or |
(3) With the affirmative vote or consent of all the partners. |
(c) A person may become a partner without: |
(1) Acquiring a transferable interest; or |
(2) Making or being obligated to make a contribution to the partnership. |
7-12.1-403. Form of contribution. |
A contribution may consist of property transferred to, services performed for, or another |
benefit provided to the partnership or an agreement to transfer property to, perform services for, or |
provide another benefit to the partnership. |
7-12.1-404. Liability for contribution. |
(a) A person's obligation to make a contribution to a partnership is not excused by the |
person's death, disability, termination, or other inability to perform personally. |
(b) If a person does not fulfill an obligation to make a contribution other than money, the |
person is obligated at the option of the partnership to contribute money equal to the value of the |
part of the contribution which has not been made. |
(c) The obligation of a person to make a contribution may be compromised only by the |
affirmative vote or consent of all the partners. If a creditor of a limited-liability partnership extends |
credit or otherwise acts in reliance on an obligation described in subsection (a) of this section |
without knowledge or notice of a compromise under this subsection, the creditor may enforce the |
obligation. |
7-12.1-405. Sharing of and right to distributions before dissolution. |
(a) Any distribution made by a partnership before its dissolution and winding up must be |
in equal shares among partners, except to the extent necessary to comply with a transfer effective |
under § 7-12.1-503 or charging order in effect under § 7-12.1-504. |
(b) Subject to § 7-12.1-701, a person has a right to a distribution before the dissolution and |
winding up of a partnership only if the partnership decides to make an interim distribution. |
(c) A person does not have a right to demand or receive a distribution from a partnership |
in any form other than money. Except as otherwise provided in § 7-12.1-806, a partnership may |
distribute an asset in kind only if each part of the asset is fungible with each other part and each |
person receives a percentage of the asset equal in value to the person's share of distributions. |
(d) If a partner or transferee becomes entitled to receive a distribution, the partner or |
transferee has the status of, and is entitled to all remedies available to, a creditor of the partnership |
with respect to the distribution. However, the partnership's obligation to make a distribution is |
subject to offset for any amount owed to the partnership by the partner or a person dissociated as |
partner on whose account the distribution is made. |
7-12.1-406. Limitations on distributions by limited-liability partnership. |
(a) A limited-liability partnership may not make a distribution, including a distribution |
under § 7-12.1-806, if after the distribution: |
(1) The partnership would not be able to pay its debts as they become due in the ordinary |
course of the partnership's business; or |
(2) The partnership's total assets would be less than the sum of its total liabilities plus the |
amount that would be needed, if the partnership were to be dissolved and wound up at the time of |
the distribution, to satisfy the preferential rights upon dissolution and winding up of partners and |
transferees whose preferential rights are superior to the rights of persons receiving the distribution. |
(b) A limited-liability partnership may base a determination that a distribution is not |
prohibited under subsection (a) of this section on: |
(1) Financial statements prepared on the basis of accounting practices and principles that |
are reasonable in the circumstances; or |
(2) A fair valuation or other method that is reasonable under the circumstances. |
(c) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e) of this section, the effect of a distribution |
under subsection (a) of this section is measured: |
(1) In the case of a distribution as defined in § 7-12.1-102(4)(i) 7-12.1-102(5)(i), as of the |
earlier of: |
(i) The date money or other property is transferred or debt is incurred by the limited- |
liability partnership; or |
(ii) The date the person entitled to the distribution ceases to own the interest or rights being |
acquired by the partnership in return for the distribution; |
(2) In the case of any other distribution of indebtedness, as of the date the indebtedness is |
distributed; and |
(3) In all other cases, as of the date: |
(i) The distribution is authorized, if the payment occurs not later than one hundred twenty |
(120) days after that date; or |
(ii) The payment is made, if the payment occurs more than one hundred twenty (120) days |
after the distribution is authorized. |
(d) A limited-liability partnership's indebtedness to a partner or transferee incurred by |
reason of a distribution made in accordance with this section is at parity with the partnership's |
indebtedness to its general, unsecured creditors, except to the extent subordinated by agreement. |
(e) A limited-liability partnership's indebtedness, including indebtedness issued as a |
distribution, is not a liability for purposes of subsection (a) of this section if the terms of the |
indebtedness provide that payment of principal and interest is made only if and to the extent that a |
payment of a distribution could then be made under this section. If the indebtedness is issued as a |
distribution, each payment of principal or interest is treated as a distribution, the effect of which is |
measured on the date the payment is made. |
(f) In measuring the effect of a distribution under § 7-12.1-806, the liabilities of a dissolved |
limited-liability partnership do not include any claim that has been disposed of under §§ 7-12.1- |
807, 7-12.1-808, or 7-12.1-809. |
7-12.1-407. Liability for improper distributions by limited-liability partnership. |
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, if a partner of a limited- |
liability partnership consents to a distribution made in violation of § 7-12.1-406 and in consenting |
to the distribution fails to comply with § 7-12.1-409, the partner is personally liable to the |
partnership for the amount of the distribution which exceeds the amount that could have been |
distributed without the violation of § 7-12.1-406. |
(b) To the extent the partnership agreement of a limited-liability partnership expressly |
relieves a partner of the authority and responsibility to consent to distributions and imposes that |
authority and responsibility on one or more other partners, the liability stated in subsection (a) of |
this section applies to the other partners and not to the partner that the partnership agreement |
relieves of the authority and responsibility. |
(c) A person that receives a distribution knowing that the distribution violated § 7-12.1- |
406 is personally liable to the limited-liability partnership but only to the extent that the distribution |
received by the person exceeded the amount that could have been properly paid under § 7-12.1- |
406. |
(d) A person against which an action is commenced because the person is liable under |
subsection (a) of this section may: |
(1) Implead any other person that is liable under subsection (a) of this section and seek to |
enforce a right of contribution from the person; and |
(2) Implead any person that received a distribution in violation of subsection (c) of this |
section and seek to enforce a right of contribution from the person in the amount the person received |
in violation of subsection (c) of this section. |
(e) An action under this section is barred unless commenced not later than two (2) years |
after the distribution. |
7-12.1-408. Rights to information of partners and persons dissociated as partner. |
(a) A partnership shall keep its books and records, if any, at its principal office. |
(b) On reasonable notice, a partner may inspect and copy during regular business hours, at |
a reasonable location specified by the partnership, any record maintained by the partnership |
regarding the partnership's business, financial condition, and other circumstances, to the extent the |
information is material to the partner's rights and duties under the partnership agreement or this |
chapter. |
(c) The partnership shall furnish to each partner: |
(1) Without demand, any information concerning the partnership's business, financial |
condition, and other circumstances which the partnership knows and is material to the proper |
exercise of the partner's rights and duties under the partnership agreement or this chapter, except to |
the extent the partnership can establish that it reasonably believes the partner already knows the |
information; and |
(2) On demand, any other information concerning the partnership's business, financial |
condition, and other circumstances, except to the extent the demand or the information demanded |
is unreasonable or otherwise improper under the circumstances. |
(d) The duty to furnish information under subsection (c) of this section also applies to each |
partner to the extent the partner knows any of the information described in subsection (c) of this |
section. |
(e) Subject to subsection (j) of this section, on ten (10) days' demand made in a record |
received by a partnership, a person dissociated as a partner may have access to information to which |
the person was entitled while a partner if: |
(1) The information pertains to the period during which the person was a partner; |
(2) The person seeks the information in good faith; and |
(3) The person satisfies the requirements imposed on a partner by subsection (b) of this |
section. |
(f) Not later than ten (10) days after receiving a demand under subsection (e) of this section, |
the partnership in a record shall inform the person that made the demand of: |
(1) The information that the partnership will provide in response to the demand and when |
and where the partnership will provide the information; and |
(2) The partnership's reasons for declining, if the partnership declines to provide any |
demanded information. |
(g) A partnership may charge a person that makes a demand under this section the |
reasonable costs of copying, limited to the costs of labor and material. |
(h) A partner or person dissociated as a partner may exercise the rights under this section |
through an agent or, in the case of an individual under legal disability, a legal representative. Any |
restriction or condition imposed by the partnership agreement or under subsection (j) of this section |
applies both to the agent or legal representative and to the partner or person dissociated as a partner. |
(i) Subject to § 7-12.1-505, the rights under this section do not extend to a person as |
transferee. |
(j) In addition to any restriction or condition stated in its partnership agreement, a |
partnership, as a matter within the ordinary course of its business, may impose reasonable |
restrictions and conditions on access to and use of information to be furnished under this section, |
including designating information confidential and imposing nondisclosure and safeguarding |
obligations on the recipient. In a dispute concerning the reasonableness of a restriction under this |
subsection, the partnership has the burden of proving reasonableness. |
7-12.1-409. Standards of conduct for partners. |
(a) A partner owes to the partnership and the other partners the duties of loyalty and care |
stated in subsections (b) and (c) of this section. |
(b) The fiduciary duty of loyalty of a partner includes the duties: |
(1) To account to the partnership and hold as trustee for it any property, profit, or benefit |
derived by the partner: |
(i) In the conduct or winding up of the partnership's business; |
(ii) From a use by the partner of the partnership's property; or |
(iii) From the appropriation of a partnership opportunity; |
(2) To refrain from dealing with the partnership in the conduct or winding up of the |
partnership business as or on behalf of a person having an interest adverse to the partnership; and |
(3) To refrain from competing with the partnership in the conduct of the partnership's |
business before the dissolution of the partnership. |
(c) The duty of care of a partner in the conduct or winding up of the partnership business |
is to refrain from engaging in grossly negligent or reckless conduct, willful or intentional |
misconduct, or a knowing violation of law. |
(d) A partner shall discharge the duties and obligations under this chapter or under the |
partnership agreement and exercise any rights consistently with the contractual obligation of good |
faith and fair dealing. |
(e) A partner does not violate a duty or obligation under this chapter or under the |
partnership agreement solely because the partner's conduct furthers the partner's own interest. |
(f) All the partners may authorize or ratify, after full disclosure of all material facts, a |
specific act or transaction by a partner that otherwise would violate the duty of loyalty. |
(g) It is a defense to a claim under subsection (b)(2) of this section and any comparable |
claim in equity or at common law that the transaction was fair to the partnership. |
(h) If, as permitted by subsection (f) of this section or the partnership agreement, a partner |
enters into a transaction with the partnership which otherwise would be prohibited by subsection |
(b)(2) of this section, the partner's rights and obligations arising from the transaction are the same |
as those of a person that is not a partner. |
7-12.1-410. Actions by partnership and partners. |
(a) A partnership may maintain an action against a partner for a breach of the partnership |
agreement, or for the violation of a duty to the partnership, causing harm to the partnership. |
(b) A partner may maintain an action against the partnership or another partner, with or |
without an accounting as to partnership business, to enforce the partner's rights and protect the |
partner's interests, including rights and interests under the partnership agreement or this chapter or |
arising independently of the partnership relationship. |
(c) A right to an accounting on dissolution and winding up does not revive a claim barred |
by law. |
7-12.1-411. Continuation of partnership beyond definite term or particular |
undertaking. |
(a) If a partnership for a definite term or particular undertaking is continued, without an |
express agreement, after the expiration of the term or completion of the undertaking, the rights and |
duties of the partners remain the same as they were at the expiration or completion, so far as is |
consistent with a partnership at will. |
(b) If the partners, or those of them who habitually acted in the business during the term or |
undertaking, continue the business without any settlement or liquidation of the partnership, they |
are presumed to have agreed that the partnership will continue. |
ARTICLE 5 |
TRANSFERABLE INTERESTS AND RIGHTS OF TRANSFEREES AND |
CREDITORS |
7-12.1-501. Partner not co-owner of partnership property. |
A partner is not a co-owner of partnership property and has no interest in partnership |
property which can be transferred, either voluntarily or involuntarily. |
7-12.1-502. Nature of transferable interest. |
A transferable interest is personal property. |
7-12.1-503. Transfer of transferable interest. |
(a) A transfer, in whole or in part, of a transferable interest: |
(1) Is permissible; |
(2) Does not by itself cause a person's dissociation as a partner or a dissolution and winding |
up of the partnership business; and |
(3) Subject to § 7-12.1-505, does not entitle the transferee to: |
(i) Participate in the management or conduct of the partnership's business; or |
(ii) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, have access to records |
or other information concerning the partnership's business. |
(b) A transferee has the right to: |
(1) Receive, in accordance with the transfer, distributions to which the transferor would |
otherwise be entitled; and |
(2) Seek under § 7-12.1-801(5) a judicial determination that it is equitable to wind up the |
partnership business. |
(c) In a dissolution and winding up of a partnership, a transferee is entitled to an account |
of the partnership's transactions only from the date of dissolution. |
(d) A partnership need not give effect to a transferee's rights under this section until the |
partnership knows or has notice of the transfer. |
(e) A transfer of a transferable interest in violation of a restriction on transfer contained in |
the partnership agreement is ineffective if the intended transferee has knowledge or notice of the |
restriction at the time of transfer. |
(f) Except as otherwise provided in § 7-12.1-601(4)(ii), if a partner transfers a transferable |
interest, the transferor retains the rights of a partner other than the transferable interest transferred |
and retains all the duties and obligations of a partner. |
(g) If a partner transfers a transferable interest to a person that becomes a partner with |
respect to the transferred interest, the transferee is liable for the partner's obligations under §§ 7- |
12.1-404 and 7-12.1-407 known to the transferee when the transferee becomes a partner. |
7-12.1-504. Charging order. |
(a) On application by a judgment creditor of a partner or transferee, a court may enter a |
charging order against the transferable interest of the judgment debtor for the unsatisfied amount |
of the judgment. A charging order constitutes a lien on a judgment debtor's transferable interest and |
requires the partnership to pay over to the person to which the charging order was issued any |
distribution that otherwise would be paid to the judgment debtor. |
(b) To the extent necessary to effectuate the collection of distributions pursuant to a |
charging order in effect under subsection (a) of this section, the court may: |
(1) Appoint a receiver of the distributions subject to the charging order, with the power to |
make all inquiries the judgment debtor might have made; and |
(2) Make all other orders necessary to give effect to the charging order. |
(c) Upon a showing that distributions under a charging order will not pay the judgment |
debt within a reasonable time, the court may foreclose the lien and order the sale of the transferable |
interest. The purchaser at the foreclosure sale obtains only the transferable interest, does not thereby |
become a partner, and is subject to § 7-12.1-503. |
(d) At any time before foreclosure under subsection (c) of this section, the partner or |
transferee whose transferable interest is subject to a charging order under subsection (a) of this |
section may extinguish the charging order by satisfying the judgment and filing a certified copy of |
the satisfaction with the court that issued the charging order. |
(e) At any time before foreclosure under subsection (c) of this section, a partnership or one |
or more partners whose transferable interests are not subject to the charging order may pay to the |
judgment creditor the full amount due under the judgment and thereby succeed to the rights of the |
judgment creditor, including the charging order. |
(f) This chapter does not deprive any partner or transferee of the benefit of any exemption |
law applicable to the transferable interest of the partner or transferee. |
(g) This section provides the exclusive remedy by which a person seeking in the capacity |
of a judgment creditor to enforce a judgment against a partner or transferee may satisfy the |
judgment from the judgment debtor's transferable interest. |
7-12.1-505. Power of legal representative of deceased partner. |
If a partner dies, the deceased partner's legal representative may exercise: |
(1) The rights of a transferee provided in § 7-12.1-503(c); and |
(2) For purposes of settling the estate, the rights the deceased partner had under § 7-12.1- |
408. |
ARTICLE 6 |
DISSOCIATION |
7-12.1-601. Events causing dissociation. |
A person is dissociated as a partner when: |
(1) The partnership knows or has notice of the person's express will to withdraw as a |
partner, but, if the person has specified a withdrawal date later than the date the partnership knew |
or had notice, on that later date; |
(2) An event stated in the partnership agreement as causing the person's dissociation occurs; |
(3) The person is expelled as a partner pursuant to the partnership agreement; |
(4) The person is expelled as a partner by the affirmative vote or consent of all the other |
partners if: |
(i) It is unlawful to carry on the partnership business with the person as a partner; |
(ii) There has been a transfer of all of the person's transferable interest in the partnership, |
other than: |
(A) A transfer for security purposes; or |
(B) A charging order in effect under § 7-12.1-504 which has not been foreclosed; |
(iii) The person is an entity and: |
(A) The partnership notifies the person that it will be expelled as a partner because the |
person has filed a statement of dissolution or the equivalent, the person has been administratively |
dissolved, the person's charter or the equivalent has been revoked, or the person's right to conduct |
business has been suspended by the person's jurisdiction of formation; and |
(B) Not later than ninety (90) days after the notification, the statement of dissolution or the |
equivalent has not been withdrawn, rescinded, or revoked, or the person's charter or the equivalent |
or right to conduct business has not been reinstated; or |
(iv) The person is an unincorporated entity that has been dissolved and whose activities |
and affairs are being wound up; |
(5) On application by the partnership or another partner, the person is expelled as a partner |
by judicial order because the person: |
(i) Has engaged or is engaging in wrongful conduct that has affected adversely and |
materially, or will affect adversely and materially, the partnership's business; |
(ii) Has committed willfully or persistently, or is committing willfully or persistently, a |
material breach of the partnership agreement or a duty or obligation under § 7-12.1-409; or |
(iii) Has engaged or is engaging in conduct relating to the partnership's business which |
makes it not reasonably practicable to carry on the business with the person as a partner; |
(6) The person: |
(i) Becomes a debtor in bankruptcy; |
(ii) Signs an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or |
(iii) Seeks, consents to, or acquiesces in the appointment of a trustee, receiver, or liquidator |
of the person or of all or substantially all the person's property; |
(7) In the case of an individual: |
(i) The individual dies; |
(ii) A guardian or general conservator for the individual is appointed; or |
(iii) A court orders that the individual has otherwise become incapable of performing the |
individual's duties as a partner under this chapter or the partnership agreement; |
(8) In the case of a person that is a testamentary or inter vivos trust or is acting as a partner |
by virtue of being a trustee of such a trust, the trust's entire transferable interest in the partnership |
is distributed; |
(9) In the case of a person that is an estate or is acting as a partner by virtue of being a |
personal representative of an estate, the estate's entire transferable interest in the partnership is |
distributed; |
(10) In the case of a person that is not an individual, the existence of the person terminates; |
(11) The partnership participates in a merger under Article 11 of this chapter and: |
(i) The partnership is not the surviving entity; or |
(ii) Otherwise as a result of the merger, the person ceases to be a partner; |
(12) The partnership participates in an interest exchange under Article 11 of this chapter |
and, as a result of the interest exchange, the person ceases to be a partner; |
(13) The partnership participates in a conversion under Article 11 of this chapter; |
(14) The partnership participates in a domestication under Article 11 of this chapter and, |
as a result of the domestication, the person ceases to be a partner; or |
(15) The partnership dissolves and completes winding up. |
7-12.1-602. Power to dissociate as partner -- Wrongful dissociation. |
(a) A person has the power to dissociate as a partner at any time, rightfully or wrongfully, |
by withdrawing as a partner by express will under § 7-12.1-601(1). |
(b) A person's dissociation as a partner is wrongful only if the dissociation: |
(1) Is in breach of an express provision of the partnership agreement; or |
(2) In the case of a partnership for a definite term or particular undertaking, occurs before |
the expiration of the term or the completion of the undertaking and: |
(i) The person withdraws as a partner by express will, unless the withdrawal follows not |
later than ninety (90) days after another person's dissociation by death or otherwise under §§ 7- |
12.1-601(6) through 7-12.1-601(10) or wrongful dissociation under this subsection; |
(ii) The person is expelled as a partner by judicial order under § 7-12.1-601(5); |
(iii) The person is dissociated under § 7-12.1-601(6); or |
(iv) In the case of a person that is not a trust other than a business trust, an estate, or an |
individual, the person is expelled or otherwise dissociated because it willfully dissolved or |
terminated. |
(c) A person that wrongfully dissociates as a partner is liable to the partnership and to the |
other partners for damages caused by the dissociation. The liability is in addition to any debt, |
obligation, or other liability of the partner to the partnership or the other partners. |
7-12.1-603. Effect of dissociation. |
(a) If a person's dissociation results in a dissolution and winding up of the partnership |
business, Article 8 of this chapter applies; otherwise, Article 7 of this chapter applies. |
(b) If a person is dissociated as a partner: |
(1) The person's right to participate in the management and conduct of the partnership's |
business terminates, except as otherwise provided in § 7-12.1-802(c); and |
(2) The person's duties and obligations under § 7-12.1-409 end with regard to matters |
arising and events occurring after the person's dissociation, except to the extent the partner |
participates in winding up the partnership's business pursuant to § 7-12.1-802. |
(c) A person's dissociation does not of itself discharge the person from any debt, obligation, |
or other liability to the partnership or the other partners which the person incurred while a partner. |
ARTICLE 7 |
PERSON'S DISSOCIATION AS A PARTNER WHEN BUSINESS NOT WOUND UP |
7-12.1-701. Purchase of interest of person dissociated as partner. |
(a) If a person is dissociated as a partner without the dissociation resulting in a dissolution |
and winding up of the partnership business under § 7-12.1-801, the partnership shall cause the |
person's interest in the partnership to be purchased for a buyout price determined pursuant to |
subsection (b) of this section. |
(b) The buyout price of the interest of a person dissociated as a partner is the amount that |
would have been distributable to the person under § 7-12.1-806(b) if, on the date of dissociation, |
the assets of the partnership were sold and the partnership were wound up, with the sale price equal |
to the greater of: |
(1) The liquidation value; or |
(2) The value based on a sale of the entire business as a going concern without the person. |
(c) Interest accrues on the buyout price from the date of dissociation to the date of payment, |
but damages for wrongful dissociation under § 7-12.1-602(b), and all other amounts owing, |
whether or not presently due, from the person dissociated as a partner to the partnership, must be |
offset against the buyout price. |
(d) A partnership shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless a person dissociated as a |
partner whose interest is being purchased against all partnership liabilities, whether incurred before |
or after the dissociation, except liabilities incurred by an act of the person under § 7-12.1-702. |
(e) If no agreement for the purchase of the interest of a person dissociated as a partner is |
reached not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after a written demand for payment, the |
partnership shall pay, or cause to be paid, in money to the person the amount the partnership |
estimates to be the buyout price and accrued interest, reduced by any offsets and accrued interest |
under subsection (c) of this section. |
(f) If a deferred payment is authorized under subsection (h) of this section, the partnership |
may tender a written offer to pay the amount it estimates to be the buyout price and accrued interest, |
reduced by any offsets under subsection (c) of this section, stating the time of payment, the amount |
and type of security for payment, and the other terms and conditions of the obligation. |
(g) The payment or tender required by subsections subsection (e) or (f) of this section must |
be accompanied by the following: |
(1) A statement of partnership assets and liabilities as of the date of dissociation; |
(2) The latest available partnership balance sheet and income statement, if any; |
(3) An explanation of how the estimated amount of the payment was calculated; and |
(4) Written notice that the payment is in full satisfaction of the obligation to purchase |
unless, not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the written notice, the person dissociated |
as a partner commences an action to determine the buyout price, any offsets under subsection (c) |
of this section, or other terms of the obligation to purchase. |
(h) A person that wrongfully dissociates as a partner before the expiration of a definite term |
or the completion of a particular undertaking is not entitled to payment of any part of the buyout |
price until the expiration of the term or completion of the undertaking, unless the person establishes |
to the satisfaction of the court that earlier payment will not cause undue hardship to the business of |
the partnership. A deferred payment must be adequately secured and bear interest. |
(i) A person dissociated as a partner may maintain an action against the partnership, |
pursuant to § 7-12.1-410(b)(2), to determine the buyout price of that person's interest, any offsets |
under subsection (c) of this section, or other terms of the obligation to purchase. The action must |
be commenced not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the partnership has tendered |
payment or an offer to pay or within one year after written demand for payment if no payment or |
offer to pay is tendered. The court shall determine the buyout price of the person's interest, any |
offset due under subsection (c) of this section, and accrued interest, and enter judgment for any |
additional payment or refund. If deferred payment is authorized under subsection (h) of this section, |
the court shall also determine the security for payment and other terms of the obligation to purchase. |
The court may assess reasonable attorneys' fees and the fees and expenses of appraisers or other |
experts for a party to the action, in amounts the court finds equitable, against a party that the court |
finds acted arbitrarily, vexatiously, or not in good faith. The finding may be based on the |
partnership's failure to tender payment or an offer to pay or to comply with subsection (g) of this |
section. |
7-12.1-702. Power to bind and liability of person dissociated as partner. |
(a) After a person is dissociated as a partner without the dissociation resulting in a |
dissolution and winding up of the partnership business and before the partnership is merged out of |
existence, converted, or domesticated under Article 11, or dissolved, the partnership is bound by |
an act of the person only if: |
(1) The act would have bound the partnership under § 7-12.1-301 before dissociation; and |
(2) At the time the other party enters into the transaction: |
(i) Less than two (2) years has passed since the dissociation; and |
(ii) The other party does not know or have notice of the dissociation and reasonably |
believes that the person is a partner. |
(b) If a partnership is bound under subsection (a) of this section, the person dissociated as |
a partner which caused the partnership to be bound is liable: |
(1) To the partnership for any damage caused to the partnership arising from the obligation |
incurred under subsection (a) of this section; and |
(2) If a partner or another person dissociated as a partner is liable for the obligation, to the |
partner or other person for any damage caused to the partner or other person arising from the |
liability. |
7-12.1-703. Liability of person dissociated as partner to other persons. |
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, a person dissociated as |
a partner is not liable for a partnership obligation incurred after dissociation. |
(b) A person that is dissociated as a partner is liable on a transaction entered into by the |
partnership after the dissociation only if: |
(1) A partner would be liable on the transaction; and |
(2) At the time the other party enters into the transaction: |
(i) Less than two (2) years has passed since the dissociation; and |
(ii) The other party does not have knowledge or notice of the dissociation and reasonably |
believes that the person is a partner. |
(c) By agreement with a creditor of a partnership and the partnership, a person dissociated |
as a partner may be released from liability for a debt, obligation, or other liability of the partnership. |
(d) A person dissociated as a partner is released from liability for a debt, obligation, or |
other liability of the partnership if the partnership's creditor, with knowledge or notice of the |
person's dissociation but without the person's consent, agrees to a material alteration in the nature |
or time of payment of the debt, obligation, or other liability. |
7-12.1-704. Statement of dissociation. |
(a) A person dissociated as a partner or the partnership may deliver to the secretary of state |
for filing a statement of dissociation stating the name of the partnership and that the person has |
dissociated from the partnership. |
(b) A statement of dissociation is a limitation on the authority of a person dissociated as a |
partner for the purposes of § 7-12.1-303. |
7-12.1-705. Continued use of partnership name. |
Continued use of a partnership name, or the name of a person dissociated as a partner as |
part of the partnership name, by partners continuing the business does not of itself make the person |
dissociated as a partner liable for an obligation of the partners or the partnership continuing the |
business. |
ARTICLE 8 |
DISSOLUTION AND WINDING UP |
7-12.1-801. Events causing dissolution. |
A partnership is dissolved, and its business must be wound up, upon the occurrence of any |
of the following: |
(1) In a partnership at will, the partnership knows or has notice of a person's express will |
to withdraw as a partner, other than a partner that has dissociated under §§ 7-12.1-601(2) through |
7-12.1-601(10), but, if the person has specified a withdrawal date later than the date the partnership |
knew or had notice, on the later date; |
(2) In a partnership for a definite term or particular undertaking: |
(i) Within ninety (90) days after a person's dissociation by death or otherwise under §§ 7- |
12.1-601(6) through 7-12.1-601(10) or wrongful dissociation under § 7-12.1-602(b), the |
affirmative vote or consent of at least half of the remaining partners to wind up the partnership |
business, for which purpose a person's rightful dissociation pursuant to § 7-12.1-602(b)(2)(i) |
constitutes that partner's consent to wind up the partnership business; |
(ii) The affirmative vote or consent of all the partners to wind up the partnership business; |
or |
(iii) The expiration of the term or the completion of the undertaking; |
(3) An event or circumstance that the partnership agreement states causes dissolution; |
(4) On application by a partner, the entry by the superior court of an order dissolving the |
partnership on the grounds that: |
(i) The conduct of all or substantially all the partnership's business is unlawful; |
(ii) The economic purpose of the partnership is likely to be unreasonably frustrated; |
(iii) Another partner has engaged in conduct relating to the partnership business which |
makes it not reasonably practicable to carry on the business in partnership with that partner; or |
(iv) It is otherwise not reasonably practicable to carry on the partnership business in |
conformity with the partnership agreement; |
(5) On application by a transferee, the entry by the superior court of an order dissolving |
the partnership on the ground that it is equitable to wind up the partnership business: |
(i) After the expiration of the term or completion of the undertaking, if the partnership was |
for a definite term or particular undertaking at the time of the transfer or entry of the charging order |
that gave rise to the transfer; or |
(ii) At any time, if the partnership was a partnership at will at the time of the transfer or |
entry of the charging order that gave rise to the transfer; or |
(6) The passage of ninety (90) consecutive days during which the partnership does not have |
at least two (2) partners. |
7-12.1-802. Winding up. |
(a) A dissolved partnership shall wind up its business and, except as otherwise provided in |
§ 7-12.1-803, the partnership continues after dissolution only for the purpose of winding up. |
(b) In winding up its business, the partnership: |
(1) Shall discharge the partnership's debts, obligations, and other liabilities, settle and close |
the partnership's business, and marshal and distribute the assets of the partnership; and |
(2) May: |
(i) Deliver to the secretary of state for filing a statement of dissolution stating the name of |
the partnership and that the partnership is dissolved; |
(ii) Preserve the partnership business and property as a going concern for a reasonable time; |
(iii) Prosecute and defend actions and proceedings, whether civil, criminal, or |
administrative; |
(iv) Transfer the partnership's property; |
(v) Settle disputes by mediation or arbitration; |
(vi) Deliver to the secretary of state for filing a statement of termination stating the name |
of the partnership and that the partnership is terminated; and |
(vii) Perform other acts necessary or appropriate to the winding up. |
(c) A person whose dissociation as a partner resulted in dissolution may participate in |
winding up as if still a partner, unless the dissociation was wrongful. |
(d) If a dissolved partnership does not have a partner and no person has the right to |
participate in winding up under subsection (c) of this section, the personal or legal representative |
of the last person to have been a partner may wind up the partnership's business. If the representative |
does not exercise that right, a person to wind up the partnership's business may be appointed by the |
affirmative vote or consent of transferees owning a majority of the rights to receive distributions at |
the time the consent is to be effective. A person appointed under this subsection has the powers of |
a partner under § 7-12.1-804 but is not liable for the debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the |
partnership solely by reason of having or exercising those powers or otherwise acting to wind up |
the partnership's business. |
(e) On the application of any partner or person entitled under subsection (c) of this section |
to participate in winding up, the superior court may order judicial supervision of the winding up of |
a dissolved partnership, including the appointment of a person to wind up the partnership's business, |
if: |
(1) The partnership does not have a partner and within a reasonable time following the |
dissolution no person has been appointed under subsection (d) of this section; or |
(2) The applicant establishes other good cause. |
7-12.1-803. Rescinding dissolution. |
(a) A partnership may rescind its dissolution, unless a statement of termination applicable |
to the partnership has become effective or the superior court has entered an order under §§ 7-12.1- |
801(4) or 7-12.1-801(5) dissolving the partnership. |
(b) Rescinding dissolution under this section requires: |
(1) The affirmative vote or consent of each partner; and |
(2) If the partnership has filed with the secretary of state a statement of dissolution and: |
(i) The statement has not become effective, delivery to the secretary of state for filing of a |
statement of withdrawal under § 7-12.1-115 applicable to the statement of dissolution; or |
(ii) The statement of dissolution has become effective, delivery to the secretary of state for |
filing of a statement of rescission stating the name of the partnership and that dissolution has been |
rescinded under this section. |
(c) If a partnership rescinds its dissolution: |
(1) The partnership resumes carrying on its business as if dissolution had never occurred; |
(2) Subject to subsection (c)(3) of this section, any liability incurred by the partnership |
after the dissolution and before the rescission has become effective is determined as if dissolution |
had never occurred; and |
(3) The rights of a third party arising out of conduct in reliance on the dissolution before |
the third party knew or had notice of the rescission may not be adversely affected. |
7-12.1-804. Power to bind partnership after dissolution. |
(a) A partnership is bound by a partner's act after dissolution which: |
(1) Is appropriate for winding up the partnership business; or |
(2) Would have bound the partnership under § 7-12.1-301 before dissolution if, at the time |
the other party enters into the transaction, the other party does not know or have notice of the |
dissolution. |
(b) A person dissociated as a partner binds a partnership through an act occurring after |
dissolution if: |
(1) At the time the other party enters into the transaction: |
(i) Less than two (2) years has passed since the dissociation; and |
(ii) The other party does not know or have notice of the dissociation and reasonably |
believes that the person is a partner; and |
(2) The act: |
(i) Is appropriate for winding up the partnership's business; or |
(ii) Would have bound the partnership under § 7-12.1-301 before dissolution and at the |
time the other party enters into the transaction the other party does not know or have notice of the |
dissolution. |
7-12.1-805. Liability after dissolution of partner and person dissociated as partner. |
(a) If a partner having knowledge of the dissolution causes a partnership to incur an |
obligation under § 7-12.1-804(a) by an act that is not appropriate for winding up the partnership |
business, the partner is liable: |
(1) To the partnership for any damage caused to the partnership arising from the obligation; |
and |
(2) If another partner or person dissociated as a partner is liable for the obligation, to that |
other partner or person for any damage caused to that other partner or person arising from the |
liability. |
(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, if a person dissociated |
as a partner causes a partnership to incur an obligation under § 7-12.1-804(b), the person is liable: |
(1) To the partnership for any damage caused to the partnership arising from the obligation; |
and |
(2) If a partner or another person dissociated as a partner is liable for the obligation, to the |
partner or other person for any damage caused to the partner or other person arising from the |
obligation. |
(c) A person dissociated as a partner is not liable under subsection (b) of this section if: |
(1) Section 7-12.1-802(c) permits the person to participate in winding up; and |
(2) The act that causes the partnership to be bound under § 7-12.1-804(b) is appropriate for |
winding up the partnership's business. |
7-12.1-806. Disposition of assets in winding up -- When contributions required. |
(a) In winding up its business, a partnership shall apply its assets, including the |
contributions required by this section, to discharge the partnership's obligations to creditors, |
including partners that are creditors. |
(b) After a partnership complies with subsection (a) of this section, any surplus must be |
distributed in the following order, subject to any charging order in effect under § 7-12.1-504: |
(1) To each person owning a transferable interest that reflects contributions made and not |
previously returned, an amount equal to the value of the unreturned contributions; and |
(2) Among persons owning transferable interests in proportion to their respective rights to |
share in distributions immediately before the dissolution of the partnership. |
(c) If a partnership's assets are insufficient to satisfy all its obligations under subsection (a) |
of this section, with respect to each unsatisfied obligation incurred when the partnership was not a |
limited-liability partnership, the following rules apply: |
(1) Each person that was a partner when the obligation was incurred and that has not been |
released from the obligation under §§ 7-12.1-703(c) and 7-12.1-703(d) shall contribute to the |
partnership for the purpose of enabling the partnership to satisfy the obligation. The contribution |
due from each of those persons is in proportion to the right to receive distributions in the capacity |
of a partner in effect for each of those persons when the obligation was incurred. |
(2) If a person does not contribute the full amount required under subsection (c)(1) of this |
section with respect to an unsatisfied obligation of the partnership, the other persons required to |
contribute by subsection (c)(1) of this section on account of the obligation shall contribute the |
additional amount necessary to discharge the obligation. The additional contribution due from each |
of those other persons is in proportion to the right to receive distributions in the capacity of a partner |
in effect for each of those other persons when the obligation was incurred. |
(3) If a person does not make the additional contribution required by subsection (c)(2) of |
this section, further additional contributions are determined and due in the same manner as provided |
in that subsection. |
(d) A person that makes an additional contribution under subsection (c)(2) or (c)(3) of this |
section may recover from any person whose failure to contribute under subsection (c)(1) or (c)(2) |
of this section necessitated the additional contribution. A person may not recover under this |
subsection more than the amount additionally contributed. A person's liability under this subsection |
may not exceed the amount the person failed to contribute. |
(e) If a partnership does not have sufficient surplus to comply with subsection (b)(1) of this |
section, any surplus must be distributed among the owners of transferable interests in proportion to |
the value of the respective unreturned contributions. |
(f) All distributions made under subsections (b) and (c) of this section must be paid in |
money. |
7-12.1-807. Known claims against dissolved limited-liability partnership. |
(a) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d) of this section, a dissolved limited- |
liability partnership may give notice of a known claim under subsection (b) of this section, which |
has the effect provided in subsection (c) of this section. |
(b) A dissolved limited-liability partnership may in a record notify its known claimants of |
the dissolution. The notice must: |
(1) Specify the information required to be included in a claim; |
(2) State that a claim must be in writing and provide a mailing address to which the claim |
is to be sent; |
(3) State the deadline for receipt of a claim, which may not be less than one hundred twenty |
(120) days after the date the notice is received by the claimant; |
(4) State that the claim will be barred if not received by the deadline; and |
(5) Unless the partnership has been throughout its existence a limited-liability partnership, |
state that the barring of a claim against the partnership will also bar any corresponding claim against |
any partner or person dissociated as a partner which is based on § 7-12.1-306. |
(c) A claim against a dissolved limited-liability partnership is barred if the requirements of |
subsection (b) of this section are met and: |
(1) The claim is not received by the specified deadline; or |
(2) If the claim is timely received but rejected by the limited-liability partnership: |
(i) The partnership causes the claimant to receive a notice in a record stating that the claim |
is rejected and will be barred unless the claimant commences an action against the partnership to |
enforce the claim not later than ninety (90) days after the claimant receives the notice; and |
(ii) The claimant does not commence the required action not later than ninety (90) days |
after the claimant receives the notice. |
(d) This section does not apply to a claim based on an event occurring after the date of |
dissolution or a liability that on that date is contingent. |
7-12.1-808. Other claims against dissolved limited-liability partnership. |
(a) A dissolved limited-liability partnership may publish notice of its dissolution and |
request persons having claims against the partnership to present them in accordance with the notice. |
(b) A notice under subsection (a) of this section must: |
(1) Be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation; |
(2) Describe the information required to be contained in a claim, state that the claim must |
be in writing, and provide a mailing address to which the claim is to be sent; |
(3) State that a claim against the partnership is barred unless an action to enforce the claim |
is commenced not later than three (3) years after publication of the notice; and |
(4) Unless the partnership has been throughout its existence a limited-liability partnership, |
state that the barring of a claim against the partnership will also bar any corresponding claim against |
any partner or person dissociated as a partner which is based on § 7-12.1-306. |
(c) If a dissolved limited-liability partnership publishes a notice in accordance with |
subsection (b) of this section, the claim of each of the following claimants is barred unless the |
claimant commences an action to enforce the claim against the partnership not later than three (3) |
years after the publication date of the notice: |
(1) A claimant that did not receive notice in a record under § 7-12.1-807; |
(2) A claimant whose claim was timely sent to the partnership but not acted on; and |
(3) A claimant whose claim is contingent at, or based on an event occurring after, the date |
of dissolution. |
(d) A claim not barred under this section or § 7-12.1-807 may be enforced: |
(1) Against a dissolved limited-liability partnership, to the extent of its undistributed assets; |
(2) Except as otherwise provided in § 7-12.1-809, if assets of the partnership have been |
distributed after dissolution, against a partner or transferee to the extent of that person's |
proportionate share of the claim or of the partnership's assets distributed to the partner or transferee |
after dissolution, whichever is less, but a person's total liability for all claims under this subsection |
may not exceed the total amount of assets distributed to the person after dissolution; and |
(3) Against any person liable on the claim under §§ 7-12.1-306, 7-12.1-703, and 7-12.1- |
805. |
7-12.1-809. Court proceedings. |
(a) A dissolved limited-liability partnership that has published a notice under § 7-12.1-808 |
may file an application with the Providence County superior court for a determination of the amount |
and form of security to be provided for payment of claims that are reasonably expected to arise |
after the date of dissolution based on facts known to the partnership and: |
(1) At the time of the application: |
(i) Are contingent; or |
(ii) Have not been made known to the partnership; or |
(2) Are based on an event occurring after the date of dissolution. |
(b) Security is not required for any claim that is or is reasonably anticipated to be barred |
under § 7-12.1-807. |
(c) Not later than ten (10) days after the filing of an application under subsection (a) of this |
section, the dissolved limited-liability partnership shall give notice of the proceeding to each |
claimant holding a contingent claim known to the partnership. |
(d) In any proceeding under this section, the court may appoint a guardian ad litem to |
represent all claimants whose identities are unknown. The reasonable fees and expenses of the |
guardian, including all reasonable expert witness fees, must be paid by the dissolved limited- |
liability partnership. |
(e) A dissolved limited-liability partnership that provides security in the amount and form |
ordered by the court under subsection (a) of this section satisfies the partnership's obligations with |
respect to claims that are contingent, have not been made known to the partnership, or are based on |
an event occurring after the date of dissolution, and such claims may not be enforced against a |
partner or transferee on account of assets received in liquidation. |
7-12.1-810. Liability of partner and person dissociated as partner when claim against |
partnership barred. |
If a claim against a dissolved partnership is barred under §§ 7-12.1-807, 7-12.1-808, or 7- |
12.1-809, any corresponding claim under §§ 7-12.1-306, 7-12.1-703, or 7-12.1-805 is also barred. |
ARTICLE 9 |
LIMITED-LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP |
7-12.1-901. Statement of qualification. |
(a) A partnership may become a limited-liability partnership pursuant to this section. |
(b) The terms and conditions on which a partnership becomes a limited-liability partnership |
must be approved by the affirmative vote or consent necessary to amend the partnership agreement |
except, in the case of a partnership agreement that expressly addresses obligations to contribute to |
the partnership, the affirmative vote or consent necessary to amend those provisions. |
(c) After the approval required by subsection (b) of this section, a partnership may become |
a limited-liability partnership by delivering to the secretary of state for filing a statement of |
qualification. The statement must contain: |
(1) The name of the partnership which must comply with § 7-12.1-902; |
(2) The street and mailing addresses of the partnership's principal office and, if different, |
the street address of an office in this state, if any; |
(3) The name and street and mailing addresses in this state of the partnership's registered |
agent; and |
(4) A statement that the partnership elects to become a limited-liability partnership. |
(d) A partnership's status as a limited-liability partnership remains effective, regardless of |
changes in the partnership, until it is canceled pursuant to subsection (f) of this section or |
administratively revoked pursuant to § 7-12.1-903. |
(e) The status of a partnership as a limited-liability partnership and the protection against |
liability of its partners for the debts, obligations, or other liabilities of the partnership while it is a |
limited-liability partnership is not affected by errors or later changes in the information required to |
be contained in the statement of qualification. |
(f) A limited-liability partnership may amend or cancel its statement of qualification by |
delivering to the secretary of state for filing a statement of amendment or cancellation. The |
statement must be approved by the affirmative vote or consent of all the partners and state the name |
of the limited-liability partnership and in the case of: |
(1) An amendment, state the text of the amendment; and |
(2) A cancellation, state that the statement of qualification is canceled. |
7-12.1-902. Permitted names. |
(a) The name of a partnership that is not a limited-liability partnership may not contain the |
phrase "Registered Limited-liability Partnership" or "Limited-liability Partnership" or the |
abbreviation "R.L.L.P.", "L.L.P.", "RLLP" , or "LLP". |
(b) The name of a limited-liability partnership must contain the phrase "Registered |
Limited-liability Partnership" or "Limited-liability Partnership" or the abbreviation "R.L.L.P.", |
"L.L.P.", "RLLP", or "LLP". |
(c) The name of a limited-liability partnership, and the name under which a foreign limited- |
liability partnership may register to do business in this state, must be distinguishable on the records |
of the secretary of state from any: |
(1) Name of an existing person whose formation or qualifications required the filing of a |
record by the secretary of state or any name that is filed, reserved, or registered under this title or |
as permitted by the laws of this state, subject to the following: |
(i) This provision does not apply if the applicant files with the secretary of state a certified |
copy of a final decree of a court of competent jurisdiction establishing the prior right of the |
applicant to the use of the name in this state; and |
(ii) The name may be the same as the name of an existing person the certificate of |
incorporation or organization of which has been revoked by the secretary of state as permitted by |
law, and the revocation has not been withdrawn within one year from the date of the revocation. |
(iii) Words and/or abbreviations that are required by statute to identify the particular type |
of business entity shall be disregarded when determining if a name is distinguishable upon the |
records of the secretary of state. |
(iv) The secretary of state shall promulgate rules and regulations defining the term |
"distinguishable upon the record" for the administration of this chapter. |
7-12.1-902.1. Fictitious business name. |
(a) Any domestic or foreign limited-liability partnership formed under the laws of, or |
registered to do business in this state may transact business in this state under a fictitious name |
provided that it files a fictitious business name statement in accordance with this section prior to |
the time it commences to conduct business under the fictitious name. |
(b) A fictitious business name statement shall be filed with the secretary of state, and shall |
be signed by a person authorized or required under this chapter to sign a record, and shall state: |
(1) The fictitious business name to be used; and |
(2) The name of the applicant limited-liability partnership or foreign limited-liability |
partnership, and the state and date of its formation. |
(c) The fictitious business name statement expires upon the filing of a statement of |
abandonment of use of a fictitious business name registered in accordance with this section or upon |
the cancellation of the domestic limited-liability partnership or the withdrawal of registration of the |
foreign limited-liability partnership. |
(d) The statement of abandonment of use of a fictitious business name under this section |
shall be filed with the secretary of state, shall be executed in the same manner provided in |
subsection (2) (b) of this section, and shall state: |
(1) The fictitious business name being abandoned; |
(2) The date on which the original fictitious business name statement being abandoned was |
filed; and |
(3) The information presented in subsection (b) of this section. |
(e) No domestic or foreign limited-liability partnership transacting business under a |
fictitious business name contrary to the provisions of this section, or its assignee, may maintain any |
action upon or on account of any contract made, or transaction had, in the fictitious business name |
in any court of the state until a fictitious business name statement has been filed in accordance with |
this section. |
(f) No domestic or foreign limited-liability partnership may be permitted to transact |
business under a fictitious business name pursuant to this section that is the same as the name of an |
existing person whose registration or qualification required the filing of a record by the secretary |
of state or any name that is filed, reserved, or registered under this title or as permitted by the laws |
of this state, subject to the following: |
(1) This provision does not apply if the applicant files with the secretary of state a certified |
copy of a final decree of a court of competent jurisdiction establishing the prior right of the |
applicant to the use of the name in this state; and |
(2) The name may be the same as the name of an existing person the certificate of |
incorporation or organization of which has been revoked by the secretary of state as permitted by |
law, and the revocation has not been withdrawn within one year from the date of the revocation. |
(3) Words and/or abbreviations that are required by statute to identify the particular type |
of business entity shall be disregarded when determining if a name is distinguishable upon the |
records of the secretary of state. |
(4) The secretary of state shall promulgate rules and regulations defining the term |
"distinguishable upon the record" for the administration of this chapter. |
7-12.1-903. Administrative revocation of statement of qualification. |
(a) The statement of qualification of a limited-liability partnership may be revoked by the |
secretary of state under the conditions prescribed in this section when it is established that: |
(1) The limited-liability partnership procured its statement of qualification through fraud; |
(2) The limited-liability partnership has continued to exceed or abuse the authority |
conferred upon it by law; |
(3) The limited-liability partnership has failed to file its annual report within the time |
required by this chapter; |
(4) The limited-liability partnership has failed to pay any required fees to the secretary of |
state when they have become due and payable; |
(5) The secretary of state has received notice from the division of taxation, in accordance |
with § 7-12.1-915, that the limited-liability partnership has failed to pay any fees or taxes due this |
state; |
(6) The limited-liability partnership has failed for thirty (30) days to appoint and maintain |
a registered agent in this state as required by this chapter; |
(7) The limited-liability partnership has failed, after change of its registered agent, to file |
in the office of the secretary of state a statement of the change as required by this chapter; |
(8) The limited-liability partnership has failed to file in the office of the secretary of state |
any amendment to its statement of qualification or any articles of dissolution, cancellation |
statement, merger, or consolidation as prescribed by this chapter; or |
(9) A misrepresentation has been made of any material matter in any application, report, |
affidavit, or other document submitted by the limited-liability partnership pursuant to this chapter. |
(b) No certificate of a limited-liability partnership shall be revoked by the secretary of state |
unless: |
(1) The secretary of state shall have given the limited-liability partnership notice thereof |
not less than sixty (60) days prior to such revocation by regular mail addressed to the registered |
agent in this state on file with the secretary of state's office, which notice shall specify the basis for |
the revocation; provided, however, that if a prior mailing addressed to the address of the registered |
agent of the limited-liability partnership in this state currently on file with the secretary of state's |
office has been returned as undeliverable by the United States Postal Service for any reason, or if |
the revocation notice is returned as undeliverable by the United States Postal Service for any reason, |
the secretary of state shall give notice as follows: |
(i) To the limited-liability partnership at its principal office of record as shown in its most |
recent annual report, and no further notice shall be required; or |
(ii) In the case of a limited-liability partnership that has not yet filed an annual report, then |
to the limited-liability partnership at the principal office in the statement of qualification of limited- |
liability partnership and no further notice shall be required; and |
(2) The limited-liability partnership fails prior to revocation to file the annual report, pay |
the fees or taxes, file the required statement of change of registered agent, file any amendments to |
its statement of qualification or articles of dissolution, cancellation statement, merger, or |
consolidation, or correct the misrepresentation. |
7-12.1-903.1. Issuance of certificates of revocation. |
(a) Upon revoking any such certificate of a limited-liability partnership, the secretary of |
state shall: |
(1) Issue a certificate of revocation in duplicate; |
(2) File one of the certificates in the secretary of state's office; |
(3) Send to the limited-liability partnership by regular mail a certificate of revocation, |
addressed to the registered agent of the limited-liability partnership in this state on file with the |
secretary of state's office; provided, however, that if a prior mailing addressed to the address of the |
registered agent of the limited-liability partnership in this state currently on file with the secretary |
of state's office has been returned to the secretary of state as undeliverable by the United States |
Postal Service for any reason, or if the revocation certificate is returned as undeliverable to the |
secretary of state's office by the United States Postal Service for any reason, the secretary of state |
shall give notice as follows: |
(i) To the limited-liability partnership at its principal office of record as shown in its most |
recent annual report, and no further notice shall be required; or |
(ii) In the case of a limited-liability partnership that has not yet filed an annual report, then |
to the domestic limited-liability company at the principal office in the articles of organization or to |
the authorized person listed on the articles of organization, and no further notice shall be required. |
(b) An administrative revocation under this section affects only the partnership’s status as |
a limited-liability partnership and is not an event causing dissolution of the partnership. |
(c) The revocation of a limited-liability partnership does not terminate the authority of its |
registered agent. |
7-12.1-904. Reinstatement. |
(a) A partnership whose statement of qualification has been revoked administratively under |
§ 7-12.1-903 may apply to the secretary of state for reinstatement of the statement of qualification |
not later than two (2) years after the effective date of the revocation. The application must be |
accompanied by a certificate of good standing from the Rhode Island division of taxation and state: |
(1) The name of the partnership at the time of the administrative revocation of its statement |
of qualification and, if needed, a different name that satisfies § 7-12.1-902; |
(2) The address of the principal office of the partnership and the name and street and |
mailing addresses of its registered agent; |
(3) The effective date of administrative revocation of the partnership's statement of |
qualification; |
(4) On the payment by the limited-liability partnership of a penalty in the amount of fifty |
dollars ($50.00) for each year or part of year that has elapsed since the issuance of the certificate |
of revocation; and |
(5) That the grounds for revocation did not exist or have been cured. |
(b) To have its statement of qualification reinstated, a partnership must pay all fees, taxes, |
interest, and penalties that were due to the secretary of state or tax administrator at the time of the |
administrative revocation and all fees, taxes, interest, and penalties that would have been due to the |
secretary of state or tax administrator while the partnership's statement of qualification was revoked |
administratively. |
(c) If the secretary of state determines that an application under subsection (a) of this |
section contains the required information, is satisfied that the information is correct, and determines |
that all payments required to be made to the secretary of state by subsection (b) of this section have |
been made, the secretary of state shall: |
(1) Cancel the statement of revocation and prepare a statement of reinstatement that states |
the secretary of state's determination and the effective date of reinstatement; and |
(2) File the statement of reinstatement and serve a copy on the partnership. |
(d) When reinstatement under this section has become effective, the following rules apply: |
(1) The reinstatement relates back to and takes effect as of the effective date of the |
administrative revocation. |
(2) The partnership's status as a limited-liability partnership continues as if the revocation |
had not occurred. |
(3) The rights of a person arising out of an act or omission in reliance on the revocation |
before the person knew or had notice of the reinstatement are not affected. |
7-12.1-905. Judicial review of denial of reinstatement. |
(a) If the secretary of state denies a partnership's application for reinstatement following |
administrative revocation of the partnership's statement of qualification, the secretary of state shall |
serve the partnership with a notice in a record that explains the reasons for the denial. |
(b) A partnership may seek judicial review of denial of reinstatement in the Providence |
County superior court not later than thirty (30) days after service of the notice of denial. |
7-12.1-906. Reservation of name. |
(a) A person may reserve the exclusive use of a name that complies with § 7-12.1-902 by |
delivering an application to the secretary of state for filing. The application must state the name |
and address of the applicant and the name to be reserved. If the secretary of state finds that the |
name is available, the secretary of state shall reserve the name for the applicant's exclusive use for |
one hundred twenty (120) days. |
(b) The owner of a reserved name may transfer the reservation to another person by |
delivering to the secretary of state a signed notice in a record of the transfer which states the name |
and address of the person to which the reservation is being transferred. |
7-12.1-907. Registration of name. |
(a) A foreign limited-liability partnership not registered to do business in this state under |
Article 10 of this chapter may register its name, or an alternate name adopted pursuant to § 7-12.1- |
902, if the name is distinguishable on the records of the secretary of state from the names that are |
not available under § 7-12.1-902. |
(b) To register its name or an alternate name adopted pursuant to § 7-12.1-902, a foreign |
limited-liability partnership must deliver to the secretary of state for filing an application stating |
the partnership's name, the jurisdiction and date of its formation, and any alternate name adopted |
pursuant to § 7-12.1-902. If the secretary of state finds that the name applied for is available, the |
secretary of state shall register the name for the applicant's exclusive use. |
(c) The registration of a name under this section is effective for one year after the date of |
registration. |
(d) A foreign limited-liability partnership whose name registration is effective may renew |
the registration for successive one-year periods by delivering, not earlier than three (3) months |
before the expiration of the registration, to the secretary of state for filing a renewal application that |
complies with this section. When filed, the renewal application renews the registration for a |
succeeding one-year period. |
(e) A foreign limited-liability partnership whose name registration is effective may register |
as a foreign limited-liability partnership under the registered name or consent in a signed record to |
the use of that name by another person that is not an individual. |
7-12.1-908. Registered agent. |
(a) Each limited-liability partnership and each registered foreign limited-liability |
partnership shall designate and maintain a registered agent in this state. The designation of a |
registered agent is an affirmation of fact by the partnership or foreign partnership that the agent has |
consented to serve. |
(b) A registered agent for a limited-liability partnership or registered foreign limited- |
liability partnership must be an existing person and have a place of business in this state. |
(c) The only duties under this chapter of a registered agent that has complied with this |
chapter are: |
(1) To forward to the limited-liability partnership or registered foreign limited-liability |
partnership at the address most recently supplied to the agent by the partnership or foreign |
partnership any process, notice, or demand pertaining to the partnership or foreign partnership |
which is served on or received by the agent; |
(2) If the registered agent resigns, to provide the notice required by § 7-12.1-907(c) to the |
partnership or foreign partnership at the address most recently supplied to the agent by the |
partnership or foreign partnership; and |
(3) To keep current the information with respect to the agent in the statement of |
qualification or foreign registration statement. |
7-12.1-909. Change of registered agent or address for registered agent by limited- |
liability partnership. |
(a) A limited-liability partnership or registered foreign limited-liability partnership may |
change its registered agent or the address of its registered agent by delivering to the secretary of |
state for filing a statement of change that states: |
(1) The name of the partnership or foreign partnership; and |
(2) The information that is to be in effect as a result of the filing of the statement of change. |
(b) The partners of a limited-liability partnership need not approve the delivery to the |
secretary of state for filing of: |
(1) A statement of change under this section; or |
(2) A similar filing changing the registered agent or registered office, if any, of the |
partnership in any other jurisdiction. |
(c) A statement of change under this section designating a new registered agent is an |
affirmation of fact by the limited-liability partnership or registered foreign limited-liability |
partnership that the agent has consented to serve. |
7-12.1-910. Resignation of registered agent. |
(a) A registered agent may resign as an agent for a limited-liability partnership or registered |
foreign limited-liability partnership by delivering to the secretary of state for filing a statement of |
resignation that states: |
(1) The name of the partnership or foreign partnership; |
(2) The name of the agent; |
(3) That the agent resigns from serving as registered agent for the partnership or foreign |
partnership; and |
(4) The address of the partnership or foreign partnership to which the agent will send the |
notice required by subsection (c) of this section. |
(b) A statement of resignation takes effect on the earlier of: |
(1) The thirty-first day after the day on which it is filed by the secretary of state; or |
(2) The designation of a new registered agent for the limited-liability partnership or |
registered foreign limited-liability partnership. |
(c) A registered agent promptly shall furnish to the limited-liability partnership or |
registered foreign limited-liability partnership notice in a record of the date on which a statement |
of resignation was filed. |
(d) When a statement of resignation takes effect, the registered agent ceases to have |
responsibility under this chapter for any matter thereafter tendered to it as agent for the limited- |
liability partnership or registered foreign limited-liability partnership. The resignation does not |
affect any contractual rights the partnership or foreign partnership has against the agent or that the |
agent has against the partnership or foreign partnership. |
(e) A registered agent may resign with respect to a limited-liability partnership or registered |
foreign limited-liability partnership whether or not the partnership or foreign partnership is in good |
standing. |
7-12.1-911. Change of name or address by registered agent. |
(a) If a registered agent changes its name or address, the agent may deliver to the secretary |
of state for filing a statement of change that states: |
(1) The name of the limited-liability partnership or registered foreign limited-liability |
partnership represented by the registered agent; |
(2) The name of the agent as currently shown in the records of the secretary of state for the |
partnership or foreign partnership; |
(3) If the name of the agent has changed, its new name; and |
(4) If the address of the agent has changed, its new address. |
(b) A registered agent promptly shall furnish notice to the represented limited-liability |
partnership or registered foreign limited-liability partnership of the filing by the secretary of state |
of the statement of change and the changes made by the statement. |
7-12.1-912. Service of process, notice, or demand. |
(a) A limited-liability partnership or registered foreign limited-liability partnership may be |
served with any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law by serving its registered |
agent. |
(b) If a limited-liability partnership or registered foreign limited-liability partnership fails |
to appoint or maintain a registered agent in this state, or whenever its registered agent cannot with |
reasonable diligence be found at the registered office, then the secretary of state is an agent of the |
corporation upon whom any process, notice, or demand may be served. Service on the secretary of |
state of any process, notice, or demand is made by delivering to and leaving with him or her or with |
any clerk having charge of the corporation department of his or her office, duplicate copies of the |
process, notice, or demand. In the event any process, notice, or demand is served on the secretary |
of state, the secretary of state shall immediately forward one of the copies by certified mail, |
addressed to the corporation at its registered office. Any service upon the secretary of state is |
returnable in not less than thirty (30) days. |
(c) The secretary of state shall maintain a record of any such service setting forth the name |
of the plaintiff and defendant, the title, docket number and nature of the proceeding in which |
process has been served upon the secretary of state, the fact that service has been effected pursuant |
to this subsection, the return date thereof, and the day and hour when the service was made. The |
secretary of state shall not be required to retain such information for a period longer than five (5) |
years from receipt of the service of process. |
(d) Service of process, notice, or demand on a registered agent must be in a written record. |
(e) Service of process, notice, or demand may be made by other means under law other |
than this chapter. |
7-12.1-913. Annual report for secretary of state. |
(a) A limited-liability partnership or registered foreign limited-liability partnership shall |
deliver to the secretary of state for filing an annual report that states: |
(1) The name of the partnership or registered foreign partnership; |
(2) The street and mailing addresses of its principal office; |
(3) The name of at least one partner; |
(4) In the case of a foreign partnership, its jurisdiction of formation and any alternate name |
adopted under § 7-12.1-1006; |
(5) A brief statement of the character of the business in which the limited-liability |
partnership is actually engaged in this state; and |
(6) Any additional information that is required by the secretary of state. |
(b) The annual report must be made on forms prescribed and furnished by the secretary of |
state, and the information in the annual report must be current as of the date the report is signed by |
the limited-liability partnership or registered foreign limited-liability partnership. |
(c) The first annual report must be filed with the secretary of state after February 1, and |
before May 1, of the year following the calendar year in which the limited-liability partnership's |
statement of qualification became effective or the registered foreign limited-liability partnership |
registered to do business in this state. Subsequent annual reports must be filed with the secretary of |
state after February 1, and before May 1, of each calendar year thereafter. Proof to the satisfaction |
of the secretary of state that prior to May 1 the report was deposited in the United States mail in a |
sealed envelope, properly addressed, with postage prepaid, is deemed to be a compliance with this |
requirement. |
(d) If the secretary of state finds that the annual report conforms to the requirements of this |
chapter, the secretary of state shall file the report. If an annual report does not contain the |
information required by this section, the secretary of state promptly shall notify the reporting |
limited-liability partnership or registered foreign limited-liability partnership in a record and return |
the report for correction, in which event the penalties subsequently prescribed for failure to file the |
report within the time previously provided do not apply if the report is corrected to conform to the |
requirements of this chapter and returned to the secretary of state within thirty (30) days from the |
date on which it was mailed to the corporation by the secretary of state. |
(e) Each limited-liability partnership, domestic or foreign, that fails or refuses to file its |
annual report for any year within thirty (30) days after the time prescribed by this chapter is subject |
to a penalty of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per year. |
7-12.1-914. Filing of returns with the tax administrator -- annual charge. |
(a) For tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2012, a limited-liability partnership |
registered under § 7-12-56, shall file a return in the form and containing the information as |
prescribed by the tax administrator as follows: |
(1) If the fiscal year of the limited-liability partnership is the calendar year, on or before |
the fifteenth day of April in the year following the close of the fiscal year; and |
(2) If the fiscal year of the limited-liability partnership is not a calendar year, on or before |
the fifteenth day of the fourth month following the close of the fiscal year. |
(b) For tax years beginning after December 31, 2015, a limited-liability partnership |
registered under § 7-12-56 or this chapter, shall file a return, in the form and containing the |
information as prescribed by the tax administrator, and shall be filed on or before the date a federal |
tax return is due to be filed, without regard to extension. |
(c) An annual charge, equal to the minimum tax imposed upon a corporation under § 44- |
11-2(e), shall be due on the filing of the limited-liability partnership's return filed with the tax |
administrator and shall be paid to the division of taxation. |
(d) The annual charge is delinquent if not paid by the due date for the filing of the return |
and an addition of one hundred dollars ($100) to the charge is then due. |
7-12.1-915. Confirmation of state fees and taxes. |
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Rhode Island general laws, when any |
section of this chapter refers to state fees and/or taxes paid, the division of taxation is authorized to |
respond and share tax information with the secretary of state’s office in response to a request from |
that office regarding an entity’s tax status as compliant or noncompliant. |
(b) If the secretary of state’s office receives notice from the division of taxation that the |
limited-liability partnership has failed to pay any fees or taxes due this state, the secretary of state |
shall begin revocation proceedings in accordance with the provisions of § 7-12.1-903. |
(c) The notice of revocation may state as the basis for revocation that the taxpayer failed |
to pay state fees and/or taxes to the division of taxation. However, the secretary of state’s office |
must otherwise protect all state and federal tax information in its custody as required by § 7-12.1- |
915 and refrain from disclosing any other specific tax information. |
7-12.1-916. Revocation of certificate of limited-liability partnership or certificate of |
registration for nonpayment of fee fees or taxes. |
(a) The tax administrator may, after July 15 of each year, compile a list of all limited- |
liability partnerships that have failed to pay any state fees and/or taxes for one year after the fees |
and/or taxes became due and payable, and the failure is not the subject of a pending appeal. The |
tax administrator shall certify to the correctness of the list. Upon receipt of the certified list, the |
secretary of state may initiate revocation proceedings as defined in § 7-12.1-903. |
(b) With respect to any information provided by the division of taxation to the secretary of |
state’s office pursuant to this chapter, the secretary of state, together with the employees or agents |
thereof, shall be subject to all state and federal tax confidentiality laws applying to the division of |
taxation and the officers, agents, and employees thereof, and which restrict the acquisition, use, |
storage, dissemination, or publication of confidential taxpayer data. |
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the notice of revocation may state as the basis for |
revocation that the taxpayer has failed to pay state fees and/or taxes to the division of taxation. |
However, the secretary of state’s office must otherwise protect all state and federal tax information |
in its custody as required by subsection (b) of this section and refrain from disclosing any other |
specific tax information. |
ARTICLE 10 |
FOREIGN LIMITED-LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP |
7-12.1-1001. Governing law. |
(a) The law of the jurisdiction of formation of a foreign limited-liability partnership |
governs: |
(1) The internal affairs of the partnership; and |
(2) The liability of a partner as partner for a debt, obligation, or other liability of the foreign |
partnership. |
(b) A foreign limited-liability partnership is not precluded from registering to do business |
in this state because of any difference between the law of its jurisdiction of formation and the law |
of this state. |
(c) Registration of a foreign limited-liability partnership to do business in this state does |
not authorize the foreign partnership to engage in any business or exercise any power that a limited- |
liability partnership may not engage in or exercise in this state. |
7-12.1-1002. Registration to do business in this state. |
(a) A foreign limited-liability partnership may not do business in this state until it registers |
with the secretary of state under this article. |
(b) A foreign limited-liability partnership doing business in this state may not maintain an |
action or proceeding in this state unless it has registered to do business in this state. |
(c) The failure of a foreign limited-liability partnership to register to do business in this |
state does not impair the validity of a contract or act of the foreign partnership or preclude it from |
defending an action or proceeding in this state. |
(d) A limitation on the liability of a partner of a foreign limited-liability partnership is not |
waived solely because the foreign partnership does business in this state without registering to do |
business in this state. |
(e) Sections 7-12.1-1001(a) and 7-12.1-1001(b) applies even if a foreign limited-liability |
partnership fails to register under this article. |
7-12.1-1003. Foreign registration statement. |
To register to do business in this state, a foreign limited-liability partnership must deliver |
a foreign registration statement to the secretary of state for filing. The statement must state: |
(1) The name of the partnership and, if the name does not comply with § 7-12.1-902, an |
alternate name adopted pursuant to § 7-12.1-1006(a); |
(2) That the partnership is a foreign limited-liability partnership; |
(3) The partnership's jurisdiction of formation; |
(4) The general character of the business it proposes to transact in this state; |
(5) The name and business address of at least one partner; |
(6) The street and mailing addresses of the partnership's principal office and, if the law of |
the partnership's jurisdiction of formation requires the partnership to maintain an office in that |
jurisdiction, the street and mailing addresses of the required office; |
(7) The name and street and mailing addresses of the partnership's registered agent in this |
state; |
(8) A statement that the secretary of state is appointed the agent of a foreign limited-liability |
partnership for service of process if no agent has been appointed, or, if appointed, the agent’s |
authority has been revoked or if the agent cannot be found or served with the exercise of reasonable |
diligence; and |
(9) Additional information as may be necessary or appropriate in order to enable the |
secretary of state to determine whether the foreign limited-liability partnership is entitled to a |
certificate of authority to transact business in this state. |
7-12.1-1004. Amendment of foreign registration statement. |
A registered foreign limited-liability partnership shall deliver to the secretary of state for |
filing an amendment to its foreign registration statement if there is a change in: |
(1) The name of the partnership; |
(2) The alternate name adopted pursuant to § 7-12.1-1006(a); |
(3) The address required by § 7-12.1-1003(6). |
7-12.1-1005. Activities not constituting doing business. |
(a) Activities of a foreign limited-liability partnership which do not constitute doing |
business in this state under this article include: |
(1) Maintaining, defending, mediating, arbitrating, or settling an action or proceeding; |
(2) Carrying on any activity concerning its internal affairs, including holding meetings of |
its partners; |
(3) Maintaining accounts in financial institutions; |
(4) Maintaining offices or agencies for the transfer, exchange, and registration of securities |
of the partnership or maintaining trustees or depositories with respect to those securities; |
(5) Selling through independent contractors; |
(6) Soliciting or obtaining orders by any means if the orders require acceptance outside this |
state before they become contracts; |
(7) Creating or acquiring indebtedness, mortgages, or security interests in property; |
(8) Securing or collecting debts or enforcing mortgages or security interests in property |
securing the debts and holding, protecting, or maintaining property; |
(9) Conducting an isolated transaction that is not in the course of similar transactions; |
(10) Owning, without more, property; and |
(11) Doing business in interstate commerce. |
(b) A person does not do business in this state solely by being a partner of a foreign limited- |
liability partnership that does business in this state. |
(c) This section does not apply in determining the contacts or activities that may subject a |
foreign limited-liability partnership to service of process, taxation, or regulation under law of this |
state other than this chapter. |
7-12.1-1006. Noncomplying name of foreign limited-liability partnership. |
(a) A foreign limited-liability partnership whose name does not comply with § 7-12.1-902 |
may not register to do business in this state until it adopts, for the purpose of doing business in this |
state, an alternate name that complies with § 7-12.1-902. A partnership that registers under an |
alternate name under this subsection need not comply with §§ 7-16-902 or 7-1.2-402. A partnership |
that registers under an alternate name under this subsection need not comply with this state’s |
fictitious name statute. After registering to do business in the state with an alternate name, a |
partnership shall do business in this state under: |
(1) The alternate name; |
(2) The partnership's name, with the addition of its jurisdiction of formation; or |
(3) A name the partnership is authorized to use under the state's fictitious name statute to |
include, but not be limited to, §§ 7-16- 902.1 or 7-1.2-402. |
(b) If a registered foreign limited-liability partnership changes its name to one that does |
not comply with § 7-12.1-902, it may not do business in this state until it complies with subsection |
(a) of this section by amending its registration to adopt an alternate name that complies with § 7- |
12.1-902. |
7-12.1-1007. Withdrawal deemed on conversion to domestic filing entity or domestic |
limited-liability partnership. |
A registered foreign limited-liability partnership that converts to a domestic limited- |
liability partnership or to a domestic entity whose formation requires the delivery of a record to the |
secretary of state for filing is deemed to have withdrawn its registration on the effective date of the |
conversion. |
7-12.1-1008. Withdrawal on dissolution or conversion to nonfiling entity other than |
limited-liability partnership. |
(a) A registered foreign limited-liability partnership that has dissolved and completed |
winding up or has converted to a domestic or foreign entity whose formation does not require the |
public filing of a record, other than a limited-liability partnership, shall deliver a statement of |
withdrawal to the secretary of state for filing. The statement must state: |
(1) In the case of a partnership that has completed winding up: |
(i) Its name and jurisdiction of formation; |
(ii) That the partnership surrenders its registration to do business in this state; |
(iii) That the limited-liability partnership revokes the authority of its registered agent in |
this state to accept service of process and consents that service of process in any action, suit, or |
proceeding based upon any cause of action arising in this state during the time the limited-liability |
partnership was authorized to transact business in this state may subsequently be made on the |
limited-liability partnership by service on the secretary of state in accordance with subsection (b) |
of this section; and |
(iv) The post office address to which the secretary of state may mail a copy of any process |
against the limited-liability partnerships that is served on the secretary of state. |
(2) In the case of a partnership that has converted: |
(i) The name of the converting partnership and its jurisdiction of formation; |
(ii) The type of entity to which the partnership has converted and its jurisdiction of |
formation; |
(iii) That the converted entity surrenders the converting partnership's registration to do |
business in this state and revokes the authority of the converting partnership's registered agent to |
act as registered agent in this state on behalf of the partnership or the converted entity; and |
(iv) A mailing address to which service of process may be made under subsection (b) of |
this section. |
(b) After a withdrawal under this section becomes effective, service of process in any action |
or proceeding based on a cause of action arising during the time the foreign limited-liability |
partnership was registered to do business in this state may be made pursuant to § 7-12.1-912. |
7-12.1-1009. Transfer of registration. |
(a) When a registered foreign limited-liability partnership has merged into a foreign entity |
that is not registered to do business in this state or has converted to a foreign entity required to |
register with the secretary of state to do business in this state, the foreign entity shall deliver to the |
secretary of state for filing an application for transfer of registration. The application must state: |
(1) The name of the registered foreign limited-liability partnership before the merger or |
conversion; |
(2) That before the merger or conversion the registration pertained to a foreign limited- |
liability partnership; |
(3) The name of the applicant foreign entity into which the foreign limited-liability |
partnership has merged or to which it has been converted and, if the name does not comply with § |
7-12.1-902, an alternate name adopted pursuant to § 7-12.1-1006(a); |
(4) The type of entity of the applicant foreign entity and its jurisdiction of formation; |
(b) An application for authority to transact business in the state of Rhode Island for the |
resulting entity type and a certificate of legal existence or good standing issued by the proper officer |
of the state or country under the laws of which the resulting entity has been formed. |
(c) When an application for transfer of registration takes effect, the registration of the |
foreign limited-liability limited partnership to do business in this state is transferred without |
interruption to the foreign entity into which the partnership has merged or to which it has been |
converted. |
7-12.1-1010. Revocation of registration. |
(a) The registration of a foreign limited-liability partnership may be revoked by the |
secretary of state under the conditions prescribed in this section when it is established that: |
(1) The limited-liability partnership procured its certificate of registration through fraud; |
(2) The limited-liability partnership has continued to exceed or abuse the authority |
conferred upon it by law; |
(3) The limited-liability partnership has failed to file its annual report within the time |
required by this chapter; |
(4) The limited-liability partnership has failed to pay any required fees to the secretary of |
state when they have become due and payable; |
(5) The limited-liability partnership has failed for thirty (30) days to appoint and maintain |
a registered agent in this state as required by this chapter; |
(6) The limited-liability partnership has failed, after change of its registered agent, to file |
in the office of the secretary of state a statement of the change as required by this chapter; |
(7) The limited-liability partnership has failed to file in the office of the secretary of state |
any amendment to its certificate of registration or any articles of dissolution, merger, or |
consolidation as prescribed by this chapter; or |
(8) A misrepresentation has been made of any material matter in any application, report, |
affidavit, or other document submitted by the limited-liability partnership pursuant to this chapter. |
(b) No certificate of registration of a limited-liability partnership shall be revoked by the |
secretary of state unless: |
(1) The secretary of state shall have given the limited-liability partnership notice thereof |
not less than sixty (60) days prior to such revocation by regular mail addressed to the registered |
agent in this state on file with the secretary of state's office, which notice shall specify the basis for |
the revocation; provided, however, that if a prior mailing addressed to the address of the registered |
agent of the limited-liability partnership in this state currently on file with the secretary of state's |
office has been returned as undeliverable by the United States Postal Service for any reason, or if |
the revocation notice is returned as undeliverable by the United States Postal Service for any reason, |
the secretary of state shall give notice as follows: |
(i) To the limited-liability partnership at its principal office of record as shown in its most |
recent annual report, and no further notice shall be required; or |
(ii) In the case of a limited-liability partnership that has not yet filed an annual report, then |
to the limited-liability partnership at the principal office in the certificate of registration of limited- |
liability partnership and no further notice shall be required; and |
(2) The limited-liability partnership fails prior to revocation to file the annual report, pay |
the fees or taxes, file the required statement of change of registered agent, file the amendment to |
its registration or certificate of withdrawal of registration, merger, or consolidation, or correct the |
misrepresentation. |
7-12.1-1011. Issuance of certificates of revocation. |
(a) Upon revoking any such certificate of registration of limited-liability partnership, the |
secretary of state shall: |
(1) Issue a certificate of revocation in duplicate; |
(2) File one of the certificates in the secretary of state's office; |
(3) Send to the limited-liability partnership by regular mail a certificate of revocation, |
addressed to the registered agent of the limited-liability partnership in this state on file with the |
secretary of state's office; provided, however, that if a prior mailing addressed to the address of the |
registered agent of the limited-liability partnership in this state currently on file with the secretary |
of state's office has been returned to the secretary of state as undeliverable by the United States |
Postal Service for any reason, or if the revocation certificate is returned as undeliverable to the |
secretary of state's office by the United States Postal Service for any reason, the secretary of state |
shall give notice as follows: |
(i) To the limited-liability partnership at its principal office of record as shown in its most |
recent annual report, and no further notice shall be required; or |
(ii) In the case of a limited-liability partnership that has not yet filed an annual report, then |
to the principal office listed in the certificate of registration, and no further notice shall be required. |
(b) The authority of the registered foreign limited-liability partnership to do business in |
this state ceases on the effective date of the certificate of revocation, or to apply for reinstatement |
under § 7-12.1-1012. |
(c) The revocation of a limited-liability partnership does not terminate the authority of its |
registered agent. |
7-12.1-1012. Reinstatement. |
(a) Within two (2) years after issuing a certificate of revocation as provided in § 7-12.1- |
1011, the secretary of state may withdraw the certificate of revocation and retroactively reinstate |
the limited-liability partnership in good standing as if its certificate of registration of limited- |
liability partnership had not been revoked except as subsequently provided: |
(1) On the filing by the limited-liability partnership of the documents it had previously |
failed to file as set forth in §§ 7-12.1-1006(a)(3) through 7-12.1-1006(a)(7); |
(2) On the payment by the limited-liability partnership of a penalty in the amount of fifty |
dollars ($50.00) for each year or part of year that has elapsed since the issuance of the certificate |
of revocation; and |
(b) If, as permitted by the provisions of this chapter or chapters chapter 1.2, 6, 12 12.1, or |
13.1 of this title, another limited-liability company, business or nonprofit corporation, registered |
limited-liability partnership or a limited-liability partnership, or in each case domestic or foreign, |
authorized and qualified to transact business in this state, bears or has filed a fictitious business |
name statement as to or reserved or registered a name that is the same as, the name of the limited- |
liability partnership with respect to which the certificate of revocation is proposed to be withdrawn, |
then the secretary of state shall condition the withdrawal of the certificate of revocation on the |
reinstated limited-liability partnership amending its certificate of registration so as to designate a |
name that meets the requirements of § 7-12.1-902 by adopting an alternate name pursuant to § 7- |
12.1-1006(a). |
(d) (c) When reinstatement under this section has become effective, the following rules |
apply: |
(1) The reinstatement relates back to and takes effect as of the effective date of the |
certificate of revocation. |
(2) The limited-liability partnership resumes carrying on its activities and affairs as if the |
revocation had not occurred. |
(3) The rights of a person arising out of an act or omission in reliance on the revocation |
before the person knew or had notice of the reinstatement are not affected. |
7-12.1-1013. Withdrawal of registration of registered foreign limited-liability |
partnership. |
(a) A registered foreign limited-liability partnership may withdraw its registration by |
delivering a statement of withdrawal to the secretary of state for filing. The statement of withdrawal |
must state: |
(1) The name of the partnership and its jurisdiction of formation; |
(2) That the partnership is not doing business in this state and that it withdraws its |
registration to do business in this state; |
(3) That the limited-liability partnership revokes the authority of its registered agent in this |
state to accept service of process and consents that service of process in any action, suit, or |
proceeding based upon any cause of action arising in this state during the time the limited-liability |
partnership was authorized to transact business in this state may subsequently be made on the |
limited partnership by service on the secretary of state in accordance with subsection (b) of this |
section; and |
(4) The post office address to which the secretary of state may mail a copy of any process |
against the limited-liability partnership that is served on the secretary of state. |
(b) After the withdrawal of the registration of a foreign limited-liability partnership, service |
of process in any action or proceeding based on a cause of action arising during the time the |
partnership was registered to do business in this state may be made pursuant to § 7-12.1-912. |
7-12.1-1014. Action by attorney general. |
The attorney general may maintain an action to enjoin a foreign limited-liability |
partnership from doing business in this state in violation of this article of this chapter. |
ARTICLE 11 |
MERGER, INTEREST EXCHANGE, CONVERSION, AND DOMESTICATION |
PART 1 |
GENERAL PROVISIONS |
7-12.1-11.11 7-12.1-1101. Definitions. |
As used in this chapter: |
(1) "Acquired entity" means the entity, all of one or more classes or series of interests of |
which are acquired in an interest exchange. |
(2) "Acquiring entity" means the entity that acquires all of one or more classes or series of |
interests of the acquired entity in an interest exchange. |
(3) "Conversion" means a transaction authorized by §§ 7-12.1-11.41 through 7-12.1-11.46. |
(4) "Converted entity" means the converting entity as it continues in existence after a |
conversion. |
(5) "Converting entity" means the domestic entity that approves a plan of conversion |
pursuant to § 7-12.1-11.43 or the foreign entity that approves a conversion pursuant to the law of |
its jurisdiction of formation. |
(6) "Distributional interest" means the right under an unincorporated entity's organic law |
and organic rules to receive distributions from the entity. |
(7) "Domestic", with respect to an entity, means governed as to its internal affairs by the |
law of this state. |
(8) "Domesticated limited-liability partnership" means a domesticating limited-liability |
partnership as it continues in existence after a domestication. |
(9) "Domesticating limited-liability partnership" means the domestic limited-liability |
partnership that approves a plan of domestication pursuant to § 7-12.1-11.53 or the foreign limited- |
liability partnership that approves a domestication pursuant to the law of its jurisdiction of |
formation. |
(10) "Domestication" means a transaction authorized by §§ 7-12.1-11.51 through 7-12.1- |
11.56. |
(11) "Entity": |
(i) Means: |
(A) A business corporation; |
(B) A nonprofit corporation; |
(C) A general partnership, including a limited-liability partnership; |
(D) A limited partnership, including a limited-liability limited partnership; |
(E) A limited-liability company; |
(F) A general cooperative association; |
(G) A limited cooperative association; |
(H) An unincorporated nonprofit association; |
(I) A statutory trust, business trust, or common-law business trust; or |
(J) Any other person that has: |
(I) A legal existence separate from any interest holder of that person; or |
(II) The power to acquire an interest in real property in its own name; and |
(ii) Does not include: |
(A) An individual; |
(B) A trust with a predominantly donative purpose or a charitable trust; |
(C) An association or relationship that is not an entity listed in subsection (11)(i) of this |
section and is not a partnership under the rules stated in § 7-12.1-202(c) or a similar provision of |
the law of another jurisdiction; |
(D) A decedent's estate; or |
(E) A government or a governmental subdivision, agency, or instrumentality. |
(12) "Filing entity" means an entity whose formation requires the filing of a public organic |
record. The term does not include a limited-liability partnership. |
(13) "Foreign", with respect to an entity, means an entity governed as to its internal affairs |
by the law of a jurisdiction other than this state. |
(14) "Governance interest" means a right under the organic law or organic rules of an |
unincorporated entity, other than as a governor, agent, assignee, or proxy, to: |
(i) Receive or demand access to information concerning, or the books and records of, the |
entity; |
(ii) Vote for or consent to the election of the governors of the entity; or |
(iii) Receive notice of or vote on or consent to an issue involving the internal affairs of the |
entity. |
(15) "Governor" means: |
(i) A director of a business corporation; |
(ii) A director or trustee of a nonprofit corporation; |
(iii) A general partner of a general partnership; |
(iv) A general partner of a limited partnership; |
(v) A manager of a manager-managed limited-liability company; |
(vi) A member of a member-managed limited-liability company; |
(vii) A director of a general cooperative association; |
(viii) A director of a limited cooperative association; |
(ix) A manager of an unincorporated nonprofit association; |
(x) A trustee of a statutory trust, business trust, or common-law business trust; or |
(xi) Any other person under whose authority the powers of an entity are exercised and |
under whose direction the activities and affairs of the entity are managed pursuant to the organic |
law and organic rules of the entity. |
(16) "Interest" means: |
(i) A share in a business corporation; |
(ii) A membership in a nonprofit corporation; |
(iii) A partnership interest in a general partnership; |
(iv) A partnership interest in a limited partnership; |
(v) A membership interest in a limited-liability company; |
(vi) A share in a general cooperative association; |
(vii) A member's interest in a limited cooperative association; |
(viii) A membership in an unincorporated nonprofit association; |
(ix) A beneficial interest in a statutory trust, business trust, or common-law business trust; |
or |
(x) A governance interest or distributional interest in any other type of unincorporated |
entity. |
(17) "Interest exchange" means a transaction authorized by §§ 7-12.1-11.31 through 7- |
12.1-11.36. |
(18) "Interest holder" means: |
(i) A shareholder of a business corporation; |
(ii) A member of a nonprofit corporation; |
(iii) A general partner of a general partnership; |
(iv) A general partner of a limited partnership; |
(v) A limited partner of a limited partnership; |
(vi) A member of a limited-liability company; |
(vii) A shareholder of a general cooperative association; |
(viii) A member of a limited cooperative association; |
(ix) A member of an unincorporated nonprofit association; |
(x) A beneficiary or beneficial owner of a statutory trust, business trust, or common-law |
business trust; or |
(xi) Any other direct holder of an interest. |
(19) "Interest holder liability" means: |
(i) Personal liability for a liability of an entity which is imposed on a person: |
(A) Solely by reason of the status of the person as an interest holder; or |
(B) By the organic rules of the entity which make one or more specified interest holders or |
categories of interest holders liable in their capacity as interest holders for all or specified liabilities |
of the entity; or |
(ii) An obligation of an interest holder under the organic rules of an entity to contribute to |
the entity. |
(20) "Merger" means a transaction authorized by §§ 7-12.1-11.21 through 7-12.1-11.26. |
(21) "Merging entity" means an entity that is a party to a merger and exists immediately |
before the merger becomes effective. |
(22) "Organic law" means the law of an entity's jurisdiction of formation governing the |
internal affairs of the entity. |
(23) "Organic rules" means the public organic record and private organic rules of an entity. |
(24) "Plan" means a plan of merger, plan of interest exchange, plan of conversion, or plan |
of domestication. |
(25) "Plan of conversion" means a plan under § 7-12.1-11.42. |
(26) "Plan of domestication" means a plan under § 7-12.1-11.52. |
(27) "Plan of interest exchange" means a plan under § 7-12.1-11.32. |
(28) "Plan of merger" means a plan under § 7-12.1-11.22. |
(29) "Private organic rules" means the rules, whether or not in a record, that govern the |
internal affairs of an entity, are binding on all its interest holders, and are not part of its public |
organic record, if any. The term includes: |
(i) The bylaws of a business corporation; |
(ii) The bylaws of a nonprofit corporation; |
(iii) The partnership agreement of a general partnership; |
(iv) The partnership agreement of a limited partnership; |
(v) The operating agreement of a limited-liability company; |
(vi) The bylaws of a general cooperative association; |
(vii) The bylaws of a limited cooperative association; |
(viii) The governing principles of an unincorporated nonprofit association; and |
(ix) The trust instrument of a statutory trust or similar rules of a business trust or common- |
law business trust. |
(30) "Protected agreement" means: |
(i) A record evidencing indebtedness and any related agreement in effect on the effective |
date of this chapter; |
(ii) An agreement that is binding on an entity on the effective date of this chapter; |
(iii) The organic rules of an entity in effect on the effective date of this chapter; or |
(iv) An agreement that is binding on any of the governors or interest holders of an entity |
on the effective date of this chapter. |
(31) "Public organic record" means the record the filing of which by the secretary of state |
is required to form an entity and any amendment to or restatement of that record. The term includes: |
(i) The articles of incorporation of a business corporation; |
(ii) The articles of incorporation of a nonprofit corporation; |
(iii) The certificate of limited partnership of a limited partnership; |
(iv) The certificate of organization of a limited-liability company; |
(v) The articles of incorporation of a general cooperative association; |
(vi) The articles of organization of a limited cooperative association; and |
(vii) The certificate of trust of a statutory trust or similar record of a business trust. |
(32) "Registered foreign entity" means a foreign entity that is registered to do business in |
this state pursuant to a record filed by the secretary of state. |
(33) "Statement of conversion" means a statement under § 7-12.1-11.45. |
(34) "Statement of domestication" means a statement under § 7-12.1-11.55. |
(35) "Statement of interest exchange" means a statement under § 7-12.1-11.35. |
(36) "Statement of merger" means a statement under § 7-12.1-11.25. |
(37) "Surviving entity" means the entity that continues in existence after or is created by a |
merger. |
(38) "Type of entity" means a generic form of entity: |
(i) Recognized at common law; or |
(ii) Formed under an organic law, whether or not some entities formed under that organic |
law are subject to provisions of that law that create different categories of the form of entity. |
7-12.1-11.21 7-12.1-1102. Relationship of article to other laws. |
(a) This article does not authorize an act prohibited by, and does not affect the application |
or requirements of, any law other than this article. |
(b) A transaction effected under this chapter may not create or impair a right, duty, or |
obligation of a person under the statutory law of this state relating to a change in control, takeover, |
business combination, control-share acquisition, or similar transaction involving a domestic |
merging, acquired, converting, or domesticating business corporation unless: |
(1) If the corporation does not survive the transaction, the transaction satisfies any |
requirements of the law; or |
(2) If the corporation survives the transaction, the approval of the plan is by a vote of the |
shareholders or directors which would be sufficient to create or impair the right, duty, or obligation |
directly under the law. |
7-12.1-11.31 7-12.1-1103. Required notice or approval. |
(a) A domestic or foreign entity that is required to give notice to, or obtain the approval of, |
a governmental agency or officer of this state to be a party to a merger must give the notice or |
obtain the approval to be a party to an interest exchange, conversion, or domestication. |
(b) Property held for a charitable purpose under the law of this state by a domestic or |
foreign entity immediately before a transaction under this article becomes effective may not, as a |
result of the transaction, be diverted from the objects for which it was donated, granted, devised, |
or otherwise transferred unless, to the extent required by or pursuant to the law of this state |
concerning cy pres or other law dealing with nondiversion of charitable assets, the entity obtains |
an appropriate order of the superior court specifying the disposition of the property. |
(c) A bequest, devise, gift, grant, or promise contained in a will or other instrument of |
donation, subscription, or conveyance which is made to a merging entity that is not the surviving |
entity and which takes effect or remains payable after the merger inures to the surviving entity. |
(d) A trust obligation that would govern property if transferred to a nonsurviving entity |
applies to property that is transferred to the surviving entity under this section. |
7-12.1-11.41 7-12.1-1104. Nonexclusivity. |
The fact that a transaction under this article produces a certain result does not preclude the |
same result from being accomplished in any other manner permitted by law other than this article. |
7-12.1-11.51 7-12.1-1105. Reference to external facts. |
A plan may refer to facts ascertainable outside the plan if the manner in which the facts |
will operate upon the plan is specified in the plan. The facts may include the occurrence of an event |
or a determination or action by a person, whether or not the event, determination, or action is within |
the control of a party to the transaction. |
7-12.1-11.61 7-12.1-1106. Appraisal rights. |
An interest holder of a domestic merging, acquired, converting, or domesticating |
partnership is entitled to contractual appraisal rights in connection with a transaction under this |
article to the extent provided in: |
(1) The partnership's organic rules; or |
(2) The plan. |
7-12.1-11.71 7-12.1-1107. Excluded entities and transactions; Other applicable law. |
(a) This Part may not be used to effect a transaction that is prohibited by law of this state |
other than this chapter. |
(b) If law of this state other than this chapter applies to a transaction that is otherwise within |
the scope of this Part, the transaction is still subject to such other law. |
PART 2 |
MERGER |
7-12.1-11.21 7-12.1-1121. Merger authorized. |
(a) By complying with this part: |
(1) One or more domestic partnerships may merge with one or more domestic or foreign |
entities into a domestic or foreign surviving entity; and |
(2) Two (2) or more foreign entities may merge into a domestic partnership. |
(b) By complying with the provisions of this part applicable to foreign entities, a foreign |
entity may be a party to a merger under this part or may be the surviving entity in such a merger if |
the merger is authorized by the law of the foreign entity's jurisdiction of formation. |
7-12.1-11.22 7-12.1-1122. Plan of merger. |
(a) A domestic partnership may become a party to a merger under this part by approving a |
plan of merger. The plan must be in a record and contain: |
(1) As to each merging entity, its name, jurisdiction of formation, and type of entity; |
(2) If the surviving entity is to be created in the merger, a statement to that effect and the |
entity's name, jurisdiction of formation, and type of entity; |
(3) The manner of converting the interests in each party to the merger into interests, |
securities, obligations, money, other property, rights to acquire interests or securities, or any |
combination of the foregoing; |
(4) If the surviving entity exists before the merger, any proposed amendments to: |
(i) Its public organic record, if any; or |
(ii) Its private organic rules that are, or are proposed to be, in a record; |
(5) If the surviving entity is to be created in the merger: |
(i) Its proposed public organic record, if any; and |
(ii) The full text of its private organic rules that are proposed to be in a record; |
(6) The other terms and conditions of the merger; and |
(7) Any other provision required by the law of a merging entity's jurisdiction of formation |
or the organic rules of a merging entity. |
(b) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, a plan of merger may |
contain any other provision not prohibited by law. |
7-12.1-11.23 7-12.1-1123. Approval of merger. |
(a) A plan of merger is not effective unless it has been approved: |
(1) By a domestic merging partnership, by all the partners of the partnership entitled to |
vote on or consent to any matter; and |
(2) In a record, by each partner of a domestic merging partnership which will have interest |
holder liability for debts, obligations, and other liabilities that are incurred after the merger becomes |
effective, unless: |
(i) The partnership agreement of the partnership provides in a record for the approval of a |
merger in which some or all of its partners become subject to interest holder liability by the |
affirmative vote or consent of fewer than all the partners; and |
(ii) The partner consented in a record to or voted for that provision of the partnership |
agreement or became a partner after the adoption of that provision. |
(b) A merger involving a domestic merging entity that is not a partnership is not effective |
unless the merger is approved by that entity in accordance with its organic law. |
(c) A merger involving a foreign merging entity is not effective unless the merger is |
approved by the foreign entity in accordance with the law of the foreign entity's jurisdiction of |
formation. |
7-12.1-11.24 7-12.1-1124. Amendment or abandonment of plan of merger. |
(a) A plan of merger may be amended only with the consent of each party to the plan, |
except as otherwise provided in the plan. |
(b) A domestic merging partnership may approve an amendment of a plan of merger: |
(1) In the same manner as the plan was approved, if the plan does not provide for the |
manner in which it may be amended; or |
(2) By its partners in the manner provided in the plan, but a partner that was entitled to vote |
on or consent to approval of the merger is entitled to vote on or consent to any amendment of the |
plan that will change: |
(i) The amount or kind of interests, securities, obligations, money, other property, rights to |
acquire interests or securities, or any combination of the foregoing, to be received by the interest |
holders of any party to the plan; |
(ii) The public organic record, if any, or private organic rules of the surviving entity that |
will be in effect immediately after the merger be effective, except for changes that do not require |
approval of the interest holders of the surviving entity under its organic law or organic rules; or |
(iii) Any other terms or conditions of the plan, if the change would adversely affect the |
partner in any material respect. |
(c) After a plan of merger has been approved and before a statement of merger becomes |
effective, the plan may be abandoned as provided in the plan. Unless prohibited by the plan, a |
domestic merging partnership may abandon the plan in the same manner as the plan was approved. |
(d) If a plan of merger is abandoned after a statement of merger has been filed with the |
secretary of state and before the statement becomes effective, a statement of abandonment, signed |
by a party to the plan, must be filed with the secretary of state before the statement of merger |
becomes effective. The statement of abandonment takes effect on filing, and the merger is |
abandoned and does not become effective. The statement of abandonment must contain: |
(1) The name of each party to the plan of merger; |
(2) The date on which the statement of merger was filed by the secretary of state; and |
(3) A statement that the merger has been abandoned in accordance with this section. |
7-12.1-11.25 7-12.1-1125. Articles of merger -- Effective date of merger. |
(a) Articles of merger must be signed by each merging entity and filed with the secretary |
of state. |
(b) Articles of merger must contain: |
(1) The name, jurisdiction of formation, and type of entity of each merging entity that is |
not the surviving entity; |
(2) The name, jurisdiction of formation, and type of entity of the surviving entity; |
(3) A statement that the merger was approved by each domestic merging entity, if any, in |
accordance with this part and by each foreign merging entity, if any, in accordance with the law of |
its jurisdiction of formation; |
(4) If the surviving entity exists before the merger and is a domestic filing entity, any |
amendment to its public organic record approved as part of the plan of merger; |
(5) If the surviving entity is created by the merger and is a domestic filing entity, its public |
organic record, as an attachment; and |
(6) If the surviving entity is created by the merger and is a domestic limited-liability |
partnership, its statement of qualification, as an attachment. |
(c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, a statement of merger |
may contain any other provision not prohibited by law. |
(d) If the surviving entity is a domestic entity, its public organic record, if any, must satisfy |
the requirements of the law of this state, except that the public organic record does not need to be |
signed. |
(e) If the surviving or resulting entity is not a domestic limited-liability partnership or |
another filing entity of record in the office of the secretary of state, a statement that the surviving |
or resulting other entity agrees that it may be served with process in Rhode Island in any action, |
suit, or proceeding for the enforcement of any obligation of any domestic limited-liability |
partnership that is to merge, irrevocably appointing the secretary of state as its agent to accept |
service of process in the action, suit, or proceeding and specifying the address to which a copy of |
the process is to be mailed to it by the secretary of state. In the event of service under this section |
on the secretary of state, the procedures set forth in § 7-12.1-912 are applicable, except that the |
plaintiff in any action, suit, or proceeding shall furnish the secretary of state with the address |
specified in the articles of merger provided for in this section and any other address that the plaintiff |
elects to furnish, together with copies of the process as required by the secretary of state, and the |
secretary of state shall notify the surviving or resulting other business entity at all addresses |
furnished by the plaintiff in accordance with the procedures set forth in § 7-12.1-912. |
(f) If the surviving entity is a domestic partnership, the merger becomes effective when the |
article articles of merger is are effective. In all other cases, the merger becomes effective on the |
later of: |
(1) The date and time provided by the organic law of the surviving entity; and |
(2) When the article of merger is effective. |
7-12.1-11.26 7-12.1-1126. Effect of merger. |
(a) When a merger becomes effective: |
(1) The surviving entity continues or comes into existence; |
(2) Each merging entity that is not the surviving entity ceases to exist; |
(3) All property of each merging entity vests in the surviving entity without transfer, |
reversion, or impairment; |
(4) All debts, obligations, and other liabilities of each merging entity are debts, obligations, |
and other liabilities of the surviving entity; |
(5) Except as otherwise provided by law or the plan of merger, all the rights, privileges, |
immunities, powers, and purposes of each merging entity vest in the surviving entity; |
(6) If the surviving entity exists before the merger: |
(i) All its property continues to be vested in it without transfer, reversion, or impairment; |
(ii) It remains subject to all its debts, obligations, and other liabilities; and |
(iii) All its rights, privileges, immunities, powers, and purposes continue to be vested in it; |
(7) The name of the surviving entity may be substituted for the name of any merging entity |
that is a party to any pending action or proceeding; |
(8) If the surviving entity exists before the merger: |
(i) Its public organic record, if any, is amended as provided in the statement of merger; and |
(ii) Its private organic rules that are to be in a record, if any, are amended to the extent |
provided in the plan of merger; |
(9) If the surviving entity is created by the merger, its private organic rules become |
effective and: |
(i) If it is a filing entity, its public organic record becomes effective; and |
(ii) If it is a limited-liability partnership, its statement of qualification becomes effective; |
and |
(10) The interests in each merging entity which are to be converted in the merger are |
converted, and the interest holders of those interests are entitled only to the rights provided to them |
under the plan of merger and to any appraisal rights they have under § 7-12.1-11.16 7-12.1-1106 |
and the merging entity's organic law. |
(b) Except as otherwise provided in the organic law or organic rules of a merging entity, |
the merger does not give rise to any rights that an interest holder, governor, or third party would |
have upon a dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of the merging entity. |
(c) When a merger becomes effective, a person that did not have interest holder liability |
with respect to any of the merging entities and becomes subject to interest holder liability with |
respect to a domestic entity as a result of the merger has interest holder liability only to the extent |
provided by the organic law of that entity and only for those debts, obligations, and other liabilities |
that are incurred after the merger becomes effective. |
(d) When a merger becomes effective, the interest holder liability of a person that ceases |
to hold an interest in a domestic merging partnership with respect to which the person had interest |
holder liability is subject to the following rules: |
(1) The merger does not discharge any interest holder liability under this chapter to the |
extent the interest holder liability was incurred before the merger became effective. |
(2) The person does not have interest holder liability under this chapter for any debt, |
obligation, or other liability that is incurred after the merger becomes effective. |
(3) This chapter continues to apply to the release, collection, or discharge of any interest |
holder liability preserved under subsection (d)(1) of this section as if the merger had not occurred |
and the surviving entity were the domestic merging entity. |
(4) The person has whatever rights of contribution from any other person as are provided |
by this chapter, law other than this chapter, or the partnership agreement of the domestic merging |
partnership with respect to any interest holder liability preserved under subsection (d)(1) of this |
section as if the merger had not occurred. |
(e) When a merger has become effective, a foreign entity that is the surviving entity may |
be served with process in this state for the collection and enforcement of any debts, obligations, or |
other liabilities of a domestic merging partnership as provided in § 7-12.1-119. |
(f) When a merger has become effective, the registration to do business in this state of any |
foreign merging entity that is not the surviving entity is canceled. |
PART 3 |
INTEREST EXCHANGE |
7-12.1-11.31 7-12.1-1131. Interest exchange authorized. |
(a) By complying with this part: |
(1) A domestic partnership may acquire all of one or more classes or series of interests of |
another domestic entity or a foreign entity in exchange for interests, securities, obligations, money, |
other property, rights to acquire interests or securities, or any combination of the foregoing; or |
(2) All of one or more classes or series of interests of a domestic partnership may be |
acquired by another domestic entity or a foreign entity in exchange for interests, securities, |
obligations, money, other property, rights to acquire interests or securities, or any combination of |
the foregoing. |
(b) By complying with the provisions of this part applicable to foreign entities, a foreign |
entity may be the acquiring or acquired entity in an interest exchange under this part if the interest |
exchange is authorized by the law of the foreign entity's jurisdiction of formation. |
(c) If a protected agreement contains a provision that applies to a merger of a domestic |
partnership but does not refer to an interest exchange, the provision applies to an interest exchange |
in which the domestic partnership is the acquired entity as if the interest exchange were a merger |
until the provision is amended after the effective date of this chapter. |
7-12.1-11.32 7-12.1-1132. Plan of interest exchange. |
(a) A domestic partnership may be the acquired entity in an interest exchange under this |
part by approving a plan of interest exchange. The plan must be in a record and contain: |
(1) The name of the acquired entity; |
(2) The name, jurisdiction of formation, and type of entity of the acquiring entity; |
(3) The manner of converting the interests in the acquired entity into interests, securities, |
obligations, money, other property, rights to acquire interests or securities, or any combination of |
the foregoing; |
(4) Any proposed amendments to the partnership agreement that are, or are proposed to be, |
in a record of the acquired entity; |
(5) The other terms and conditions of the interest exchange; and |
(6) Any other provision required by the law of this state or the partnership agreement of |
the acquired entity. |
(b) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, a plan of interest |
exchange may contain any other provision not prohibited by law. |
7-12.1-11.33 7-12.1-1133. Approval of interest exchange. |
(a) A plan of interest exchange is not effective unless it has been approved: |
(1) By all the partners of a domestic acquired partnership entitled to vote on or consent to |
any matter; and |
(2) In a record, by each partner of the domestic acquired partnership that will have interest |
holder liability for debts, obligations, and other liabilities that are incurred after the interest |
exchange becomes effective, unless: |
(i) The partnership agreement of the partnership provides in a record for the approval of an |
interest exchange or a merger in which some or all its partners become subject to interest holder |
liability by the affirmative vote or consent of fewer than all the partners; and |
(ii) The partner consented in a record to or voted for that provision of the partnership |
agreement or became a partner after the adoption of that provision. |
(b) An interest exchange involving a domestic acquired entity that is not a partnership is |
not effective unless it is approved by the domestic entity in accordance with its organic law. |
(c) An interest exchange involving a foreign acquired entity is not effective unless it is |
approved by the foreign entity in accordance with the law of the foreign entity's jurisdiction of |
formation. |
(d) Except as otherwise provided in its organic law or organic rules, the interest holders of |
the acquiring entity are not required to approve the interest exchange. |
7-12.1-11.34 7-12.1-1134. Amendment or abandonment of plan of interest exchange. |
(a) A plan of interest exchange may be amended only with the consent of each party to the |
plan, except as otherwise provided in the plan. |
(b) A domestic acquired partnership may approve an amendment of a plan of interest |
exchange: |
(1) In the same manner as the plan was approved, if the plan does not provide for the |
manner in which it may be amended; or |
(2) By its partners in the manner provided in the plan, but a partner that was entitled to vote |
on or consent to approval of the interest exchange is entitled to vote on or consent to any amendment |
of the plan that will change: |
(i) The amount or kind of interests, securities, obligations, money, other property, rights to |
acquire interests or securities, or any combination of the foregoing, to be received by any of the |
partners of the acquired partnership under the plan; |
(ii) The partnership agreement of the acquired partnership that will be in effect immediately |
after the interest exchange becomes effective, except for changes that do not require approval of |
the partners of the acquired partnership under this chapter or the partnership agreement; or |
(iii) Any other terms or conditions of the plan, if the change would adversely affect the |
partner in any material respect. |
(c) After a plan of interest exchange has been approved and before a statement of interest |
exchange becomes effective, the plan may be abandoned as provided in the plan. Unless prohibited |
by the plan, a domestic acquired partnership may abandon the plan in the same manner as the plan |
was approved. |
(d) If a plan of interest exchange is abandoned after a statement of interest exchange has |
been filed with the secretary of state and before the statement becomes effective, a statement of |
abandonment, signed by the acquired partnership, must be filed with the secretary of state before |
the statement of interest exchange becomes effective. The statement of abandonment takes effect |
on filing, and the interest exchange is abandoned and does not become effective. The statement of |
abandonment must contain: |
(1) The name of the acquired partnership; |
(2) The date on which the statement of interest exchange was filed by the secretary of state; |
and |
(3) A statement that the interest exchange has been abandoned in accordance with this |
section. |
7-12.1-11.35 7-12.1-1135. Statement of interest exchange -- Effective date of interest |
exchange. |
(a) A statement of interest exchange must be signed by a domestic acquired partnership |
and filed with the secretary of state. |
(b) A statement of interest exchange must contain: |
(1) The name of the acquired partnership; |
(2) The name, jurisdiction of formation, and type of entity of the acquiring entity; and |
(3) A statement that the plan of interest exchange was approved by the acquired partnership |
in accordance with this part. |
(c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, a statement of interest |
exchange may contain any other provision not prohibited by law. |
(d) An interest exchange becomes effective when the statement of interest exchange is |
effective. |
7-12.1-11.36 7-12.1-1136. Effect of interest exchange. |
(a) When an interest exchange in which the acquired entity is a domestic partnership |
becomes effective: |
(1) The interests in the acquired partnership which are the subject of the interest exchange |
are converted, and the partners holding those interests are entitled only to the rights provided to |
them under the plan of interest exchange and to any appraisal rights they have under § 7-12.1- |
11.16; |
(2) The acquiring entity becomes the interest holder of the interests in the acquired |
partnership stated in the plan of interest exchange to be acquired by the acquiring entity; and |
(3) The provisions of the partnership agreement of the acquired partnership that are to be |
in a record, if any, are amended to the extent provided in the plan of interest exchange. |
(b) Except as otherwise provided in the partnership agreement of a domestic acquired |
partnership, the interest exchange does not give rise to any rights that a partner or third party would |
have upon a dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of the acquired partnership. |
(c) When an interest exchange becomes effective, a person that did not have interest holder |
liability with respect to a domestic acquired partnership and becomes subject to interest holder |
liability with respect to a domestic entity as a result of the interest exchange has interest holder |
liability only to the extent provided by the organic law of the entity and only for those debts, |
obligations, and other liabilities that are incurred after the interest exchange becomes effective. |
(d) When an interest exchange becomes effective, the interest holder liability of a person |
that ceases to hold an interest in a domestic acquired partnership with respect to which the person |
had interest holder liability is subject to the following rules: |
(1) The interest exchange does not discharge any interest holder liability under this chapter |
to the extent the interest holder liability was incurred before the interest exchange became effective. |
(2) The person does not have interest holder liability under this chapter for any debt, |
obligation, or other liability that is incurred after the interest exchange becomes effective. |
(3) This chapter continues to apply to the release, collection, or discharge of any interest |
holder liability preserved under subsection (d)(1) of this section as if the interest exchange had not |
occurred. |
(4) The person has whatever rights of contribution from any other person as are provided |
by this chapter, law other than this chapter, or the partnership agreement of the domestic acquired |
partnership with respect to any interest holder liability preserved under subsection (d)(1) of this |
section as if the interest exchange had not occurred. |
PART 4 |
CONVERSION |
7-12.1-11.41 7-12.1-1141. Conversion authorized. |
(a) By complying with this part, a domestic partnership may become: |
(1) A domestic entity that is a different type of entity; or |
(2) A foreign entity that is a different type of entity, if the conversion is authorized by the |
law of the foreign entity's jurisdiction of formation. |
(b) By complying with the provisions of this part applicable to foreign entities, a foreign |
entity that is not a foreign partnership may become a domestic partnership if the conversion is |
authorized by the law of the foreign entity's jurisdiction of formation. |
(c) If a protected agreement contains a provision that applies to a merger of a domestic |
partnership but does not refer to a conversion, the provision applies to a conversion of the |
partnership as if the conversion were a merger until the provision is amended after the effective |
date of this chapter. |
7-12.1-11.42 7-12.1-1142. Plan of conversion. |
(a) A domestic partnership may convert to a different type of entity under this part by |
approving a plan of conversion. The plan must be in a record and contain: |
(1) The name of the converting partnership; |
(2) The name, jurisdiction of formation, and type of entity of the converted entity; |
(3) The manner of converting the interests in the converting partnership into interests, |
securities, obligations, money, other property, rights to acquire interests or securities, or any |
combination of the foregoing; |
(4) The proposed public organic record of the converted entity if it will be a filing entity; |
(5) The full text of the private organic rules of the converted entity which are proposed to |
be in a record; |
(6) The other terms and conditions of the conversion; and |
(7) Any other provision required by the law of this state or the partnership agreement of |
the converting partnership. |
(b) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, a plan of conversion |
may contain any other provision not prohibited by law. |
7-12.1-11.43 7-12.1-1143. Approval of conversion. |
(a) A plan of conversion is not effective unless it has been approved: |
(1) By a domestic converting partnership, by all the partners of the partnership entitled to |
vote on or consent to any matter; and |
(2) In a record, by each partner of a domestic converting partnership which will have |
interest holder liability for debts, obligations, and other liabilities that are incurred after the |
conversion becomes effective, unless: |
(i) The partnership agreement of the partnership provides in a record for the approval of a |
conversion or a merger in which some or all of its partners become subject to interest holder liability |
by the affirmative vote or consent of fewer than all the partners; and |
(ii) The partner voted for or consented in a record to that provision of the partnership |
agreement or became a partner after the adoption of that provision. |
(b) A conversion involving a domestic converting entity that is not a partnership is not |
effective unless it is approved by the domestic converting entity in accordance with its organic law. |
(c) A conversion of a foreign converting entity is not effective unless it is approved by the |
foreign entity in accordance with the law of the foreign entity's jurisdiction of formation. |
7-12.1-11.44 7-12.1-1144. Amendment or abandonment of plan of conversion. |
(a) A plan of conversion of a domestic converting partnership may be amended: |
(1) In the same manner as the plan was approved, if the plan does not provide for the |
manner in which it may be amended; or |
(2) By its partners in the manner provided in the plan, but a partner that was entitled to vote |
on or consent to approval of the conversion is entitled to vote on or consent to any amendment of |
the plan that will change: |
(i) The amount or kind of interests, securities, obligations, money, other property, rights to |
acquire interests or securities, or any combination of the foregoing, to be received by any of the |
partners of the converting partnership under the plan; |
(ii) The public organic record, if any, or private organic rules of the converted entity which |
will be in effect immediately after the conversion becomes effective, except for changes that do not |
require approval of the interest holders of the converted entity under its organic law or organic |
rules; or |
(iii) Any other terms or conditions of the plan, if the change would adversely affect the |
partner in any material respect. |
(b) After a plan of conversion has been approved by a domestic converting partnership and |
before a statement of conversion becomes effective, the plan may be abandoned as provided in the |
plan. Unless prohibited by the plan, a domestic converting partnership may abandon the plan in the |
same manner as the plan was approved. |
(c) If a plan of conversion is abandoned after a statement of conversion has been filed with |
the secretary of state and before the statement becomes effective, a statement of abandonment, |
signed by the converting entity, must be filed with the secretary of state before the statement of |
conversion becomes effective. The statement of abandonment takes effect on filing, and the |
conversion is abandoned and does not become effective. The statement of abandonment must |
contain: |
(1) The name of the converting partnership; |
(2) The date on which the statement of conversion was filed by the secretary of state; and |
(3) A statement that the conversion has been abandoned in accordance with this section. |
7-12.1-11.45 7-12.1-1145. Statement of conversion -- Effective date of conversion. |
(a) A statement of conversion must be signed by the converting entity and filed with the |
secretary of state. |
(b) A statement of conversion must contain: |
(1) The name, jurisdiction of formation, and type of entity of the converting entity; |
(2) The name, jurisdiction of formation, and type of entity of the converted entity; |
(3) If the converting entity is a domestic partnership, a statement that the plan of conversion |
was approved in accordance with this part or, if the converting entity is a foreign entity, a statement |
that the conversion was approved by the foreign entity in accordance with the law of its jurisdiction |
of formation; |
(4) If the converted entity is a domestic filing entity, its public organic record, as an |
attachment; and |
(5) If the converted entity is a domestic limited-liability partnership, its statement of |
qualification, as an attachment. |
(c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, a statement of |
conversion may contain any other provision not prohibited by law. |
(d) If the converted entity is a domestic entity, its public organic record, if any, must satisfy |
the requirements of the law of this state, except that the public organic record does not need to be |
signed. |
(e) If the converted entity is a domestic partnership, the conversion becomes effective when |
the statement of conversion is effective. In all other cases, the conversion becomes effective on the |
later of: |
(1) The date and time provided by the organic law of the converted entity; and |
(2) When the statement is effective. |
7-12.1-11.46 7-12.1-1146. Effect of conversion. |
(a) When a conversion becomes effective: |
(1) The converted entity is: |
(i) Organized under and thereafter subject to the organic law of the converted entity; and |
(ii) The same entity without interruption as the converting entity; |
(2) All property of the converting entity continues to be vested in the converted entity |
without transfer, reversion, or impairment; |
(3) All debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the converting entity continue as debts, |
obligations, and other liabilities of the converted entity; |
(4) Except as otherwise provided by law or the plan of conversion, all the rights, privileges, |
immunities, powers, and purposes of the converting entity remain in the converted entity; |
(5) The name of the converted entity may be substituted for the name of the converting |
entity in any pending action or proceeding; |
(6) If the converted entity is a limited-liability partnership, its statement of qualification |
becomes effective; |
(7) The provisions of the partnership agreement of the converted entity which are to be in |
a record, if any, approved as part of the plan of conversion become effective; and |
(8) The interests in the converting entity are converted, and the interest holders of the |
converting entity are entitled only to the rights provided to them under the plan of conversion and |
to any appraisal rights they have under § 7-12.1-11.16 7-12.1-1106. |
(b) Except as otherwise provided in the partnership agreement of a domestic converting |
partnership, the conversion does not give rise to any rights that a partner or third party would have |
upon a dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of the converting entity. |
(c) When a conversion becomes effective, a person that did not have interest holder liability |
with respect to the converting entity and becomes subject to interest holder liability with respect to |
a domestic entity as a result of the conversion has interest holder liability only to the extent provided |
by the organic law of the entity and only for those debts, obligations, and other liabilities that are |
incurred after the conversion becomes effective. |
(d) When a conversion becomes effective, the interest holder liability of a person that |
ceases to hold an interest in a domestic converting partnership with respect to which the person had |
interest holder liability is subject to the following rules: |
(1) The conversion does not discharge any interest holder liability under this chapter to the |
extent the interest holder liability was incurred before the conversion became effective. |
(2) The person does not have interest holder liability under this chapter for any debt, |
obligation, or other liability that is incurred after the conversion becomes effective. |
(3) This chapter continues to apply to the release, collection, or discharge of any interest |
holder liability preserved under subsection (d)(1) of this section as if the conversion had not |
occurred. |
(4) The person has whatever rights of contribution from any other person as are provided |
by this chapter, law other than this chapter, or the organic rules of the converting entity with respect |
to any interest holder liability preserved under subsection (d)(1) of this section as if the conversion |
had not occurred. |
(e) When a conversion has become effective, a foreign entity that is the converted entity |
may be served with process in this state for the collection and enforcement of any of its debts, |
obligations, and other liabilities as provided in § 7-12.1-119. |
(f) If the converting entity is a registered foreign entity, its registration to do business in |
this state is canceled when the conversion becomes effective. |
(g) A conversion does not require the entity to wind up its affairs and does not constitute |
or cause the dissolution of the entity. |
PART 5 |
DOMESTICATION |
7-12.1-11.51 7-12.1-1151. Domestication authorized. |
(a) By complying with this part, a domestic limited-liability partnership may become a |
foreign limited-liability partnership if the domestication is authorized by the law of the foreign |
jurisdiction. |
(b) By complying with the provisions of this part applicable to foreign limited-liability |
partnerships, a foreign limited-liability partnership may become a domestic limited-liability |
partnership if the domestication is authorized by the law of the foreign limited-liability partnership's |
jurisdiction of formation. |
(c) If a protected agreement contains a provision that applies to a merger of a domestic |
limited-liability partnership but does not refer to a domestication, the provision applies to a |
domestication of the limited-liability partnership as if the domestication were a merger until the |
provision is amended after the effective date of this chapter. |
7-12.1-11.52 7-12.1-1152. Plan of domestication. |
(a) A domestic limited-liability partnership may become a foreign limited-liability |
partnership in a domestication by approving a plan of domestication. The plan must be in a record |
and contain: |
(1) The name of the domesticating limited-liability partnership; |
(2) The name and jurisdiction of formation of the domesticated limited-liability |
partnership; |
(3) The manner of converting the interests in the domesticating limited-liability partnership |
into interests, securities, obligations, money, other property, rights to acquire interests or securities, |
or any combination of the foregoing; |
(4) The proposed statement of qualification of the domesticated limited-liability |
partnership; |
(5) The full text of the provisions of the partnership agreement of the domesticated limited- |
liability partnership that are proposed to be in a record; |
(6) The other terms and conditions of the domestication; and |
(7) Any other provision required by the law of this state or the partnership agreement of |
the domesticating limited-liability partnership. |
(b) In addition to the requirements of subsection (a) of this section, a plan of domestication |
may contain any other provision not prohibited by law. |
7-12.1-11.53 7-12.1-1153. Approval of domestication. |
(a) A plan of domestication of a domestic domesticating limited-liability partnership is not |
effective unless it has been approved: |
(1) By all the partners entitled to vote on or consent to any matter; and |
(2) In a record, by each partner that will have interest holder liability for debts, obligations, |
and other liabilities that are incurred after the domestication becomes effective, unless: |
(i) The partnership agreement of the domesticating partnership in a record provides for the |
approval of a domestication or merger in which some or all of its partners become subject to interest |
holder liability by the affirmative vote or consent of fewer than all the partners; and |
(ii) The partner voted for or consented in a record to that provision of the partnership |
agreement or became a partner after the adoption of that provision. |
(b) A domestication of a foreign domesticating limited-liability partnership is not effective |
unless it is approved in accordance with the law of the foreign limited-liability partnership's |
jurisdiction of formation. |
7-12.1-11.54 7-12.1-1154. Amendment or abandonment of plan of domestication. |
(a) A plan of domestication of a domestic domesticating limited-liability partnership may |
be amended: |
(1) In the same manner as the plan was approved, if the plan does not provide for the |
manner in which it may be amended; or |
(2) By its partners in the manner provided in the plan, but a partner that was entitled to vote |
on or consent to approval of the domestication is entitled to vote on or consent to any amendment |
of the plan that will change: |
(i) The amount or kind of interests, securities, obligations, money, other property, rights to |
acquire interests or securities, or any combination of the foregoing, to be received by any of the |
partners of the domesticating limited-liability partnership under the plan; |
(ii) The partnership agreement of the domesticated limited-liability partnership that will be |
in effect immediately after the domestication becomes effective, except for changes that do not |
require approval of the partners of the domesticated limited-liability partnership under its organic |
law or partnership agreement; or |
(iii) Any other terms or conditions of the plan, if the change would adversely affect the |
partner in any material respect. |
(b) After a plan of domestication has been approved by a domestic domesticating limited- |
liability partnership and before a statement of domestication becomes effective, the plan may be |
abandoned as provided in the plan. Unless prohibited by the plan, a domestic domesticating limited- |
liability partnership may abandon the plan in the same manner as the plan was approved. |
(c) If a plan of domestication is abandoned after a statement of domestication has been |
filed with the secretary of state and before the statement becomes effective, a statement of |
abandonment, signed by the domesticating limited-liability partnership, must be filed with the |
secretary of state before the statement of domestication becomes effective. The statement of |
abandonment takes effect on filing, and the domestication is abandoned and does not become |
effective. The statement of abandonment must contain: |
(1) The name of the domesticating limited-liability partnership; |
(2) The date on which the statement of domestication was filed by the secretary of state; |
and |
(3) A statement that the domestication has been abandoned in accordance with this section. |
7-12.1-11.55 7-12.1-1155. Statement of domestication -- Effective date of |
domestication. |
(a) A statement of domestication must be signed by the domesticating limited partnership |
and filed with the secretary of state. |
(b) A statement of domestication must contain: |
(1) The name and jurisdiction of formation of the domesticating limited-liability |
partnership; |
(2) The name and jurisdiction of formation of the domesticated limited-liability |
partnership; |
(3) If the domesticating limited-liability partnership is a domestic limited-liability |
partnership, a statement that the plan of domestication was approved in accordance with this part |
or, if the domesticating limited-liability partnership is a foreign limited-liability partnership, a |
statement that the domestication was approved in accordance with the law of its jurisdiction of |
formation; and |
(4) The statement of qualification of the domesticated limited-liability partnership, as an |
attachment. |
(c) In addition to the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, a statement of |
domestication may contain any other provision not prohibited by law. |
(d) The statement of qualification of a domesticated domestic limited-liability partnership |
must satisfy the requirements of this chapter, but the statement does not need to be signed. |
(e) If the domesticated entity is a domestic partnership, the domestication becomes |
effective when the statement of domestication is effective. If the domesticated entity is a foreign |
partnership, the domestication becomes effective on the later of: |
(1) The date and time provided in the organic law of the domesticated entity; and |
(2) When the statement is effective. |
7-12.1-11.56 7-12.1-1156. Effect of domestication. |
(a) When a domestication becomes effective: |
(1) The domesticated entity is: |
(i) Organized under and thereafter subject to the organic law of the domesticated entity; |
and |
(ii) The same entity without interruption as the domesticating entity; |
(2) All property of the domesticating entity continues to be vested in the domesticated |
entity without transfer, reversion, or impairment; |
(3) All debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the domesticating entity continue as debts, |
obligations, and other liabilities of the domesticated entity; |
(4) Except as otherwise provided by law or the plan of domestication, all the rights, |
privileges, immunities, powers, and purposes of the domesticating entity remain in the |
domesticated entity; |
(5) The name of the domesticated entity may be substituted for the name of the |
domesticating entity in any pending action or proceeding; |
(6) The statement of qualification of the domesticated entity becomes effective; |
(7) The provisions of the partnership agreement of the domesticated entity that are to be in |
a record, if any, approved as part of the plan of domestication become effective; and |
(8) The interests in the domesticating entity are converted to the extent and as approved in |
connection with the domestication, and the partners of the domesticating entity are entitled only to |
the rights provided to them under the plan of domestication and to any appraisal rights they have |
under § 7-12.1-11.16 7-12.1-1106. |
(b) Except as otherwise provided in the organic law or partnership agreement of the |
domesticating limited-liability partnership, the domestication does not give rise to any rights that a |
partner or third party would otherwise have upon a dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of the |
domesticating partnership. |
(c) When a domestication becomes effective, a person that did not have interest holder |
liability with respect to the domesticating limited-liability partnership and becomes subject to |
interest holder liability with respect to a domestic limited-liability partnership as a result of the |
domestication has interest holder liability only to the extent provided by this chapter and only for |
those debts, obligations, and other liabilities that are incurred after the domestication becomes |
effective. |
(d) When a domestication becomes effective, the interest holder liability of a person that |
ceases to hold an interest in a domestic domesticating limited-liability partnership with respect to |
which the person had interest holder liability is subject to the following rules: |
(1) The domestication does not discharge any interest holder liability under this chapter to |
the extent the interest holder liability was incurred before the domestication became effective. |
(2) A person does not have interest holder liability under this chapter for any debt, |
obligation, or other liability that is incurred after the domestication becomes effective. |
(3) This chapter continues to apply to the release, collection, or discharge of any interest |
holder liability preserved under subsection (d)(1) of this section as if the domestication had not |
occurred. |
(4) A person has whatever rights of contribution from any other person as are provided by |
this chapter, law other than this chapter, or the partnership agreement of the domestic domesticating |
limited-liability partnership with respect to any interest holder liability preserved under subsection |
(d)(1) of this section as if the domestication had not occurred. |
(e) When a domestication becomes effective, a foreign limited-liability partnership that is |
the domesticated partnership may be served with process in this state for the collection and |
enforcement of any of its debts, obligations, and other liabilities as provided in § 7-12.1-119. |
(f) If the domesticating limited-liability partnership is a registered foreign entity, the |
registration of the partnership is canceled when the domestication becomes effective. |
(g) A domestication does not require a domestic domesticating limited-liability partnership |
to wind up its business and does not constitute or cause the dissolution of the partnership. |
ARTICLE 12 |
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS |
7-12.1-1201. Uniformity of application and construction. |
In applying and construing this uniform act, consideration must be given to the need to |
promote uniformity of the law with respect to its subject matter among states that enact it. |
7-12.1-1202. Relation to Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act. |
This chapter modifies, limits, and supersedes the Electronic Signatures in Global and |
National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7001 et seq., but does not modify, limit, or supersede |
Section 101(c) of that act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7001(c), or authorize electronic delivery of any of the |
notices described in Section 103(b) of that act, 15 U.S.C. Section 7003(b). |
7-12.1-1203. Savings clause. |
This chapter does not affect an action commenced, proceeding brought, or right accrued |
before the effective date of this chapter. |
7-12.1-1204. Severability clause. |
If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstance is held |
invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this chapter which can be |
given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this |
chapter are severable. |
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2023. |
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LC005324 |
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