Corporations Flashcards
Six Fact Patterns of Corporations
- Organization of a corporations
- Issuance of Stock
- Directors and officers
- Shareholders
- Fundamental corporate changes
- Federal Securities
What does it take to form a corporations?
- People
- Paper
- Act
People of Corporations
Incorporators
Must have one or more
Person or Entity
What does an Incorporator do?
You execute the Articles and deliver them to the SoS
Paper of Corporations
Articles of Incorporation
Articles of Incorporation
- The articles are contract between corporation and shareholders.
- And also a contract between corporation and state.
Information in the Articles
- Names and Addresses,
- No durational requirement.
- Statement of Purpose
- Capital Structure
Names and Addresses
- Corporate Name
- Names and address of each incorporator
- Names and address of each initial director
- Name and address of the registered agent and office
**Corporation, Company, Limited, Incorporated MUST be there
What if no comment on duration?
It has perpetual existence
Can the articles of Van Refrigeration, Inc. indicate that the corporation’s purpose is to “engage in all lawful activity, after first obtaining necessary state agency approval”?
Yes
-In some state, general purpose is presumed and the articles need not say anything about the coproration’s purpose.
What about ultra vires rules?
- Ultra Vires contracts are valid
- Shareholders can seek an injunction.
- Responsible managers are liable to the Corporation for ultra vires losses
Ultra Vires Activity
It’s beyond the scope of the articles.
Capital Stock Requirement of Aritcles
- Authorized stock,
- Number of shares per class,
AND - Information on voting rights and preferences of each class.
Authorized Stock
maximum number of shares the corporation can sell
Issued Stock
number of shares the corporation actually sells
Outstanding Stock
shares that have been issued and not reacquired.
The Act
Deliver the Articles to the SoS:
- Conclusive proof of valid formation
- De jure corporation
What happens after Act?
Become organized
Organziational Meeting
The board of directors select officers and adopts any bylaws and conducts other appropriate business
Legal Significant of Formation of Corporation
- Internal affairs of a corporation are governed by law of the state in which the corporation is formed.
- Corporation is a separate legal person.
- Taxed on its profits, in addition, shareholders are taxed on distributions.
Can we form a corporation and avoid having it pay income tax at the corporate level/
S Corporation
S Corporation
- No more than 100 human shareholders
- US citizens or residents
= One class of stock - Not publicly traded.
Are the directors or officers liable for ehat the entity does?
NO
Are the shareholders liable for what the entity does?
NO
Generally, who is liable for what the corporation does?
Corporation
**Everybody is responsible for their own torts
De Facto Corporation
- There is a relevant incorporation statute (there is in every state)
- The parties made a good faith, colorable attempt to comply with it.
AND - Some exercise of corporate privileges
De Facto and Corproation by Estoppel
Anyone asserting either doctrine must be UNAWARE of failure to form de jure corporation.
De Facto Corporation v. State
Quo Warranto
Not treated as a corporation.
What if the documents are sent and lost in the mail, are the SHs personally liable on the contract?
Yes unless the court applies DFC
Corporation by Estoppel
One that treats a business like a Corporation will be estopped from claiming that it is something else.
When does Corporation by estoppel apply?
Contract, NOT TORT
What is the status of these two doctrines (DFC, CBE)
Abolished in many states
Bylaws
- Not required, but useful
- Not filed with the State, internal
- Adopted by the Board at the Organizational Meeting (Page 3)
- SHs (Many states Board also) can amend
If the bylaws conflict with the articles, which controls?
Articles
Pre-Incorporation Contracts
Corporation must adopt, they are not automatically liable.
How does a Corporation adopt a Contract?
- Express
2. Implied
Implied Adoption
- Accepting a benefit
What about the liability of the promoter?
The promoter is liable on pre-incorporation contracts until there is novation.
Novation
An agreement of the promote, the corporation, and the other contracting party that the corporation replaces the promoter under the contract?
Will P be liable on the lease if Oscar de la Rental Cars, Inc. is never formed?
Yes
Will P be liable on the lease if Oscar de la Rental Cars, Inc. is formed and adopts the lease?
Yes, because no novation corporation is liable as well.
Foreign Corporations
Foreign Corporation transacting business in this state must qualify and pay prescribed fees
- One incorporated outside this state.
- Transacting business means the regulare course of intrastate business activity.
- not sporadic
- Qualify
Qualifying
- Get Certificate of Authority from the SoS
- Gives information on Articles
- Good standing in Home state
ANDDDDDDD HERE
What is an issuance?
Corporation selling its OWN stock.
Suscriptions
Written offers to buy stock from corporation
Revocation of Pre-Incorporation Subscriptions
Irrevocable for Six months.
UNLESS, says otherwise or all subscribers agree
Are post-incorporation subscriptions revocable?
Yes until accepted by corporation.
At what point are the corporation and the subscriber obligated under a subsctiption agreement?
When the board accepts the offer.
Consideration for Stock
- Form of Consideration
2. Amount of Consideration
Form of Consideration
- Every State:
- money
- tangible or intangible property
- Services already performed for the corporation
- Split authority (unpaid stock)
- promissory notes
- future services
Amount of Consideration
- Par Stock or not
- Treasury Stock
- Property or Past Services
Par Stock
Minimum issuance price