TITLE 43

IRRIGATION DISTRICTS

CHAPTER 2

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

43-204A.  Indemnification of officers, directors, employees and agents. (a) A district shall have power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the district) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the district, or is or was serving at the request of the district as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the district, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the district, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.

(b)  A district shall have power to indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the district to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the district, or is or was serving at the request of the district as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the district and except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to the district unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.

(c)  To the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of a district has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in subsection (a) or (b) hereof, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.

(d)  Any indemnification under subsection (a) or (b) of this section (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the district only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in subsection (a) or (b). Such determination shall be made (1) by the board of directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (2) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (3) by the qualified electors of the district.

(e)  Expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the district in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the district as authorized in this section.

(f)  The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to the other subsections of this section shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of qualified electors of the district or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office.

(g)  A district shall have power to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the district, or is or was serving at the request of the district as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any capacity or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the district would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of this section.

(h)  The indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this section shall, unless otherwise provided when authorized or ratified, continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, and personal representatives of such a person.

History:

[43-204A, added 1988, ch. 325, sec. 1, p. 986.]