(a) Unless directors are elected by written consent in lieu of an annual meeting as permitted by § 29-305.04, a corporation shall hold a meeting of shareholders annually at a time stated in or fixed in accordance with the bylaws. However, if a corporation's articles of incorporation authorize shareholders to cumulate their votes when electing directors pursuant to § 29-305.28, directors shall not be elected by less than unanimous consent.
(b) Annual shareholders' meetings may be held in or outside of the District at the place stated in or fixed in accordance with the bylaws. If no place is stated in or fixed in accordance with the bylaws, annual meetings shall be held at the corporation's principal office.
(c) The failure to hold an annual meeting at the time stated in or fixed in accordance with a corporation's bylaws shall not affect the validity of any corporate action.
(July 2, 2011, D.C. Law 18-378, § 2, 58 DCR 1720.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For history of Law 18-378, see notes under § 29-101.01.
(a) A corporation shall hold a special meeting of shareholders:
(1) On call of its board of directors or the person or persons authorized to do so by the articles of incorporation or bylaws; or
(2) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, if the holders of at least 10% of all the votes entitled to be cast on an issue proposed to be considered at the proposed special meeting sign, date, and deliver to the corporation one or more written demands for the meeting describing the purpose or purposes for which it is to be held; provided, that the articles of incorporation may fix a lower percentage or a higher percentage not exceeding 25% of all the votes entitled to be cast on any issue proposed to be considered.
(b) Unless otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation, a written demand for a special meeting may be revoked by a writing to that effect received by the corporation before the receipt by the corporation of demands sufficient in number to require the holding of a special meeting.
(c) If not otherwise fixed under § 29-305.03 or 29-305.07, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to demand a special meeting is the date the first shareholder signs the demand.
(d) Special shareholders' meetings may be held in or outside of the District at the place stated in or fixed in accordance with the bylaws. If no place is stated or fixed in accordance with the bylaws, special meetings must be held at the corporation's principal office.
(e) Only business within the purpose or purposes described in the meeting notice required by § 29-305.05(c) may be conducted at a special shareholders' meeting.
(July 2, 2011, D.C. Law 18-378, § 2, 58 DCR 1720.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For history of Law 18-378, see notes under § 29-101.01.
(a) The Superior Court may summarily order a meeting to be held on application of a shareholder:
(1) Entitled to participate in an annual meeting if an annual meeting was not held or action by written consent in lieu thereof did not become effective within the earlier of 6 months after the end of the corporation's fiscal year or 15 months after its last annual meeting; or
(2) That signed a demand for a special meeting valid under § 29-305.02, if:
(A) Notice of the special meeting was not given within 30 days after the date the demand was delivered to the corporation's secretary; or
(B) The special meeting was not held in accordance with the notice.
(b) The Superior Court may fix the time and place of the meeting, determine the shares entitled to participate in the meeting, specify a record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the meeting, prescribe the form and content of the meeting notice, fix the quorum required for specific matters to be considered at the meeting, or direct that the votes represented at the meeting constitute a quorum for action on those matters, and enter other orders necessary to accomplish the purpose or purposes of the meeting.
(July 2, 2011, D.C. Law 18-378, § 2, 58 DCR 1720.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For history of Law 18-378, see notes under § 29-101.01.
(a) Action required or permitted by this chapter to be taken at a shareholders' meeting may be taken without a meeting if the action is taken by all the shareholders entitled to vote on the action. The action shall be evidenced by one or more written consents bearing the date of signature and describing the action taken, signed by all the shareholders entitled to vote on the action and delivered to the corporation for inclusion in the minutes or filing with the corporate records.
(b) The articles of incorporation may provide that any action required or permitted by this chapter to be taken at a shareholders' meeting may be taken without a meeting, and without prior notice, if consents in writing setting forth the action so taken are signed by the holders of outstanding shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be required to authorize or take the action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote on the action were present and voted. The written consent shall bear the date of signature of the shareholder that signs the consent and be delivered to the corporation for inclusion in the minutes or filing with the corporate records.
(c) If not otherwise fixed under § 29-305.07 and if prior board action is not required with respect to the action to be taken without a meeting, the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to take action without a meeting shall be the first date on which a signed written consent is delivered to the corporation. If not otherwise fixed under § 29-305.07 and if prior board action is required with respect to the action to be taken without a meeting, the record date shall be the close of business on the day the resolution of the board taking such prior action is adopted. No written consent is effective to take the corporate action referred to therein unless, within 60 days of the earliest date on which a consent delivered to the corporation as required by this section was signed, written consents signed by sufficient shareholders to take the action have been delivered to the corporation. A written consent may be revoked by a writing to that effect delivered to the corporation before unrevoked written consents sufficient in number to take the corporate action are delivered to the corporation.
(d) A consent signed pursuant to this section shall have the effect of a vote taken at a meeting and may be described as such in any document. Unless the articles of incorporation, bylaws, or a resolution of the board of directors provides for a reasonable delay to permit tabulation of written consents, the action taken by written consent shall be effective when written consents signed by sufficient shareholders to take the action are delivered to the corporation.
(e)(1) If this chapter requires that notice of a proposed action be given to nonvoting shareholders and the action is to be taken by written consent of the voting shareholders, the corporation shall give its nonvoting shareholders written notice of the action not more than 10 days after:
(A) Written consents sufficient to take the action have been delivered to the corporation; or
(B) Such later date that tabulation of consents is completed pursuant to an authorization under subsection (d) of this section.
(2) The notice under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall reasonably describe the action taken and contain or be accompanied by the same material that, under any provision of this chapter, would have been required to be sent to nonvoting shareholders in a notice of a meeting at which the proposed action would have been submitted to the shareholders for action.
(f)(1) If action is taken by less than unanimous written consent of the voting shareholders, the corporation shall give its nonconsenting voting shareholders written notice of the action not more than 10 days after:
(A) Written consents sufficient to take the action have been delivered to the corporation; or
(B) Such later date that tabulation of consents is completed pursuant to an authorization under subsection (d) of this section.
(2) The notice under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall reasonably describe the action taken and contain or be accompanied by the same material that, under any provision of this chapter, would have been required to be sent to voting shareholders in a notice of a meeting at which the action would have been submitted to the shareholders for action.
(g) The notice requirements in subsections (e) and (f) shall not delay the effectiveness of actions taken by written consent and a failure to comply with such notice requirements shall not invalidate actions taken by written consent; provided, that this subsection shall not limit judicial power to fashion any appropriate remedy in favor of a shareholder adversely affected by a failure to give the notice within the required time period.
(h) An electronic transmission may be used to consent to an action if the electronic transmission contains or is accompanied by information from which the corporation can determine the date on which the electronic transmission was signed and that the electronic transmission was authorized by the shareholder, the shareholder's agent, or the shareholder's attorney-in-fact.
(i) Delivery of a written consent to the corporation under this section shall be made by delivery to the corporation's registered agent or to the secretary of the corporation at its principal office.
(July 2, 2011, D.C. Law 18-378, § 2, 58 DCR 1720.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For history of Law 18-378, see notes under § 29-101.01.
(a) A corporation shall notify shareholders of the date, time, and place of each annual and special shareholders' meeting no less than 10, or more than, 60 days before the meeting date. Unless this chapter or the articles of incorporation require otherwise, the corporation shall give notice only to shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting.
(b) Unless this chapter or the articles of incorporation require otherwise, notice of an annual meeting need not include a description of the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.
(c) Notice of a special meeting shall include a description of the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.
(d) If not otherwise fixed under § 29-305.03 or 29-305.07, the record date for determining shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at an annual or special shareholders' meeting shall be the day before the 1st notice is delivered to shareholders.
(e) Unless the bylaws require otherwise, if an annual or special shareholders' meeting is adjourned to a different date, time, or place, notice need not be given of the new date, time, or place if the new date, time, or place is announced at the meeting before adjournment; provided, that if a new record date for the adjourned meeting is or must be fixed under § 29-305.07, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given under this section to persons that are shareholders as of the new record date.
(July 2, 2011, D.C. Law 18-378, § 2, 58 DCR 1720.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For history of Law 18-378, see notes under § 29-101.01.
(a) A shareholder may waive any notice required by this chapter, the articles of incorporation, or bylaws before or after the date and time stated in the notice. The waiver shall be in writing, be signed by the shareholder entitled to the notice, and be delivered to the corporation for inclusion in the minutes or filing with the corporate records.
(b) A shareholder's attendance at a meeting waives object to:
(1) Lack of notice or defective notice of the meeting, unless the shareholder, at the beginning of the meeting, objects to holding the meeting or transacting business at the meeting; and
(2) Consideration of a particular matter at the meeting that is not within the purpose described in the meeting notice, unless the shareholder objects to considering the matter when it is presented.
(July 2, 2011, D.C. Law 18-378, § 2, 58 DCR 1720.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For history of Law 18-378, see notes under § 29-101.01.
(a) The bylaws may fix or provide the manner of fixing the record date for one or more voting groups to determine the shareholders entitled to notice of a shareholders' meeting, to demand a special meeting, to vote, or to take any other action. If the bylaws do not fix or provide for fixing a record date, the board of directors of the corporation may fix a future date as the record date.
(b) A record date fixed under this section shall not be more than 70 days before the meeting or action requiring a determination of shareholders.
(c) A determination of shareholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a shareholders' meeting shall be effective for any adjournment of the meeting unless the board of directors fixes a new record date, which it shall do if the meeting is adjourned to a date more than 120 days after the date fixed for the original meeting.
(d) If a Superior Court orders a meeting adjourned to a date more than 120 days after the date fixed for the original meeting, it may provide that the original record date continues in effect or it may fix a new record date.
(July 2, 2011, D.C. Law 18-378, § 2, 58 DCR 1720.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For history of Law 18-378, see notes under § 29-101.01.
(a) At each meeting of shareholders, a chair shall preside. The chair shall be appointed as provided in the bylaws or, in the absence of such provision, by the board.
(b) The chair, unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws provide otherwise, shall determine the order of business and may establish rules for the conduct of the meeting.
(c) Any rules adopted for, and the conduct of, the meeting shall be fair to shareholders.
(d) The chair of the meeting shall announce at the meeting when the polls close for each matter voted upon. If no announcement is made, the polls shall be deemed to have closed upon the final adjournment of the meeting. After the polls close, no ballots, proxies, or votes, or any revocations or changes thereto, shall be accepted.
(July 2, 2011, D.C. Law 18-378, § 2, 58 DCR 1720.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Legislative History of Laws
For history of Law 18-378, see notes under § 29-101.01.
