Title 7, Chapter 1, Section 441
( 7-1-441)
(a) In a derivative action brought by one or more shareholders of a
bank or trust company to procure a judgment in its favor, the
representatives of the bank or trust company wrongfully having
failed to enforce a right which may properly be asserted by it, the
complaint shall be verified and shall allege that the plaintiff is a
shareholder of record at the time of bringing the action. It shall
further allege: (1) That the plaintiff had purchased his shares or was a
shareholder of record at the time of the transaction of which he
complains or that his shares thereafter devolved on him through
one or more transfers by operation of law from one who was a
holder of record or member at such time; or (2) That the plaintiff is the holder of record of shares which at
the time of the transaction of which he complains were held of
record by a trustee of a trust in which the plaintiff held a
beneficial interest or in which a beneficial interest was held by
one from whom the shares have devolved upon the plaintiff through
one or more transfers by operation of law. (b) In any such action the complaint shall also allege with
particularity the efforts of the plaintiff to secure the initiation
of such action by the board of directors or comparable authority, or
the reasons for not making such effort. (c) Such action shall not be discontinued, compromised, or settled
without the approval of the court having jurisdiction of the action.
If the court shall determine that the interests of the members or of
the shareholders of any class or classes will be substantially
affected by such discontinuance, compromise, or settlement, the
court shall direct that notice, by publication or otherwise, of the
action and the proposed discontinuance, compromise, or settlement
thereof be given to the members or to the shareholders of the class
or classes whose interests it determines will be so affected; if
notice is so directed to be given, the court may determine which one
or more of the parties to the action shall bear the expense of
giving the same in such amount as the court shall determine and find
to be reasonable in the circumstances. (d) If such action is successful, in whole or in part, or if
anything is received by the plaintiff or plaintiffs as the result of
the judgment or compromise or settlement of the action, the court
may award the plaintiff or plaintiffs reasonable expenses, including
reasonable fees of attorneys, and shall direct him or them to
account to the bank or trust company for the remainder of the
proceeds so received by him or them. (e) In any such action, the court having jurisdiction, upon final
judgment and a finding that the action was brought without
reasonable cause, may require the plaintiff or plaintiffs to pay to
the parties named as defendants the reasonable expenses, including
fees of attorneys, incurred by them in the defense of such action;
and such damages as the court may assess shall be paid to the bank
or trust company for damages such bank or trust company may have
sustained due to adverse publicity brought about as a result of
action brought without reasonable cause. |