Not applicable.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
The Registrant is incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. Section 102(b)(7) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”) permits a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duties as a director, except for liability for any:
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| | · | breach of a director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders; |
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| | · | act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; |
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| | · | unlawful payment of dividends or redemption of shares (DGCL Section 174); or |
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| | · | transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit. |
Section 145 of the DGCL provides, in general, that a Delaware corporation may 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 a derivative action by or in the right of the corporation), by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful. In the case of a derivative action, a Delaware corporation may indemnify any such person against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification will be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person will have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or any other court in which such action was brought determines such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses. To the extent that a present or former director or officer of a Delaware corporation is successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to above, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, Section 145 of the DGCL provides that such person shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding.
Section 174 of the DGCL provides, among other things, that a director, who willfully or negligently approves of an unlawful payment of dividends or an unlawful stock purchase or redemption, may be held liable for such actions. A director who was either absent when the unlawful actions were approved or dissented at the time, may avoid liability by causing his or her dissent to such actions to be entered in the books containing minutes of the meetings of the board of directors at the time such action occurred or immediately after such absent director receives notice of the unlawful acts.
Regarding indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act which may be permitted for directors or officers pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant is informed that, in the opinion of the Commission, such indemnification is against public policy, as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
The Registrant’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation authorizes it to, and its Amended and Restated Bylaws provide that it shall, indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL and also pay expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition upon delivery of an
undertaking, by or on behalf of an indemnified person, to repay all amounts so advanced if it should be determined ultimately that such person is not entitled to be indemnified under the bylaws or the DGCL.
As permitted by the DGCL, the Registrant has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and certain of its officers. These agreements require it to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to the Registrant, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified.
The Registrant has an insurance policy covering its officers and directors with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under the Securities Act, or otherwise.
