Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Georgia Business Corporation Code
Subsection (a) of Section 14-2-851 of the Georgia Business Corporation Code (the “GBCC”) provides that a corporation may indemnify or obligate itself to indemnify an individual made a party to a proceeding because he or she is or was a director against liability incurred in the proceeding if such individual conducted himself or herself in good faith and such individual reasonably believed, in the case of conduct in an official capacity, that such conduct was in the best interests of the corporation and, in all other cases, that such conduct was at least not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, in the case of any criminal proceeding, such individual had no reasonable cause to believe such conduct was unlawful. Subsection (d) of Section 14-2-851 of the GBCC provides that a corporation may not indemnify a director in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation except for reasonable expenses incurred if it is determined that the director has met the relevant standard of conduct, or in connection with any proceeding with respect to conduct under Section 14-2-851 of the GBCC for which he or she was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received by him or her, whether or not involving action in his or her official capacity.
Section 14-2-852 of the GBCC provides that to the extent that a director has been wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she was a party, because he or she is or was a director of the corporation, the corporation shall indemnify the director against reasonable expenses incurred by the director in connection with the proceeding. Pursuant to Section 14-2-854 of the GBCC, a court may order a corporation to indemnify a director or advance expenses if such court determines that the director is entitled to indemnification under the GBCC or that the director is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification or advance of expenses in view of all the relevant circumstances, whether or not such director met the standard of conduct set forth in subsections (a) and (b) of Section 14-2-851 of the GBCC, failed to comply with Section 14-2-853 of the GBCC or was adjudged liable as described in paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (d) of Section 14-2-851 of the GBCC.
Section 14-2-856 of the GBCC permits articles of incorporation, bylaws, a contract, or resolution approved by the shareholders, to authorize us to indemnify a director against claims to which the director was a party, including claims by us or in our right (e.g., shareholder derivative action). However, we may not indemnify the director for liability to us for any appropriation, in violation of the director’s duties, of a corporate opportunity, intentional misconduct or knowing violation of the law, unlawful distributions or receipt of an improper personal benefit.
Section 14-2-857 of the GBCC provides that a corporation may indemnify and advance expenses to an officer of the corporation who is a party to a proceeding because he or she is an officer of the corporation to the same extent as a director and, if he or she is not a director, to such further extent as may be provided in its articles of incorporation, bylaws, resolution of its board of directors or contract except for liability arising out of conduct specified in Section 14-2-857(a)(2) of the GBCC. Section 14-2-857 of the GBCC also provides that an officer of the corporation who is not a director is entitled to mandatory indemnification under Section 14-2-852 and is entitled to apply for court ordered indemnification or advances for expenses under Section 14-2-854, in each case to the same extent as a director.
In addition, Section 14-2-857 provides that a corporation may also indemnify and advance expenses to an employee or agent who is not a director to the extent, consistent with public policy, that may be provided by its articles of incorporation, bylaws, action of its board of directors or contract.
Section 14-2-858 of the GBCC permits us to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of our directors and officers against liability incurred by them in their capacities or arising out of their status as our directors and officers, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify or advance expenses to the director or officer for the same liability under the GBCC.
Company’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws; Insurance
In accordance with Article VII of the Company’s Bylaws, every person (and the heirs and legal representatives of such person) who is or was a director or officer of the Company or any other corporation of which he or she served as such at the request of the Company and of which the Company directly or indirectly is a shareholder or creditor, or in which or in the stocks, bonds, securities or other obligations of which it is in any way interested, shall, in accordance with the Bylaws, and to the maximum extent permitted by the GBCC, be indemnified for any liability and expense that may be incurred by such person in connection with or resulting from any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, in which he or she may become involved, as a party or prospective party or otherwise, by reason of any action taken or not taken in his or her capacity as such director or officer or as a member of any committee appointed by our board of directors to act for, in the interest of, or on behalf of the Company; provided such person acted in good faith and reasonably believed, in the case of conduct in the person’s official capacity, that the conduct was in the Company's best interests, and in all other cases, that the conduct was at least not opposed to the Company's best interests, and, in the case of a criminal proceeding, that the person had no reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful.
Pursuant to Article VII of the Company’s Bylaws, expenses incurred with respect to any proceeding will be advanced by the Company prior to the final disposition of such proceeding upon written affirmation by the recipient of his or her good faith belief that