Learn About the Law
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by FindLaw Staff
(a) An action may be brought in the right of a domestic or foreign corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by five percent or more of any class of members or by such percentage of the holders of capital certificates or of the owners of a beneficial interest in the capital certificates of such corporation.
(b) In any such action, it shall be made to appear that each plaintiff is such a member, holder or owner at the time of bringing the action.
(c) In any such action, the complaint shall set forth with particularity the efforts of the plaintiff or plaintiffs to secure the initiation of such action by the board of 1 the reason for not making such effort.
(d) 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 any class or classes thereof will be substantially affected by such discontinuance, compromise or settlement, the court, in its discretion, may direct that notice, by publication or otherwise, shall be given to the members or class or classes thereof 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, and the amount of such expense shall be awarded as special costs of the action and recoverable in the same manner as statutory taxable costs.
(e) If the action on behalf of the corporation was successful, in whole or in part, or if anything was received by the plaintiff or plaintiffs or a claimant or claimants as the result of a judgment, compromise or settlement of an action or claim, the court may award the plaintiff or plaintiffs, claimant or claimants, reasonable expenses, including reasonable attorney's fees, and shall direct him or them to account to the corporation for the remainder of the proceeds so received by him or them. This paragraph shall not apply to any judgment rendered for the benefit of injured members or non-record owners only and limited to a recovery of the loss or damage sustained by them.
Cite this article: FindLaw.com - New York Consolidated Laws, Not-For-Profit Corporation Law - NPC § 623. Members' derivative action brought in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/ny/notforprofit-corporation-law/npc-sect-623/
FindLaw Codes may not reflect the most recent version of the law in your jurisdiction. Please verify the status of the code you are researching with the state legislature or via Westlaw before relying on it for your legal needs.
A free source of state and federal court opinions, state laws, and the United States Code. For more information about the legal concepts addressed by these cases and statutes, visit FindLaw's Learn About the Law.
Get help with your legal needs
FindLaw’s Learn About the Law features thousands of informational articles to help you understand your options. And if you’re ready to hire an attorney, find one in your area who can help.
Search our directory by legal issue
Enter information in one or both fields (Required)