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EXHIBIT 10.18
(Form of Officers and Directors Indemnification Agreement)
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement ("Agreement") is made as of this __ day of
_____________, 199__, by and between ____________________ a _____________
corporation (the "Company"), and _____________ ("Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increasing difficulty in
obtaining directors' and officers' liability insurance, the significant
increases in the cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the
coverage of such insurance;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial
increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting officers and directors
to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and coverage
of liability insurance has been severely limited;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the current protection available as
adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee and other officers and
directors of the Company may not be willing to continue to serve as officers
and directors without additional protection; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly
qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve as officers and directors
of the Company and to indemnify its officers and directors so as to provide
them with the maximum protection permitted by law.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
1. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) Third Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee
if Indemnitee is or was 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 an action by or in the
right of the Company) by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the
Company, by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while an
officer or director or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving
at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid
in settlement (if such settlement is approved in advance by the Company, which
approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) actually and reasonably incurred
by Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if Indemnitee
acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or
not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee's
conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action, suit or proceeding by
judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or
its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did
not act in good faith and in a manner that Indemnitee reasonably believed to be
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opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal
action or proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee's conduct
was unlawful.
(b) Proceedings By or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to be
made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in
the right of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company to procure a judgment
in its favor by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director,
officer, employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company, by
reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while an officer or
director or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the
request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against
expenses (including attorneys' fees) and amounts paid in settlement actually
and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the defense or
settlement of such action or suit if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a
manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the Company, except that no indemnification shall be made in
respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been
adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and only to the extent that the
District Court of the State of Texas or the court in which such action or
suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the
adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case,
Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses
which the District Court of the State of Texas or such other court shall
deem proper.
(c) Mandatory Payment of Expenses. To the extent that Indemnitee has
been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or
proceeding referred to in Subsections (a) and (b) of this Section I or the
defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, Indemnitee shall be indemnified
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred by
Indemnitee in connection therewith.
2. AGREEMENT TO SERVE. In consideration of the protection afforded by
this Agreement, if Indemnitee is a director of the Company he agrees to serve
at least for the balance of the current term as a director and not to resign
voluntarily during such period without the written consent of a majority of the
Board of Directors. If Indemnitee is an officer of the Company not serving
under an employment contract, he agrees to serve in such capacity at least for
the balance of the current fiscal year of the Company and not to resign
voluntarily during such period without the written consent of a majority of the
Board of Directors. Following the applicable period set forth above, Indemnitee
agrees to continue to serve in such capacity at the will of the Company (or
under separate agreement, if such agreement exists) so long as he is duly
appointed or elected and qualified in accordance with the applicable provisions
of the by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or until such
time as he tenders his resignation in writing. Nothing contained in this
Agreement is intended to create in Indemnitee any right to continued
employment.
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3. EXPENSES; INDEMNIFICATION PROCEDURE.
(a) Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all expenses
incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense,
settlement or appeal of any civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding
referenced in Section 1(a) or (b) hereof. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay
such amounts advanced only if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be
determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company
as authorized hereby. The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the
Company to the Indemnitee within twenty (20) days following delivery of a
written request therefor by Indemnitee to the Company.
(b) Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall, as a
condition precedent to his right to be indemnified under this Agreement, give
the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable of any claim made against
Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought under this
Agreement. Notice to the Company shall be directed to Silverleaf Resorts, Inc.,
0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 (Attn: Chief Executive
Officer) (or such other address as the Company shall designate in writing to
Indemnitee). Notice shall be deemed received on the third business day after
the date postmarked if sent by domestic certified or registered mail, properly
addressed; otherwise notice shall be deemed received when such notice shall
actually be received by the Company. In addition, Indemnitee shall give the
Company such information and cooperation as it may reasonably require and as
shall be within Indemnitee's power.
(c) Procedure. Any indemnification and advances provided for in
Section 1 and this Section 3 shall be made no later than forty-five (45) days
after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee. If a claim under this
Agreement, under any statute, or under any provision of the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws providing for indemnification, is not
paid in full by the Company within forty-five (45) days after a written
request for payment thereof has first been received by the Company, Indemnitee
may, but need not, at any time thereafter bring an action against the Company
to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, subject to Section 13 of this
Agreement, Indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid for the expenses
(including attorneys' fees) of bringing such action. It shall be a defense to
any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses
incurred in connection with any action, suit or proceeding in advance of its
final disposition) that Indemnitee has not met the standards of conduct that
make it permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify
Indemnitee for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall
be on the Company and Indemnitee shall be entitled to receive interim payments
of expenses pursuant to Subsection 3(a) unless and until such defense may be
finally adjudicated by court order or judgment from which no further right of
appeal exists. It is the parties' intention that if the Company contests
Indemnitee's right to indemnification, the question of Indemnitee's right to
indemnification shall be for the court to decide, and neither the failure of
the Company (including its Board of Directors or any committee or subgroup of
the Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have
made a determination that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the
circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct
required by applicable law, nor an actual determination by the Company
(including its Board of Directors or any committee or subgroup of the Board of
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Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that Indemnitee has
not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that
Indemnitee has or has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(d) Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice
of a claim pursuant to Subsection 3(b) hereof, the Company has director and
officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of
the commencement of such proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter
take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf
of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such proceeding in
accordance with the terms of such policies.
(e) Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be
obligated under Section 3(a) hereof to pay the expenses of any proceeding
against Indemnitee, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume
the defense of such proceeding, with counsel approved by Indemnitee, upon the
delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election so to do. After
delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the
retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to
Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred
by Indemnitee with respect to the same proceeding, provided that (i) Indemnitee
shall have the right to employ his counsel in any such proceeding at
Indemnitee's expense; and (ii) if (A) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee
has been previously authorized by the Company, (B) Indemnitee shall have
reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of interest between the
Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense or (C) the Company
shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to assume the defense of such
proceeding, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee's counsel shall be at the
expense of the Company.
4. ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION RIGHTS; NONEXCLUSIVITY.
(a) Scope. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
the Company hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitee to the fullest extent
permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification is not specifically
authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company's Articles
of Incorporation, the Company's By-laws or by statute. In the event of any
change, after the date of this Agreement, in any applicable law, statute, or
rule that expands the right of a Texas corporation to indemnify a member of
its board of directors or an officer, such changes shall be, ipso facto, within
the purview of Indemnitee's rights and Company's obligations, under this
Agreement. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or rule
that narrows the right of a Texas corporation to indemnify a member of its
board of directors or an officer, such changes, to the extent not otherwise
required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement, shall
have no effect on this Agreement or the parties' rights and obligations
hereunder.
(b) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement
shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled
under the Company's
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Articles of Incorporation, its By-laws, any agreement, any vote of
stockholders or disinterested Directors, the Texas Business Corporation Act, or
otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitee's official capacity and as to action
in another capacity while holding such office. The indemnification provided
under this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action taken or not
taken while serving in an indemnified capacity even though he may have ceased to
serve in an indemnified capacity at the time of any action, suit or other
covered proceeding.
5. PARTIAL INDEMNIFICATION. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a
portion of the expenses, judgments, fines or penalties actually or reasonably
incurred by him in the investigation, defense, appeal or settlement of any
civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding, but not, however, for the total
amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the
portion of such expenses, judgments, fines or penalties to which Indemnitee is
entitled.
6. MUTUAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge
that in certain instances, Federal law or public policy may override applicable
state law and prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors and officers
under this Agreement or otherwise. For example, the Company and Indemnitee
acknowledge that the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has taken
the position that indemnification is not permissible for liabilities arising
under certain federal securities laws, and federal legislation prohibits
indemnification for certain ERISA violations. Indemnitee understands and
acknowledges that the Company has undertaken, and may be required in the future
to undertake, with the SEC to submit the question of indemnification to a court
in certain circumstances for a determination of the Company's right under
public policy to indemnify Indemnitee.
7. OFFICER AND DIRECTOR LIABILITY INSURANCE. The Company shall, from
time to time, make the good faith determination whether or not it is
practicable for the Company to obtain and maintain a policy or policies of
insurance with reputable insurance companies providing the officers and
directors of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts, or to
ensure the Company's performance of its indemnification obligations under this
Agreement. Among other considerations, the Company will weigh the costs of
obtaining such insurance coverage against the protection afforded by such
coverage. In all policies of director and officer liability insurance,
Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide
Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably
insured of the Company's directors, if Indemnitee is a director; or of the
Company's officers, if Indemnitee is not a director of the Company but is an
officer; or of the Company's key employees, if Indemnitee is not an officer or
director but is a key employee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company
shall have no obligation to obtain or maintain such insurance if the Company
determines in good faith that such insurance is not reasonably available, if
the premium costs for such insurance are disproportionate to the amount of
coverage provided, if the coverage provided by such insurance is limited by
exclusions so as to provide an insufficient benefit, or if Indemnitee is
covered by similar insurance maintained by a parent or subsidiary of the
Company.
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8. SEVERABILITY. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or
shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in
violation of applicable law. The Company's inability, pursuant to court order,
to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach
of this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable as
provided in this Section 8. If this Agreement or any portion hereof shall be
invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the
Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent permitted by
any applicable portion of this Agreement that shall not have been invalidated,
and the balance of this Agreement not so invalidated shall be enforceable in
accordance with its terms.
9. EXCEPTIONS. Any other provision herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement for the following:
(a) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. The Company shall not be
obligated to indemnify or advance expenses to Indemnitee with respect to
proceedings or claims initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by
way of defense, except with respect to proceedings brought to establish or
enforce a right to indemnification under this Agreement or any other statute or
law or otherwise as required under the Texas Business Corporation Act, but
such indemnification or advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company
in specific cases if the Board of Directors finds it to be appropriate;
(b) Lack of Good Faith. The Company shall not be obligated to
indemnify Indemnitee for any expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to any
proceeding instituted by Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a
court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions
made by Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was
frivolous;
(c) Insured Claims. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify
Indemnitee for expenses or liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but
not limited to, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts
paid in settlement) that have been paid directly to Indemnitee by an insurance
carrier under a policy of officers' and directors' liability insurance
maintained by the Company; or
(d) Claims under Section 16(b). The Company shall not be obligated to
indemnify Indemnitee for expenses or the payment of profits arising from the
purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor
statute.
10. CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PHRASES.
(a) For purposes of this Agreement, references to the "Company"
shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent
corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a
consolidation or merger that, if its separate existence had continued, would
have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and
employees or agents, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the
request of such constituent corporation as a director,
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officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust or other enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under
the provisions of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving
corporation as Indemnitee would have with respect to such constituent
corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, references to "other
enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall
include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee
benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Company" shall
include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company
that imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer,
employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants,
or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and
beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have
acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the Company" as
referred to in this Agreement.
11. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
12. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of
Indemnitee and Indemnitee's estate, heirs, legal representatives and assigns.
13. ATTORNEYS' FEES. In the event that any action is instituted by
Indemnitee under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms
hereof, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses,
including reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee with respect to
such action, unless as a part of such action, a court of competent jurisdiction
determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis
for such action was not made in good faith or was frivolous. In the event of an
action instituted by or in the name of the Company under this Agreement or to
enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be
entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees,
incurred by Indemnitee in defense of such action (including with respect to
Indemnitee's counterclaims and cross-claims made in such action), unless as a
part of such action the court determines that each of Indemnitee's material
defenses to such action was made in bad faith or was frivolous.
14. NOTICE. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under
this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) if
delivered by hand and receipt is acknowledged by the party addressee, on the
date of such receipt, or (ii) if mailed by certified or registered mail with
postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date postmarked. Addresses
for notice to either party are as shown on the signature page of this
Agreement, or as subsequently modified by written notice.
15. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. The Company and the Indemnitee each hereby
irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Texas
for all purposes in
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connection with any action or proceeding that arises out of or relates to this
Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this Agreement shall be
brought only in the state courts of the State of Texas.
16. CHOICE OF LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, as applied to
contracts between residents entered into and to be performed entirely within
Texas.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties or their duly authorized representatives
hereto have executed this agreement as of the date first above written.
SILVERLEAF RESORTS, INC.
By:
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Name:
---------------------------------
(Printed)
Title:
Address: 0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED:
INDEMNITEE:
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(Signature)
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(address)
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