17-6515. Contested election of director or officer or any other contested vote of stockholders or members; proceedings to determine validity. (a) Upon application of any stockholder or director, or any officer whose title to office is contested, the district court may hear and determine the validity of any election, appointment, removal or resignation of any director or officer of any corporation, and the right of any person to hold or continue to hold such office, and, in case any such office is claimed by more than one person, may determine the person entitled thereto. In making such determination, the court may make such order or decree in any such case as may be just and proper, with power to enforce the production of any books, papers and records of the corporation relating to the issue. In case it should be determined that no valid election has been held, the court may order an election to be held in accordance with K.S.A. 17-6501 or 17-6505, and amendments thereto. In any such application, service of copies of the application upon the resident agent of the corporation shall be deemed to be service upon the corporation and upon the person whose title to office is contested and upon the person, if any, claiming such office; and the resident agent shall forward immediately a copy of the application to the corporation and to the person whose title to office is contested and to the person, if any, claiming such office, in a postpaid, sealed, registered letter addressed to such corporation and such person at their post-office addresses last known to the resident agent or furnished to the resident agent by the applicant stockholder. The court may make such order respecting further or other notice of such application as it deems proper under the circumstances.

(b) Upon application of any stockholder or upon application of the corporation itself, the district court may hear and determine the result of any vote of stockholders upon matters other than the election of directors or officers. Service of the application upon the resident agent of the corporation shall be deemed to be service upon the corporation, and no other party need be joined in order for the court to adjudicate the result of the vote. The court may make such order respecting notice of the application as it deems proper under the circumstances.

(c) If one or more directors has been convicted of a felony in connection with the duties of such director or directors to the corporation, or if there has been a prior judgment on the merits by a court of competent jurisdiction that one or more directors has committed a breach of the duty of loyalty in connection with the duties of such director or directors to that corporation, then, upon application by the corporation, or derivatively in the right of the corporation by any stockholder, in a subsequent action brought for such purpose, the district court may remove from office such director or directors if the court determines that the director or directors did not act in good faith in performing the acts resulting in the prior conviction or judgment and judicial removal is necessary to avoid irreparable harm to the corporation. In connection with such removal, the court may make such orders as are necessary to effect such removal. In any such application, service of copies of the application upon the resident agent of the corporation shall be deemed to be service upon the corporation and upon the director or directors whose removal is sought and the resident agent shall forward immediately a copy of the application to the corporation and to such director or directors, in a postpaid, sealed, registered letter addressed to such corporation and such director or directors at their post office address last known to the resident agent or furnished to the resident agent by the applicant. The court may make such order respecting further or other notice of such application as it deems proper under the circumstances.

History: L. 1972, ch. 52, § 68; L. 1988, ch. 99, § 32; Revived and amend., L. 1988, ch. 100, § 32; L. 1992, ch. 270, § 13; L. 2004, ch. 143, § 40; L. 2016, ch. 110, § 58; July 1.