§ 79-29-315. Access to and confidentiality of information; records

MS Code § 79-29-315 (2019) (N/A)
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(1) Each member of a limited liability company has the right, subject to such reasonable standards, including standards governing what information and documents are to be furnished at what time and location and at whose expense, as may be set forth in an operating agreement or otherwise established by the manager or, if there is no manager, then by the members, to obtain from the limited liability company from time to time upon reasonable demand for any good faith purpose reasonably related to the member’s interest as a member of the limited liability company:

(a) True, full and current information regarding the status of the business and financial condition of the limited liability company;

(b) Promptly after becoming available, a copy of the limited liability company’s federal, state and local income tax returns for each year;

(c) A current list of the name and last known business, residence or mailing address of each member and manager;

(d) A copy of any written operating agreement and certificate of formation and all amendments thereto, together with executed copies of any written powers of attorney pursuant to which the operating agreement and any certificate and all amendments thereto have been executed;

(e) True and full information regarding the amount of cash and a description and statement of the agreed value of any other property or services contributed by each member and which each member has agreed to contribute in the future, and the date on which each became a member; and

(f) Other information regarding the affairs of the limited liability company as is just and reasonable.

(2) Each manager shall have the right to examine all of the information described in subsection (1) of this section for a good faith purpose reasonably related to the position of manager.

(3) The manager or members of a limited liability company, referred to herein as the “authority,” shall have the right to keep confidential from the members and managers, for a period of time as the authority deems reasonable, any information which the authority reasonably believes to be in the nature of trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which the authority in good faith believes is not in the best interest of the limited liability company or could damage the limited liability company or its business or which the limited liability company is required by law or by agreement with a third party to keep confidential.

(4) A limited liability company may maintain its records in other than a written form if such form is capable of conversion into written form within a reasonable time.

(5) Any demand under this section shall be in writing and shall state the purpose of such demand with reasonable detail.

(6) Any action to enforce any right arising under this section shall be brought in the chancery court of the county where the limited liability company’s principal office is located. If the limited liability company refuses to permit a member to obtain or a manager to examine the information described in subsection (1) of this section or does not reply to the demand that has been made within five (5) business days after the demand has been made, the demanding member or manager may apply to the chancery court for an order to compel the disclosure. The chancery court is hereby vested with exclusive jurisdiction to determine whether the person seeking the information is entitled to the information sought. The court may summarily order the limited liability company to permit the demanding member to obtain or manager to examine the information described in subsection (1) of this section and to make copies or abstracts therefrom, or the court may summarily order the limited liability company to furnish to the demanding member or manager the information described in subsection (1) of this section on the condition that the demanding member or manager first pay to the limited liability company the reasonable cost of obtaining and furnishing the information and on such other conditions as the court of chancery deems appropriate. When a demanding member seeks to obtain or a manager seeks to examine the information described in subsection (1) of this section, the demanding member or manager shall first establish (a) that the demanding member or manager has complied with the provisions of this section respecting the form and manner of making demand for obtaining or examining of the information, and (b) that the information the demanding member or manager seeks is reasonably related to the member’s interest as a member or the manager’s position as a manager, as the case may be. The court may, in its discretion, prescribe any limitations or conditions with reference to the obtaining or examining of information, or award such other or further relief as the chancery court may deem just and proper. The court may order books, documents and records, pertinent extracts therefrom, or duly authenticated copies thereof, to be brought within the state and kept in the state upon such terms and conditions as the order may prescribe.

(7) The rights of a member or manager to obtain information as provided in this section may be restricted in the initial operating agreement or in any subsequent amendment approved or adopted by all of the members or in compliance with any applicable requirements of the operating agreement. The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to limit the ability to impose restrictions on the rights of a member or manager to obtain information by any other means permitted under this section.