Item 4. Description of Securities.
Not Applicable.
Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.
Not Applicable.
Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to include in its charter a provision that limits the liability of its directors and officers to the corporation and its stockholders for money damages, except for liability resulting from (1) actual receipt of an improper benefit or profit in money, property or services or (2) active or deliberate dishonesty that is established by a final judgment and that is material to the cause of action. Our charter contains a provision that limits, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, the liability of our directors and officers to us and our stockholders for money damages. This provision does not limit our right or that of our stockholders to obtain equitable relief, such as injunction or rescission.
Our charter and bylaws obligate us, to the maximum extent permitted by Maryland law, to indemnify and, without requiring a preliminary determination of the ultimate entitlement to indemnification, to pay or reimburse reasonable expenses before a final disposition of a proceeding to (1) any individual who is a present or former director or officer of ours and who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity; or (2) any individual who, while one or our directors or officers and at our request, serves or has served as a director, officer, partner, member, manager, trustee, employee or agent of another corporation, REIT, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, and who is made or threatened to be made a party to, or witness in, the proceeding by reason of his or her service in that capacity.
Our charter and bylaws authorize us, with the approval of our board, to provide indemnification and advancement of expenses to our agents and employees.
Maryland law requires a Maryland corporation (unless otherwise provided in its charter, which our charter does not) to indemnify a director or officer who has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which he or she is made or threatened to be made a party by reason of his or her service in that capacity. Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to indemnify its present and former directors and officers, among others, against judgments, penalties, fines, settlements, and reasonable expenses actually incurred by them in connection with any proceeding to which they may be made or threatened to be made a party by reason of their service in that capacity unless it is established that:
| • | | the act or omission of the director or officer was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and (1) was committed in bad faith or (2) was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; |
| • | | the director or officer actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or |
| • | | in the case of any criminal proceeding, the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe that the act or omission was unlawful. |
Under the MGCL, we may not indemnify a director or officer in a suit by us or in our right in which the director or officer was adjudged liable to us or in a suit in which the director or officer was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. A court may order indemnification if it determines that the director or officer is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, even though the director or officer did not meet the prescribed standard of conduct or was adjudged liable on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received. However, indemnification for an adverse judgment in a suit by the corporation or in its right, or for a judgment of liability on the basis that personal benefit was improperly received, is limited to expenses.
In addition, Maryland law permits a Maryland corporation to advance reasonable expenses to a director or officer upon receipt of (1) a written affirmation by the director or officer of his or her good faith belief that he or she has met the standard of conduct necessary for indemnification and (2) a written undertaking by him or her, or on his or her behalf, to repay the amount paid or reimbursed if it is ultimately determined that the standard of conduct was not met.
Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.
Not Applicable.