Article VI, Section 2 of the Company’sBy-laws provides that the Company shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or was serving in any of such capacities at the request of the Company with any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against expenses (including court costs and attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, except that in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable for negligence or misconduct in the performance of his duty to the Company, indemnification will be permitted only to the extent that the court in which the action was brought finds that despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which such court shall deem proper.
Article VI, Section 3 of the Company’sBy-laws provides that to the extent that a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company shall be successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in Sections 1 and 2 of Article VI of the Company’sBy-laws or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, he shall be indemnified against expenses (including court costs and attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.
Article VI, Section 4 of the Company’sBy-laws provides that any indemnification under Sections 1 and 2 of Article VI (unless ordered by a court) shall be made by the Company only as authorized in the specific case upon a determination that indemnification of the director, officer, employee or agent is proper in the circumstances because he had met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Sections 1 and 2 of Article VI. Such determination shall be made (1) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to such action, suit or proceeding, or (2) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or, even if obtainable but a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent legal counsel in a written opinion, or (3) by the shareholders.
Article VI, Section 5, of the Company’sBy-laws provides that expenses incurred in defending a civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding as authorized by the Board of Directors in the manner provided in Section 4 of Article VI upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director, officer, employee or agent to repay such amount unless it shall ultimately be determined that he is entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized in Article VI, and, if such person is a director, upon receipt of a written affirmation of such director’s good faith belief that he has met the standards of conduct required by the Georgia Code.
Article VI, Section 6, of the Company’sBy-laws provides that Article VI shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those indemnified may be entitled under any agreement, vote of shareholders, or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such person.
Article VI, Section 7, of the Company’sBy-laws provides that the Board of Directors may authorize, by a vote of the majority of the full board, the Company to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or was serving in any of such capacities at the request of the Company with any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of Article VI.
Insurance
The Company maintains directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies which provide for payment by the insurers for losses arising from any claim or claims against an officer or director of the Company by reason of any actual or alleged breach of duty, neglect, error, misstatement, misleading statement, omission or other act done or wrongfully attempted by them in such capacities, in connection with any matter claimed against them solely by reason of their serving in any of such capacities, but only when the Company is required or permitted by law to pay amounts as indemnity to the directors and officers.