Indemnification
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Under the NRS, a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is
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, except an action by or
in the right of the corporation, by reason of the fact that the
person is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the
corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation
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 actually and reasonably incurred by the person
in connection with the action, suit or proceeding if the person (a)
is not liable pursuant to NRS 78.138 or (b) acted in good faith and
in a manner that he or she reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the corporation, and, with respect
to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to
believe the 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, does not, of
itself, create a presumption that the person is liable pursuant to
NRS 78.138 or did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or
she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the corporation, or that, with respect to any criminal
action or proceeding, he or she had reasonable cause to believe
that the conduct was unlawful. However, indemnification may not be
made for any claim, issue or matter as to which such a person has
been adjudged to be liable to the corporation or for amounts paid
in settlement, unless and only to the extent that the court
determines the person is fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper. NRS 78.7502.
The Nevada Charter and the Nevada Bylaws make the permissive
indemnification provisions of the NRS mandatory.
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Under the DGCL, a corporation may indemnify any person who was or
is 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 corporation) by reason of the fact that the
person is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the
corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation
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 actually and reasonably incurred by the person
in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person
(a) acted in good faith and in a manner that he or she
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests
of the corporation and (b) with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct
was unlawful. With respect to actions by or in the right of the
corporation, a corporation may indemnify such a person against
expenses in connection with any such action, suit or
proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner that
he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of the corporation provided that no indemnification shall
be made with respect to any claim, issue, or matter as to which
such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the
corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of
Chancery or the court in which such action or suit is brought shall
determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of
liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such
person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for
such expenses which such court shall deem proper. A director or
officer who is successful, on the merits or otherwise in defending
any proceeding subject to the DGCL’s indemnification provisions
shall be indemnified against expenses (including attorneys’ fees)
actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection
therewith. DGCL §145.
The Delaware Charter and the Delaware Bylaws provide that
CEMI-Delaware will, to the maximum extent permitted by the
DGCL, indemnify each of its directors and officers (including any
director or officer who is or was serving at the request of
CEMI-Delaware as a director or officer of another enterprise)
against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines,
settlements, and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred in
connection with any proceeding, provided that CEMI-Delaware
generally is not required to indemnify any person in connection
with a proceeding (or part thereof) commenced by such person unless
the commencement of such proceeding (or part thereof) by such
person was authorized in the specific case by the Board. The
indemnification provisions of the NRS and the DGCL are
substantially similar.
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