Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) permits a corporation to indemnify its directors and officers against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlements actually and reasonably incurred by them in connection with any action, suit or proceeding brought by third parties. The directors or officers must have acted in good faith and in a manner they 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 their conduct was unlawful. In a derivative action, an action only by or in the right of the corporation, indemnification may be made only for expenses actually and reasonably incurred by directors and officers in connection with the defense or settlement of an action or suit, and only with respect to a matter as to which they shall have acted in good faith and in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. No indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged liable to the corporation, unless and only to the extent that the court in which the action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that the defendant officers or directors are fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses despite such adjudication of liability and in view of all of the circumstances of the case.
Occidental has adopted provisions in its by-laws, as amended, which provide that it will 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 Occidental or in its right, by reason of the fact that such person is or was Occidental’s director, officer, employee or agent, or, while such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of Occidental, is or was serving at Occidental’s request 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 such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, but in each case only if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person 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 his conduct was unlawful.
Occidental’s by-laws, as amended, further state that this indemnification shall not be deemed exclusive of any other right to which the indemnified person may be entitled, 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 that person.
Occidental’s restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, provides that, consistent with Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, no director shall be liable to Occidental or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability:
•for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to Occidental or its stockholders;
•for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or knowing violation of the law;
•under Section 174 of the DGCL; or
•for any transaction from which a director derived an improper benefit.
Occidental maintains policies insuring its officers and directors against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
Occidental also entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors and certain of its executive officers and anticipates that it will enter into similar agreements with future directors and officers. Generally, these agreements attempt to provide the maximum protection permitted by Delaware law with respect to indemnification. The indemnification agreements provide that Occidental will pay certain amounts incurred by its directors in connection with any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action or proceeding. Such amounts include any expenses, including attorney’s fees, judgments, civil or criminal fines, settlement amounts and other expenses customarily incurred in connection with legal proceedings.
The Plan provides that the committee that administers the Plan and all members thereof (including, for these purposes, any officer of Occidental or any of its subsidiaries acting at the direction or on behalf of the committee) shall not be liable for any action or determination taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan. Occidental has agreed to indemnify and hold harmless each member of the committee, to the fullest extent permitted by law, with respect to any such action or determination.