Pennsylvania § 1979 - Survival of remedies and rights after dissolution.

§ 1979. Survival of remedies and rights after dissolution.

(a) General rule.--The dissolution of a business corporation, either under this subchapter or under Subchapter G (relating to involuntary liquidation and dissolution) or by expiration of its period of duration or otherwise, shall not eliminate nor impair any remedy available to or against the corporation or its directors, officers or shareholders for any right or claim existing, or liability incurred, prior to the dissolution, if an action or proceeding thereon is brought on behalf of:

(1) the corporation within the time otherwise limited by law; or

(2) any other person before or within two years after the date of the dissolution or within the time otherwise limited by this subpart or other provision of law, whichever is less. See sections 1987 (relating to proof of claims), 1993 (relating to acceptance or rejection of matured claims) and 1994 (relating to disposition of unmatured claims).

(b) Rights and assets.--The dissolution of a business corporation shall not affect the limited liability of a shareholder of the corporation theretofore existing with respect to transactions occurring or acts or omissions done or omitted in the name of or by the corporation except that, subject to subsection (d) and sections 1992(d) (relating to notice to claimants) and 1993(b) (relating to acceptance or rejection of matured claims), if applicable, each shareholder shall be liable for his pro rata portion of the unpaid liabilities of the corporation up to the amount of the net assets of the corporation distributed to the shareholder in connection with the dissolution. Should any property right of a corporation be discovered, or the corporation be named as a defendant in an action or proceeding, at any time after the dissolution of the corporation, the surviving member or members of the board of directors that wound up the affairs of the corporation, or a receiver appointed by the court, shall have authority to enforce the property right and to collect and divide the assets so discovered among the persons entitled thereto and to prosecute actions or proceedings in the corporate name of the corporation. Any assets so collected shall be distributed and disposed of in accordance with the applicable order of court, if any, and otherwise in accordance with this subchapter.

(c) Liability of shareholders.--A shareholder of a dissolved business corporation, the assets of which were distributed under section 1975(c) (relating to winding up and distribution) or 1997 (relating to payments and distributions), shall not be liable for any claim against the corporation in an amount in excess of the shareholder's pro rata share of the claim or the amount so distributed to the shareholder, whichever is less. The aggregate liability of any shareholder of a dissolved corporation for claims against the dissolved corporation shall not exceed the amount distributed to the shareholder in dissolution.

(d) Limitation of actions.--A shareholder of a dissolved corporation, the assets of which were distributed under section 1975(c) or 1997(a) through (c), shall not be liable for any claim against the corporation on which an action is not commenced prior to the expiration of the period specified in subsection (a)(2).

(e) Conduct of actions.--An action or proceeding may be prosecuted against and defended by a dissolved corporation in its corporate name.

(f) Late-filed action or proceeding.--The following apply to an action or proceeding commenced against a dissolved corporation after the expiration of the period specified in subsection (a)(2):

(1) Any judgment against a dissolved corporation in an action or proceeding shall be void.

(2) The dissolved corporation may, but need not, appear and raise as a defense the expiration of the period specified in subsection (a)(2) and any other reasonably related matters in response to the action or proceeding.

(3) Any person who was a director, officer or shareholder of the dissolved corporation when the dissolution became effective or any governing person of any successor entity acting pursuant to Subchapter H (relating to postdissolution provision for liabilities), and any successor-in-interest to any of those persons, may, but need not, act on behalf of the dissolved corporation in taking the actions described in paragraph (2) and shall not thereby be deemed to be deprived of the operation of subsections (c) and (d) or section 1978(b) (relating to winding up of corporation after dissolution) or otherwise be responsible for any obligations of the dissolved corporation.

(Dec. 18, 1992, P.L.1333, No.169, eff. 60 days; June 22, 2001, P.L.418, No.34, eff. 60 days; Nov. 3, 2022, P.L.1791, No.122, eff. 60 days)

2022 Amendment. Act 122 amended subsec. (b) and added subsec. (f).

2001 Amendment. Act 34 amended subsec. (a) and added subsec. (e).

1992 Amendment. Act 169 amended subsec. (b) and added subsecs. (c) and (d).

Cross References. Section 1979 is referred to in sections 1987, 1993, 1994, 1995 of this title.