South Carolina § 33-14-300 - Grounds for judicial dissolution.

§ 33-14-300. Grounds for judicial dissolution.

The circuit courts may dissolve a corporation:

(1) in a proceeding by the Attorney General if it is established that the corporation:

(i) obtained its articles of incorporation through fraud; or

(ii) has continued to exceed or abuse the authority conferred upon it by law;

(2) in a proceeding by a shareholder if it is established that:

(i) the directors or those in control of the corporation are deadlocked in the management of the corporate affairs, the shareholders are unable to break the deadlock, and irreparable injury to the corporation is threatened or being suffered, or the business and affairs of the corporation can no longer be conducted to the advantage of the shareholders generally, because of the deadlock;

(ii) the directors or those in control of the corporation have acted, are acting, or will act in a manner that is illegal, fraudulent, oppressive, or unfairly prejudicial either to the corporation or to any shareholder (whether in his capacity as a shareholder, director, or officer of the corporation);

(iii) the shareholders are deadlocked in voting power and have failed, for a period that includes at least two consecutive annual meeting dates, to elect successors to directors whose terms have expired;

(iv) the corporate assets are being misapplied or wasted;

(v) the corporation has abandoned its business and has failed, within a reasonable time, to dissolve, to liquidate its affairs, or to distribute its remaining property among its shareholders; or

(vi) the corporation's period of duration stated in its articles of incorporation has expired;

(3) in a proceeding by a creditor if it is established that:

(i) the creditor's claim has been reduced to judgment, the execution on the judgment returned unsatisfied, and the corporation is insolvent; or

(ii) the corporation has admitted in writing that the creditor's claim is due and owing and the corporation is insolvent; or

(4) in a proceeding by the corporation to have its voluntary dissolution continued under court supervision.

HISTORY: Derived from 1976 Code SECTION 33-21-140 [1962 Code SECTION 12-22.14; 1962 (52) 1996; 1981 Act No. 146, SECTION 2; Repealed, 1988 Act No. 444, SECTION 4(1)], and SECTION 33-21-150 [1962 Code SECTION 12-22.15; 1952 Code SECTION 12-651; 1942 Code SECTION 7725; 1932 Code SECTION 7725; 1922 (32) 1026; 1962 (52) 1996, 1963 (53) 327; 1981 Act No. 146, SECTION 2; Repealed, 1988 Act No. 444, SECTION 4(1)]; 1988 Act No. 444, SECTION 2.