South Carolina § 33-31-842 - Standards of conduct for officers.

§ 33-31-842. Standards of conduct for officers.

(a) An officer with discretionary authority shall discharge his duties under that authority:

(1) in good faith;

(2) with the care an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances; and

(3) in a manner the officer reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation, and its members, if any.

(b) In discharging his duties, an officer is entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, if prepared or presented by:

(1) one or more officers or employees of the corporation who the officer reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented;

(2) legal counsel, public accountants, or other persons as to matters the officer reasonably believes are within the person's professional or expert competence; or

(3) in the case of religious corporations, religious authorities and ministers, priests, rabbis, or other persons whose position or duties in the religious organization the officer believes justify reliance and confidence and who the officer believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented.

(c) An officer is not acting in good faith if the officer has knowledge concerning the matter in question that makes reliance otherwise permitted by subsection (b) unwarranted.

(d) An officer is not liable to the corporation, any member, or other person for any action taken or not taken as an officer, if the officer acted in compliance with this section.

(e) An action against an officer asserting the officer's failure to act in compliance with this section and consequent liability must be commenced before the sooner of (i) three years after the failure complained of or (ii) two years after the harm complained of is, or reasonably should have been, discovered. This limitations period does not apply if the failure to act in compliance with this section has been fraudulently concealed.

HISTORY: 1994 Act No. 384, SECTION 1.