Accounting and Reports to the Noteholders, Certificateholders, the Internal Revenue Service and Others The Owner Trustee shall, based on information provided by the Seller, (i) maintain (or cause to be maintained) the books of the Trust on the basis of a fiscal year ending on the last day of February and based on the accrual method of accounting, (ii) deliver to each Certificateholder, as may be required by the Code and applicable Treasury Regulations, such information as may be required (including Schedule K-1) to enable such Certificateholder to prepare its federal and State income tax returns, (iii) file such tax returns relating to the Trust (including a partnership information return, IRS Form 1065) and make such elections as may from time to time be required or appropriate under any applicable State or federal statute or rule or regulation thereunder so as to maintain the Trust’s characterization as a partnership for federal income tax purposes, (iv) cause such tax returns to be signed in the manner required by law and (v) collect or cause to be collected any withholding tax as described in and in accordance with Section 5.2(c) with respect to income or distributions to Certificateholders. The Owner Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall elect under Section 1278 of the Code to include in income currently any market discount that accrues with respect to the Receivables. The Owner Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, shall not make the election provided under Section 754 of the Code. The Owner Trustee may satisfy its obligations with respect to this Section 5.5 by retaining, on behalf of the Trust, at the expense of the Seller, a firm of independent public accountants (the “Accountants”) selected by the Seller. The Owner Trustee, on behalf of the Trust, may require the Accountants to provide to the Owner Trustee, on or before March 15, 2023, a letter in form and substance satisfactory to the Owner Trustee as to whether any federal tax withholding on Certificates is then required and, if required, the procedures to be followed with respect thereto to comply with the requirements of the Code. The Accountants shall be required to update such letter in each instance that any additional tax withholding is subsequently required or any previously required tax withholding shall no longer be required. The Owner Trustee shall be deemed to have discharged its obligations pursuant to this Section 5.5 upon its retention of the Accountants, and the Owner Trustee shall not have any liability with respect to the default or misconduct of the Accountants.
Trustee’s Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety The exercise by the Trustees of their powers hereunder shall be binding upon everyone interested in or dealing with the Trust. A Trustee shall be liable to the Trust and to any Shareholder solely for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees may take advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the meaning and operation of this Declaration of Trust, and shall be under no liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice nor for failing to follow such advice. The Trustees shall not be required to give any bond as such, nor any surety if a bond is required.
Appointment of Administrative Trustees (a) There shall at all times be one or more Administrative Trustees hereunder with respect to the Trust Securities. Each Administrative Trustee shall be either a natural person who is at least 21 years of age or a legal entity that shall act through one or more persons authorized to bind that entity. Each of the individuals identified as an “Administrative Trustee” in the preamble of this Trust Agreement hereby accepts his or her appointment as such.
(b) Except where a requirement for action by a specific number of Administrative Trustees is expressly set forth in this Trust Agreement, any act required or permitted to be taken by, and any power of the Administrative Trustees may be exercised by, or with the consent of, any one such Administrative Trustee. Whenever a vacancy in the number of Administrative Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled by the appointment of an Administrative Trustee in accordance with Section 8.11, the Administrative Trustees in office, regardless of their number (and notwithstanding any other provision of this Trust Agreement), shall have all the powers granted to the Administrative Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon the Administrative Trustees by this Trust Agreement.
Certain Matters Affecting the Trust Administrator (a) Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.01:
(i) the Trust Administrator may request and rely upon and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, Officer’s Certificate, certificate of auditors, Servicing Officers or any other certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, appraisal, bond or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;
(ii) the Trust Administrator may consult with counsel, financial advisors or accountants and any advice of such Persons or opinion of counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion of counsel;
(iii) the Trust Administrator shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the trusts or powers vested in it by this Agreement or to institute, conduct or defend any litigation hereunder or in relation hereto at the request, order or direction of any of the Certificateholders pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, unless such Certificateholders shall have offered to the Trust Administrator reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which may be incurred therein or thereby; nothing contained herein shall, however, relieve the Trust Administrator of the obligation, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default of which a Responsible Officer of the Trust Administrator shall have actual knowledge (which has not been cured or waived), to exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Agreement, and to use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs;
(iv) the Trust Administrator shall not be personally liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Agreement;
(v) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder and after the curing or waiver of all Events of Default that may have occurred, the Trust Administrator shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, bond or other paper or document, unless requested in writing so to do by Holders of Certificates evidencing greater than 50% of the Voting Rights allocated to each Class of Certificates; provided, however, that if the payment within a reasonable time to the Trust Administrator of the costs, expenses or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trust Administrator, not reasonably assured to the Trust Administrator by the security afforded to it by the terms of this Agreement, the Trust Administrator may require reasonable indemnity against such expense or liability as a condition to taking any such action; the reasonable expense of every such investigation shall be paid (A) by the Master Servicer or by the applicable Servicer in the event that such investigation relates to an Event of Default by the Master Servicer or by such Servicer, respectively, if an Event of Default by the Master Servicer or such Servicer shall have occurred and is continuing, and (B) otherwise by the Certificateholders requesting the investigation;
(vi) the Trust Administrator may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trust Administrator shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent or attorney appointed with due care;
(vii) the Trust Administrator shall not be required to expend its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such liability is not assured to it;
(viii) the Trust Administrator shall not be liable for any loss on any investment of funds pursuant to this Agreement except as provided in Section 3.05(e);
(ix) the right of the Trust Administrator to perform any discretionary act enumerated in this Agreement shall not be construed as a duty, and the Trust Administrator shall not be answerable for other than its negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of such act; and
(x) The Trust Administrator shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the execution of the Trust Fund created hereby or the powers granted hereunder.
(b) All rights of action under this Agreement or under any of the Certificates, enforceable by the Trust Administrator, may be enforced by it without the possession of any of the Certificates, or the production thereof at the trial or other proceeding relating thereto, and any such suit, action or proceeding instituted by the Trust Administrator shall be brought in its name for the benefit of all the Holders of such Certificates, subject to the provisions of this Agreement.
Appointment of the Transfer Agent The Company hereby appoints the Transfer Agent, as transfer agent for its shares and as shareholder servicing agent for the Company, and the Transfer Agent accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the duties set forth below.
Appointment of Co-Indenture Trustee or Separate Indenture Trustee (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, at any time, for the purpose of meeting any legal requirement of any jurisdiction in which any part of the Trust Estate may at the time be located, the Indenture Trustee shall have the power and may execute and deliver an instrument to appoint one or more Persons to act as a co-trustee or co-trustees, jointly with the Indenture Trustee, or separate trustee or separate trustees, of all or any part of the Trust Estate, and to vest in such Person or Persons, in such capacity and for the benefit of the Noteholders, such title to the Trust Estate, or any part hereof, and, subject to the other provisions of this Section 6.10, such powers, duties, obligations, rights and trusts as the Indenture Trustee may consider necessary or desirable. No co-trustee or separate trustee under this Indenture shall be required to meet the terms of eligibility as a successor trustee under Section 6.11 and no notice of the appointment of any co-trustee or separate trustee shall be required under Section 6.8.
(b) Each separate trustee and co-trustee shall, to the extent permitted by law, be appointed and act subject to the following provisions and conditions:
(i) all rights, powers, duties and obligations conferred or imposed upon the Indenture Trustee shall be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed by the Indenture Trustee and such separate trustee or co-trustee jointly (it being understood that such separate trustee or co-trustee shall not be authorized to act separately without the Indenture Trustee joining in such act), except to the extent that under any law of any jurisdiction in which any particular act or acts are to be performed the Indenture Trustee shall be incompetent or unqualified to perform such act or acts, in which event such rights, powers, duties and obligations (including the holding of title to the Trust Estate or any portion thereof in any such jurisdiction) shall be exercised and performed singly by such separate trustee or co-trustee, but solely at the direction of the Indenture Trustee;
(ii) no trustee under this Indenture shall be personally liable by reason of any act or omission of any other trustee under this Indenture; and
(iii) the Indenture Trustee may at any time accept the resignation of or remove any separate trustee or co-trustee.
(c) Any notice, request or other writing given to the Indenture Trustee shall be deemed to have been given to each of the then separate trustees and co-trustees as effectively as if given to each of them. Every instrument appointing any separate trustee or co-trustee shall refer to this Indenture and the conditions of this Article VI. Each separate trustee and co-trustee, upon its acceptance of the trusts conferred, shall be vested with the estates or property specified in its instrument of appointment, either jointly with the Indenture Trustee or separately, as may be provided therein, subject to all the provisions of this Indenture, specifically including every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct of, affecting the liability of, or affording protection to, the Indenture Trustee. Each such instrument shall be filed with the Indenture Trustee.
(d) Any separate trustee or co-trustee may at any time constitute the Indenture Trustee its agent or attorney-in-fact with full power and authority, to the extent permitted by law, to do any lawful act under or in respect of this Indenture on its behalf and in its name. If any separate trustee or co-trustee shall die, become incapable of acting, resign or be removed, all of its estates, properties, rights, remedies and trusts shall vest in and be exercised by the Indenture Trustee, to the extent permitted by law, without the appointment of a new or successor trustee.
Appointment to Fill Vacancy in Office of Trustee The Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the office of Trustee, will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 7.10, a Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder.
Appointment to Fill a Vacancy in Office of Trustee The Issuer, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the office of Trustee, will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 6.10, a Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee with respect to each series of Securities hereunder.
Responsibilities of the Transfer Agent The Transfer Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Fund, by its acceptance hereof, shall be bound:
11.1 Whenever in the performance of its duties hereunder the Transfer Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by an officer of the Fund and delivered to the Transfer Agent. Such certificate shall be full authorization to the recipient for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.
11.2 The Fund agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Transfer Agent for the carrying out, or performing by the Transfer Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.
Certain Matters Affecting the Trustee and the Certificate Administrator Except as otherwise provided in Section 8.01:
(i) The Trustee and the Certificate Administrator may rely upon and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, Officer’s Certificate, certificate of auditors or any other certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, Appraisal, bond or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;
(ii) The Trustee and the Certificate Administrator may consult with counsel and the written advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance therewith;
(iii) Neither the Trustee nor the Certificate Administrator shall be under any obligation to exercise any of the trusts or powers vested in it by this Agreement or to make any investigation of matters arising hereunder or to institute, conduct or defend any litigation hereunder or in relation hereto at the request, order or direction of any of the Certificateholders, pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, unless such Certificateholders shall have offered to the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator, as applicable, reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which may be incurred therein or thereby; neither the Trustee nor the Certificate Administrator shall be required to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it; nothing contained herein shall, however, relieve the Trustee of the obligation, upon the occurrence of a Servicer Termination Event which has not been cured, to exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Agreement, and to use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs;
(iv) Neither the Trustee nor the Certificate Administrator shall be liable for any action reasonably taken, suffered or omitted by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Agreement;
(v) Prior to the occurrence of a Servicer Termination Event hereunder and after the curing of all Servicer Termination Events which may have occurred, neither the Trustee nor the Certificate Administrator shall be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, bond or other paper or document, unless requested in writing to do so by Holders of Certificates entitled to more than 50% of the Voting Rights; provided, however, that if the payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator of the costs, expenses or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator, respectively, not reasonably assured to the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator by the security afforded to it by the terms of this Agreement, the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator, respectively, may require reasonable indemnity from such requesting Holders against such expense or liability as a condition to taking any such action. The reasonable expense of every such reasonable examination shall be paid by the requesting Holders;
(vi) The Trustee or the Certificate Administrator may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys; provided, however, that the appointment of such agents or attorneys shall not relieve the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator of its duties or obligations hereunder;
(vii) For all purposes under this Agreement, neither the Trustee nor the Certificate Administrator shall be deemed to have notice of any Servicer Termination Event unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator, as applicable, has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee or the Certificate Administrator at the respective Corporate Trust Office, and such notice references the Certificates or this Agreement;
(viii) Neither the Trustee nor the Certificate Administrator shall be responsible for any act or omission of the Master Servicer or the Special Servicer (unless the Trustee is acting as Master Servicer or Special Servicer, as the case may be, in which case the Trustee shall only be responsible for its own actions as Master Servicer or Special Servicer) or of the Depositor; and
(ix) Neither the Trustee nor the Certificate Administrator shall in any way be liable by reason of any insufficiency in the Trust Fund unless it is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction that the Trustee’s or Certificate Administrator’s, as applicable, negligence or willful misconduct was the primary cause of such insufficiency.
