EXHIBIT 10.6
ROXIO, INC.
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement ("AGREEMENT") is entered into as of
_______________ by and between Roxio, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"COMPANY") and ___________ ("INDEMNITEE").
RECITALS
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A. The Company and Indemnitee recognize the significant increases
in the cost of liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, agents
and fiduciaries.
B. The Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial
increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting directors, officers,
employees, agents and fiduciaries to expensive litigation risks at the same time
as the availability and coverage of liability insurance has been severely
limited.
C. Indemnitee does not regard the current protection available as
adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee and other directors,
officers, employees, agents and fiduciaries of the Company may not be willing to
continue to serve in such capacities without additional protection.
D. The Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly
qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve the Company and, in part, in
order to induce Indemnitee to continue to provide services to the Company,
wishes to provide for the indemnification and advancing of expenses to
Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by law.
E. In view of the considerations set forth above, the Company
desires that Indemnitee be indemnified by the Company as set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
1. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) INDEMNIFICATION OF EXPENSES. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law if Indemnitee was or is or
becomes a party to or witness or other participant in, or is threatened to be
made a party to or witness or other participant in, any threatened, pending or
completed action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism,
or any hearing, inquiry or investigation that Indemnitee in good faith believes
might lead to the institution of any such action, suit, proceeding or
alternative dispute resolution mechanism, whether civil, criminal,
administrative, investigative or other, including without limitation, any action
by or in right of the Company, (hereinafter a "CLAIM") by reason of (or arising
in part out of) any event or occurrence related to the fact that Indemnitee is
or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company, or any
subsidiary of the Company, or is or was
serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or
fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, or by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee
while serving in such capacity (hereinafter an "INDEMNIFIABLE EVENT") against
any and all expenses (including attorneys' fees and all other costs, expenses
and obligations incurred in connection with investigating, defending, being a
witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or preparing to defend, be
a witness in or participate in, any such action, suit, proceeding, alternative
dispute resolution mechanism, hearing, inquiry or investigation), judgments,
fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (if such settlement is approved
in advance by the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) of
such Claim and any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee
as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement
(collectively, hereinafter "EXPENSES"), including all interest, assessments and
other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses.
Such payment of Expenses shall be made by the Company as soon as practicable but
in any event no later than five days after written demand by Indemnitee therefor
is presented to the Company.
(b) MANDATORY PAYMENT OF EXPENSES. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement other than Section 9 hereof, to the extent that
Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise, including, without
limitation, the dismissal of an action without prejudice, in defense of any
action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation referred to in Section (1)(a)
hereof or in the defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, Indemnitee shall
be indemnified against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection
therewith.
(c) ACTIONS WHERE INDEMNITEE IS DECEASED. If the Indemnitee
is a person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
proceeding by reason of the fact that he was or is a director, officer,
employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company, or by reason or anything done or
not done by him in such capacity, and if prior to, during the pendency of, or
after completion of such proceeding Indemnitee becomes deceased, the Company
shall indemnify the Indemnitee's heirs, executors and administrators against any
and all expenses and liabilities of any type whatsoever (including but not
limited to judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes and penalties, and amounts paid
in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred to the extent Indemnitee would
have been entitled to indemnification pursuant to Section 1(a) above were
Indemnitee still alive.
2. EXPENSES; INDEMNIFICATION PROCEDURE.
(a) ADVANCEMENT OF EXPENSES. The Company shall advance all
Expenses incurred by Indemnitee. The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid
by the Company to Indemnitee as soon as practicable but in any event no later
than five days after written demand by Indemnitee therefor to the Company. In
the event the Company fails to pay expenses as incurred by the Indemnitee as
required by this Section 2(a), Indemnitee may seek mandatory injunctive relief
from any court having jurisdiction to require the Company to pay expenses as set
forth in this Section 2(a). If Indemnitee seeks mandatory injunctive relief
pursuant to this Section 2(a), it shall be a defense to enforcement of the
Company's obligations set forth in this Agreement that Indemnitee has not met
the standards of conduct which make it permissible under applicable law for the
Company to indemnify Indemnitee for the amount claimed, but the burden of
proving such defense shall be on the Company, and Indemnitee shall be entitled
to receive interim payments of Expenses
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pursuant to this Section 2(a) unless and until such defense may be finally
adjudicated by court order or judgment from which no further right of appeal
exists. If Indemnitee seeks mandatory injunctive relief pursuant to this Section
2(a), it shall not be a defense to enforcement of the Company's obligations set
forth in this Agreement that Indemnitee has an adequate remedy at law for
damages. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such Expenses advanced only if,
and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not
entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized hereby.
(b) NOTICE/COOPERATION BY INDEMNITEE. Indemnitee shall, as a
condition precedent to Indemnitees' right to be indemnified under this
Agreement, give the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable of any
Claim made against Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought
under this Agreement. Notice to the Company shall be directed to the Chief
Executive Officer of the Company at the address shown on the signature page of
this Agreement (or such other address as the Company shall designate in writing
to Indemnitee). In addition, Indemnitee shall give the Company such information
and cooperation as it may reasonably require and as shall be within Indemnitees'
power.
(c) NO PRESUMPTIONS; BURDEN OF PROOF. For purposes of this
Agreement, the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether
with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of NOLO
CONTENDERE, or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that Indemnitee
did not meet any particular standard of conduct or have any particular belief or
that a court has determined that indemnification is not permitted by applicable
law. It is the parties' intention that if the Company contests Indemnitee's
right to indemnification, the question of Indemnitee's right to indemnification
shall be for a court to decide, and neither the failure of the Company
(including its Board of Directors, any committee or subgroup of the Board of
Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a
determination that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances
because Indemnitee has met the applicable standards of conduct required by
applicable law, nor an actual determination by the Company (including its Board
of Directors, any committee or subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent
legal counsel, or its stockholders) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable
standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that Indemnitee has or has not
met the applicable standard of conduct. In connection with any determination as
to whether Indemnitee is entitled to be indemnified hereunder, the burden of
proof shall be on the Company to establish that Indemnitee is not so entitled.
(d) NOTICE TO INSURERS. If, at the time of the receipt by
the Company of a notice of a Claim pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, the Company
has liability insurance in effect which may cover such Claim, the Company shall
give prompt notice of the commencement of such Claim to the insurers in
accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company
shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers
to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such action,
suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation in accordance with the terms of such
policies.
(e) SELECTION OF COUNSEL. In the event the Company shall be
obligated hereunder to pay the Expenses of any Claim, the Company shall be
entitled to assume the defense of such Claim with counsel approved by
Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld,
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upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election so to do.
After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the
retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to
Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by
Indemnitee with respect to the same Claim; provided that, (i) Indemnitee shall
have the right to employ Indemnitees' counsel in any such Claim at Indemnitee
expense and (ii) if (A) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been
previously authorized by the Company, (B) Indemnitee shall have reasonably
concluded that there is a conflict of interest between the Company and
Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense, or (C) the Company shall not
continue to retain such counsel to defend such Claim, then the fees and expenses
of Indemnitee counsel shall be at the expense of the Company. The Company shall
have the right to conduct such defense as it sees fit in its sole discretion,
including the right to settle any claim against Indemnitee without the consent
of the Indemnitee.
3. ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION RIGHTS; NONEXCLUSIVITY.
(a) SCOPE. The Company hereby agrees to indemnify Indemnitee
to the fullest extent permitted by law, notwithstanding that such
indemnification is not specifically authorized by the other provisions of this
Agreement, the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, the Company's Bylaws or
by statute. In the event of any change after the date of this Agreement in any
applicable law, statute or rule which expands the right of a Delaware
corporation to indemnify a member of its Board of Directors or an officer,
employee, agent or fiduciary, it is the intent of the parties hereto that
Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits afforded by such
change. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or rule which
narrows the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its Board
of Directors or an officer, employee, agent or fiduciary, such change, to the
extent not otherwise required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this
Agreement, shall have no effect on this Agreement or the parties' rights and
obligations hereunder except as set forth in Section 8(a) hereof.
(b) NONEXCLUSIVITY. The indemnification provided by this
Agreement shall be in addition to any rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled
under the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, its Bylaws, any agreement, any
vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, the General Corporation Law of
the State of Delaware, or otherwise. The indemnification provided under this
Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action Indemnitee took or did
not take while serving in an indemnified capacity even though Indemnitee may
have ceased to serve in such capacity.
4. NO DUPLICATION OF PAYMENTS. The Company shall not be liable
under this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any Claim made
against Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received
payment (under any insurance policy, Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaw or
otherwise) of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder.
5. PARTIAL INDEMNIFICATION. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a
portion of Expenses incurred in connection with any Claim, but not, however, for
all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall
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nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such Expenses to which
Indemnitee are entitled.
6. MUTUAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Both the Company and Indemnitee
acknowledge that in certain instances, Federal law or applicable public policy
may prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors, officers, employees,
agents or fiduciaries under this Agreement or otherwise. Indemnitee understands
and acknowledges that the Company has undertaken or may be required in the
future to undertake with the Securities and Exchange Commission to submit the
question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a
determination of the Company's right under public policy to indemnify
Indemnitee.
7. LIABILITY INSURANCE. To the extent the Company maintains
liability insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, agents or
fiduciaries, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policies in such a manner as to
provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most
favorably insured of the Company's directors, if Indemnitee is a director; or of
the Company's officers, if Indemnitee is not a director of the Company but is an
officer; or of the Company's key employees, agents or fiduciaries, if Indemnitee
is not an officer or director but is a key employee, agent or fiduciary.
8. EXCEPTIONS. Any other provision herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement:
(a) EXCLUDED ACTION OR OMISSIONS. (i) To indemnify
Indemnitee for Indemnitee's acts, omissions or transactions from which
Indemnitee may not be indemnified under applicable law; or (ii) to indemnify
Indemnity for Indemnity's intentional acts or transactions in violation of the
Company's policies;
(b) CLAIMS INITIATED BY INDEMNITEE. To indemnify or advance
expenses to Indemnitee with respect to Claims initiated or brought voluntarily
by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except (i) with respect to actions or
proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification under
this Agreement or any other agreement or insurance policy or under the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws now or hereafter in effect relating to
Claims for Indemnifiable Events, (ii) in specific cases if the Board of
Directors has approved the initiation or bringing of such Claim, or (iii) as
otherwise required under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law,
regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such
indemnification, advance expense payment or insurance recovery, as the case may
be;
(c) LACK OF GOOD FAITH. To indemnify Indemnitee for any
expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding instituted by
Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court of competent
jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee
in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous; or
(d) CLAIMS UNDER SECTION 16(b). To indemnify Indemnitee for
expenses and the payment of profits arising from the purchase and sale by
Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor statute.
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9. PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS. No legal action shall be brought and no
cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against
Indemnitee, Indemnitee's estate, spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal
representatives after the expiration of two years from the date of accrual of
such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be
extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal
action within such two-year period; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if any shorter
period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action, such
shorter period shall govern.
10. CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PHRASES.
(a) For purposes of this Agreement, references to the
"Company" shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any
constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in
a consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would
have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees,
agents or fiduciaries, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer,
employee, agent or fiduciary of such constituent corporation, or is or was
serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer,
employee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture,
employee benefit plan, trust or other enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the
same position under the provisions of this Agreement with respect to the
resulting or surviving corporation as Indemnitee would have with respect to such
constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, references to "other
enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall
include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee
benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Company" shall
include any service as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the
Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director,
officer, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan,
its participants or its beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and
in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the interest of the
participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be
deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the
Company" as referred to in this Agreement.
11. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
12. BINDING EFFECT; SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be
binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties
hereto and their respective successors, assigns, including any direct or
indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or
substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company, spouses, heirs,
and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any
successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or
otherwise) to all, substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business
and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance
satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this
Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be
required to perform if no such succession had taken place. This Agreement shall
continue in effect with respect to Claims relating to
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Indemnifiable Events regardless of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as a
director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or of any other
enterprise at the Company's request.
13. ATTORNEYS' FEES. In the event that any action is instituted by
Indemnitee under this Agreement or under any liability insurance policies
maintained by the Company to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof or
thereof, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all Expenses incurred by
Indemnitee with respect to such action, regardless of whether Indemnitee is
ultimately successful in such action, and shall be entitled to the advancement
of Expenses with respect to such action, unless, as a part of such action, a
court of competent jurisdiction over such action determines that each of the
material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis for such action was not made
in good faith or was frivolous. In the event of an action instituted by or in
the name of the Company under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the
terms of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all Expenses
incurred by Indemnitee in defense of such action (including costs and expenses
incurred with respect to Indemnitee counterclaims and cross-claims made in such
action), and shall be entitled to the advancement of Expenses with respect to
such action, unless, as a part of such action, a court having jurisdiction over
such action determines that each of Indemnitee material defenses to such action
was made in bad faith or was frivolous.
14. NOTICE. All notices and other communications required or
permitted hereunder shall be in writing, shall be effective when given, and
shall in any event be deemed to be given (a) five (5) days after deposit with
the U.S. Postal Service or other applicable postal service, if delivered by
first class mail, postage prepaid, (b) upon delivery, if delivered by hand, (c)
one business day after the business day of deposit with Federal Express or
similar overnight courier, freight prepaid, or (d) one day after the business
day of delivery by facsimile transmission, if delivered by facsimile
transmission, with copy by first class mail, postage prepaid, and shall be
addressed if to Indemnitee, at the Indemnitee address as set forth beneath
Indemnitee signatures to this Agreement and if to the Company at the address of
its principal corporate offices (attention: Secretary) or at such other address
as such party may designate by ten days' advance written notice to the other
party hereto.
15. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby
irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware
for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which arises out of
or relates to this Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this
Agreement shall be commenced, prosecuted and continued only in the Court of
Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County, which shall be
the exclusive and only proper forum for adjudicating such a claim.
16. SEVERABILITY. The provisions of this Agreement shall be
severable in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any
provision within a single section, paragraph or sentence) are held by a court of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, and the
remaining provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by
law. Furthermore, to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this
Agreement (including, without limitations, each portion of this Agreement
containing any provision held to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable,
that is not itself invalid, void or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to
give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or
unenforceable.
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17. CHOICE OF LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and its
provisions construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of
Delaware, as applied to contracts between Delaware residents, entered into and
to be performed entirely within the State of Delaware, without regard to the
conflict of laws principles thereof.
18. SUBROGATION. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the
Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights
of recovery of Indemnitee who shall execute all documents required and shall do
all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company
effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
19. AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION. No amendment, modification,
termination or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in
writing signed by both the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of
this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other
provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a
continuing waiver.
20. INTEGRATION AND ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement sets forth the
entire understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and merges all
previous written and oral negotiations, commitments, understandings and
agreements relating to the subject matter hereof between the parties hereto.
21. NO CONSTRUCTION AS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT. Nothing contained in
this Agreement shall be construed as giving Indemnitee any right to be retained
in the employ of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK; SIGNATURE
PAGE FOLLOWS IMMEDIATELY HEREAFTER]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as
of the date first above written.
ROXIO, INC.
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Print Name:
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Title:
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Address: 000 X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED BY:
Signature:
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Name:
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Address:
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