EXHIBIT 15
[FORM OF INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT]
STATE OF THE ART, INC.
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
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This Indemnification Agreement ("Agreement") is effective as of the _____
day of ___________ 1998 by and between State Of The Art, Inc., a California
corporation (the "Company"), and _____________ ("Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increasing difficulty in
obtaining directors' and officers' liability insurance, the significant
increases in the cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the
coverage of such insurance;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial
increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting directors and officers
to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and coverage
of liability insurance has been severely limited;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the current protection available as
adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee and other directors and
officers of the Company may not be willing to continue to serve as directors and
officers without additional protection; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly
qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve as directors and officers of
the Company and to indemnify its directors and officers so as to provide them
with the maximum protection permitted by law.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
1. Indemnification.
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(a) Third Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee
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if Indemnitee is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the
right of the Company) by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the
Company, by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while a
director or officer or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving
at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid
in settlement (if such settlement is approved in advance by the Company, which
approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) actually and
reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or
proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Company, and, with respect to any criminal action, suit or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee's conduct was unlawful. The termination
of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction, or
upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a
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presumption that (i) Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of
the Company, or (ii) with respect to any criminal action, suit or proceeding,
Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee's conduct was
unlawful.
(b) Proceedings By or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall
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indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to be made
a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding by or
in the right of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company to procure a
judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the
Company, by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while a
director or officer or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving
at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) and, to the fullest extent
permitted by law, amounts paid in settlement, in each case to the extent
actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the defense or
settlement of such action, suit or proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good faith
and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the
best interests of the Company and its shareholders, except that no
indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to
which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company in the
performance of Indemnitee's duty to the Company and its shareholders unless and
only to the extent that the court in which such action, suit or proceeding is or
was pending shall determine upon application that, in view of all the
circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to
indemnity for expenses and then only to the extent that the court shall
determine.
2. Expenses; Indemnification Procedure.
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(a) Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all expenses
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incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement
or appeal of any civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding referenced in
Section 1(a) or (b) hereof (but not amounts actually paid in settlement of any
such action, suit or proceeding). Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such
amounts 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. The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the
Company to Indemnitee within twenty (20) days following delivery of a written
request therefor by Indemnitee to the Company.
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(b) Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall, as a
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condition precedent to Indemnitee's 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). Notice shall be deemed received three business days after the
date postmarked if sent by domestic certified or registered mail, properly
addressed; otherwise notice shall be deemed received when such notice shall
actually be received by the Company. In addition, Indemnitee shall give the
Company such information and cooperation as it may reasonably require and as
shall be within Indemnitee's power.
(c) Procedure. Any indemnification and advances provided for in
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Section 1 and this Section 2 shall be made no later than forty-five (45) days
after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee. If a claim under this
Agreement, under any statute, or under any provision of the Company's Articles
of Incorporation or Bylaws providing for indemnification, is not paid in full by
the Company within forty-five (45) days after a written request for payment
thereof has first been received by the Company, Indemnitee may, but need not, at
any time thereafter bring an action against the Company to recover the unpaid
amount of the claim and, subject to Section 13 of this Agreement, Indemnitee
shall also be entitled to be paid for the expenses (including attorneys' fees)
of bringing such action. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than
an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in connection with
any action, suit or proceeding in advance of its final disposition) 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 pursuant to Subsection
2(a) unless and until such defense may be finally adjudicated by court order or
judgment from which no further right of appeal exists. 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 the 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 shareholders) to have made a determination that
indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee
has met the applicable standard 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 shareholders) 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.
(d) Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of
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a claim pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, the Company has directors' and
officers' liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of
the commencement of such proceeding to
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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 the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as
a result of such proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(e) Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be obligated
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under Section 2(a) hereof to pay the expenses of any proceeding against
Indemnitee, the Company, if appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense
of such proceeding, with counsel approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall
not be unreasonably withheld, 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 proceeding,
provided that (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ counsel in any such
proceeding at Indemnitee's 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 may be a conflict of interest between the
Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense, or (C) the Company
shall not, in fact, have employed counsel to assume the defense of such
proceeding, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee's counsel shall be at the
expense of the Company.
3. Additional Indemnification Rights; Nonexclusivity.
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(a) Scope. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
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Company hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitee to the fullest extent
permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification may not be
specifically authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company's
Articles 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 California corporation to indemnify a member
of its Board of Directors, an officer or other corporate agent, such changes
shall be ipso facto, within the purview of Indemnitee's rights and Company's
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obligations, under this Agreement. In the event of any change in any applicable
law, statute or rule which narrows the right of a California corporation to
indemnify a member of its Board of Directors, an officer or other corporate
agent, such changes, 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.
(b) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement
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shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled
under the Company's Articles of Incorporation, its Bylaws, any agreement, any
vote of shareholders or disinterested directors, the California General
Corporation Law or otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitee's official
capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. The
indemnification provided under this Agreement shall continue as to
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Indemnitee for any action taken or not taken while serving in an indemnified
capacity even though he may have ceased to serve in such capacity at the time of
any action, suit or other covered proceeding.
4. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
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provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for a portion of
the expenses, judgments, fines or penalties actually or reasonably incurred by
him in the investigation, defense, appeal or settlement of any civil or criminal
action, suit or proceeding, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the
Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such
expenses, judgments, fines or penalties to which Indemnitee is entitled.
5. Mutual Acknowledgment. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge
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that in certain instances, Federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit
the Company from indemnifying its directors and officers 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.
6. Directors' and Officers' Liability Insurance. The Company shall, from
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time to time, make the good faith determination whether or not it is practicable
for the Company to obtain and maintain a policy or policies of insurance with
reputable insurance companies providing the directors and officers of the
Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts, or to ensure the Company's
performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Among
other considerations, the Company will weigh the costs of obtaining such
insurance coverage against the protection afforded by such coverage. In all
policies of directors' and officers' liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be
named as an insured 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, if Indemnitee is not an officer or director but is a
key employee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no
obligation to obtain or maintain such insurance if the Company determines in
good faith that such insurance is not reasonably available, if the premium costs
for such insurance are disproportionate to the amount of coverage provided, if
the coverage provided by such insurance is limited by exclusions so as to
provide an insufficient benefit, or if Indemnitee is covered by similar
insurance maintained by a subsidiary or parent of the Company.
7. Severability. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or
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shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in
violation of applicable law. The Company's inability, pursuant to court order,
to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach of
this Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable as provided
in this Section 7. If this Agreement or any
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portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent
jurisdiction, then the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee to the
full extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Agreement that shall not
have been invalidated, and the balance of this Agreement not so invalidated
shall be enforceable in accordance with its terms.
8. Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary
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notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement:
(a) Excluded Acts. To indemnify Indemnitee for any acts or omissions
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or transactions from which a director may not be relieved of liability under the
California General Corporation Law; or
(b) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance expenses
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to Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or brought
voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except with respect to
proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification under
this Agreement or any other statute or law or otherwise as required under
Section 317 of the California General Corporation Law, but such indemnification
or advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company in specific cases if
the Board of Directors has approved the initiation or bringing of such suit; or
(c) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify Indemnitee for any expenses
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incurred by the 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 the
Indemnitee in such proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous; or
(d) Insured Claims. To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses or
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liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments,
fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) which
have been paid directly to Indemnitee by an insurance carrier under a policy of
directors' and officers' liability insurance maintained by the Company; or
(e) Claims Under Section 16(b). To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses
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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.
9. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall be effective as of
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the date set forth on the first page and may apply to acts or omissions of
Indemnitee which occurred prior to such date if Indemnitee was an officer,
director, employee or other agent of the company, or was serving at the request
of the Company as a director, officer, employee or
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agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, at the time such act or omission occurred.
10. Construction of Certain Phrases.
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(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 or agents, so that if
Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent
corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation
as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership,
joint venture, 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 or agent of the Company which imposes
duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent
with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries.
(c) For purposes of this Agreement, if Indemnitee acted in good faith
and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests 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
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counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
12. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
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Company and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of
Indemnitee and Indemnitee's estate, heirs, legal representatives and assigns.
13. Attorneys' Fees. In the event that any action is instituted by
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Indemnitee under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof,
Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all costs and expenses, including
reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee with respect to such action,
unless as a part of such action, the court of competent jurisdiction determines
that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee
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as a basis for such action were not made in good faith or were frivolous. In the
event of an action instituted by or in the name of the Company under this
Agreement or to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement,
Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all costs and expenses, including
reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee in defense of such action
(including with respect to Indemnitee's counterclaims and cross-claims made in
such action), unless as a part of such action the court determines that each of
Indemnitee's material defenses to such action was made in bad faith or was
frivolous.
14. Notice. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under
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this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) if
delivered by hand and receipted for by the addressee, on the date of such
receipt, or (ii) if mailed by domestic certified or registered mail with postage
prepaid, on the third business day after the date postmarked. Addresses for
notice to either party are as shown on the signature page of this Agreement, or
as subsequently modified by written notice.
15. Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby
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irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of
California for all purposes in connection with any action, suit or proceeding
that arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agrees that any action
instituted under this Agreement shall be brought only in the state courts of the
State of California.
16. Choice of Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions
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construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, as applied to
contracts between California residents entered into and to be performed entirely
within California.
17. Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the
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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 subrogation rights and to enable
the corporation effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
18. Continuation of Indemnification. All agreements and obligations of
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the Company contained herein shall continue during the period that Indemnitee is
a director, officer or agent of the Company and shall continue thereafter so
long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible claim or threatened, pending
or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, arbitrational,
administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that Indemnitee had
previously served in the capacity referred to herein.
19. Amendment and Termination. No amendment, modification, termination or
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cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing signed by
both parties hereto.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Indemnification
Agreement as of the date first above written.
STATE OF THE ART, INC.
By:
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Xxxxx X. Xxxxx, President
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED:
INDEMNITEE:
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(signature)
Address:
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