EXHIBIT 1
LKCM FUND
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
FEBRUARY 10, 1994
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
ARTICLE I.........NAME AND DEFINITIONS...................................................... 1
Section 1.1.......Name and Principal Office................................................. 1
Section 1.2.......Definitions............................................................... 1
(a) "Act".............................................................. 1
(b) "By-laws".......................................................... 1
(c) "class"............................................................ 1
(d) "Commission"....................................................... 1
(e) "Declaration of Trust"............................................. 1
(f) "Majority of the Outstanding Voting Shares"........................ 1
(g) "1940 Act"......................................................... 1
(h) "person"........................................................... 2
(i) "Shareholder"...................................................... 2
(j) "Shares"........................................................... 2
(k) "Sub-Trust" or "Series"............................................ 2
(l) "Trust"............................................................ 2
(m) "Trustees"......................................................... 2
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE OF TRUST................................................... 2
ARTICLE III. THE TRUSTEES....................................................... 2
Section 3.1 Number, Designation, Election, Term, etc. ......................... 2
(a) Initial Trustees................................................... 2
(b) Number............................................................. 2
(c) Election and Term.................................................. 2
(d) Resignation and Retirement......................................... 3
(e) Removal............................................................ 3
(f) Vacancies.......................................................... 3
(g) Effect of Death, Resignation, etc. ................................ 3
(h) No Accounting...................................................... 3
Section 3.2 Powers of Trustees................................................. 3
(a) Investments........................................................ 4
(b) Disposition of Assets.............................................. 4
(c) Ownership Powers................................................... 4
(d) Subscription....................................................... 4
(e) Form of Holding.................................................... 4
(f) Reorganization, etc. .............................................. 4
(g) Voting Trusts, etc. ............................................... 4
(h) Compromise......................................................... 5
(i) Partnerships, etc. ................................................ 5
(j) Borrowing and Security............................................. 5
(k) Guarantees, etc. .................................................. 5
(l) Insurance.......................................................... 5
(m) Pensions, etc...................................................... 5
(n) Distribution Plans................................................. 5
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Section 3.3 Certain Contracts.................................................. 5
(a) Advisory........................................................... 5
(b) Administration..................................................... 5
(c) Distribution....................................................... 6
(d) Custodian and Depository........................................... 6
(e) Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agency............................ 6
(f) Shareholder Servicing ............................................. 6
(g) Accounting......................................................... 6
Section 3.4 Payment of Trust Expenses and Compensation of Trustees............. 6
Section 3.5 Ownership of Assets of the Trust................................... 7
Section 3.6 Action by Trustees................................................. 7
ARTICLE IV. SHARES............................................................. 7
Section 4.1 Description of Shares.............................................. 7
Section 4.2 Establishment and Designation of Sub-Trusts and Classes............ 9
(a) Assets Belonging to Sub-Trusts..................................... 9
(b) Liabilities Belonging to Sub-Trusts................................ 9
(c) Dividends.......................................................... 9
(d) Liquidation........................................................ 10
(e) Voting............................................................. 10
(f) Redemption by Shareholder.......................................... 10
(g) Redemption of Trust................................................ 11
(h) Net Asset Value.................................................... 11
(i) Transfer........................................................... 11
(j) Equality........................................................... 11
(k) Fractions.......................................................... 11
(l) Conversion Rights.................................................. 11
(m) Class Differences.................................................. 12
Section 4.3 Ownership of Shares................................................ 12
Section 4.4 Investment in the Trust............................................ 12
Section 4.5 No Pre-emptive Rights.............................................. 12
Section 4.6 Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability.............. 12
Section 4.7 No Appraisal Rights................................................ 12
ARTICLE V. SHAREHOLDERS' VOTING POWERS AND MEETINGS........................... 12
Section 5.1 Voting Powers...................................................... 12
Section 5.2 Meetings........................................................... 13
Section 5.3 Record Dates....................................................... 13
Section 5.4 Quorum and Required Vote........................................... 13
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Section 5.5 Action by Written Consent.......................................... 13
Section 5.6 Inspection of Records.............................................. 14
Section 5.7 Additional Provisions.............................................. 14
ARTICLE VI. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION........................... 14
Section 6.1 Trustees, Shareholders, etc. Not Personally Liable; Notice......... 14
Section 6.2 Trustee's Good Faith Action; Expert Advice; No Bond or Surety...... 14
Section 6.3 Indemnification of Shareholders.................................... 15
Section 6.4 Indemnification of Trustees, Officers, etc. ....................... 15
Section 6.5 Compromise Payment................................................. 15
Section 6.6 Indemnification Not Exclusive, etc. ............................... 16
Section 6.7 Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees................... 16
Section 6.8 Discretion......................................................... 16
ARTICLE VII. MISCELLANEOUS...................................................... 16
Section 7.1 Duration and Termination of Trust.................................. 16
Section 7.2 Reorganization .................................................... 16
Section 7.3 Amendments......................................................... 17
Section 7.4 Filing of Copies; References; Headings ............................ 17
Section 7.5 Applicable Law..................................................... 17
Section 7.6 Registered Agent................................................... 18
Section 7.7 Integration........................................................ 18
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AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST made at Fort Worth, Texas this 10th day
of February 1994, by the Trustee or Trustees hereunder, and by the holders of
shares of beneficial interest to be issued hereunder as hereinafter provided.
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS this Trust has been formed to carry on the business of an investment
company; and
WHEREAS this Trust is authorized to issue its shares of beneficial interest in
separate series, each separate series to be a Sub-Trust hereunder, and to issue
classes of Shares of any Sub-Trust or divide Shares of any Sub-Trust into two or
more classes, all in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS the Trustees have agreed to manage all property coming into their hands
as trustees of a Delaware business trust in accordance with the provisions of
the Delaware Business Trust Act (12 Del. C. ss. 3801, et seq.), as from time to
time amended and including any successor statute of similar import (the "Act"),
and the provisions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby declare that they will hold all cash,
securities, and other assets which they may from time to time acquire in any
manner as Trustees hereunder IN TRUST to manage and dispose of the same upon the
following terms and conditions for the benefit of the holders from time to time
of shares of beneficial interest in this Trust and the Sub-Trusts created
hereunder as hereinafter set forth.
ARTICLE I
NAME AND DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 NAME AND PRINCIPAL OFFICE. This Trust shall be known as "LKCM
FUND" and the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under that name
or any other name or names as they may from time to time determine. The
principal office of the Trust shall be located at such location as the Trustees
may from time to time determine.
Section 1.2 DEFINITIONS. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required
by the context or specifically provided:
(a) "Act" shall have the meaning given to it in the recitals of this
Declaration of Trust.
(b) "By-Laws" shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust as amended from time to
time;
(c) "class" refers to any class of Shares of any Series or Sub-Trust
established and designated under or in accordance with the provisions of Article
IV;
(d) "Commission" shall have the meaning given it in the 1940 Act;
(e) "Declaration of Trust" shall mean this Agreement and Declaration of
Trust as amended or restated from time to time;
(f) "Majority of the Outstanding Voting Shares" of the Trust or Sub-Trust
shall mean the vote, at the annual or a special meeting of Shareholders duly
called, (A) of 67 per centum or more of the Shares of the Trust or Sub- Trust
present at such meeting, if holders of more than 50 per centum of the
outstanding Shares of the Trust or Sub- Trust are present or represented by
proxy; or (B) of more than 50 per centum of the outstanding voting Shares of the
Trust or Sub-Trust, whichever is the less.
(g) "1940" Act refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Rules
and Regulations hereunder, all as amended from time to time;
(h) " person" means a natural person, corporation, limited liability
company, trust, association, partnership (whether general, limited, or
otherwise), joint venture, or any other entity;
(i) "Shareholder" means a beneficial owner of record of Shares;
(j) "Shares" refers to the transferable units of interest into which the
beneficial interest in the Trust and each Sub-Trust of the Trust and/or any
class of any Sub-Trust (as the context may require) shall be divided from time
to time;
(k) "Sub-Trust" or "Series" refers to a series of Shares established and
designated under or in accordance with the provisions of Article IV;
(1) "Trust" refers to the Delaware business trust established by this
Declaration of Trust, inclusive of each and every Sub-Trust established
hereunder; and
(m) "Trustees" refers to the trustees of the Trust and of each Sub-Trust
hereunder named herein or elected in accordance with Article III.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE OF TRUST
The purposes of the Trust are (i) to operate as an investment company and
to offer Shareholders of the Trust and each Sub-Trust of the Trust one or more
investment programs primarily in securities and debt instruments, and (ii) to
engage in such activities that are necessary, suitable, incidental, or
convenient to the accomplishment of the foregoing.
ARTICLE III
THE TRUSTEES
Section 3.1 NUMBER, DESIGNATION, ELECTION, TERM, ETC.
(a) TRUSTEES. The initial Trustees hereof shall be J. Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xx. and
Xxxxx X. May.
(b) NUMBER. The Trustees serving as such, whether named above or hereafter
becoming Trustees, may increase or decrease the number of Trustees to a number
other than the number theretofore determined. No decrease in the number of
Trustees shall have the effect of removing any Trustee from office prior to the
expiration of his term, but the number of Trustees may be decreased in
conjunction with the removal of a Trustee pursuant to subsection (e) of this
Section 3. 1.
(c) ELECTION AND TERM. The Trustees shall be elected by the Shareholders of
the Trust at a meeting of the Shareholders held prior to the effective date of
the Registration Statement of the Trust under the 1940 Act, and the term of
office of any Trustees in office before such election shall terminate at the
time of such election. Each Trustee shall be a natural person and may, but need
not be a Shareholder. Each Trustee, whether named above or hereafter becoming a
Trustee, shall serve as a Trustee of the Trust and of each Sub-Trust hereunder
during the lifetime of this Trust and until its termination as hereinafter
provided except as such Trustee sooner dies, resigns, retires, or is removed or,
if sooner, until the next meeting of Shareholders called for the purpose of
electing Trustees and until the election and qualification of his successor. The
Shareholders may fix the number of Trustees and elect Trustees at any meeting of
Shareholders called by the Trustees for that purpose and to the extent required
by applicable law, including paragraph (a) and (b) of Section 16 of the 1940
Act. Subject to Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act, the Trustees may elect successors
and may, pursuant to Section 3.1 (f) hereof, appoint Trustees to fill vacancies.
(d) RESIGNATION AND RETIREMENT. Any Trustee may resign his trust or retire
as a trustee of the Trust, by written instrument signed by him and delivered to
the other Trustees or to any officer of the Trust, and such resignation or
retirement shall take effect upon such delivery or upon such later date as is
specified in such instrument and shall be effective as to the Trust and each
Sub-Trust hereunder.
(e) REMOVAL. Any Trustee may be removed with or without cause at any time
by written instrument, signed by at least two-thirds of the number of Trustees
in office immediately prior to such removal, specifying the date upon which such
removal shall become effective. Any such removal shall be effective as to the
Trust and each Sub-Trust hereunder.
(f) VACANCIES. Any vacancy or anticipated vacancy resulting from any
reason, including without limitation the death, resignation, retirement, removal
or incapacity of any of the Trustees, or resulting from an increase in the
number of Trustees by the other Trustees may (but so long as there are at least
two remaining Trustees, need not unless required by the 0000 Xxx) be filled by a
majority of the remaining Trustees, subject to the provisions of Section 16(a)
of the 1940 Act, through the appointment of such other person as such remaining
Trustees in their discretion shall determine. Such appointment shall be
evidenced by a written instrument signed by a majority of the Trustees then in
office, or by a recording in the records of the Trust, and shall be effective
upon such signing or recording and the acceptance of the person named therein to
serve as a trustee of the Trust and agreement by such person to be bound by the
provisions of this Declaration of Trust. Any such appointment in anticipation of
a vacancy to occur by reason of retirement, resignation or increase in number of
Trustees to be effective at a later date shall be deemed effective upon the
effective date of said retirement, resignation or increase in number of
Trustees.
(g) EFFECT OF DEATH, RESIGNATION, ETC. The death, resignation, retirement,
removal or incapacity of the Trustees, or any one of them, shall cause a Trustee
to cease to be a trustee of the Trust but shall not operate to annual or
terminate the Trust or any Sub-Trust hereunder or to revoke or terminate any
existing agency or contract created or entered into pursuant to the terms of
this Declaration of Trust.
(h) NO ACCOUNTING. Except to the extent required by the 1940 Act or under
circumstances which would justify his removal for cause, no person ceasing to be
a trustee of the Trust as a result of his death, resignation, retirement,
removal or incapacity (nor the estate of any such person) shall be required to
make an accounting to the Shareholders or remaining Trustees upon such
cessation.
Section 3.2 POWERS OF TRUSTEES. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of
Trust, the business of the Trust shall be managed by the Trustees, and they
shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out that responsibility
and the purpose of the Trust. The Trustees in all instances shall act as
principals, and are and shall be free from the control of the Shareholders. The
Trustees shall have full power and authority to do any and all acts and to make
and execute any and all contracts and instruments that they may consider
necessary or appropriate in connection with the management of the Trust. The
Trustees shall not be bound or limited by present or future laws or customs with
regard to investment by trustees or fiduciaries, but shall have full authority
and absolute power and control over the assets of the Trust and the business of
the Trust to the same extent as if the Trustees were the sole owners of the
assets of the Trust and the business in their own right, including such
authority, power and control to do all acts and things as they, in their sole
discretion, shall deem proper to accomplish the purposes of this Trust. Without
limiting the foregoing, the Trustees may adopt By-Laws not inconsistent with
this Declaration of Trust providing for the conduct of the business and affairs
of the Trust and may amend and repeal them to the extent that such By-Laws do
not reserve that right to the Shareholders; they may from time to time in
accordance with the provisions of Section 4.1 hereof establish Sub-Trusts, each
such Sub-Trust to operate as a separate and distinct investment medium and with
separately defined investment objectives and policies and distinct investment
purposes; they may from time to time in accordance with the provisions of
Section 4.1 hereof establish Series or establish classes of Shares of any Series
or Sub-Trust or divide the Shares of any Series or Sub- Trust into classes; they
may as they consider appropriate designate employees and agents who may be
denominated as officers with titles, including, but not limited to, "president",
"vice-president", "treasurer", "secretary", "assistant treasurer", "assistant
secretary", "managing director", "chairman of the board" and "vice chairman of
the board" and who in such capacity may act for and on behalf of the Trust, as
and to the extent authorized by the Trustees, and appoint and terminate agents
and consultants and hire and terminate employees, any one or more of the
foregoing of whom may be a Trustee, and may provide for the compensation of all
of the foregoing; they may appoint from their own number, and terminate, any one
or more committees consisting of two or more Trustees, including without implied
limitation an executive committee, which may, when the Trustees are not in
session and subject to the 1940 Act, exercise some or all of the power and
authority of the Trustees as the Trustees may determine; in accordance with
Section 3.3 they may employ one or more advisers, administrators, depositories
and custodians and may authorize any depository or custodian to employ
subcustodians or agents and to deposit all or any part of such assets in a
system or systems for the central handling of securities and debt instruments,
retain
transfer, dividend, accounting or Shareholder servicing agents or any of the
foregoing, provide for the distribution of Shares by the Trust through one or
more distributors, principal underwriters, or otherwise, and subject to Section
5.3 set record dates or times for the determination of Shareholders or various
of them with respect to various matters; they may compensate or provide for the
compensation of the Trustees, officers, advisers, administrators, custodians,
other agents, consultants and employees of the Trust or the Trustees on such
terms as they deem appropriate; and in general they may delegate to any officer
of the Trust, to any committee of the Trustees and to any employee, adviser,
administrator, distributor, depository, custodian, transfer and dividend
disbursing agent, or any other agent or consultant of the Trust such authority,
powers, functions and duties as they consider desirable or appropriate for the
conduct of the business and affairs of the Trust, including without implied
limitation the power and authority to act in the name of the Trust and any
Sub-Trust and of the Trustees, to sign documents and to act as attorney-in-fact
for the Trustees.
Without limiting the foregoing and to the extent not inconsistent with the
1940 Act or other applicable law, the Trustees shall have power and authority
for and on behalf of the Trust and each separate Sub-Trust established
hereunder:
(a) INVESTMENTS. To invest and reinvest cash and other property, and to
hold cash or other property uninvested without in any event being bound or
limited by any present or future law or custom in regard to investments by
trustees;
(b) DISPOSITION OF ASSETS. To sell, exchange, lend, pledge, mortgage,
hypothecate, write options on and lease any or all of the assets of the Trust;
(c) OWNERSHIP POWERS. To vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of
ownership, with respect to stock or other securities, debt instruments or
property; and to execute and deliver proxies or powers of attorney to such
person or persons as the Trustees shall deem proper, granting to such person or
persons such power and discretion with relation to securities, debt instruments
or property as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(d) SUBSCRIPTION. To exercise powers and rights of subscription or
otherwise which in any manner arise out of ownership of securities or debt
instruments;
(e) FORM OF HOLDING. To hold any security, debt instrument or property in a
form not indicating any trust, whether in bearer, unregistered or other
negotiable form, or in the name of the Trustees or of the Trust or of any
Sub-Trust or in the name of a custodian, subcustodian or other depository or a
nominee or nominees or otherwise;
(f) REORGANIZATION, ETC. To consent to or participate in any plan for the
reorganization, consolidation, or merger of any corporation or issuer, any
security or debt instrument of which is or was held in the Trust; to consent to
any contract, lease, mortgage, purchase, or sale of property by such corporation
or issuer, and to pay calls or subscriptions with respect to any security or
debt instrument held in the Trust;
(g) VOTING TRUSTS, ETC. To join with other holders of any securities or
debt instruments in acting through a committee, depository, voting trustee, or
otherwise, and in that connection to deposit any security or debt instrument
with, or transfer any security or debt instrument to, any such committee,
depository, or trustee, and to delegate to them such power and authority with
relation to any security or debt instrument (whether or not so deposited or
transferred) as the Trustees shall deem proper, and to agree to pay, and to pay,
such portion of the expenses and compensation of such committee, depository or
trustee as the Trustees shall deem proper;
(h) COMPROMISE. To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in
favor of or against the Trust or any Sub-Trust or any matter in controversy,
including but not limited to claims for taxes;
(i) PARTNERSHIPS, ETC. To enter into joint ventures, general or limited
partnerships, limited liability companies, and any other combinations or
associations;
(j) BORROWING AND SECURITY. To borrow funds and to mortgage and pledge the
assets of the Trust or any part thereof to secure obligations arising in
connection with such borrowing;
(k) GUARANTEES, ETC. To endorse or guarantee the payment of any notes or
other obligations of any
person; to make contracts of guaranty or suretyship, or otherwise assume
liability for payment thereof; and to mortgage and pledge the Trust property or
any part thereof to secure any of or all such obligations;
(1) INSURANCE. To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust property such
insurance as they may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the
business, including, without limitation, insurance policies insuring the assets
of the Trust and payment of distributions and principal on its portfolio
investments, and insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees,
officers, employees, agents, consultants, investment advisers, managers,
administrators, distributors, principal underwriters, or independent
contractors, or any thereof (or any person connected therewith), of the Trust
individually against all claims and liabilities of every nature arising by
reason of holding, being or having held any such office or position, or by
reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted by any such person in
any such capacity, including any action taken or omitted that may be determined
to constitute negligence, whether or not the Trust would have the power to
indemnify such person against such liability;
(m) PENSIONS, ETC. To pay pensions for faithful service, as deemed
appropriate by the Trustees, and to adopt, establish and carry out pension,
profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase, savings, thrift and other
retirement, incentive and benefit plans, trusts and provisions, including the
purchasing of life insurance and annuity contracts as a means of providing such
retirement and other benefits, for any or all of the Trustees, officers,
employees, and agents of the Trust; and
(n) DISTRIBUTION PLANS. To adopt on behalf of the Trust or any Sub-Trust,
including with respect to any class thereof, a plan of distribution and related
agreements thereto pursuant to the terms of Rule 12b-1 of the 1940 Act and to
make payments from the assets of the Trust or the relevant Sub-Trust or
Sub-Trusts pursuant to said Rule 12b-1 Plan.
Section 3.3 CERTAIN CONTRACTS. Subject to compliance with the provisions of the
1940 Act, but notwithstanding any limitations of present and future law or
custom in regard to delegation of powers by trustees generally, the Trustees
may, at any time and from time to time and without limiting the generality of
their powers and authority otherwise set forth herein, enter into one or more
contracts with any one or more corporations, trusts, associations, partnerships,
limited partnerships, limited liability companies, other type of organizations,
or individuals (a "Contracting Party"), to provide for the performance and
assumption of some or all of the following services, duties, and
responsibilities to, for, or on behalf of the Trust and/or any Sub-Trust, and/or
the Trustees, and to provide for the performance and assumption of such other
services, duties, and responsibilities in addition to those set forth below as
the Trustees may determine appropriate:
(a) ADVISORY. Subject to the general supervision of the Trustees and in
conformity with the stated policy of the Trustees with respect to the
investments of the Trust or of the assets belonging to any Sub-Trust of the
Trust (as that phrase is defined in subsection (a) of Section 4.2), to manage
such investments and assets, make investment decisions with respect thereto, and
to place purchase and sale orders for portfolio transactions relating to such
investments and assets;
(b) ADMINISTRATION. Subject to the general supervision of the Trustees and
in conformity with any policies of the Trustees with respect to the operations
of the Trust and each Sub-Trust (including each class thereof), to supervise all
or any part of the operations of the Trust and each Sub-Trust, and to provide
all or any part of the administrative and clerical personnel, office space, and
office equipment and services appropriate for the efficient administration and
operations of the Trust and each Sub-Trust;
(c) DISTRIBUTION. To distribute the Shares of the Trust and each Sub-Trust
(including any classes thereof), to be principal underwriter of such Shares,
and/or to act as agent of the Trust and each Sub-Trust in the sale of Shares and
the acceptance or rejection of orders for the purchase of Shares;
(d) CUSTODIAN AND DEPOSITORY. To act as depository for and to maintain
custody of the property of the Trust and each Sub-Trust and accounting records
in connection therewith;
(e) TRANSFER AND DIVIDEND DISBURSING AGENCY. To maintain record of the
ownership of outstanding Shares, the issuance and redemption and the transfer
thereof, and to disburse any dividends declared by the Trustees and in
accordance with the policies of the Trustees and/or the instructions of any
particular Shareholder to reinvest any such dividends;
(f) SHAREHOLDER SERVICING. To provide service with respect to the
relationship of the Trust and its Shareholders, records with respect to
Shareholders and their Shares, and similar matters; and
(g) ACCOUNTING. To handle all or any part of the accounting
responsibilities, whether with respect to the Trust's properties, Shareholders
or otherwise.
The same person may be the Contracting Party for some or all of the service,
duties, and responsibilities to, for and of the Trust and/or the Trustees, and
the contracts with respect thereto may contain such terms interpretive of or in
addition to the delineation of the services, duties, and responsibilities
provided for, including provisions that are not inconsistent with the 1940 Act
relating to the standard of duty of and the rights to indemnification of the
Contracting Party and others, as the Trustees may determine. Nothing herein
shall preclude, prevent, or limit the Trust or a Contracting Party from entering
into sub-contractual arrangements relating to any of the matters referred to in
Sections 3.3(a) through (g) hereof.
The fact that:
(i) any of the Shareholders, Trustees or officers of the Trust is a
shareholder, director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, manager,
adviser, principal underwriter or distributor, or agent of or for any
Contracting Party, or of or for any parent or affiliate of any Contracting
Party or that the Contracting Party or any parent or affiliate thereof is
a Shareholder or has an interest in the Trust or any Sub-Trust, or that
(ii) any Contracting Party may have a contract providing for the
rendering of any similar services to one or more other corporations,
trusts, associations, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited
liability companies, or other organizations, or have other business or
interests,
shall not affect the validity of any contract for the performance and assumption
of services, duties, and responsibilities to, for or of the Trust or any
Sub-Trust and/or the Trustees or disqualify any Shareholder, Trustee or officer
of the Trust from voting upon or executing the same or create any liability or
accountability to the Trust, any Sub-Trust, or its Shareholders, provided that
in the case of any relationship or interest referred to in the preceding clause
(i) on the part of any Trustee or officer of the Trust either (x) the material
facts as to such relationship or interest have been disclosed to or are known by
the Trustees not having any such relationship or interest and the contract
involved is approved in good faith by a majority of such Trustees not having any
such relationship or interest (even though such unrelated or disinterested
Trustees are less than a quorum of all of the Trustees), (y) the material facts
as to such relationship or interest and as to the contract have been disclosed
to or are known by the Shareholders entitled to vote thereon and the contract
involved is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the Shareholders, or
(z) the specific contract involved is fair to the Trust as of the time it is
authorized, approved, or ratified by the Trustees or by the Shareholders.
Section 3.4 PAYMENT OF TRUST EXPENSES AND COMPENSATION OF TRUSTEES. The Trustees
are authorized to pay or to cause to be paid out of the principal or income of
the Trust or any Sub-Trust, or partly out of principal and partly out of income,
and to charge or allocate the same to, between, or among such one or more of the
Sub-Trusts and/or one or more classes of Shares thereof that may be established
and designated pursuant to Article IV, as the Trustees deem fair, all expenses,
fees, charges, taxes, and liabilities incurred or arising in connection with the
Trust, any Sub-Trust and/or any class of Shares thereof, or in connection with
the management thereof, including, but not limited to, the Trustees'
compensation and such expenses and charges for the services of the Trust's
officers, employees, investment adviser, administrator, distributor, principal
underwriter, auditor, counsel, depository, custodian, transfer agent, dividend
disbursing agent, accounting agent, Shareholder servicing agent, and such other
agents, consultants, and independent contractors and such other expenses and
charges as the Trustees may deem necessary or proper to incur. Without limiting
the generality of any other provision hereof, the Trustees shall be entitled to
reasonable compensation from the Trust for their services as trustees of the
Trust and may fix the amount of such compensation. Nothing herein shall in any
way prevent the employment of any Trustee for special services, including legal,
accounting, advisory, management or other services and payment for the same by
the Trust. Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement with
the Trust, no Trustee resigning and no Trustee removed shall have any right to
any compensation for any period following his resignation or removal, or any
right to damages on account of such removal.
The Trustees shall have the power, as frequently as they may determine, to cause
each Shareholder, or each Shareholder of any particular Sub-Trust, to pay
directly, in advance or arrears, for charges of the Trust's custodian or
transfer, Shareholder servicing or similar agent, an amount fixed from time to
time by the Trustees, by setting off such charges due from such Shareholder from
declared but unpaid dividends owed such Shareholder and/or by reducing the
number of Shares in the account of such Shareholder by that number of full
and/or fractional Shares which represents the outstanding amount of such charges
due from such Shareholder.
Section 3.5 OWNERSHIP OF ASSETS OF THE TRUST. Title to all of the assets of the
Trust and of each Sub-Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the
Trustees as joint tenants. The right, title and interest of the Trustees in such
assets shall vest automatically in each person who may hereafter become a
Trustee, and upon any Trustees' death, resignation or removal, such Trustee
shall automatically cease to have any fight, title or interest in such assets.
Vesting and cessation of title as set forth in this Section 3.5 shall be
effective notwithstanding the absence of execution and delivery of any
conveyancing documents.
Section 3.6 ACTION BY TRUSTEES. Except as otherwise provided by the 1940
Act or other applicable law, this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, any
action to be taken by the Trustees on behalf of or with respect to the Trust or
any Sub-Trust or class thereof may be taken by a majority of the Trustees
present at a meeting of Trustees (a quorum, consisting of at least a majority of
the Trustees then in office, being present), within or without Delaware,
including any meeting held by means of a conference telephone or other
communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the
meeting can hear each other at the same time, and participation by such means
shall constitute presence in person at a meeting, or by written consents of a
majority of the Trustees then in office (or such larger or different number as
may be required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law).
ARTICLE IV
SHARES
Section 4.1 DESCRIPTION OF SHARES. The beneficial interest in the Trust shall be
divided into Shares, all without par value, but the Trustees shall have the
authority from time to time to issue Shares in one or more Series (each of which
Series of Shares shall represent the beneficial interest in a separate and
distinct Sub-Trust of the Trust, including without limitation each Sub-Trust
specifically established and designated in Section 4.2), as they deem necessary
or desirable. For all purposes under this Declaration of Trust or otherwise,
including, without implied limitation, (i) with respect to the rights of
creditors and (ii) for purposes of interpreting the relevant rights of each
Sub-Trust and the Shareholders of each Sub-Trust, each Sub-Trust established
hereunder shall be deemed to be a separate trust. Notice of the limitation of
liabilities of a Sub-Trust shall be set forth in the certificate of trust of the
Trust, and debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for
or otherwise existing with respect to a particular Sub-Trust shall be
enforceable against the assets of such Sub-Trust only, and not against the
assets of the Trust generally.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust and
without limiting the power of the Trustees to amend the Declaration of Trust as
provided elsewhere herein, the Trustees shall have the power to amend this
Declaration of Trust, at any time and from time to time, in such manner as the
Trustees may determine in their sole discretion, without the need for
Shareholder action, so as to add to, delete, replace or otherwise modify any
provisions relating to the Shares contained in this Declaration of Trust for the
purpose of responding to or complying with any regulations, orders, rulings or
interpretations of any governmental agency or any laws, now or hereafter
applicable to the Trust. The Trustees shall have exclusive power without the
requirement of Shareholder approval to establish and designate such separate and
distinct Sub-Trusts, and to fix and determine the relative rights and
preferences as between the shares of the separate Sub-Trusts as to fight of
redemption and the price, terms and manner of redemption, special and relative
rights as to dividends and other distributions and on liquidation, sinking or
purchase fund provisions, conversion rights, and conditions under which the
several Sub- Trusts shall have separate voting rights or no voting rights.
In addition, the Trustees shall have exclusive power, without the
requirement of Shareholder approval, to issue classes of Shares of any Sub-Trust
or divide the Shares of any Sub-Trust into classes, each class having such
different dividend, liquidation, voting and other rights as the Trustees may
determine in their sole discretion, and may establish and designate the specific
classes of Shares of each Sub-Trust. The fact that a Sub-Trust shall have
initially been established and designated without any specific establishment or
designation of classes (i.e., that all Shares of such Sub-Trust are initially of
a single class), or that a Sub-Trust shall have more than one established
and designated class, shall not limit the authority of the Trustees to establish
and designate separate classes, or one or more further classes, of said
Sub-Trust without approval of the holders of the initial class thereof, or
previously established and designated class or classes thereof, provided that
the establishment and designation of such further separate classes would not
adversely affect the fights of the holders of the initial or previously
established and designated class or classes.
The number of authorized Shares and the number of Shares of each Sub-Trust
or class thereof that may be issued is unlimited, and the Trustees may issue
Shares of any Sub-Trust or class thereof for such consideration and on such
terms as they may determine (or for no consideration if pursuant to a Share
dividend or split-up), all without action or approval of the Shareholders. All
Shares when so issued on the terms determined by the Trustees shall be fully
paid and non-assessable (but may be subject to mandatory contribution back to
the Trust as provided in subsection (h) of Section 4.2). The Trustees may
classify or reclassify any unissued Shares or any Shares previously issued and
reacquired of any Sub-Trusts or class thereof into one or more Sub-Trust or
classes thereof that may be established and designated from time to time. The
Trustees may hold as Shares, reissue for such consideration and on such terms as
they may determine, or cancel, at their discretion from time to time, any Shares
of any Sub-Trust or class thereof reacquired by the Trust.
The Trustees may from time to time close the transfer books or establish
record dates and times for the purposes of determining the holders of Shares
entitled to be treated as such, to the extent provided or referred to in Section
5.3.
The establishment and designation of any Sub-Trust or of any class of
Shares of any Sub-Trust in addition to those established and designated in
Section 4.2 shall be effective (i) upon the execution by a majority of the then
Trustees of an instrument setting forth such establishment and designation of
the relative fights and preferences of the Shares of such Sub-Trust or class,
(ii) upon the execution of an instrument in writing by an officer of the Trust
pursuant to the vote of a majority of the Trustees, or (iii) as otherwise
provided in either such instrument. At any time that there are no Shares
outstanding of any particular Sub-Trust or class previously established and
designated, the Trustees may by an instrument executed by a majority of their
number (or by an instrument executed by an officer of the Trust pursuant to the
vote of a majority of the Trustees) abolish that Sub-Trust or class and the
establishment and designation thereof. Each instrument establishing and
designating any Sub-Trust shall have the status of an amendment to this
Declaration of Trust.
Any Trustee, officer or other agent of the Trust, and any organization in which
any such person is interested may acquire, own, hold and dispose of Shares of
any Sub-Trust (including any classes thereof) of the Trust to the same extent as
if such person were not a Trustee, officer or other agent of the Trust; and the
Trust may issue and sell or cause to be issued and sold and may purchase Shares
of any Sub-Trust (including any classes thereof) from any such person or any
such organization subject only to the general limitations, restrictions or other
provisions applicable to the sale or purchase of Shares of such Sub-Trust
(including any classes thereof) generally.
Section 4.2 ESTABLISHMENT AND DESIGNATION OF SUB-TRUSTS AND CLASSES. Without
limiting the authority of the Trustees set forth in Section 4.1 to establish and
designate any further Sub-Trusts, the Trustees hereby establish and designate
one Sub-Trust: "LKCM Small Cap Equity Portfolio" which shall consist of a single
class of Shares. The Shares of such Sub-Trust and any Shares of any further
Sub-Trust or class thereof that may from time to time be established and
designated by the Trustees shall (unless the Trustees otherwise determine with
respect to some further Sub-Trust at the time of establishing and designating
the same) have the following relative rights and preferences:
(a) ASSETS BELONGING TO SUB-TRUSTS. All consideration received by the Trust
for the issue or sale of Shares of a particular Sub-Trust or any classes
thereof, together with all assets in which such consideration is invested or
reinvested, all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof, including any
proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any
funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in whatever
form the same may be, shall be held by the Trustees in trust for the benefit of
the holders of Shares of that Sub-Trust or class thereof and shall irrevocably
belong to that Sub-Trust (and be allocable to any classes thereof) for all
purposes, and shall be so recorded upon the books of account of the Trust.
Separate and distinct records shall be maintained for each Sub-Trust and the
assets associated with a Sub-Trust shall be held and accounted for separately
from the other assets of the Trust, or any other Sub-Trust. Such consideration,
assets, income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof, including any proceeds
derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any funds or
payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds, in whatever
form the same may be, together with any General Items (as hereinafter defined)
allocated to that Sub-Trust as provided in the following sentence, are herein
referred to as "assets belonging to" that Sub-Trust (and allocable to any
classes thereof). In the event that there are any assets, income, earnings,
profits, and proceeds thereof, funds, or payments which are not readily
identifiable as belonging to any particular Sub-Trust (collectively "General
Items"), the Trustees shall allocate such General Items to and among any one or
more of the Sub-Trusts established and designated from time to time in such
manner and on such basis as they, in their sole discretion, deem fair and
equitable; and any General Items so allocated to a particular Sub-Trust shall
belong to that Sub-Trust (and be allocable to any classes thereof). Each such
allocation by the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the holders of
all Shares of all Sub-Trusts (including any classes thereof) for all purposes.
(b) LIABILITIES BELONGING TO SUB-TRUSTS. The assets belonging to each
particular Sub-Trust shall be charged with the liabilities in respect of that
Sub-Trust and all expenses, costs, charges, and reserves belonging to that
Sub-Trust, and any general liabilities, expenses, costs, charges, or reserves of
the Trust which are not readily identifiable as belonging to any particular
Sub-Trust shall be allocated and charged by the Trustees to and among any one or
more of the Sub-Trusts established and designated from time to time in such
manner and on such basis as the Trustees in their sole discretion shall
determine. In addition, the liabilities in respect of a particular class of
Shares of a particular Sub-Trust and all expenses, costs, charges, and reserves
belonging to that class of Shares, and any general liabilities, expenses, costs,
charges or reserves of that particular Sub-Trust which are not readily
identifiable as belonging to any particular class of Shares of that Sub-Trust
shall be allocated and charged by the Trustees to and among any one or more of
the classes of Shares of that Sub-Trust established and designated from time to
time in such manner and on such basis as the Trustees in their sole discretion
shall determine. The liabilities, expenses, costs, charges, and reserves
allocated and so charged to a Sub-Trust or class thereof are herein referred to
as "liabilities belonging to" that Sub-Trust or class thereof. Each allocation
of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges, and reserves by the Trustees shall be
conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders, creditors and any other persons
dealing with the Trust or any Sub-Trust (including any classes thereof) for all
purposes. Any creditor of any Sub-Trust may look only to the assets of that
Sub-Trust to satisfy such creditor's debt. The Trustees shall have full
discretion, to the extent not inconsistent with the 1940 Act, to determine which
items shall be treated as income and which items as capital; and each such
determination and allocation shall be conclusive and binding upon the
shareholders.
(c) DIVIDENDS. Dividends and distributions on Shares of a particular
Sub-Trust or any class thereof may be paid with such frequency as the Trustees
may determine, which may be daily or otherwise pursuant to a standing resolution
or resolutions adopted only once or with such frequency as the Trustees may
determine, to the holders of Shares of that Sub-Trust or class, from such of the
income and capital gains, accrued or realized, from the assets belonging to that
Sub-Trust, or in the case of a class, belonging to that Sub-Trust and allocable
to that class, as the Trustees may determine, after providing for actual and
accrued liabilities belonging to that Sub-Trust or class. All dividends and
distributions on Shares of a particular Sub-Trust or class thereof shall be
distributed pro rata to the holders of Shares of that Sub-Trust or class in
proportion to the number of Shares of that Sub-Trust or class held by such
holders at the date and time of record established for the payment of such
dividends or distributions, except that in connection with any dividend or
distribution program or procedure the Trustees may determine that no dividend or
distribution shall be payable on Shares as to which the Shareholder's purchase
order and/or payment have not been received by the time or times established by
the Trustees under such program or procedure. Such dividends and distributions
may be made in cash or Shares of that Sub-Trust or class or a combination
thereof as determined by the Trustees or pursuant to any program that the
Trustees may have in effect at the time for the election by each Shareholder of
the mode of the making of such dividend or distribution to that Shareholder. Any
such dividend or distribution paid in Shares will be paid at the net asset value
thereof as determined in accordance with subsection (h) of this Section 4.2.
The Trustees shall have full discretion to determine which items shall be
treated as income and which items as capital; and each such determination and
allocation shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders.
(d) LIQUIDATION. In the event of the liquidation or dissolution of the
Trust, subject to Section 7.1 hereof, the holders of Shares of each Sub-Trust or
any class thereof that has been established and designated shall be entitled to
receive, when and as declared by the Trustees, the excess of the assets
belonging to that Sub-Trust, or in the case of a class, belonging to that
Sub-Trust and allocable to that class, over the liabilities belonging to that
Sub-Trust or class. The assets so distributable to the holders of Shares of any
particular Sub-Trust or class thereof shall be distributed among such holders in
proportion to the number of Shares of that Sub-Trust or class thereof held by
them and recorded on the books of the Trust. The liquidation of any particular
Sub-Trust or class thereof may be authorized at any time by vote of a majority
of the Trustees then in office.
(e) VOTING. On each matter submitted to a vote of the Shareholders, each
holder of a Share shall be entitled to one vote for each whole Share standing in
his name on the books of the Trust irrespective of the Series thereof or class
thereof and all Shares of all Series and classes thereof shall vote together as
a single class; provided, however, that as to any matter (i) with respect to
which a separate vote of one or more Series or classes thereof is required by
the 1940 Act or the provisions of the writing establishing and designating the
Sub-Trust or class, such requirements as to a separate vote by such Series or
class thereof shall apply in lieu of all Shares of all Series and classes
thereof voting together; and (ii) as to any matter which affects the interests
of one or more particular Series or classes thereof, only the holders of Shares
of the one or more affected Series or classes shall be entitled to vote, and
each such Series or class shall vote as a separate class.
(f) REDEMPTION BY SHAREHOLDER. Each holder of Shares of a particular
Sub-Trust or any class thereof shall have the right at such times as may be
permitted by the Trust to require the Trust to redeem all or any part a of his
Shares of that Sub-Trust or class thereof at a redemption price equal to the net
asset value per Share of that Sub- Trust or class thereof next determined in
accordance with subsection (h) of this Section 4.2 after the Shares are properly
tendered for redemption, subject to any contingent deferred sales charge or
redemption charge in effect at the time of redemption. Payment of the redemption
price shall be in cash; provided, however, that if the Trustees determine, which
determination shall be conclusive, that conditions exist which make payment
wholly in cash unwise or undesirable, the Trust may, subject to the requirements
of the 1940 Act, make payment wholly or partly in securities or other assets
belonging to the Sub-Trust of which the Shares being redeemed are part at the
value of such securities or assets used in such determination of net asset
value.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust may postpone payment of the
redemption price and may suspend the right of the holders of Shares of any
Sub-Trustor class thereof to require the Trust to redeem Shares of that
Sub-Trust during any period or at any time when and to the extent permissible
under the 1940 Act.
(g) REDEMPTION BY TRUST. Each Share of each Sub-Trust or class thereof that
has been established and designated is subject to redemption by the Trust at the
redemption price which would be applicable if such Share was then being redeemed
by the Shareholder pursuant to subsection (f) of this Section 4.2: (i) at any
time, in the sole discretion of the Trustees, or (ii) upon such other conditions
as may from time to time be determined by the Trustees and set forth in the then
current Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information of the Trust. Upon
such redemption the holders of the Shares so redeemed shall have no further
right with respect thereto other than to receive payment of such redemption
price.
(h) NET ASSET VALUE. The net asset value per Share of any Sub-Trust shall
be (i) in the case of a Sub-Trust whose Shares are not divided into classes, the
quotient obtained by dividing the value of the net assets of that Sub- Trust
(being the value of the assets belonging to that Sub-Trust less the liabilities
belonging to that Sub-Trust) by the total number of Shares of that Sub-Trust
outstanding, and (ii) in the case of a class of Shares of a Sub-Trust whose
Shares are divided into classes, the quotient obtained by dividing the value of
the net assets of that Sub- Trust allocable to such class (being the value of
the assets belonging to that Sub-Trust allocable to such class less the
liabilities belonging to such class) by the total number of Shares of such class
outstanding; all determined in accordance with the methods and procedures,
including without limitation those with respect to rounding, established by the
Trustees from time to time.
The Trustees may determine to maintain the net asset value per Share of any
Sub-Trust at a designated constant dollar amount and in connection therewith may
adopt procedures not inconsistent with the 1940 act for the continuing
declarations of income attributable to that Sub-Trust as dividend payable in
additional shares of the Sub- Trust at the designated constant dollar amount and
for the handling of any losses attributable to that Sub-Trust. Such procedures
may provide that in the event of any loss each Shareholder shall be deemed to
have contributed to the capital of the Trust attributable to that Sub-Trust his
pro rata portion of the total number of Shares required to be canceled in order
to permit the net asset value per Share of that Sub-Trust to be maintained,
after reflecting such loss, at the designated constant dollar amount. Each
Shareholder of the Trust shall be deemed to have agreed, by his investment in
any Sub-Trust with respect to which the Trustees shall have adopted any such
procedure, to make the contribution referred to in the preceding sentence in the
event of any such loss.
(i) TRANSFER. All Shares of each particular Sub-Trust or class thereof
shall be transferable, but transfers of Shares of a particular Sub-Trust or
class thereof will be recorded on the Share transfer records of the Trust
applicable to that Sub-Trust or class only at such times as Shareholders shall
have the right to require the Trust to redeem Shares of that Sub-Trust or class
and at such other times as may be permitted by the Trustees.
(j) EQUALITY. Except as provided herein or in the instrument designating
and establishing any class of Shares or any Sub-Trust, all Shares of each
particular Sub-Trust or class thereof shall represent an equal proportionate
interest in the assets belonging to that Sub-Trust, or in the case of a class,
belonging to that Sub-Trust and allocable to that class, subject to the
liabilities belonging to that Sub-Trust or class and each share of any
particular Sub-Trust or class shall be equal to each other Share of that
Sub-Trust or class; but the provisions of this sentence shall not restrict any
distinctions permissible under subsection (c) of this Section 4.2 that may exist
with respect to dividends and distributions on Shares of the same Sub-Trust or
class. The Trustees may from time to time divide or combine the Shares of any
particular Sub-Trust or class into a greater or lesser number of Shares of that
Sub-Trust or class without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial
interest in the assets belonging to that Sub-Trust or class or in any way
affecting the rights of Shares of any other Sub-Trust or class.
(k) FRACTIONS. Any fractional Share of any Sub-Trust or class, if any such
fractional Share is outstanding, shall carry proportionately all the rights and
obligations of a whole Share of that Sub-Trust or class, including rights and
obligations with respect to voting, receipt of dividends and distributions,
redemption of Shares, and liquidation of the Trust.
(1) CONVERSION OR EXCHANGE RIGHTS. Subject to compliance with the
requirements of the 1940 Act, the Trustees shall have the authority to provide
that holders of Shares of any Sub-Trust or class thereof shall have the right to
convert or exchange said Shares into Shares of one or more other Sub-Trust or
class thereof in accordance with such requirements and procedures as may be
established by the Trustees.
(m) CLASS DIFFERENCES. Subject to Section 4.1, the relative rights and
preferences of the classes of any Sub- Trust may differ in such other respects
as the Trustees may determine to be appropriate in their sole discretion,
provided that such differences are set forth in the instrument establishing and
designating such classes and executed by a majority of the Trustees (or by an
instrument executed by an officer of the Trust pursuant to a vote of a majority
of the Trustees).
Section 4.3 OWNERSHIP OF SHARES. The ownership of Shares shall be recorded
on the books of the Trust or of a transfer or similar agent for the Trust, which
books shall be maintained separately for the Shares of each Sub- Trust and each
class thereof that has been established and designated. No certificates
certifying the ownership of Shares need be issued except as the Trustees may
otherwise determine from time to time. The trustees may make such rules as they
consider appropriate for the issuance of Share certificates, the use of
facsimile signature, the transfer of Shares and similar matters. The record
books of the Trust as kept by the Trust or any transfer or similar agent, as the
case may be, shall be conclusive as to who are the Shareholders and as to the
number of Shares of each Sub-Trust and class thereof held from time to time by
each such Shareholder.
Section 4.4 INVESTMENTS IN THE TRUST. The Trustees may accept investments
in the Trust and each Sub-Trust from such persons and on such terms and for such
consideration, not inconsistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act, as they
from time to time authorize. The Trustees may authorize any distributor,
principal underwriter, custodian, transfer agent or other person to accept
orders for the purchase of Shares that conform to such authorized terms and to
reject any purchase orders for Shares whether or not conforming to such
authorized terms.
Section 4.5 NO PRE-EMPTIVE RIGHTS. Shareholders shall have no pre-emptive
or other rights to subscribe to any additional Shares or other securities issued
by the Trust or any Sub-Trust, except as the Trustees in their sole discretion
shall have determined by resolution.
Section 4.6 STATUS OF SHARES AND LIMITATION OF PERSONAL LIABILITY. Shares
shall be deemed to be personal property giving only the rights provided in this
Declaration of Trust. Every Shareholder by virtue of acquiring Shares shall be
held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof and to have
become a party hereto. The death, incapacity, dissolution, termination, or
bankruptcy of a Shareholder during the continuance of the Trust shall not
operate to dissolve or terminate the Trust or any Sub-Trust thereof nor entitle
the representative of such Shareholder to an accounting or to take any action in
court or elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees, but only to the rights of
such Shareholder under this Trust. Ownership of Shares shall not entitle the
Shareholder to any tide
in or to the whole or any part of the Trust property or right to call for a
partition or division of the same or for an accounting, nor shall the ownership
of Shares constitute the Shareholders partners. Neither the Trust nor the
Trustees nor any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall have any power to
bind personally any Shareholder, nor except as specifically provided herein to
call upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment
whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree
to pay.
Section 4.7 NO APPRAISAL RIGHTS. Shareholders shall have no right to demand
payment for their shares or to any other rights of dissenting shareholders in
the event the Trust participates in any transaction which would give rise to
appraisal or dissenters' rights by a shareholder of a corporation organized
under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or otherwise.
ARTICLE V
SHAREHOLDERS' VOTING POWERS AND MEETINGS
Section 5.1 VOTING POWERS. The Shareholders shall have power to vote only (i)
for the election of Trustees as provided in Section 3.1, (ii) with respect to
any contract with a Contracting Party as provided in Section 3.3 as to which
Shareholder approval is required by the 1940 Act, (iii) with respect to any
termination or reorganization of the Trust to the extent and as provided in
Sections 7.1 and 7.2, (iv) with respect to any amendment of this Declaration of
Trust to the extent and as provided in Section 7.3, and (v) with respect to such
additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by the 1940 act,
this Declaration of Trust, the By-Laws or any registration of the Trust with the
Commission (or any successor agency) or any state, or as the Trustees may
consider necessary or desirable. There shall be no cumulative voting in the
election of Trustees. Shares may be voted in person or by proxy. Proxies may be
given orally or in writing or pursuant to any computerized or mechanical data
gathering process specifically approved by the Trustees. A proxy with respect to
Shares held in the name of two or more persons shall be valid if executed by any
one of them unless at or prior to exercise of the proxy the Trust receives a
specific written notice to the contrary from any one of them. A proxy purporting
to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder shall be deemed valid unless
challenged at or prior to its exercise and the burden of proving invalidity
shall rest on the challenger. At any time when no Shares of a Series are
outstanding, the Trustees may exercise all fights of Shareholders of that Series
with respect to matters affecting that Series and may take any action required
by law, this Declaration of Trust, or the By-Laws to be taken by Shareholders.
Section 5.2 MEETINGS. No annual or regular meeting of Shareholders is
required. Special meetings of Shareholders may be called by the Trustees from
time to time for the purpose of electing Trustees as herein provided and for
such other purposes as may be prescribed by law, this Declaration of Trust or
the By-Laws, or for taking action upon any other matter deemed by the Trustees
to be necessary or desirable. Written notice of any meeting of Shareholders
shall be given or caused to be given by the Trustees by mailing such notice at
least seven days before such meeting, postage prepaid, stating the time, place,
and purpose of the meeting, to each Shareholder at the Shareholder's address as
it appears on the record of the Trust. Whenever notice of a meeting is required
to be given to a Shareholder under the Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws, a
written waiver thereof, executed before or after the meeting by such Shareholder
or his attorney thereunto authorized and filed with the records of the meeting,
shall be deemed equivalent to such notice.
Section 5.3 RECORD DATES. For the purpose of determining the Shareholders
who are entitled to vote or act at any meeting or any adjournment thereof, or
who are entitled to participate in any dividend or distribution, or for the
purpose of any other action, the Trustees may from time to time close the
transfer books for such period, not exceeding 30 days (except at or in
connection with the termination of the Trust), as the Trustees may determine; or
without closing the transfer books the Trustees may fix a date and time not more
than 90 days prior to the date of any meeting of Shareholders or other action as
the date and time of record for the determination of Shareholders entitled to
vote at such meeting or any
adjournment thereof or to be treated as Shareholders of record for purposes of
such other action, and any Shareholder who was a Shareholder at the date and
time so fixed shall be entitled to vote at such meeting or any adjournment
thereof or to be treated as a Shareholder of record for purposes of such other
action, even though he has since that date and time disposed of his Shares, and
no Shareholder becoming such after that date and time shall be so entitled to
vote at such meeting or any adjournment thereof or to be treated as a
Shareholder of record for purposes of such other action. Nothing in this section
shall be construed as precluding the Trustees from setting different record
dates for different Sub-Trusts.
Section 5.4 QUORUM AND REQUIRED VOTE. Except as otherwise provided by the
1940 Act or other applicable law, thirty percent of the Shares entitled to vote
shall be a quorum for the transaction of business at a Shareholders' meeting.
Any meeting of shareholders, whether or not a quorum is present, may be
adjourned from time to time by the majority of the Shares represented at the
meeting, either in person or by proxy. Any adjourned session or sessions may be
held, within a reasonable time after the date set for the original meeting
without the necessity of notice of the adjourned meeting or of the business to
be transacted at an adjourned meeting, other than by announcement at the meeting
at which the adjournment is taken, unless the Trustees fix a new record date for
the adjourned meeting . A majority of the Shares voted, at a meeting of which a
quorum is present, shall decide any questions and a plurality shall elect a
Trustee, except when a different vote is required or permitted by any provision
of the 1940 Act or other applicable law or by this Declaration of Trust or the
By-Laws.
Section 5.5 ACTION BY WRITTEN Consent. Subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act
and other applicable law, any action taken by Shareholders may be taken without
a meeting if a majority of Shareholders entitled to vote on the matter (or such
larger proportion thereof as shall be required by the 1940 Act or by any express
provision of this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws) consent to the action in
writing and such written consents are filed with the record of the meetings of
Shareholders. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at
a meeting of Shareholders.
Section 5.6 INSPECTION OF RECORDS. The records of the Trust shall be open to
inspection by Shareholders to the same extent as is permitted stockholders of a
Delaware corporation under the Delaware General Law.
Section 5.7 ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS. The By-Laws may include further provisions
for Shareholders' votes and meetings and related matters not inconsistent with
the provisions hereof.
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY; INDEMNIFICATION
Section 6.1 TRUSTEES, SHAREHOLDERS, ETC. NOT PERSONALLY LIABLE; NOTICE. All
persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim against the
Trust shall look only to the assets of the Sub-Trust with which such person
dealt for payment under such credit, contract or claim; and neither the
Shareholders of any Sub-Trust nor the Trustees, nor any of the Trust's officers,
employees or agents, whether past, present or future, nor any other Sub-Trust
nor the Trustees, nor any of the Trust's officers, employees or agents, whether
past, present or future, nor any other Sub-Trust shall be personally liable
therefor. Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate, or undertaking
and every act or thing whatsoever executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust,
any Sub-Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall
be conclusively deemed to have been executed or done only by or for the Trust
(or the Sub-Trust) or the Trustees and not personally. The Trustees and the
Trust's officers, employees and agents shall not be liable to the Trust or the
Shareholders; provided however, that nothing in this Declaration of Trust shall
protect any Trustee or officer, employee or agent against any liability to the
Trust or the Shareholders to which such Trustee or officer, employee or agent
would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the
office of Trustee or of such officer, employee or agent.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate, or undertaking made
or issued by the Trustees or by any officers or officer shall give notice that
the same was executed or made by or on behalf of the Trust or by them as
Trustees or Trustee or as officers or officer and not individually and that the
obligations of such instrument are not
binding upon any of them or the Shareholders individually but are binding only
upon the assets and property of the Trust, or the particular Sub-Trust in
question, as the case may be, but the omission thereof shall not operate to bind
any Trustees or Trustee or officers or officer or Shareholders or Shareholder
individually or otherwise invalidate any such note, bond, contract, instrument,
certificate, or undertaking.
Section 6.2 TRUSTEE'S GOOD FAITH ACTION; EXPERT ADVICE; NO BOND OR SURETY. The
exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretion hereunder shall be
binding upon everyone interested. A Trustee shall be liable to the Trust and the
Shareholders for his own willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the office of
Trustee, and for nothing else, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment or
mistakes of fact or law. Subject to the foregoing, (a) the Trustees shall not be
responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrongdoing of any officer,
agent, employee, consultant, adviser, administrator, distributor or principal
underwriter, custodian or transfer, dividend disbursing, Shareholder servicing
or accounting agent of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the
act or omission of any other Trustee; (b) the Trustees may take advice of
counsel or other experts with respect to the meaning and operation of this
Declaration of Trust and their duties as Trustees, and shall be under no
liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice or for failing
to follow such advice; and (c) in discharging their duties, the Trustees, when
acting in good faith, shall be entitled to rely upon the books of account of the
Trust and upon written reports made to the Trustees by any officer appointed by
them, any independent public accountant, and (with respect to the subject matter
of the contract involved) any officer, partner, or responsible employee of a
Contracting Party appointed by the Trustees pursuant to Section 3.3. The
Trustees as such shall not be required to give any bond or surety or any other
security for the performance of their duties. To the extent that, at law or in
equity, a Trustee has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities
relating thereto to the Trust or to a shareholder any such Trustee acting under
this Declaration of Trust shall not be liable to the Trust or to any such
Shareholder for the Trustee's good faith reliance on the provisions of this
Declaration of Trust. The provisions of this Declaration of Trust, to the extent
that they restrict the duties and liabilities of a Trustee otherwise existing at
law or in equity, are agreed by the Shareholders to replace such other duties
and liabilities of such Trustee.
Section 6.3 INDEMNIFICATION OF SHAREHOLDERS. In case any Shareholder (or
former Shareholder) of any Sub- Trust of the Trust shall be charged or held to
be personally liable for any obligation or liability of the Trust solely by
reason of being or having been a Shareholder and not because of such
Shareholder's acts or omissions or for some other reason, the Trust on behalf of
said Sub-Trust (upon proper and timely request by the Shareholder) shall assume
the defense against such charge and satisfy any judgment thereon, and, to the
fullest extent permitted by law, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his
heirs, executors, administrators, or other legal representatives or in the case
of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor)
shall be entitled out of the assets of said Sub-Trust estate to be held harmless
from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability.
Section 6.4 INDEMNIFICATION OF TRUSTEES, OFFICERS, ETC. To the fullest
extent permitted by law, the Trust shall indemnify (from the assets of the
Sub-Trust or Sub-Trusts in question) each of its Trustees and officers
(including persons who serve at the Trust's request as directors, officers, or
trustees of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a
shareholder, creditor or otherwise) (hereinafter referred to as a "Covered
Person") against all liabilities including but not limited to amounts paid in
satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and
expenses, including reasonable accountants' and counsel fees, incurred by any
Covered Person in connection with the defense or disposition of any action,
suit, or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or
administrative or legislative body, in which such Covered Person may be or may
have been involved as a party or otherwise or with which such person may be or
may have been threatened, while in office or thereafter by reason of any alleged
act or omission as a Trustee or officer or, by reason of being or having been
such a Trustee or officer, director or trustee, except with respect to any
matter as to which it has been determined that such Covered Person had acted
with willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of
the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person's office (such conduct
referred to hereafter as "Disabling Conduct"). A determination that the Covered
Person is entitled to indemnification may be made by (i) a final decision on the
merits by a court or other body before whom the proceeding was brought that the
person to be indemnified was not liable by reason of Disabling Conduct, (ii)
dismissal of a court action or an administrative proceeding against a Covered
Person for insufficiency of evidence of Disabling Conduct, or (iii) a reasonable
determination based upon a review of the facts, that the Covered Person was not
liable by reason of Disabling Conduct by (a) a vote of a majority of a quorum of
Trustees who are neither "Interested persons" of the Trust as defined in section
2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act nor parties to the proceeding, or (b) an independent
legal counsel in a written opinion. Expenses, including accountants' and counsel
fees so incurred by any such Covered
Person (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise,
or as fines or penalties), may be paid from time to time from funds attributable
to the Sub-Trust in question in advance of the final disposition of any such
action, suit, or proceeding, provided that the Covered Person shall have
undertaken to repay the amounts so paid to the Sub-Trust in question if it is
ultimately determined that indemnification of such expenses is not authorized
under this Article VI and (i) the Covered Person shall have provided security
for such undertaking, (ii) the Trust shall be insured against losses arising by
person of any lawful advances, or (iii) a majority of a quorum of the
disinterested Trustees who are not a party to the proceeding, or an independent
legal counsel in a written opinion, shall have determined, based on a review of
readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is
reason to believe that the Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to
indemnification.
Section 6.5 COMPROMISE PAYMENT. As to any matter disposed of by a compromise
payment by any such Covered Person referred to in Section 6.4, pursuant to a
consent decree or otherwise, no such indemnification either for said payment or
for any other expenses shall be provided unless such indemnification shall be
approved (a) by a majority of the disinterested Trustees who are not parties to
the proceeding or (b) by an independent legal counsel in a written opinion.
Approval by the Trustees pursuant to clause (a) or by independent legal counsel
pursuant to clause (b) shall not prevent the recovery from any Covered Person of
any amount paid to such Covered Person in accordance with any of such clauses as
indemnification if such Covered Person is subsequently adjudicated by a court of
competent jurisdiction to have been liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of such Covered Person's office.
Section 6.6 INDEMNIFICATION NOT EXCLUSIVE, ETC. The night of indemnification
provided by this Article VI shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights
to which any such Covered Person may be entitled. As used in this Article VI,
"Covered Person" shall include such person's heirs, executors, and
administrators; an "Interested Covered Person" is one against whom the action,
suits, or other proceeding in question or another action, suit, or other
proceeding on the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending or
threatened; and a "disinterested" person is a person against whom none of such
actions, suits or other proceedings or another action suit or other proceeding
on the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending or threatened.
Nothing contained in this Article shall affect any rights to indemnification to
which personnel of the Trust, other than Trustees and officers, and other
persons may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law, nor the power of the
Trust to purchase and maintain liability insurance on behalf of any such person.
Section 6.7 LIABILITY OF THIRD PERSONS DEALING WITH TRUSTEES. No person
dealing with the Trustees shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the
validity of any transaction made or to be made by the Trustees or to see to the
application of any payments made or property transferred to the Trust or upon
its order.
Section 6.8 DISCRETION. Whenever in this Declaration of Trust the Trustees are
permitted or required to make a decision (a) in their "sole discretion," "sole
and absolute discretion," "full discretion," or "discretion," or under a similar
grant of authority or latitude, the Trustees shall be entitled to consider only
such interests and factors as they desire, whether reasonable or unreasonable,
and may consider their own interests, and shall have no duty or obligation to
give any consideration to any interests of or factors affecting the Trust or the
Shareholders, or (b) in their "good faith" or under another express standard,
the Trustees shall act under such express standard and shall not be subject to
any other or different standards imposed by this Declaration of Trust or by law
or any other agreement contemplated herein. Each Shareholder and Trustee hereby
agrees that any standard of care or duty imposed in this Declaration of Trust or
any other agreement contemplated herein or under the Act or any other applicable
law, rule or regulation shall be modified, waived, or limited in each case as
required to permit the Trustees to act under this Declaration of Trust or any
other agreement contemplated herein and to make any decision pursuant to the
authority prescribed in this Declaration of Trust.
ARTICLE VII
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 7. 1 DURATION AND TERMINATION OF TRUST. Unless terminated as
provided herein, the Trust shall continue without limitation of time and,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, no change, alteration or
modification with respect to any Sub-Trust or class thereof shall operate to
terminate the Trust. The Trust may be terminated at any time by a Majority of
the Outstanding Voting Shares of the Trust or by the Trustees by written notice
to the Shareholders.
Upon termination, after paying or otherwise providing for all charges,
taxes, expenses and liabilities, whether due to accrued or anticipated as may be
determined by the Trustees, the Trust shall in accordance with such procedures
as the Trustees consider appropriate reduce the remaining assets to
distributable form in cash, securities or other property, or any combination
thereof, and distribute the proceeds to the Shareholders, in conformity with the
provisions of subsection (d) of Section 4.2.
Section 7.2 REORGANIZATION. The Trustees may sell, convey, merge, and transfer
the assets of the Trust, or the assets belonging to any one or more Sub-Trusts,
to another trust, partnership, association, or corporation organized under the
laws of any state of the United States, or to the Trust to be held as assets
belonging to another Sub-Trust of the Trust in exchange for cash, shares or
other securities (including, in the case of a transfer to another Sub-Trust of
the Trust, Shares of such other Sub-Trust or any class thereof) with such
transfer either (1) being made subject to, or with the assumption by the
transferee of, the liabilities belonging to each Sub-Trust the assets of which
are so transferred, or (2) not being made subject to, or not with the assumption
of, such liabilities; provided, however, that no assets belonging to any
particular Sub-Trust shall be so transferred unless the terms of such transfer
shall have first been approved at a meeting called for the purpose by the
affirmative vote of the holders of a Majority of the Outstanding Voting Shares
of that Sub-Trust. Following such transfer, the Trustees shall distribute such
cash, shares, or other securities among the Shareholders of the Sub-Trust
(taking into account the differences among the classes of shares thereof, if
any) the assets belonging to which have been transferred; and if all of the
assets of the Trust have been so transferred, the Trust shall be terminated.
The Trust, or any one or more Sub-Trusts, may either as the successor,
survivor, or non-survivor, (1) consolidate with one or more other trusts,
partnerships, limited liability companies, associations, or corporations
organized under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state of the
United States, to form a new consolidated trust, partnership, association or,
corporation under the laws of which any one of the constituent entities is
organized, or (2) merge into or transfer a substantial portion of its assets to
one or more other trusts, partnerships, associations, or corporations organized
under the laws of the State of Delaware or any other state of the United States,
or have one or more such trusts, partnerships, associations, or corporations
merged into or transfer a substantial portion of its assets to it, any such
consolidation as are specified in an agreement and plan of reorganization
entered into by the Trust, or one or more Sub-Trusts as the case may be, in
connection therewith. Any such consolidation, merger or transfer shall require
the affirmative vote of the holders of a Majority of the Outstanding Voting
Shares of the Trust (or each Sub-Trust affected thereby, as the case may be),
except that such affirmative vote of the holders of Shares shall not be required
if the Trust (or Sub-Trust affected thereby, as the case may be) shall be the
survivor of such consolidation or merger or transferee of such assets.
Section 7.3 AMENDMENTS. All rights granted to the Shareholders under this
Declaration of Trust are granted subject to the reservation of the right to
amend this Declaration of Trust as herein provided, except that no amendment
shall repeal the limitations on personal liability of any Shareholder or Trustee
or repeal the prohibition of assessment upon the Shareholders without the
express consent of each Shareholder or Trustee involved. Subject to the
foregoing, the provisions of this Declaration of Trust (whether or not related
to the rights of Shareholders) may be amended at any time, so long as such
amendment does not adversely affect the rights of any Shareholder with respect
to which such amendment is or purports to be applicable and so long as such
amendment is not in contravention of applicable law, including the 1940 Act, by
an instrument in writing signed by a majority of the then Trustees (or by an
officer of the Trust pursuant to the vote of a majority of such Trustees). Any
amendment to this Declaration of Trust that adversely affects the rights of
Shareholders may be adopted at any time by an instrument in Writing signed by a
majority of the then Trustees (or by an officer of the Trust pursuant to a vote
of a majority of such Trustees) when authorized to do so by the vote in
accordance with subsection (e) of Section 4.2 of Shareholders holding a majority
of the Shares entitled to vote. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, amendments having the purposes of changing the name of the Trust or
any Sub-Trust or of supplying any omission, curing or curing, correcting or
supplementing any defective or inconsistent provision contained herein shall not
require authorization by Shareholder vote. Subject to the provisions of this
Section 7.3, any amendment shall be effective as provided in the instrument
containing the terms of such amendment or, if there is no provision therein with
respect to effectiveness, upon the execution of such instrument and of a
certificate (which may be a part of such instrument) executed by a Trustee or
officer of the Trust to the effect that such amendment has been duly adopted.
Section 7.4 FILLING OF COPIES; REFERENCES; HEADINGS. The original or a copy
of this instrument and of each amendment hereto shall be kept at the office of
the Trust where it may be inspected by any Shareholder. Anyone
dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of the Trust as
to whether or not any such amendments have been made, as to the identities of
the Trustees and officers, and as to any matters in connection with the Trust
hereunder; and, with the same effect as if it were the original, may rely on a
copy certified by an officer of the Trust to be a copy of this instrument or of
any such amendments. In this instrument and in any such amendment, references to
this instrument, and all expressions like "herein", "hereof", and "hereunder"
shall be deemed to refer to this instrument as a whole as the same may be
amended or affected by any such amendments. The masculine gender shall include
the feminine and neuter genders. Headings are placed herein for convenience of
reference only and shall not be taken as a part hereof or control or affect the
meaning, construction, or effect of this instrument. This instrument may be
executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be deemed an
original.
Section 7.5 APPLICABLE LAW. This Declaration of Trust is created under and is to
be governed by the State of Delaware. The Trust shall be of the type referred to
in Section 3801 of the Delaware Business Trust Act and of the type commonly
called a business trust, and without limiting the provisions hereof, the Trust
may exercise all powers which are ordinarily exercised by such a trust.
Section 7.6 REGISTERED AGENT. The Corporation Trust Company is hereby
designated as the initial registered agent for service of process on the Trust
in Delaware. The address of the registered office of the Trust in the State of
Delaware is 0000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxx of Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00000.
Section 7.7 INTEGRATION. This Declaration of Trust constitutes the entire
agreement among the part hereto pertaining to the subject matter hereof and
supersedes all prior agreements and understandings pertaining thereto.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned hereunto set their hand and seal in
Fort Worth, Texas for themselves and their assigns, as of the day and year first
above written.
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J. Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xx.
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Xxxxx X. May
'The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this 8th day of February
1994 by J. Xxxxxx Xxxx, Xx. of Fort Worth, Texas and Xxxxx X. May of Fort
Worth, Texas.
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Notary Public
[Notarial Seal]
My commission expires:
