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EXHIBIT 1(b)
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
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of
The Target Portfolio Trust
a Delaware Business Trust
Principal Place of Business:
Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
ARTICLE I Name and Definitions...............................................1
1. Name...............................................................1
2. Definitions........................................................1
(a) By-Laws.....................................................1
(b) Certificate of Trust........................................1
(c) Class.......................................................1
(d) Commission and Principal Underwriter........................1
(e) Declaration of Trust........................................1
(f) Delaware Act................................................2
(g) Interested Person...........................................2
(h) Manager.....................................................2
(i) 1940 Act....................................................2
(j) Person......................................................2
(k) Series......................................................2
(l) Shareholder.................................................2
(n) Trust.......................................................2
(o) Trust Property..............................................2
(p) Trustees....................................................2
ARTICLE II Purpose of Trust..................................................2
ARTICLE III Shares...........................................................3
1. Division of Beneficial Interest....................................3
2. Ownership of Shares................................................4
3. Transfer of Shares.................................................4
4. Investments in the Trust...........................................4
5. Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability..............4
6. Establishment and Designation of Series............................5
(a) Assets Held with Respect to a Particular Series.............5
(b) Liabilities Held with Respect to a Particular Series........5
(c) Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions, and Repurchases......6
(d) Equality....................................................6
(e) Fractions...................................................6
(f) Exchange Privilege..........................................6
(g) Combination of Series.......................................6
(h) Elimination of Series.......................................6
7. Indemnification of Shareholders....................................7
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ARTICLE IV Trustees..........................................................7
1. Number, Election and Tenure........................................7
2. Effect of Death, Resignation, etc. of a Trustee....................7
3. Powers.............................................................8
4. Payment of Expenses by the Trust..................................11
5. Payment of Expenses by Shareholders...............................11
6. Ownership of Assets of the Trust..................................11
7. Service Contracts.................................................12
8. Trustees and Officers as Shareholders.............................13
ARTICLE V Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings..........................13
1. Voting Powers, Meetings, Notice and Record Dates..................13
2. Quorum and Required Vote..........................................14
3. Record Dates......................................................14
4. Additional Provisions.............................................15
ARTICLE VI Net Asset Value, Distributions and Redemptions...................15
1. Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income, and Distributions...15
2. Redemptions and Repurchases.......................................15
ARTICLE VII Compensation and Limitation of Liability of Trustees............16
1. Compensation......................................................16
2. Indemnification and Limitation of Liability.......................16
3. Trustee's Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety.....17
4. Insurance.........................................................17
ARTICLE VIII Miscellaneous.................................................18
1. Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees..................18
2. Termination of Trust or Series....................................18
3. Reorganization....................................................18
4. Amendments........................................................19
5. Filing of Copies, References, Headings............................19
6. Applicable Law....................................................20
7. Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations....................20
8. Business Trust Only...............................................21
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AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
The Target Portfolio Trust
THIS AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST is made and entered into as of
the date set forth below by the Trustees named hereunder for the purpose of
forming a Delaware business trust in accordance with the provisions hereinafter
set forth,
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby direct that the Certificate of
Trust be filed with Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware
and do hereby declare that the Trustees will hold IN TRUST all cash, securities
and other assets which the Trust now possesses or may hereafter acquire from
time to time in any manner and manage and dispose of the same upon the following
terms and conditions for the benefit of the holders of Shares in this Trust.
ARTICLE I
Name and Definitions
Section 1. Name. This Trust shall be known as The Target
Portfolio Trust and the Trustees shall conduct the business of the Trust under
that name or any other name as they may from time to time determine.
Section 2. Definitions. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise
required by the context or specifically provided:
(a) "By-Laws" shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust as amended from time
to time, which By-Laws are expressly herein incorporated by reference as part of
the "governing instrument" within the meaning of the Delaware Act;
(b) "Certificate of Trust" means the certificate of trust, as amended
or restated from time to time, filed by the Trustees in the Office of the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with the Delaware Act;
(c) "Class" means a class of Shares of a Series of the Trust
established in accordance with the provisions of Article III hereof;
(d) "Commission" and "Principal Underwriter" shall have the meanings
given them in the 1940 Act;
(e) "Declaration of Trust" means this Agreement and Declaration of
Trust, as amended or restated from time to time;
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(f) "Delaware Act" means the Delaware Business Trust Act, 12 Del. C.
Sections 3801 et seq., as amended from time to time;
(g) "Interested Person" shall have the meaning given it in Section
2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act;
(h) "Manager" means a party furnishing services to the Trust pursuant
to any contract described in Article IV, Section 7(a) hereof;
(i) "1940 Act" means the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Rules
and Regulations thereunder, all as amended from time to time;
(j) "Person" means and includes individuals, corporations,
partnerships, trusts, associations, joint ventures, estates and other entities,
whether or not legal entities, and governments and agencies and political
subdivisions thereof, whether domestic or foreign;
(k) "Series" means each Series of Shares established and designated
under or in accordance with the provisions of Article III;
(l) "Shareholder" means a record owner of outstanding Shares;
(m) "Shares" means the shares of beneficial interest into which the
beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided from time to time and includes
fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares;
(n) "Trust" means the Delaware Business Trust established under the
Delaware Act by this Declaration of Trust and the filing of the Certificate of
Trust in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;
(o) "Trust Property" means any and all property, real or personal,
tangible or intangible, which is from time to time owned or held by or for the
account of the Trust; and
(p) "Trustees" means the persons who have signed this Declaration of
Trust and all other Persons who may from time to time be duly elected or
appointed to serve as Trustees in accordance with the provisions hereof, in each
case so long as such Person shall continue in office in accordance with the
terms of this Declaration of Trust, and reference herein to a Trustee or the
Trustees shall refer to such Person or Persons in his or her or their capacity
as trustees hereunder.
ARTICLE II
Purpose of Trust
The purpose of the Trust is to conduct, operate and carry on the
business of a
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management investment company registered under the 1940 Act through one or more
Series investing primarily in securities, and to carry on such other business as
the Trustees may from time to time determine pursuant to their authority under
this Declaration of Trust.
ARTICLE III
Shares
Section 1. Division of Beneficial Interest. The beneficial
interest in the Trust shall be divided into one or more Series. Each Series may
be divided into two or more Classes. Subject to the further provisions of this
Article III and any applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, the Trustees shall
have full power and authority, in their sole discretion, and without obtaining
any authorization or vote of the Shareholders of any Series or Class thereof,
(i) to divide the beneficial interest in each Series or Class thereof into
Shares, with or without par value as the Trustees shall determine, (ii) to issue
Shares without limitation as to number (including fractional Shares), to such
Persons and for such amount and type of consideration, subject to any
restriction set forth in the By-Laws, including cash or securities, at such time
or times and on such terms as the Trustees may deem appropriate, (iii) to
establish and designate and to change in any manner any Series or Class thereof
and to fix such preferences, voting powers, rights, duties and privileges and
business purpose of each Series or Class thereof as the Trustees may from time
to time determine, which preferences, voting powers, rights, duties and
privileges may be senior or subordinate to (or in the case of business purpose,
different from) any existing Series or Class thereof and may be limited to
specified property or obligations of the Trust or profits and losses associated
with specified property or obligations of the Trust, (iv) to divide or combine
the Shares of any Series or Class thereof into a greater or lesser number
without thereby materially changing the proportionate beneficial interest of the
Shares of such Series or Class in the assets held with respect to that Series,
(v) to classify or reclassify any issued Shares of any Series or Class thereof
into shares of one or more Series or Classes thereof and (vi) to take such other
action with respect to the Shares as the Trustees may deem desirable.
Subject to the distinctions permitted among Classes of the same Series
as established by the Trustees consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act,
each Share of a Series of the Trust shall represent an equal beneficial interest
in the net assets of such Series, and each holder of Shares of a Series shall be
entitled to receive such holder's pro rata share of distributions of income and
capital gains, if any, made with respect to such Series. Upon redemption of the
Shares of any Series, the applicable Shareholder shall be paid solely out of the
funds and property of such Series of the Trust.
All references to Shares in this Declaration of Trust shall be deemed
to be Shares of any or all Series or Classes thereof, as the context may
require. All provisions herein relating to the Trust shall apply equally to each
Series of the Trust and each Class thereof, except as the context otherwise
requires.
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All Shares issued hereunder, including, without limitation, Shares
issued in connection with a dividend in Shares or a split or reverse split of
Shares, shall be fully paid and non-assessable. Except as otherwise provided by
the Trustees, Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to subscribe
to any additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust.
Section 2. Ownership of Shares. The Ownership of Shares shall be
recorded on the books of the Trust or a transfer or similar agent for the Trust,
which books shall be maintained separately for the Shares of each Series (or
Class). No certificates certifying the ownership of Shares shall 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 transfer of Shares of each Series (or Class) 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 the identity of the
Shareholders of each Series (or Class) and as to the number of Shares of each
Series (or Class) held from time to time by each Shareholder.
Section 3. Transfer of Shares. Except as otherwise provided by the
Trustees, Shares shall be transferable on the books of the Trust only by the
record holder thereof or by his duly authorized agent upon delivery to the
Trustees or the Trust's transfer agent of a duly executed instrument of
transfer, together with a Share certificate if one is outstanding, and such
evidence of the genuineness of each such execution and authorization and of such
other matters as may be required by the Trustees. Upon such delivery, and
subject to any further requirements specified by the Trustees or contained in
the By-Laws, the transfer shall be recorded on the books of the Trust. Until a
transfer is so recorded, the Shareholder of record of Shares shall be deemed to
be the holder of such Shares for all purposes hereunder and neither the Trustees
nor the Trust, nor any transfer agent or registrar or any officer, employee or
agent of the Trust, shall be affected by any notice of a proposed transfer.
Section 4. Investments in the Trust. Investments may be accepted by the
Trust from such Persons, at such times, on such terms, and for such
consideration as the Trustees from time to time may authorize.
Section 5. Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability.
Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving only the rights provided
in this instrument. Every Shareholder by virtue of having become a Shareholder
shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the terms hereof. The
death, incapacity, dissolution, termination or bankruptcy of a Shareholder
during the existence of the Trust shall not operate to terminate the Trust, nor
entitle the representative of any such Shareholder to an accounting or to take
any action in court or elsewhere against the Trust or the Trustees, but entitles
such representative only to the rights of such Shareholder under this Trust.
Ownership of Shares shall not entitle the Shareholder to any title 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 as partners. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor
any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall have any power to bind
personally any Shareholders, nor, except as specifically provided herein,
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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 6. Establishment and Designation of Series. The establishment
and designation of any Series (or Class) of Shares shall be effective upon the
adoption by a majority of the then Trustees of a resolution that sets forth such
establishment and designation and the relative rights and preferences of such
Series (or Class), whether directly in such resolution or by reference to
another document including, without limitation, any registration statement of
Trust, or as otherwise provided in such resolution.
Shares of each Series (or Class) established pursuant to this Article
III, unless otherwise provided in the resolution establishing such Series, shall
have the following relative rights and preferences:
(a) Assets Held with Respect to a Particular Series. All consideration
received by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of a particular Series,
together with all assets in which such consideration is invested or reinvested,
all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof from whatever source
derived, including, without limitation, 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
irrevocably be held with respect to that Series for all purposes, subject only
to the rights of creditors of such Series, and shall be so recorded upon the
books of account of the Trust. Such consideration, assets, income, earnings,
profits and proceeds thereof, from whatever source derived, including, without
limitation, 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, are herein referred to as "assets
held with respect to" that Series. In the event that there are any assets,
income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, funds or payments which are not
readily identifiable as assets held with respect to any particular Series
(collectively "General Assets"), the Trustees shall allocate such General Assets
to, between or among any one or more of the Series in such manner and on such
basis as the Trustees, in their sole discretion, deem fair and equitable, and
any General Assets so allocated to a particular Series shall be held with
respect to that Series. Each such allocation by the Trustees shall be conclusive
and binding upon the Shareholders of all Series for all purposes. Separate and
distinct records shall be maintained for each Series and the assets held with
respect to each Series shall be held and accounted for separately from the
assets held with respect to all other Series and the General Assets of the Trust
not allocated to such Series.
(b) Liabilities Held with Respect to a Particular Series. The assets of
the Trust held with respect to each particular Series shall be charged against
the liabilities of the Trust held with respect to that Series and all expenses,
costs, charges and reserves attributable to that Series. Any general liabilities
of the Trust which are not readily identifiable as being held with respect to
any particular Series shall be allocated and charged by the Trustees to and
among any one or more of the Series in such manner and on such basis as the
Trustees in their sole discretion deem fair and
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equitable. All liabilities, expenses, costs, charges, and reserves so charged to
a Series are herein referred to as "liabilities held with respect to" that
Series. Each allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by
the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the holders of all Series for
all purposes. All liabilities held with respect to a particular Series shall be
enforceable against the assets held with respect to such Series only and not
against the assets of the Trust generally or against the assets held with
respect to any other Series. Notice of this contractual limitation on the
liability of each Series shall be set forth in the Certificate of Trust or in an
amendment thereto prior to the issuance of any Shares of a Series.
(c) Dividends, Distributions, Redemptions, and Repurchases.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration of Trust, including,
without limitation, Article VI, no dividend or distribution, including, without
limitation, any distribution paid upon termination of the Trust or of any Series
(or Class) with respect to, nor any redemption or repurchase of, the Shares of
any Series (or Class) shall be effected by the Trust other than from the assets
held with respect to such Series, nor shall any Shareholder of any particular
Series otherwise have any right or claim against the assets held with respect to
any other Series except to the extent that such Shareholder has such a right or
claim hereunder as a Shareholder of such other Series. 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.
(d) Equality. All the Shares of each particular Series shall represent
an equal proportionate interest in the assets held with respect to that Series
(subject to the liabilities held with respect to that Series and such rights and
preferences as may have been established and designated with respect to Classes
of Shares within such Series), and each Share of any particular Series shall be
equal to each other Share of that Series.
(e) Fractions. Any fractional Share of a Series shall carry
proportionately all the rights and obligations of a whole Share of that Series,
including rights with respect to voting, receipt of dividends and distributions,
redemption of Shares and termination of the Trust.
(f) Exchange Privilege. The Trustees shall have the authority to
provide that the holders of Shares of any Series shall have the right to
exchange said Shares for Shares of one or more other Series of Shares in
accordance with such requirements and procedures as may be established by the
Trustees.
(g) Combination of Series. The Trustees "shall have the authority,
without the approval of the Shareholders of any Series unless otherwise required
by applicable law, to combine the assets and liabilities held with respect to
any two or more Series into asset" and liabilities held with respect to a single
Series.
(h) Elimination of Series. At any time that there are no Shares
outstanding of any particular Series (or Class) previously established and
designated, the Trustees may by resolution
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of a majority of the Trustees abolish that Series (or Class) and rescind the
establishment and designation thereof.
Section 7. Indemnification of Shareholders. If any Shareholder or
former Shareholder shall be exposed to liability by reason of a claim or demand
relating to such Person being or having been a Shareholder, and not because of
such Person's acts or omissions, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or such
Person's 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 to be held harmless from and indemnified out of the
assets of the Trust against all loss and expense arising from such claim or
demand, but only out of the assets held with respect to the particular Series of
Shares of which such Person is or was a Shareholder and from or in relation to
which such liability arose.
ARTICLE IV
Trustees
Section 1. Number, Election and Tenure. The number of Trustees shall
initially be two, who shall be Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx and S. Xxxx Xxxx. Hereafter,
the number of Trustees shall at all times be at least two and no more than
fifteen as determined, from time to time, by the Trustees pursuant to Section 3
of this Article IV. Each Trustee shall serve during the continued lifetime of
the Trust until he or she dies, resigns, is declared bankrupt or incompetent by
a court of appropriate jurisdiction, 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 or her successor. In the event that
less than the majority of the Trustees holding office have been elected by the
Shareholder, the Trustees then in office shall call a Shareholders' meeting for
the election of Trustees. Any Trustee may resign at any time by written
instrument signed by him and delivered to any officer of the Trust or to a
meeting of the Trustees. Such resignation shall be effective upon receipt unless
specified to be effective at some other time. 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 or her resignation or removal, or any right to damages on account
of such removal. The Shareholders may elect Trustees at any meeting of
Shareholders called by the Trustees for that purpose. Any Trustee may be removed
at any meeting of Shareholders by a vote of two-thirds of the outstanding Shares
of the Trust.
Section 2. Effect of Death, Resignation, etc. of a Trustee. The death,
declination to serve, resignation, retirement, removal, or incapacity of one or
more Trustees, or all of them, shall not operate to annul the Trust or to revoke
any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration of Trust.
Whenever there shall be fewer than the designated number of Trustees, until
additional Trustees are elected or appointed as provided herein to bring the
total number of Trustees equal to the designated number, the Trustees in office,
regardless of their number, shall
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have all the powers granted to the Trustees and shall discharge all the duties
imposed upon the Trustees by this Declaration of Trust. As conclusive evidence
of such vacancy, a written instrument certifying the existence of such vacancy
may be executed by an officer of the Trust or by a majority of the Trustees. In
the event of the death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal, or
incapacity of all the then Trustees within a short period of time and without
the opportunity for at least one Trustee being able to appoint additional
Trustees to replace those no longer serving, the Trust's Manager(s) are
empowered to appoint new Trustees subject to the provisions of Section 16(a) of
the 1940 Act.
Section 3. Powers. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of
Trust, the business of the Trust shall be managed by the Trustees, and the
Trustees shall have all powers necessary or convenient to carry out that
responsibility including the power to engage in securities transactions of all
kinds on behalf of the Trust. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees may:
adopt By-Laws not inconsistent with this Declaration of Trust providing for the
regulation and management of the 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; enlarge or reduce their number; remove any Trustee with or without
cause at any time by written instrument signed by at least two-thirds of the
number of Trustees prior to such removal, specifying the date when such removal
"shall become effective, and fill vacancies caused by enlargement of their
number or by the death, resignation or removal of a Trustee; elect and remove,
with or without cause, such officers and appoint and terminate such agents as
they consider appropriate; appoint from their own number and establish and
terminate one or more committees consisting of two or more Trustees which may
exercise the powers and authority of the Board of Trustees to the extent that
the Trustees determine; employ one or more custodians of the assets of the Trust
and may authorize such custodians to employ subcustodians and to deposit all or
any part of such assets in a system or systems for the central handling of
securities or with a Federal Reserve Bank, retain a transfer agent or a
shareholder servicing agent, or both; provide for the issuance and distribution
of Shares by the Trust directly or through one or more Principal Underwriters or
otherwise; redeem, repurchase and transfer Shares pursuant to applicable law;
set record dates for the determination of Shareholders with respect to various
matters; declare and pay dividends and distributions to Shareholders of each
Series from the assets of such Series; and in general delegate such authority as
they consider desirable to any officer of the Trust, to any committee of the
Trustees and to any agent or employee of the Trust or to any such custodian,
transfer or Shareholder servicing agent, or Principal Underwriter. Any
determination as to what is in the interests of the Trust made by the Trustees
in good faith shall be conclusive. In construing the provisions of this
Declaration of Trust, the presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to
the Trustees. Unless otherwise specified herein or in the By-Laws or required by
law, any action by the Trustees shall be deemed effective if approved or taken
by a majority of the Trustees present at a meeting of Trustees at which a quorum
of Trustees is present, within or without the State of Delaware.
Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees shall have the power and
authority to cause the Trust (or to act on behalf of the Trust):
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(a) To invest and reinvest cash, to hold cash uninvested, and
to subscribe for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase or otherwise acquire, own,
hold, pledge, sell, assign, transfer, exchange, distribute, write options on,
lend or otherwise deal in or dispose of contracts for the future acquisition or
delivery of fixed income or other securities, and securities of every nature and
kind, including, without limitation, all types of bonds, debentures, stocks,
negotiable or non-negotiable instruments, obligations, evidences of
indebtedness, certificates of deposit or indebtedness, commercial paper,
repurchase agreements, bankers' acceptances, and other securities of any kind,
issued, created, guaranteed, or sponsored by any and all Persons, including,
without limitation, states, territories, and possessions of the United States
and the District of Columbia and any political subdivision, agency, or
instrumentality thereof, any foreign government or any political subdivision of
the U.S. Government or any foreign government, or any international
instrumentality, or by any bank or savings institution, or by any corporation or
organization organized under the laws of the United States or of any state,
territory, or possession thereof, or by any corporation or organization
organized under any foreign law, or in "when issued" contracts for any such
securities, to change the investments of the assets of the Trust; and to
exercise any and all rights, powers, and privileges of ownership or interest in
respect of any and all such investments of every kind and description,
including, without limitation, the right to consent and otherwise act with
respect thereto, with power to designate one or more Persons, to exercise any of
said rights, powers, and privileges in respect of any of said instruments;
(b) To sell, exchange, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate,
lease, or write options (including, options on futures contracts) with respect
to or otherwise deal in any property rights relating to any or all of the assets
of the Trust or any Series;
(c) To vote or give assent, or exercise any rights of
ownership, with respect to stock or other securities 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 or property as the Trustees shall deem
proper;
(d) To exercise powers and right of subscription or otherwise
which in any manner arise out of ownership of securities;
(e) To hold any security or property in a form not indicating
any trust, whether in bearer, unregistered or other negotiable form, or in its
own name or in the name of a custodian or subcustodian or a nominee or nominees
or otherwise;
(f) To consent to or participate in any plan for the
reorganization, consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer of any
security which is 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 held in the Trust;
(g) To join with other security holders in acting through a
committee,
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depositary, voting trustee or otherwise, and in that connection to deposit any
security with, or transfer any security to, any such committee, depositary or
trustee, and to delegate to them such power and authority with relation to any
security (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, depositary or trustee as the Trustees shall deem
proper;
(h) To compromise, arbitrate or otherwise adjust claims in
favor of or against the Trust or any matter in controversy, including, but not
limited to, claims for taxes;
(i) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited
partnerships and any other combinations or associations;
(j) To borrow funds or other property in the name of the Trust
exclusively for Trust purposes and in connection therewith issue notes or other
evidence of indebtedness; and to mortgage and pledge the Trust Property or any
part thereof to secure any or all of such indebtedness;
(k) 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 of such obligations;
(l) To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust Property
such insurance as the Trustees may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct
of the business, including, without limitation, insurance policies insuring the
assets of the Trust or payment of distributions and principal on its portfolio
investments, and insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees,
officers, employees, agents, investment advisers, principal underwriters, or
independent contractors of the Trust, individually against all claims and
liabilities of every nature arising by reason of holding Shares, 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 as Trustee, officer, employee,
agent, investment adviser, principal underwriter, or independent contractor,
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 liability;
(m) To adopt, establish and carry out pension, profit-sharing,
share bonus, share purchase, savings, thrift and other retirement, incentive and
benefit plans and trusts, 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;
(n) To operate as and carry out the business of an investment
company, and exercise all the powers necessary or appropriate to the conduct of
such operations;
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(o) To enter into contracts of any kind and description;
(p) To employ one or more banks, trust companies or companies
that are members of a national securities exchange or such other entities as the
Commission may permit as custodians of any assets of the Trust subject to any
conditions set forth in this Declaration or Trust or in the By-Laws;
(q) To interpret the investment policies, practices or
limitations of any Series or Class; and
(r) Subject to the 1940 Act, to engage in any other lawful act
or activity in which a business trust organized under the Delaware Act may
engage.
The Trust shall not be limited to investing in obligations
maturing before the possible termination of the Trust or one or more of its
Series. The Trust shall not in any way be bound or limited by any present or
future law or custom in regard to investment by fiduciaries. The Trust shall not
be required to obtain any court order to deal with any assets of the Trust or
take any other action hereunder.
Section 4. Payment of Expenses by the Trust. The Trustees are
authorized to pay or cause to be paid out of the principal or income of the
Trust, or partly out of the principal and partly out of income, as they deem
fair, all expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities incurred or arising in
connection with the Trust, 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
or manager, Principal Underwriter, auditors, counsel, custodian, transfer agent,
shareholder servicing agent, and such other agents or independent contractors
and such other expenses and charges as the Trustees may deem necessary or proper
to incur, which expenses, fees, charges, taxes and liabilities shall be
allocated in accordance with Article III, Section 6 hereof.
Section 5. Payment of Expenses by Shareholders. The Trustees shall have
the power, as frequently as they may determine, to cause each Shareholder, or
each Shareholder of any particular Series, 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 6. Ownership of Assets of the Trust. Title to all of the assets
of the Trust shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trust, except
that the Trustees shall have power to cause legal title to any Trust Property to
be held by or in the name of one or more of the Trustees, or in the name of the
Trust, or in the name of any other Person as nominee, on such terms as the
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Trustees may determine. The right, title and interest of the Trustees in the
Trust Property shall vest automatically in each Person who may hereafter become
a Trustee. Upon the resignation, removal or death of a Trustee, he or she shall
automatically cease to have any right, title or interest in any of the Trust
Property, and the right, title and interest of such Trustee in the Trust
Property shall vest automatically in the remaining Trustees. Such vesting and
cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have
been executed and delivered.
Section 7. Service Contracts.
(a) Subject to such requirements and restrictions as may be
set forth under federal and/or state law and in the By-Laws, including, without
limitation, the requirements of Section 15 of the 1940 Act, the Trustees may, at
any time and from time to time, contract for exclusive or nonexclusive advisory,
management and/or administrative services for the Trust or for any Series (or
Class thereof) with any corporation, trust, association or other organization;
and any such contract may contain such other terms as the Trustees may
determine, including, without limitation, authority for the Manager or
administrator to delegate certain or all of its duties under such contracts to
qualified investment advisers and administrations and to determine from time to
time without prior consultation with the Trustees what investments shall be
purchased, held, sold or exchanged and what portion, if any, of the assets of
the Trust shall be held uninvested and to make changes in the Trust's
investments, or such other activities as may specifically be delegated to such
party.
(b) The Trustees may also, at any time and from time to time,
contract with any corporation, trust, association or other organization,
appointing it exclusive or nonexclusive distributor or Principal Underwriter for
the Shares of one or more of the Series (or Classes) or other securities to be
issued by the Trust. Every such contract shall comply with such requirements and
restrictions as may be set forth under federal and/or state law and in the
By-Laws, including, without limitation, the requirements of Section 15 of the
1940 Act; and any such contract may contain such other terms as the Trustees may
determine.
(c) The Trustees are also empowered, at any time and from time
to time, to contract with any corporations, trusts, associations or other
organizations, appointing it or them the custodian, transfer agent and/or
Shareholder servicing agent for the Trust or one or more of its Series. Every
such contract shall comply with such requirements and restrictions as may be set
forth under federal and/or state law and in the By-Laws or stipulated by
resolution of the Trustees.
(d) Subject to applicable law, the Trustees are further
empowered, at any time and from time to time, to contract with any entity to
provide such other services to the Trust or one or more of the Series, as the
Trustees determine to be in the best interests of the Trust and the applicable
Series.
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(e) 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,
distributor, or affiliate or agent of or for any corporation,
trust, association, or other organization, or for any parent
or affiliate of any organization with which an advisory,
management or administration contract, or principal
underwriter's or distributor's contract, or transfer,
shareholder servicing or other type of service contract may
have been or may hereafter be made, or that any such
organization, or any parent or affiliate thereof, is a
Shareholder or has an interest in the Trust, or that
(ii) any corporation, trust, association or other
organization with which an advisory, management or
administration contract or principal underwriter's or
distributor's contract, or transfer, shareholder servicing or
other type of service contract may have been or may hereafter
be made also has an advisory, management or administration
contract, or principal underwriter's or distributor's
contract, or transfer, shareholder servicing or other service
contract with one or more other corporations, trusts,
associations, or other organizations, or has other business or
interests,
shall not affect the validity of any such contract 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 or its
Shareholders, provided approval of each such contract is made pursuant to the
requirements of the 1940 Act.
Section 8. Trustees and Officers as Shareholders. Any Trustee, officer
or agent of the Trust may acquire, own and dispose of Shares to the same extent
as if he were not a Trustee, officer or agent; and the Trustees may issue and
sell and cause to be issued and sold Shares to, and redeem such Shares from, any
such Person or any firm or company in which such Person is interested, subject
only to the general limitations contained herein or in the By-Laws relating to
the sale and redemption of such Shares.
ARTICLE V
Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings
Section 1. Voting Powers, Meetings, Notice and Record Dates. The
Shareholders shall have power to vote only (i) for the election or removal of
Trustees as provided in Article IV, Section 1, and (ii) with respect to such
additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by applicable law,
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. Each whole Share shall be entitled to one vote
as to any matter on which it is entitled
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to vote and each fractional Share shall be entitled to a proportionate
fractional vote. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration of
Trust, on any matter submitted to a vote of the Shareholders, all Shares of the
Trust then entitled to vote shall be voted in aggregate, except (i) when
required by the 1940 Act, Shares shall be voted by individual Series; (ii) when
the matter involves the termination of a Series or any other action that the
Trustees have determined will affect only the interests of one or more Series,
then only Shareholders of such Series shall be entitled to vote thereon; and
(iii) when the matter involves any action that the Trustees have determined will
affect only the interests of one or more Classes, then only the Shareholders of
such Class or Classes shall be entitled to vote thereon. There shall be no
cumulative voting in the election of Trustees. Shares may be voted in person or
by proxy. A proxy may be given in writing. The By-Laws may provide that proxies
may also, or may instead, be given by any electronic or telecommunications
device or in any other manner. Notwithstanding anything else contained herein or
in the By-Laws, in the event a proposal by anyone other than the officers or
Trustees of the Trust is submitted to a vote of the Shareholders of one or more
Series or Classes thereof or of the Trust, or in the event of any proxy contest
or proxy solicitation or proposal in opposition to any proposal by the officers
or Trustees of the Trust, Shares may be voted only in person or by written proxy
at a meeting. Until Shares are issued, the Trustees may exercise all rights of
Shareholders and may take any action required by law, this Declaration of Trust
or the By-Laws to be taken by the Shareholders. Meeting of the Shareholders
shall be called and notice thereof and record dates therefor shall be given and
set as provided in the By-Laws.
Section 2. Quorum and Required Vote. Except when a larger quorum is
required by applicable law, by the By-Laws or by this Declaration of Trust,
thirty-three and one-third percent (33-1/3%) of the Shares entitled to vote
shall constitute a quorum at a Shareholders' meeting. When any one or more
Series (or Classes) is to vote as a single Class separate from any other Shares,
thirty-three and one-third percent (33-1/3%) of the Shares of each such Series
(or Classes) entitled to vote shall constitute a quorum at a Shareholders'
meeting of that Series (or Class). Except when a larger vote is required by any
provision of this Declaration of Trust or the By-Laws or by applicable law, when
a quorum is present at any meeting, a majority of the Shares voted shall decide
any questions and a plurality of the Shares voted shall elect a Trustee,
provided that where any provision of law or of this Declaration of Trust
requires that the holders of any Series shall vote as a Series (or that holders
of a Class shall vote as a Class), then a majority of the Shares of that Series
(or Class) voted on the matter (or a plurality with respect to the election of a
Trustee) shall decide that matter insofar as that Series (or Class) is
concerned.
Section 3. Record Dates. For the purpose of determining the
Shareholders of any Series (or Class) who are entitled to receive payment of any
dividend or of any other distribution, the Trustees may from time to time fix a
date, which shall be before the date for the payment of such dividend or such
other payment, as the record date for determining the Shareholders of such
Series (or Class) having the right to receive such dividend or distribution.
Without fixing a record date, the Trustees may for distribution purposes close
the register or transfer books for one or more Series (or Classes) at any time
prior to the payment of a distribution. Nothing in this Section shall be
construed as precluding the Trustees from setting different record dates for
different
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Series (or Classes).
Section 4. Additional Provisions. The By-Laws may include further
provisions for Shareholders' votes and meetings and related matters.
ARTICLE VI
Net Asset Value, Distributions and Redemptions
Section 1. Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income, and
Distributions. Subject to applicable law and Article III, Section 6 hereof, the
Trustees, in their absolute discretion, may prescribe and shall set forth in the
By-Laws or in a duly adopted vote of the Trustees such bases and time for
determining the per Share or net asset value of the Shares of any Series or net
income attributable to the Shares of any Series, or the declaration and payment
of dividends and distributions on the Shares of any Series, as they may deem
necessary or desirable.
Section 2. Redemptions and Repurchases.
(a) The Trust shall purchase such Shares as are offered by any
Shareholder for redemption, upon the presentation of a proper instrument of
transfer together with a request directed to the Trust or a Person designated by
the Trust that the Trust purchase such Shares or in accordance with such other
procedures for redemption as the Trustees may from time to time authorize; and
the Trust will pay therefor the net asset value thereof as determined by the
Trustees (or on their behalf), in accordance with any applicable provisions of
the By-Laws and applicable law. Unless extraordinary circumstances exist,
payment for said Shares shall be made by the Trust to the Shareholder within
seven (7) days after the date on which the request is made in proper form. The
obligation set forth in this Section 2 is subject to the provision that in the
event that any time the New York Stock Exchange (the "Exchange") is closed for
other than weekends or holidays, or if permitted by the rules and regulations or
an order of the Commission during periods when trading on the Exchange is
restricted or during any emergency which makes it impracticable for the Trust to
dispose of the investments of the applicable Series or to determine fairly the
value of the net assets held with respect to such Series or during any other
period permitted by order of the Commission for the protection of investors,
such obligations may be suspended or postponed by the Trustees. In the case of a
suspension of the right of redemption as provided herein, a Shareholder may
either withdraw the request for redemption or receive payment based on the net
asset value per share next determined after the termination of such suspension.
(b) The redemption price may in any case or cases be paid
wholly or partly in kind if the Trustees determine that such payment is
advisable in the interest of the remaining Shareholders of the Series for which
the Shares are being redeemed. Subject to the foregoing, the fair value,
selection and quantity of securities or other property so paid or delivered as
all or part
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of the redemption price may be determined by or under authority of the Trustees.
In no case shall the Trust be liable for any delay of any corporation or other
Person in transferring securities selected for delivery as all or part of any
payment in kind.
(c) If the Trustees shall, at any time and in good faith,
determine that direct or indirect ownership of Shares of any Series has or may
become concentrated in any Person to an extent that would disqualify any Series
as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (or any successor statute thereto), then the Trustees shall have the
power (but not the obligation) by such means as they deem equitable (i) to call
for the redemption by any such Person of a number, or principal amount, of
Shares sufficient to maintain or bring the direct or indirect ownership of
Shares into conformity with the requirements for such qualification and (ii) to
refuse to transfer or issue Shares to any Person whose acquisition of the Shares
in question would result in such disqualification. Any such redemption shall be
effected at the redemption price and in the manner provided in this Article VI.
(d) The holders of Shares shall upon demand disclose to the
Trustees in writing such information with respect to direct and indirect
ownership of Shares as the Trustees deem necessary to comply with the provisions
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor statute
thereto), or to comply with the requirements of any other taxing authority.
ARTICLE VII
Compensation and Limitation of
Liability of Trustees
Section 1. Compensation. The Trustees as such shall be entitled to
reasonable compensation from the Trust, and they may fix the amount of such
compensation. Nothing herein shall in any way prevent the employment of any
Trustee for advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other
services and payment for the same by the Trust.
Section 2. Indemnification and Limitation of Liability. A Trustee, when
acting in such capacity, shall not be personally liable to any Person, other
than the Trust or a Shareholder to the extent provided in this Article VII, for
any act, omission or obligation of the Trust, of such Trustee or of any other
Trustee. The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any
neglect or wrongdoing of any officer, agent, employee, Manager or Principal
Underwriter of the Trust. The Trust shall indemnify each Person who is, or has
been, a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust and any Person who is
serving or has served at the Trust's request as a director, officer, trustee,
employee or agent of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as
a shareholder, creditor or otherwise to the extent and in the manner provided in
the By-Laws.
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All persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim
against the Trust or the Trustees shall look only to the assets of the
appropriate Series, or, if the Trustees have yet to establish Series, of the
Trust for payment under such credit, contract or claim; and neither the Trustees
nor the Shareholders, nor any of the Trust's officers, employees or agents,
whether past, present or future, shall be personally liable therefor.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and
every other act or thing whatsoever executed or done by or on behalf of the
Trust or the Trustees by any of them in connection with the Trust shall
conclusively be deemed to have been executed or done only in or with respect to
his or their capacity as Trustee or Trustees, and such Trustee or Trustees shall
not be personally liable thereon. At the Trustees' discretion, any note, bond,
contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking made or issued by the Trustees
or by any officer or officers may give notice that the Certificate of Trust is
on file in the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware and
that a limitation on liability of Series exists and such note, bond, contract,
instrument, certificate or undertaking may, if the Trustees so determine, recite
that the same was executed or made on behalf of the Trust by a Trustee or
Trustees in such capacity and not individually or by an officer or officers in
such capacity 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 on the assets and property of the Trust or a Series thereof, and
may contain such further recital as such Person or Persons may deem appropriate.
The omission of any such notice or recital shall in no way operate to bind any
Trustees, officers or Shareholders individually.
Section 3. Trustee's Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or
Surety. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretions hereunder
shall be binding upon everyone interested. A Trustee shall be liable to the
Trust and to any Shareholder solely for his or her own willful misfeasance, bad
faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of the office of Trustee, and shall not be liable for errors of judgment
or mistakes of fact or law. The Trustees may take advice of counsel or other
experts with respect to the meaning and operation of this Declaration of Trust,
and shall be under no liability for any act or omission in accordance with such
advice nor for failing to follow such advice. The Trustees shall not be required
to give any bond as such, nor any surety if a bond is required.
Section 4. Insurance. The Trustees shall be entitled and empowered to
the fullest extent permitted by law to purchase with Trust assets insurance for
liability and for all expenses reasonably incurred or paid or expected to be
paid by a Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust in connection with
any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he or she becomes involved by
virtue of his or her capacity or former capacity with the Trust.
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ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous
Section 1. 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 2. Termination of Trust or Series.
(a) Unless terminated as provided herein, the Trust shall
continue without limitation of time. The Trust may be terminated at any time by
vote of a majority of the Shares of each Series entitled to vote, voting
separately by Series, or by the Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders.
Any Series of Shares or Class thereof may be terminated at any time by vote of a
majority of the Shares of such Series or Class entitled to vote or by the
Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders of such Series or Class.
(b) Upon the requisite Shareholder vote or action by the
Trustees to terminate the Trust or any one or more Series of Shares or any Class
thereof, after paying or otherwise providing for all charges, taxes, expenses
and liabilities, whether due or accrued or anticipated, of the Trust or of the
particular Series or any Class thereof as may be determined by the Trustees, the
Trust shall in accordance with such procedures as the Trustees consider
appropriate reduce the remaining assets of the Trust or of the affected Series
or Class to distributable form in cash or Shares (if any Series remain) or other
securities, or any combination thereof, and distribute the proceeds to the
Shareholders of the Series or Classes involved, ratably according to the number
of Shares of such Series or Class held by the several Shareholders of such
Series or Class on the date of distribution. Thereupon, the Trust or any
affected Series or Class shall terminate and the Trustees and the Trust shall be
discharged of any and all further liabilities and duties relating thereto or
arising therefrom, and the right, title and interest of all parties with respect
to the Trust or such Series or Class shall be canceled and discharged.
(c) Upon termination of the Trust, following completion of
winding up of its business, the Trustees shall cause a certificate of
cancellation of the Trust's Certificate of Trust to be filed in accordance with
the Delaware Act, which certificate of cancellation may be signed by any one
Trustee.
Section 3. Reorganization.
(a) Notwithstanding anything else herein, the Trustees may,
without Shareholder approval unless such approval is required by applicable law,
(i) cause the Trust to merge or consolidate with or into one or more trusts (or
series thereof to the extent permitted by law), partnerships, associations,
corporations or other business entities (including trusts,
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partnerships, associations, corporations or other business entities created by
the Trustees to accomplish such merger or consolidation) so long as the
surviving or resulting entity is an open-end management investment company under
the 1940 Act, or is a series thereof, that will succeed to or assume the Trust's
registration under the 1940 Act and that is formed, organized or existing under
the laws of the United States or of a state, commonwealth, possession or colony
of the United States, (ii) cause the Shares to be exchanged under or pursuant to
any state or federal statute to the extent permitted by law or (iii) cause the
Trust to incorporate under the laws of Delaware. Any agreement of merger or
consolidation or exchange or certificate of merger may be signed by a majority
of the Trustees and facsimile signatures conveyed by electronic or
telecommunication means shall be valid.
(b) Pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of
Section 3815(f) of the Delaware Act, and notwithstanding anything to the
contrary contained in this Declaration of Trust, an agreement of merger or
consolidation approved by the Trustees in accordance with this Section 3 may
effect any amendment to the governing instrument of the Trust or effect the
adoption of a new trust instrument of the Trust if the Trust is the surviving or
resulting trust in the merger or consolidation.
(c) The Trustees may create one or more business trusts to
which all or any part of the assets, liabilities, profits or losses of the Trust
or any Series or Class thereof may be transferred and may provide for the
conversion of Shares in the Trust or any Series or Class thereof into beneficial
interests in any such newly created trust or trusts or any series or classes
thereof.
Section 4. Amendments. Except as specifically provided in this Section,
the Trustees may, without Shareholder vote, restate, amend or otherwise
supplement this Declaration of Trust. Shareholders shall have the right to vote
(i) on any amendment that would affect their right to vote granted in Article V,
Section 1 hereof, (ii) on any amendment to this Section 4 of Article VIII, (iii)
on any amendment that may be required by applicable law or by the Trust's
registration statement filed with the Commission and (iv) on any amendment
submitted to them by the Trustees. Any amendment required or permitted to be
submitted to the Shareholders that, as the Trustees determine, shall affect the
Shareholders of one or more Series shall be authorized by a vote of the
Shareholders of each Series affected and no vote of Shareholders of a Series not
affected shall be required. Notwithstanding anything else herein, no amendment
hereof shall limit the rights to insurance provided by Article VII, Section 4
with respect to any acts or omissions of Persons covered thereby prior to such
amendment nor shall any such amendment limit the rights to indemnification
referenced in Article VII, Section 2 hereof as provided in the ByLaws with
respect to any actions or omissions of Persons covered thereby prior to such
amendment. The Trustees may, without Shareholder vote, restate, amend, or
otherwise supplement the Certificate of Trust as they deem necessary or
desirable.
Section 5. Filing of Copies, References, Headings. The original or a
copy of this instrument and of each restatement and/or amendment hereto shall be
kept at the office of the
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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 restatements and/or amendments have been made 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 restatements and/or amendments. In this
instrument and in any such restatements and/or amendments, references to this
instrument, and all expressions such as "herein", "hereof" and "hereunder",
shall be deemed to refer to this instrument as amended or affected by any such
restatements and/or amendments. 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. Whenever the singular number
is used herein, the same shall include the plural; and the neuter, masculine and
feminine genders shall include each other, as applicable. This instrument may be
executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be deemed an
original.
Section 6. Applicable Law.
(a) The Trust is created under, and this Declaration of Trust
is to be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of
the State of Delaware. The Trust shall be of the type commonly called a business
trust, and without limiting the provisions hereof, the Trust specifically
reserves the right to exercise any of the powers or privileges afforded to
business trusts or actions that may be engaged in by business trusts under the
Delaware Act, and the absence of a specific reference herein to any such power,
privilege or action shall not imply that the Trust may not exercise such power
or privilege or take such actions.
(b) Notwithstanding the first sentence of Section 6(a) of this
Article VIII, there shall not be applicable to the Trust, the Trustees or this
Declaration of Trust (x) the provisions of Section 3540 of Title 12 of the
Delaware Code or (y) any provisions of the laws (statutory or common) of the
State of Delaware (other than the Delaware Act) pertaining to trusts that relate
to or regulate: (i) the filing with any court or governmental body or agency of
trustee accounts or schedules of trustee fees and charges, (ii) affirmative
requirements to post bonds for trustees, officers, agents or employees of a
trust, (iii) the necessity for obtaining a court or other governmental approval
concerning the acquisition, holding or disposition of real or personal property,
(iv) fees or other sums applicable to trustees, officers, agents or employees of
a trust, (v) the allocation of receipts and expenditures to income or principal,
(vi) restrictions or limitations on the permissible nature, amount or
concentration of trust investments or requirements relating to the titling,
storage or other manner of holding of trust assets, or (vii) the establishment
of fiduciary or other standards or responsibilities or limitations on the acts
or powers of trustees that are inconsistent with the limitations or liabilities
or authorities and powers of the Trustees set forth or referenced in this
Declaration of Trust.
Section 7. Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations.
(a) The provisions of the Declaration of Trust are severable,
and if the
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Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any of such
provisions is in conflict with the 1940 Act, the regulated investment company
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor
statute thereto), and the regulations thereunder, the Delaware Act or with other
applicable laws and regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never
to have constituted a part of the Declaration of Trust; provided, however, that
such determination shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of the
Declaration of Trust or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted
prior to such determination.
(b) If any provision of the Declaration of Trust shall be held
invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or
unenforceability shall attach only to such provision in such jurisdiction and
shall not in any manner affect such provision in any other jurisdiction or any
other provision of the Declaration of Trust in any jurisdiction.
Section 8. Business Trust Only. It is the intention of the Trustees to
create a business trust pursuant to the Delaware Act. It is not the intention of
the Trustees to create a general partnership, limited partnership, joint stock
association, corporation, bailment, or any form of legal relationship other than
a business trust pursuant to the Delaware Act. Nothing in this Declaration of
Trust shall be construed to make the Shareholders, either by themselves or with
the Trustees, partners or members of a joint stock association.
[The remainder of this page has been
left blank intentionally.]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Trustees named below do hereby make and enter
into this Declaration of Trust as of the 29th day of July 1992.
/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
---------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Address: Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
/s/ S. Xxxx Xxxx
---------------------
Name: S. Xxxx Xxxx
Address: Xxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
THE PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS OF THE TRUST IS:
One Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
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