EXHIBIT 4.2
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this "Agreement") is made and entered
into as of July 31, 2003, among Civitas BankGroup, Inc., a Tennessee corporation
(the "Company"), and the investors set forth on Schedule 1 hereto (each such
investor is a "Investor" and all such investors are, collectively, the
"Investors").
This Agreement is made in connection with the Company's offering of up to
$9,000,000 of its common stock, par value $0.50 per share (the "Common Stock")
(the "Offering").
The Company and the Investors hereby agree as follows:
1. Definitions
As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
"Effectiveness Date" means the 365th calendar day following the date
hereof.
"Effectiveness Period" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2.
"Filing Date" means the 335th calendar day following the date
hereof.
"Holder" or "Holders" means the holder or holders, as the case may
be, from time to time of Registrable Securities.
"Indemnified Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
5(c).
"Indemnifying Party" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
5(c).
"Prospectus" means the prospectus included in the Registration
Statement (including, without limitation, a prospectus that includes any
information previously omitted from a prospectus filed as part of an
effective registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A promulgated
under the Securities Act), as amended or supplemented by any prospectus
supplement, with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of
the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement, and all
other amendments and supplements to the Prospectus, including
post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference or
deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus.
"Registrable Securities" means the shares of Common Stock purchased
by the Investors in connection with the Offering, together with any
securities issued or issuable upon any stock split, dividend or other
distribution, recapitalization or similar event with respect to the
foregoing.
"Registration Statement" means the registration statement required
to be filed hereunder, including the Prospectus, amendments and
supplements to such registration statement or Prospectus, including pre-
and post-effective amendments, all exhibits thereto, and all material
incorporated by reference or deemed to be incorporated by reference in
such registration statement.
"Rule 415" means Rule 415 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to
the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any
similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
"Rule 424" means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to
the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any
similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having
substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
"Special Counsel" means one special counsel to the Holders, as
specified by a majority in interest of the Holders. Each Holder may have
its own counsel as well.
2. Shelf Registration. On or prior to the Filing Date, the Company shall
prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement covering the
resale of all Registrable Securities for an offering to be made on a continuous
basis pursuant to Rule 415. The Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3
(unless the Company is not then eligible to register for resale the Registrable
Securities on Form S-3, in which case such registration shall be on another
appropriate form in accordance herewith). Subject to the terms of this
Agreement, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as
possible after the filing thereof, but in any event prior to the Effectiveness
Date, and shall use its best efforts to keep such Registration Statement
continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date which is two
years after the date that such Registration Statement is declared effective by
the Commission or such earlier date when all Registrable Securities covered by
such Registration Statement have been sold or may be sold without volume
restrictions pursuant to Rule 144(k) (the "Effectiveness Period").
3. Registration Procedures
In connection with the Company's registration obligations hereunder, the
Company shall:
(a) Not less than three Trading Days prior to the filing of the
Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
thereto (excluding any document that would be incorporated or deemed to be
incorporated therein by reference and
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excluding in any case any information for which an order granting confidential
treatment thereof is in effect or has been requested), the Company shall, (i)
furnish to each Holder and their Special Counsel copies of all such documents
proposed to be filed, which documents (other than those incorporated or deemed
to be incorporated by reference, excluding in any case any information for which
an order granting confidential treatment thereof is in effect or has been
requested) will be subject to the review of such Holders and their Special
Counsel, and (ii) cause its officers and directors, counsel and independent
certified public accountants to respond to such inquiries as shall be necessary,
in the reasonable opinion of respective counsel to conduct a reasonable
investigation within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Company shall not
file the Registration Statement or any such Prospectus or any amendments or
supplements thereto to which the Holders of a majority of the Registrable
Securities and their Special Counsel shall reasonably and in good faith object,
provided, the Company is notified of such objection in writing no later than two
Trading Days after the Holders have been so furnished copies of such documents.
(b) (i) Prepare and file with the Commission such amendments,
including post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement and the
Prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to keep the
Registration Statement continuously effective as to the Registrable Securities
for the Effectiveness Period in order to register for resale under the
Securities Act all of the Registrable Securities; (ii) cause the related
Prospectus to be amended or supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement
(subject to the terms of this Agreement), and as so supplemented or amended to
be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (iii) respond as promptly as reasonably possible
to any comments received from the Commission with respect to the Registration
Statement or any amendment thereto and as promptly as reasonably possible
provide the Holders true and complete copies of all correspondence from and to
the Commission relating to the Registration Statement; and (iv) comply in all
material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act
with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities covered by the
Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance (subject to
the terms of this Agreement) with the intended methods of disposition by the
Holders thereof set forth in the Registration Statement as so amended or in the
Prospectus as so supplemented.
(c) Notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to be sold (which
notice shall, pursuant to clauses (ii) through (vi) hereof, be accompanied by an
instruction to suspend the use of the Prospectus until the requisite changes
have been made) and their Special Counsel as promptly as reasonably possible
(and, in the case of (i)(A) below, not less than three Trading Days prior to
such filing) and (if requested by any such Person) confirm such notice in
writing no later than one Trading Day following the day (i)(A) when a Prospectus
supplement or post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement is proposed
to be filed; (B) when the Commission notifies the Company whether there will be
a "review" of such Registration Statement and whenever the Commission comments
in writing on such Registration Statement (the Company shall provide true and
complete copies thereof and all written responses thereto to each of the
Holders); and (C) with respect to the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment, when the same has become effective; (ii) of any
request by the Commission or any other Federal or state governmental authority
for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for
additional information; (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of
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any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
covering any or all of the Registrable Securities or the initiation of any
Proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any
notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification or exemption
from qualification of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in any
jurisdiction, or the initiation or threatening of any Proceeding for such
purpose; (v) of the occurrence of any event or passage of time that makes the
financial statements included in the Registration Statement ineligible for
inclusion therein or any statement made in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by
reference untrue in any material respect or that requires any revisions to the
Registration Statement, Prospectus or other documents so that, in the case of
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, it will not
contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein,
in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and
(vi) the occurrence or existence of any pending corporate development with
respect to the Company that the Company believes, in good faith, may be material
and that, in the determination of the Company, makes it not in the best
interests of the Company to allow continued availability of the Registration
Statement or Prospectus
(d) Promptly deliver to each Holder and their Special Counsel,
without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus or Prospectuses (including each
form of prospectus) and each amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons may
reasonably request. Subject to the terms of this Agreement, the Company hereby
consents to the use of such Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto
by each of the selling Holders in connection with the offering and sale of the
Registrable Securities covered by such Prospectus and any amendment or
supplement thereto.
(e) Use commercially reasonable efforts to register or qualify the
resale of such Registrable Securities as required under applicable securities or
Blue Sky laws of each State within the United States as any Holder reasonably
requests in writing, and to keep each such registration or qualification (or
exemption therefrom) effective during the Effectiveness Period; provided, that
the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any
jurisdiction where it is not then so qualified or subject the Company to any
material tax in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.
(f) Cooperate with the Holders to facilitate the timely preparation
and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be delivered
to a transferee pursuant to the Registration Statement, which certificates shall
be free, to the extent permitted by the Subscription Agreement by and between
the Company and the Investors, of all restrictive legends, and to enable such
Registrable Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names
as any such Holders may request.
(g) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by this Section 3,
as promptly as reasonably possible, prepare a supplement or amendment, including
a post-effective amendment, to the Registration Statement or a supplement to the
related Prospectus or any document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated
therein by reference, and file any other required document so that, as
thereafter delivered, neither the Registration Statement nor such
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Prospectus will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading. If the Company notifies the Holders in accordance with clauses
(ii) through (vi) of Section 3(c) above to suspend the use of the use of any
Prospectus until the requisite changes to such Prospectus have been made, then
the Holders shall suspend use of such Prospectus. The Company will use its best
efforts to ensure that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed as promptly as
is practicable, except that in the case of suspension of the availability of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus pursuant to clause (vi) of Section 3(c),
the Company shall not be required to take such action until such time as it
shall determine, in good faith, that the continued availability of the
Registration Statement and Prospectus is no longer not in the best interests of
the Company. The Company shall be entitled to exercise its right under this
Section 3(g) to suspend the availability of the Registration Statement and
Prospectus for a period not to exceed twenty (20) consecutive trading days or
for multiple periods not to exceed thirty (30) trading days in any 12 month
period.
(h) Use its commercially reasonable best efforts to comply with all
applicable rules and regulations of the Commission.
(i) Use its best efforts to avoid the issuance of, or, if issued,
obtain the withdrawal of (i) any order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement, or (ii) any suspension of the qualification (or
exemption from qualification) of any of the Registrable Securities for sale in
any jurisdiction, at the earliest practicable moment.
(j) The Company may require, at any time prior to the third Trading
Day prior to the Filing Date, each Holder to furnish to the Company a statement
as to the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Holder
and, if requested by the Commission, the controlling person thereof, within
three Trading Days of the Company's request.
4. Registration Expenses. All fees and expenses incident to the
performance of or compliance with this Agreement by the Company shall be borne
by the Company whether or not any Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to
the Registration Statement. The fees and expenses referred to in the foregoing
sentence shall include, without limitation, (i) all registration and filing fees
(including, without limitation, fees and expenses (A) with respect to filings
required to be made with Nasdaq or such other market on which the Common Stock
is then listed for trading, and (B) in compliance with applicable state
securities or Blue Sky laws (including, without limitation, fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Company in connection with Blue Sky
qualifications or exemptions of the Registrable Securities and determination of
the eligibility of the Registrable Securities for investment under the laws of
such jurisdictions as requested by the Holders )), (ii) printing expenses
(including, without limitation, expenses of printing certificates for
Registrable Securities and of printing prospectuses requested by the Holders),
(iii) messenger, telephone and delivery expenses, (iv) fees and disbursements of
counsel for the Company, and (v) fees and expenses of all other Persons retained
by the Company in connection with the
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consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. In addition,
the Company shall be responsible for all of its internal expenses incurred in
connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this
Agreement (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its
officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expense of
any annual audit and the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the
listing of the Registrable Securities on any securities exchange as required
hereunder. In no event shall the Company be responsible for any broker or
similar commissions or, except to the extent provided for in this Agreement, any
legal fees or other costs of the Holders.
5. Indemnification
(a) Indemnification by the Company. The Company shall,
notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, indemnify and hold harmless
each Holder, the officers, directors, agents, brokers (including brokers who
offer and sell Registrable Securities as principal as a result of a pledge or
any failure to perform under a margin call of Common Stock), investment advisors
and employees of each of them, each Person who controls any such Holder (within
the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act) and the officers, directors, agents and employees of each such controlling
Person, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against any
and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs (including, without
limitation, costs of preparation and reasonable attorneys' fees) and expenses
(collectively, "Losses"), as incurred, arising out of or relating to any untrue
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration
Statement, the Prospectus or any form of prospectus or in any amendment or
supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus, or arising out of or
relating to any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the
Prospectus or form of prospectus or supplement thereto, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, except to the extent,
but only to the extent, that (1) such untrue statements or omissions or alleged
untrue statements or omissions are based upon information regarding such Holder
furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder, officer, director, partner,
underwriter for such Holder or controlling person of such Holder expressly for
use therein, or to the extent that such information relates to such Holder or
such Holder's proposed method of distribution of Registrable Securities and was
reviewed and expressly approved in writing by such Holder officer, director,
partner, underwriter for such Holder or controlling person of such Holder
expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of
Prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or (2) in the case of an
occurrence of an event of the type specified in Section 3(c)(ii)-(vi), the use
by such Holder of an outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has
notified such Holder in writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and
prior to the receipt by such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(c).
The Company shall notify the Holders promptly of the institution, threat or
assertion of any Proceeding arising from or in connection with the transactions
contemplated by this Agreement of which the Company is aware.
(b) Indemnification by Holders. Each Holder shall, severally and not
jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, officers,
agents and employees, each Person who controls the Company (within the meaning
of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the
directors, officers, agents or employees of such controlling Persons, to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable law, from and against all Losses (as
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment not subject
to appeal or
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review) arising out of or based upon any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, or any
form of prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, or arising out of
or based upon: (i) such Holder's failure to comply with the prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act provided that the Company has either provided
the Holder with copies of such Prospectus or made them available from an online
source or (ii) any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading to the extent, but only
to the extent, that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any
information so furnished in writing by such Holder, officer, director, partner,
underwriter for such Holder or controlling person of such Holder to the Company
specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or such Prospectus or
to the extent that (1) such untrue statements or omissions are based upon
information regarding such Holder furnished in writing to the Company by such
Holder, officer, director, partner, underwriter for such Holder or controlling
person of such Holder expressly for use therein, or to the extent that such
information relates to such Holder or such Holder's proposed method of
distribution of Registrable Securities and was reviewed and expressly approved
in writing by such Holder, officer, director, partner, underwriter for such
Holder or controlling person of such Holder expressly for use in the
Registration Statement, such Prospectus or such form of Prospectus or in any
amendment or supplement thereto or (2) in the case of an occurrence of an event
of the type specified in Section 3(c)(ii)-(vi), the use by such Holder of an
outdated or defective Prospectus after the Company has notified such Holder in
writing that the Prospectus is outdated or defective and prior to the receipt by
such Holder of the Advice contemplated in Section 6(c). In no event shall the
liability of any selling Holder hereunder be greater in amount than the dollar
amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder upon the sale of the
Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification obligation.
(c) Conduct of Indemnification Proceedings. If any Proceeding shall
be brought or asserted against any Person entitled to indemnity hereunder (an
"Indemnified Party"), such Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Person
from whom indemnity is sought (the "Indemnifying Party") in writing, and the
Indemnifying Party shall assume the defense thereof, including the employment of
counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Party and the payment of all
fees and expenses incurred in connection with defense thereof; provided, that
the failure of any Indemnified Party to give such notice shall not relieve the
Indemnifying Party of its obligations or liabilities pursuant to this Agreement,
except (and only) to the extent that such failure shall have prejudiced the
Indemnifying Party.
An Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in
any such Proceeding and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Party or
Parties unless: (1) the Indemnifying Party has agreed in writing to pay such
fees and expenses; or (2) the Indemnifying Party shall have failed promptly to
assume the defense of such Proceeding and to employ counsel reasonably
satisfactory to such Indemnified Party in any such Proceeding; or (3) the named
parties to any such Proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both
such Indemnified Party and the Indemnifying Party, and such Indemnified Party
shall have been advised by counsel that a material conflict of interest is
likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnified Party and
the Indemnifying Party (in which case, if such Indemnified Party notifies the
Indemnifying Party in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the
expense of the
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Indemnifying Party, the Indemnifying Party shall not have the right to assume
the defense thereof and the expense of one such counsel for all Holders shall be
at the expense of the Indemnifying Party). The Indemnifying Party shall not be
liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written
consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. No Indemnifying Party
shall, without the prior written consent of the Indemnified Party, effect any
settlement of any pending Proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Party
is a party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such
Indemnified Party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of
such Proceeding.
Subject to the terms of this Agreement, all fees and expenses of the
Indemnified Party (including reasonable fees and expenses to the extent incurred
in connection with investigating or preparing to defend such Proceeding in a
manner not inconsistent with this Section) shall be paid to the Indemnified
Party, as incurred, within ten Trading Days of written notice thereof to the
Indemnifying Party (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an
Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder; provided, that
the Indemnifying Party may require such Indemnified Party to undertake to
reimburse all such fees and expenses to the extent it is finally judicially
determined that such Indemnified Party is not entitled to indemnification
hereunder).
(d) Contribution. If a claim for indemnification under Section 5(a)
or 5(b) is unavailable to an Indemnified Party (by reason of public policy or
otherwise), then each Indemnifying Party, in lieu of indemnifying such
Indemnified Party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such
Indemnified Party as a result of such Losses, in such proportion as is
appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the Indemnifying Party and
Indemnified Party in connection with the actions, statements or omissions that
resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative fault of such Indemnifying Party and Indemnified Party shall be
determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question,
including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission
or alleged omission of a material fact, has been taken or made by, or relates to
information supplied by, such Indemnifying Party or Indemnified Party, and the
parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
correct or prevent such action, statement or omission. The amount paid or
payable by a party as a result of any Losses shall be deemed to include, subject
to the limitations set forth in Section 5(c), any reasonable attorneys' or other
reasonable fees or expenses incurred by such party in connection with any
Proceeding to the extent such party would have been indemnified for such fees or
expenses if the indemnification provided for in this Section was available to
such party in accordance with its terms.
The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if
contribution pursuant to this Section 5(d) were determined by pro rata
allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5(d), no Holder shall be required
to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the
proceeds actually received by such Holder from the sale of the Registrable
Securities subject to the Proceeding exceeds the amount of any damages that such
Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
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The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section are in
addition to any liability that the Indemnifying Parties may have to the
Indemnified Parties.
6. Miscellaneous
(a) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement,
including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or
supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof
may not be given, unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the Company
and each Holder of then outstanding Registrable Securities. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, a waiver or consent to depart from the provisions hereof with respect
to a matter that relates exclusively to the rights of a Holder and that does not
directly or indirectly affect the rights of other Holders may be given by any
Holder as to itself.
(b) Compliance. Each Holder covenants and agrees that it will comply
with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act as applicable to
it in connection with sales of Registrable Securities pursuant to the
Registration Statement provided that the Company has either provided the Holder
with copies of such Prospectus or made them available from an online source.
(c) Discontinued Disposition. Each Holder agrees by its acquisition
of such Registrable Securities that, upon receipt of a notice from the Company
of the occurrence of any event of the kind described in Section 3(c), such
Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of such Registrable Securities
under the Registration Statement until such Holder's receipt of the copies of
the supplemented Prospectus and/or amended Registration Statement contemplated
by Section 3(g), or until it is advised in writing (the "Advice") by the Company
that the use of the applicable Prospectus may be resumed, and, in either case,
has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in such Prospectus or
Registration Statement. The Company may provide appropriate stop orders to
enforce the provisions of this paragraph.
(d) Notices. All communications under this Agreement shall be in
writing and shall be delivered by facsimile, by hand, by reliable overnight
delivery service such as UPS or FedEx or by registered or certified mail,
postage prepaid:
(i) if to the Company, to Four Corporate Centre, 000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxx 00000:
Attention: Chief Financial Officer, or at such address as it may
have furnished in writing to the Investors; and
(ii) if to the Investors, at the addresses listed on
Schedule I hereto, or at such other addresses as may have been
furnished in writing to the Company.
Any notice so addressed shall be deemed to be given (i) if delivered by hand, on
the date of such delivery, (ii) if sent by reliable overnight delivery service
such as UPS or FedEx, on the first business day following the date of delivery
to such service for overnight delivery, (iii) if
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delivered by facsimile, on the date of such facsimile with confirmed receipt, or
(iv) if mailed by registered or certified mail, on the third business day after
the date of such mailing.
(e) Assignments and Transfer by Investors. This provisions of this
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Investors and
their respective successors and assigns. An Investor may transfer or assign, in
whole or from time to time in part, to one or more persons its rights hereunder
in connection with the transfer of shares of Registrable Securities by such
Investor to such person in accordance with the terms of the Subscription
Agreement by and between the Company and such Investor, provided that such
Investor complies with the provisions of all applicable laws thereto and
provides written notice of assignment to the Company promptly after such
assignment is effected.
(f) Assignments and Transfers by the Company. This Agreement may not
be assigned by the Company without prior written consent of the holders of at
least 75% of the Registrable Securities, except that without the prior written
consent of the holders of at least 75% of the Registrable Securities, but after
notice duly given, the Company shall assign its rights and delegate its duties
hereunder to any successor-in-interest corporation, and such
successor-in-interest shall assume such rights and duties, in the event of a
merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation or the
sale of all or substantially all of the Company's assets.
(g) Removal of Restrictive Legend. Promptly following the request of
a Holder, which request shall not be made prior to the date that the
Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission, the Company
shall use its commercially reasonable best efforts to instruct the Company's
transfer agent to remove any restrictive legend endorsed on such Holder's stock
certificate representing any Registrable Securities issued in connection with
the Offering, including obtaining a written opinion of counsel to the Company
that such legend may be removed and causing such opinion to be delivered to the
Company's transfer agent. The Company agrees that such a request by any Holder
may be made at any time after the Registration Statement is declared effective
by the Commission including following the termination of the Effectiveness
Period. In the event that the Registration Statement is not declared effective
by the Commission, the Holder may make the request contemplated by this
paragraph (g) with respect to the restrictive legend, at any time after July 31,
2005.
(h) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original
and, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. In
the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission, such
signature shall create a valid binding obligation of the party executing (or on
whose behalf such signature is executed) the same with the same force and effect
as if such facsimile signature were the original thereof.
(i) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction,
validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by
and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of
Tennessee, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. If
either party shall commence a Proceeding to enforce any provisions of this
Agreement, then the prevailing party in such Proceeding shall be reimbursed
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by the other party for its attorneys fees and other costs and expenses incurred
with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such Proceeding.
(j) Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of
this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid,
illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions,
covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and
effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties
hereto shall use their reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative
means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated
by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and
declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the
remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of
such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.
(k) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(l) Independent Nature of Investors' Obligations and Rights. The
obligations of each Investor hereunder is several and not joint with the
obligations of any other Investor hereunder, and no Investor shall be
responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other
Investor hereunder. Nothing contained herein or in any other agreement or
document delivered at any closing, and no action taken by any Investor pursuant
hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Investors as a partnership,
an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a
presumption that the Investors are in any way acting in concert with respect to
such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Each
Investor shall be entitled to protect and enforce its rights, including without
limitation the rights arising out of this Agreement, and it shall not be
necessary for any other Investor to be joined as an additional party in any
proceeding for such purpose. Each Investor has been represented by its own
separate legal counsel in their review and negotiation of the Transaction
Documents. For reasons of administrative convenience only, Investors and their
respective counsel may have chosen to communicate with the Company through one
counsel.
11
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Registration Rights
Agreement as of the date first written above.
CIVITAS BANKGROUP, INC.
By: _________________________________
Name: ______________________________
Title: _____________________________
12
[SIGNATURE PAGE CONT.]
NAME OF INVESTOR:
________________________________
By:_____________________________
Name:
Title:
Schedule I
List of Investors
Financial Stocks Capital Partners II L.P.
507 Xxxxx Tower
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Cerulean Partners, Ltd
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxx, XX 00000
Acadia Fund I LP
000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxx, XX 00000
