Exhibit 1
ALLMERICA PRIME TRUST
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
ALLMERICA PRIME TRUST
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST made at Worcester, Massachusetts, the 26th
day of September, 2002, by the Trustees hereunder, as amended.
WITNESSETH that
WHEREAS, the Trustees have agreed to manage all property coming into their hands
as Trustees of a Massachusetts voluntary association with transferable shares in
accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby declare that they will hold all cash,
securities and other assets, which they may from time to time acquire in any
manner as Trustees hereunder IN TRUST to manage and dispose of the same upon the
following terms and conditions for the pro rata benefit of the holders from time
to time of Shares in this Trust as hereinafter set forth.
ARTICLE I
Name and Definitions
Name
Section 1. This Trust shall be known as Allmerica Prime 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.
Definitions
Section 2. Whenever used herein, unless otherwise required by the context or
specifically provided:
(a) The "Trust" refers to the Massachusetts business trust established by
this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to time;
(b) "Trustees" refers to the Trustees of the Trust named herein or elected
in accordance with Article IV;
(c) "Shares" means the equal proportionate transferable units of interest
into which the beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided from
time to time or, if more than one series or class of Shares is
authorized by the Trustees, the equal proportionate transferable units
into which each series or class of Shares shall be divided from time
to time;
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(d) "Shareholder" means a record owner of Shares;
(e) The "1940 Act" refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the
Rules and Regulations thereunder, all as amended from time to time;
(f) The terms "Affiliated Person", "Assignment", "Commission", "Interested
Person", "Principal Underwriter" and "Majority Shareholder Vote" (the
67% or 50% requirement of the third sentence of Section 2(a)(42) of
the 1940 Act, whichever may be applicable) shall have the meanings
given them in the 1940 Act;
(g) "Declaration of Trust" shall mean this Agreement and Declaration of
Trust as amended or restated from time to time;
(h) "Bylaws" shall mean the Bylaws of the Trust as amended from time to
time;
(i) The terms "series" or "series of Shares" refers to the one or more
separate investment portfolios of the Trust into which the assets and
liabilities of the Trust may be divided and the Shares of the Trust
representing the beneficial interest of Shareholders in such
respective portfolios; and
(j) The term "class" or "class of Shares" refers to the division of Shares
representing any series into two or more classes as provided in
Article III, Section 1 hereof.
ARTICLE II
Purpose of Trust
The purpose of the Trust is to provide investors a managed investment primarily
in securities, debt instruments and other instruments and rights of a financial
character.
ARTICLE III
Shares
Division of Beneficial Interest
Section 1. The Shares of the Trust shall be issued in one or more series as the
Trustees may, without shareholder approval, authorize. Each series shall be
preferred over all other series in respect of the assets allocated to that
series within the meaning of the 1940 Act and shall represent a separate
investment portfolio of the Trust. The beneficial interest in each series shall
at all times be divided into Shares, without par value, each of which shall,
except as provided in the following sentence, represent an equal proportionate
interest in the series with each other Share of the same series, none having
priority or preference over another. The Trustees may, without Shareholder
approval, divide the Shares of any series into two or more classes, Shares of
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each such class having such preferences and special or relative rights and
privileges (including conversion rights, if any) as the Trustees may determine
and as shall be set forth in the Bylaws. The number of Shares authorized shall
be unlimited. The Trustees may from time to time divide or combine the Shares of
any series or class into a greater or lesser number without thereby changing the
proportionate beneficial interests in the series or class.
Ownership of Shares
Section 2. The ownership of Shares shall be recorded on the books of the Trust
or a transfer or similar agent. 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 and similar matters. The
record books of the Trust as kept by the Trust or any transfer or similar agent,
as the case may be, shall be conclusive as to who are the Shareholders of each
series and class and as to the number of Shares of each series and class held
from time to time by each Shareholder.
Investment in the Trust
Section 3. The Trustees shall accept investments in the Trust from such persons
and on such terms and for such consideration, which may consist of cash or
tangible or intangible property or a combination thereof, as they or the Bylaws
from time to time authorize.
All consideration received by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of each
series, together with all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof,
including any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation thereof,
and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in
whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably belong to the series of Shares
with respect to which the same were received by the Trust for all purposes,
subject only to the rights of creditors, and shall be so handled upon the books
of account of the Trust and are herein referred to as "assets" of such series.
No Preemptive Rights
Section 4. Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to subscribe to
any additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust.
Status of Shares and Limitation of Personal Liability
Section 5. Shares shall be deemed to be personal property giving only the rights
provided in this instrument or the Bylaws. Every Shareholder by virtue of having
become a Shareholder shall be held to have expressly assented and agreed to the
terms of this instrument and the Bylaws and to have become a party hereto. The
death of a Shareholder during the continuance of the Trust shall not operate to
terminate the same nor entitle the representative of any deceased Shareholder to
an accounting or to take any action in court or elsewhere against the Trust or
Trustees, but only to the rights of said decedent under this Trust. Ownership of
Shares shall not entitle the Shareholder to any title in or right to any part of
the Trust property, or to call for a partition or division of the same, or to
call for an accounting; nor shall the ownership of Shares
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constitute the Shareholders partners. Neither the Trust nor the Trustees, nor
any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall have any power to bind
personally any Shareholder, nor except as specifically provided herein to call
upon any Shareholder for the payment of any sum of money or assessment
whatsoever other than such as the Shareholder may at any time personally agree
to pay.
ARTICLE IV
The Trustees
Election
Section 1. The initial Trustees, each of whom shall serve until the first
meeting of Shareholders at which Trustees are elected and until his or her
successor is elected and qualified, or is removed, shall be Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx and such other persons as the Trustees then in office
shall, prior to any sale of Shares pursuant to public offering, appoint.
The number of Trustees shall be fixed by the Trustees, except that, subsequent
to any sale of Shares pursuant to a public offering, there shall be not less
than three nor more than fifteen Trustees. Any vacancies occurring in the Board
of Trustees may be filled by Trustees, if immediately after filling any such
vacancy, at least two-thirds of the Trustees then holding office shall have been
elected to such office by the Shareholders. In the event that at any time less
than a majority of the Trustees then holding office were elected to such office
by the Shareholders, the Trustees shall call a meeting of Shareholders for the
purpose of electing Trustees. Each Trustee elected by the Shareholders or by the
Trustees shall serve until the next meeting of Shareholders held for the purpose
of electing Trustees and until the election and qualification of his or her
successor, or until he or she sooner dies, resigns, or is removed. At any
meeting called for such purpose, a Trustee may be removed, with or without
cause, by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares. By vote of a majority of
the Trustees then in office, the Trustees may remove a Trustee with or without
cause. A Trustee's incumbency shall be subject to termination by the retirement
policy adopted from time to time by the Board of Trustees.
Effect of Death, Resignation, etc., of a Trustee
Section 2. The death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal or
incapacity of the Trustees, or any one 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.
Powers
Section 3. Subject to the provisions of this Declaration of Trust, the business
of the Trust shall be managed by the Trustees, and they shall have all powers
necessary or convenient to carry out that responsibility. Without limiting the
foregoing, the Trustees may adopt Bylaws not inconsistent with this Declaration
of Trust providing for the conduct of the business of the Trust and may amend
and repeal them to the extent that such Bylaws do not reserve that right to the
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Shareholders; they may fill vacancies in or add to their number and may elect
and remove such officers and appoint and terminate such agents as they consider
appropriate; they may appoint from their own number, and terminate, any one or
more committees including an executive committee which may, when the Trustees
are not in session, exercise some or all of the power and authority of the
Trustees as the Trustees may determine; they may employ one or more custodians
of the assets of the Trust and may authorize such custodians to employ
sub-custodians and to deposit all or any part of such assets in a system or
systems for the central handling of securities, retain a transfer agent or a
Shareholder servicing agent, or both, provide for the distribution of Shares by
the Trust, through one or more principal underwriters or otherwise, set record
dates for the determination of Shareholders with respect to various matters, 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 or underwriter.
Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees shall have power and authority:
(a) To invest and reinvest cash, and to hold cash uninvested;
(b) To sell, exchange, lend, pledge, mortgage, hypothecate, write options
on and lease any or all of the assets of the Trust;
(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 rights 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 the
name of the Trustees or of the Trust or in the name of a custodian,
sub-custodian or other depositary or a nominee or nominees or
otherwise;
(f) Subject to the provisions of Article III, Section 3, to allocate
assets, liabilities, income and expenses of the Trust to a particular
series of Shares or to apportion the same among two or more series,
provided that any liabilities or expenses incurred by or arising in
connection with a particular series of Shares shall be payable solely
out of the assets of that series; and to the extent necessary or
appropriate to give effect to the preferences and special or relative
rights and privileges of any classes of Shares, to allocate assets,
liabilities, income and expenses of a series to a particular class of
Shares of that series or to apportion the same among two or more
classes of Shares of that series;
(g) To consent to or participate in any plan for the reorganization,
consolidation or merger of any corporation or issuer, any security of
which is or was held in the
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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;
(h) To join other security holders in acting through a committee,
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;
(i) 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;
(j) To enter into joint ventures, general or limited partnerships and any
other combinations or associations;
(k) To borrow funds;
(l) To endorse or guarantee the payment of any notes or other obligations
of any person; to make contracts of guaranty or suretyship, or
otherwise assume liability for payment thereof; and to mortgage and
pledge the Trust property or any part thereof to secure any of or all
such obligations;
(m) To purchase and pay for entirely out of Trust property such insurance
as they may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the
business, including without limitation, insurance policies insuring
the assets of the Trust and payment of distributions and principal on
its portfolio investments, and insurance policies insuring any
Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees, agents, investment
advisers or managers, principal underwriters, or independent
contractors of the Trust individually against all claims and
liabilities of every nature arising by reason of holding, being or
having held any such office or position, or by reason of any action
alleged to have been taken or omitted by any such person as
Shareholder, Trustee, officer, employee, agent, investment adviser or
manager, 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 such liability; and
(n) To pay pensions for faithful service, as deemed appropriate by the
Trustees, and to adopt, establish and carry out pension,
profit-sharing, share bonus, share purchase, savings, thrift and other
retirement, incentive and benefit plans, trusts and provisions,
including the purchasing of life insurance and annuity contracts as a
means of providing such retirement and other benefits, for any or all
of the Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust.
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The Trustees shall not in any way be bound or limited by any present or future
law or custom in regard to investments by Trustees. Except as otherwise provided
herein or from time to time in the Bylaws, any action to be taken by the
Trustees may be taken by a majority of the Trustees present at a meeting of
Trustees (a quorum being present), within or without Massachusetts, including
any meeting held by means of a conference telephone or other communications
equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear
each other at the same time, and participation by such means shall constitute
presence in person at a meeting, or by written consents of a majority of the
Trustees then in office.
Payment of Expenses by Trust
Section 4. The Trustees are authorized to pay or to cause to be paid out of the
assets of the Trust, 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, auditor, 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; provided, however, that all expenses, fees,
charges, taxes and liabilities incurred by or arising in connection with a
particular series of Shares shall be payable solely out of the assets of that
series.
Ownership of Assets of the Trust
Section 5. Title to all of the assets of each series of Shares and of the Trust
shall at all times be considered as vested in the Trustees.
Advisory, Management and Distribution
Section 6. Subject to a favorable Majority Shareholder Vote, the Trustees may,
at any time and from time to time, contract for exclusive or nonexclusive
advisory and/or management services with any corporation, trust, association or
other organization (the "Manager"), every such contract to comply with such
requirements and restrictions as may be set forth in the Bylaws; and any such
contract may contain such other terms interpretive of or in addition to said
requirements and restrictions as the Trustees may determine, including, without
limitation, authority to determine from time to time 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. The Trustees may also, at any time and from time to time, contract
with the Manager or any other corporation, trust association or other
organization, appointing it exclusive or nonexclusive distributor or principal
underwriter for the Shares, every such contract to comply with such requirements
and restrictions as may be set forth in the Bylaws; and any such contract may
contain such other terms interpretive of or in addition to said requirements and
restrictions as the Trustees may determine.
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The fact that:
(a) any of the Shareholders, Trustees or officers of the Trust is a
shareholder, director, officer, partner, trustee, employee, manager,
adviser, principal underwriter or distributor or agent of or for any
corporation, trust, association, or other organization, or of or for
any parent or affiliate of any organization, with which an advisory or
management contract, or principal underwriter's or distributor's
contract, or transfer, Shareholder servicing or other agency 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
(b) any corporation, trust, association or other organization with which
an advisory or management contract or principal underwriter's or
distributor's contract, or transfer, Shareholder servicing or other
agency contract may have been or may hereafter be made also has an
advisory or management contract, or principal underwriter's or
distributor's contract, or transfer, Shareholder servicing or other
agency 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.
ARTICLE V
Shareholders' Voting Powers and Meetings
Voting Powers
Section 1. Subject to the voting powers of one or more classes of Shares as set
forth elsewhere in this Declaration of Trust or in the Bylaws, the Shareholders
shall have power to vote only (a) for the election of Trustees as provided in
Article IV, Section 1, (b) with respect to any Manager as provided in Article
IV, Section 6, (c) with respect to any termination of this Trust to the extent
and as provided in Article IX, Section 4, (d) with respect to any amendment of
this Declaration of Trust to the extent and as provided in Article IX, Section
7, (e) to the same extent as the stockholders of a Massachusetts business
corporation as to whether or not a court action, proceeding or claim should or
should not be brought or maintained derivatively or as a class action on behalf
of the Trust or the Shareholders, and (f) with respect to such additional
matters relating to the Trust as may be required by this Declaration of Trust,
the Bylaws or any registration of the Trust with the Securities and Exchange
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 to vote and each fractional Share shall
be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote. On any matter submitted to a
vote of Shareholders, all Shares of the Trust then entitled to vote shall,
except as otherwise provided in the Bylaws, be voted in the aggregate as a
single class without regard to series or classes of Shares, except (1) when
required by the 1940 Act or when the Trustees shall have determined that the
matter affects one or more series or classes of Shares materially differently,
Shares shall be voted by individual
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series or class; and (2) when the Trustees have determined that the matter
affects only the interests of one or more series or classes, then only
Shareholders of such series 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 with respect to Shares held in the name of two or
more persons shall be valid if executed by any one of them unless at or prior to
exercise of the proxy the Trust receives a specific written notice to the
contrary from any one of them. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf
of a Shareholder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its
exercise, and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger.
Until Shares of any series or class are issued, the Trustees may exercise all
rights of Shareholders and may take any action required by law, this Declaration
of Trust or the Bylaws to be taken by Shareholders as to such series or class.
Voting Power and Meetings
Section 2. Meetings of Shareholders of the Trust or of any or all series or
classes may be called by the Trustees or such other person or persons as may be
specified in the Bylaws, and held from time to time for the purpose of taking
action upon any matter requiring the vote or the authority of the Shareholders
of the Trust or of any such series or classes as herein provided or upon any
other matter deemed by the Trustees to be necessary or desirable. Meetings of
Shareholders of the Trust or of any series or classes shall be called by the
Trustees or such other person or persons as may be specified in the Bylaws, or
upon written application by Shareholders holding at least 10% of the outstanding
Shares of the Trust, if Shareholders of all series and classes are required
hereunder to vote in the aggregate and not by individual series or classes at
such meeting, or of any series or classes, if Shareholders of such series or
classes are entitled hereunder to vote by individual series or classes at such
meeting, requesting that a meeting be called for a purpose requiring action by
the Shareholders as provided herein or in the Bylaws. Written notice of any
meeting of Shareholders shall be given or caused to be given by the Trustees by
mailing such notice at least seven days before such meeting, postage prepaid,
stating the time, place and purpose of the meeting, to each Shareholder entitled
to vote at such meeting at the Shareholder's address as it appears on the
records of the Trust.
Quorum and Required Vote
Section 3. Thirty percent (30%) of the Shares entitled to vote on a particular
matter shall be a quorum for the transaction of business on that matter at a
Shareholders' meeting, except that where any provision of law or of this
Declaration of Trust permits or requires that holders of any series or class
shall vote as an individual series or class, then 30% of the aggregate number of
Shares of that series or class entitled to vote shall be necessary to constitute
a quorum for the transaction of business by that series or class. Any lesser
number shall be sufficient for adjournments. Any adjourned session or sessions
may be held, within a reasonable time after the date set for the original
meeting, without the necessity of further notice. Except when a larger vote is
required by any provision of this Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws, a majority
of the Shares voted shall decide any questions, and a plurality shall elect a
Trustee; provided that where any provision of law or of this Declaration of
Trust permits or requires that the holders of any series or class shall vote as
an individual series or class then a majority of the Shares of that
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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.
Action by Written Consent
Section 4. Any action taken by Shareholders may be taken without a meeting if a
majority of Shareholders entitled to vote on the matter (or such larger
proportion thereof as shall be required by any express provision of this
Declaration of Trust or the Bylaws) consent to the action in writing and such
written consents are filed with the records of the meetings of Shareholders.
Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of
Shareholders.
Additional Provisions
Section 5. The Bylaws may include further provisions, not inconsistent with this
Declaration of Trust, regarding Shareholders' voting powers, the conduct of
meetings and related matters.
ARTICLE VI
Distributions, Redemptions and Repurchases
Distributions
Section 1. The Trustees may each year, or more frequently if they so determine,
distribute to the Shareholders of each series such income and capital gains,
accrued or realized, as the Trustees may determine, after providing for actual
and accrued expenses and liabilities (including such reserves as the Trustees
may establish) determined in accordance with good accounting practices. The
Trustees shall have full discretion to determine which items shall be treated as
income and which items as capital and their determination shall be binding upon
the Shareholders. At any time and from time to time in their discretion, the
Trustees may distribute to the Shareholders of any one or more series all or any
part of the principal of such series. Any distribution to the Shareholders shall
be made to said Shareholders pro rata in proportion to the number of Shares of
such series held by each of them, except to the extent otherwise required or
permitted by the preferences and special or relative rights and privileges of
any classes of Shares of that Series, and any distribution to the Shareholders
of a particular class of Shares shall be made to such Shareholders pro rata in
proportion to the number of Shares of such class held by each of them. Such
distributions shall be made in cash, Shares or other property, or a combination
thereof as determined by the Trustees. Any such distribution paid in Shares will
be paid at the net asset value thereof as determined in accordance with the
Bylaws.
Redemptions and Repurchases
Section 2. The Trust shall purchase such Shares as are offered by any
Shareholder for redemption, upon the presentation of any certificate for the
Shares to be purchased, a proper instrument of transfer and 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
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thereof, as next determined in accordance with the Bylaws. Payment for said
Shares shall be made by the Trust to the Shareholder within seven days after the
date on which the request is made. 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 is closed for other than customary weekends or holidays, or, if
permitted by rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, during periods
when trading on the Exchange is restricted or during any emergency which makes
it impractical for the Trust to dispose of its investments or to determine
fairly the value of its net assets, or during any other period permitted by
order of the Securities and Exchange Commission for the protection of investors,
such obligations may be suspended or postponed by the Trustees. The Trust also
may purchase or repurchase Shares at a price not exceeding the net asset value
of such Shares in effect when the purchase or repurchase or any contract to
purchase or repurchase is made.
Redemptions at the Option of the Trust
Section 3. The Trust shall have the right at its option and at any time to
redeem Shares of any Shareholder at the net asset value thereof as determined in
accordance with Bylaws: (a) if at such time such Shareholder owns fewer Shares
than, or Shares having an aggregate net asset value of less than, an amount
determined from time to time by the Trustees; or (b) to the extent that such
Shareholder owns Shares of a particular series of Shares equal to or in excess
of a percentage of the outstanding Shares of that series determined from time to
time by the Trustees; or (c) to the extent that such Shareholder owns Shares of
the Trust representing a percentage equal to or in excess of such percentage of
the aggregate number of Shares of the Trust or the aggregate net asset value of
the Trust determined from time to time by the Trustees.
ARTICLE VII
Compensation and Limitation of Liability of Trustees
Compensation
Section 1. The Trustees as such shall be entitled to reasonable compensation
from the Trust; they may fix the amount of their compensation. Nothing herein
shall in any way prevent the employment of any Trustee in connection with
advisory, management, legal, accounting, investment banking or other services,
and payment for the same by the Trust.
Limitation of Liability
Section 2. 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, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or
omission of any other Trustee, but nothing herein contained shall protect any
Trustee against any liability to which he or she would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard
of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.
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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 or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively
deemed to have been executed or done only in or with respect to their or his or
her capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or Trustee shall not be
personally liable thereon.
ARTICLE VIII
Indemnification
Trustees, Officers, etc.
Section 1. The Trust shall indemnify each of its Trustees and officers
(including persons who serve at the Trust's request as directors, officers or
trustees of another organization in which the Trust has any interest as a
shareholder, creditor or otherwise, hereinafter referred to as a ("Covered
Person") against all liabilities and expenses, including but not limited to
amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and
penalties, and counsel fees reasonably incurred by any Covered Person in
connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other
proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or
legislative body, in which such Covered Person may be or may have been involved
as a party or otherwise or with which such Covered Person may be or may have
been threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason of being or having
been such a Covered Person except with respect to any matter as to which such
Covered Person shall have been finally adjudicated in any such action, suit or
other proceeding (a) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief
that such Covered Person's action was in the best interests of the Trust, or (b)
to be liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance,
bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the
conduct of such Covered Person's office. Expenses, including counsel fees so
incurred by any such Covered Person (but excluding amounts paid in satisfaction
of judgments, in compromise or as fines or penalties), shall be paid from time
to time by the Trust in advance of the final disposition of any such action,
suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such
Covered Person to repay amounts so paid to the Trust if it is ultimately
determined that indemnification of such expenses is not authorized under this
Article; provided, however, that either (a) such Covered Person shall have
provided appropriate security for such undertaking, (b) the Trust shall be
insured against losses arising from any such advance payments, or (c) either a
majority of the disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a
majority of the disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter), or
independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall have determined, based
upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial type
inquiry) that there is reason to believe that such Covered Person will be found
entitled to indemnification under this Article.
Compromise Payment
Section 2. As to any matter disposed of (whether by a compromise payment,
pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise) without an adjudication by a court,
or by any other body before which the proceeding was brought, that such Covered
Person either (a) did not act in good faith in the reasonable belief that his or
her action was in the best interests of the Trust, or (b) is liable
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to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of
his or her office, indemnification shall be provided if (a) approved as in the
best interests of the Trust, after notice that it involves such indemnification,
by at least a majority of the disinterested Trustees acting on the matter
(provided that a majority of the disinterested Trustees then in office act on
the matter) upon a determination, based upon a review of readily available facts
(as opposed to a full trial type inquiry) that such Covered Person acted in good
faith in the reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interests
of the Trust and is not liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of
willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of his or her office, or (b) there has been
obtained an opinion in writing of independent legal counsel, based upon a review
of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial type inquiry) to the
effect that such Covered Person appears to have acted in good faith in the
reasonable belief that his or her action was in the best interests of the Trust
and that such indemnification would not protect such Covered Person against any
liability to the Trust to which he or she would otherwise be subject by reason
of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the
duties involved in the conduct of his or her office. Any approval pursuant to
this Section shall not prevent the recovery from any Covered Person of any
amount paid to such Covered Person in accordance with this Section as
indemnification if such Covered Person is subsequently adjudicated by a court of
competent jurisdiction not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief
that such Covered Person's action was in the best interests of the Trust or to
have been liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of such Covered Person's office.
Indemnification Not Exclusive
Section 3. The right of indemnification hereby provided shall not be exclusive
of or affect any other rights to which such Covered Person may be entitled. As
used in this Article VIII, the term "Covered Person" shall include such person's
heirs, executors and administrators and a "disinterested Trustee" is a Trustee
who is not an "interested person" of the Trust as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of
the 1940 Act (or who has been exempted from being an "interested person" by any
rule, regulation or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission) and against
whom none of such actions, suits or other proceedings or another action, suit or
other proceeding on the same or similar grounds is then or has been pending.
Nothing contained in this Article shall affect any rights to indemnification to
which personnel of the Trust, other than Trustees or officers, and other persons
may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law, nor the power of the Trust
to purchase and maintain liability insurance on behalf of any such person.
Shareholders
Section 4. In case any Shareholder or former Shareholder shall be held to be
personally liable solely by reason of his or her being or having been a
Shareholder and not because of his or her acts or omissions or for some other
reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his or her heirs, executors,
administrators or other legal representative or, in the case of a corporation or
other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled to be
held harmless from
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and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability, but
only out of the assets of the particular series of Shares of which he or she is
or was a Shareholder.
ARTICLE IX
Miscellaneous
Trustees, Shareholders, etc., Not Personally Liable: Notice
Section 1. All persons extending credit to, contracting with or having any claim
against the Trust or a particular series of Shares shall look only to the assets
of the Trust or the assets of that particular series of Shares for payment under
such credit, contract or claim; and neither the Shareholders nor the Trustees,
nor any of the Trust's officers, employees or agents, whether past, present or
future, shall be personally liable therefor. Nothing in this Declaration of
Trust shall protect any Trustee against any liability to which such Trustee
would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the
office of Trustee.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking made or
issued by the Trustees or by any officer or officers shall give notice that this
Declaration of Trust is on file with the Secretary of the State of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and shall recite that the same was executed or
made by or on behalf of the Trust or by them as Trustees or as officer or
officers and not individually, and that the obligations of such instrument are
not binding upon any of them or the Shareholders individually but are binding
only upon the assets and property of the Trust, and may contain such further
recital as he or she or they may deem appropriate, but the omission thereof
shall not operate to bind any Trustee or Trustees or officer or officers or
Shareholder or Shareholders individually.
Trustee's Good Faith Action, Expert Advice, No Bond or Surety
Section 2. The exercise by the Trustees of their powers and discretions
hereunder shall be binding upon everyone interested. A Trustee shall be liable
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
for nothing else. 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 or 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.
Liability of Third Persons Dealing with Trustees
Section 3. 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.
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Duration and Termination of Trust
Section 4. Unless terminated as provided herein, the Trust shall continue
without limitation of time. The Trust may be terminated at any time by vote of
Shareholders holding a majority of the Shares of each series entitled to vote or
by the Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders. Any series of Shares may
be terminated at any time by vote of Shareholders holding a majority of the
Shares of such series entitled to vote or by the Trustees by written notice to
the Shareholders of such series.
Upon termination of the Trust or of any one or more series of Shares, 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
as may be determined by the Trustees, the Trust shall in accordance with such
procedures as the Trustees consider appropriate reduce the remaining assets to
distributable form in cash or Shares or other property, or any combination
thereof, and distribute the proceeds to the Shareholders of the series involved,
ratably according to the number of Shares of such series held by the several
Shareholders of such series on the date of termination, except to the extent
otherwise required or permitted by the preferences and special or relative
rights and privileges of any classes of Shares of that series, provided that any
distribution to the Shareholders of a particular class of Shares shall be made
to such Shareholders pro rata in proportion to the number of Shares of such
class held by each of them.
Filing of Copies, References, Headings
Section 5. The original or a copy of this instrument and of each amendment
hereto shall be kept at the office of the Trust where it may be inspected by any
Shareholder. A copy of this instrument and of each amendment hereto shall be
filed by the Trust with the Secretary of the State of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and with the Worcester City Clerk, as well as any other
governmental office where such filing may from time to time be required. Anyone
dealing with the Trust may rely on a certificate by an officer of the Trust as
to whether or not any such amendments have been made and as to any matters in
connection with the Trust hereunder and, with the same effect as if it were the
original, may rely on a copy certified by an officer of the Trust to be a copy
of this instrument or of any such amendments. In this instrument and in any such
amendment, references to this instrument, and all expressions such as "herein",
"hereof" and "hereunder" shall be deemed to refer to this instrument as amended
or affected by any such 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. This instrument may be
executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be deemed an
original.
Applicable Law
Section 6. This Declaration of Trust is made in The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, and it is created under and is to be governed by and construed
and administered according to the laws of said Commonwealth. The Trust shall be
of the type commonly called a Massachusetts business trust, and without limiting
the provisions hereof, the Trust may exercise all powers which are ordinarily
exercised by such a trust.
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Amendments
Section 7. This Declaration of Trust may be amended at any time by an instrument
in writing signed by a majority of the then Trustees when authorized to do so by
vote of Shareholders holding a majority of the Shares entitled to vote, except
that an amendment which in the determination of the Trustees shall affect the
holders of one or more series or classes of Shares but not the holders of all
outstanding series and classes shall be authorized by vote of the Shareholders
holding a majority of the Shares entitled to vote of each series and class
affected and no vote of Shareholders of a series or class not affected shall be
required. Amendments having the purpose of changing the name of the Trust or of
supplying any omission, curing any ambiguity or curing, correcting or
supplementing any defective or inconsistent provision contained herein shall not
require authorization by Shareholder vote.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned having hereunto set their hands to this
Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Allmerica Prime Trust in the city of
Worcester, Massachusetts for themselves and their assigns, on this 26th day of
September, 2002.
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx /s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
---------------------------- -----------------------------
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
00 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx 00 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000 Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
Worcester, ss. September 26, 2002
Then personally appeared each of the above named, Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx and Xxxx X.
Xxxxxxxxx, and acknowledged the foregoing instrument to be their free act and
deed, before me,
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx
-----------------------------
Notary Public
My commission expires:
August 27, 2004
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