EXHIBIT 10.3
INFOSEEK CORPORATION
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement ("Agreement") is effective as of this
_____ day of __________, 1998, by and between Infoseek Corporation, a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and _________________________ ("Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increasing difficulty in
obtaining directors' and officers' liability insurance, the significant
increases in the cost of such insurance and the general reductions in the
coverage of such insurance;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial
increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting officers and directors
to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and coverage
of liability insurance has been severely limited;
WHEREAS, Indemnitee does not regard the current protection available as
adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee and other officers and
directors of the Company may not be willing to continue to serve as officers and
directors without additional protection; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly
qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve as officers and directors of
the Company and to indemnify its officers and directors so as to provide them
with the maximum protection permitted by law.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as follows:
1. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) Third Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee
if Indemnitee is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any
threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil,
criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the
right of the Company) by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the
Company, by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while an
officer or director or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving
at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise,
against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid
in settlement (if such settlement is approved in advance by the Company, which
approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) actually and reasonably incurred by
Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if Indemnitee
acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or
not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding,
had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee's conduct was unlawful. The
termination of any action, suit or proceeding by judgment, order, settlement,
conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of
itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in
a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the
best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee's conduct was
unlawful.
(b) Proceedings By or in the Right of the Company. The Company
shall indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to
be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or
in the right of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company to procure a
judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or any subsidiary of the
Company, by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while
an officer or director or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was
serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or
agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees) and amounts paid in
settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with
the defense or settlement of such action or suit if Indemnitee, acted in good
faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed
to the best interests of the Company, except that no indemnification shall be
made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall
have been adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and only to the extent
that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the court in which such
action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the
adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case,
Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses
which the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or such other court shall
deem proper.
(c) Mandatory Payment of Expenses. To the extent that Indemnitee
has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit
or proceeding referred to in Subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 1 or the
defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, Indemnitee shall be indemnified
against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably incurred
by Indemnitee in connection therewith.
2. AGREEMENT TO SERVE. In consideration of the protection afforded by
this Agreement, if Indemnitee is a director of the Company he agrees to serve at
least for the balance of the current term as a director and not to resign
voluntarily during such period without the written consent of a majority of the
Board of Directors. If Indemnitee is an officer of the Company not serving
under an employment contract, he agrees to serve in such capacity at least for
the balance of the current fiscal year of the Company and not to resign
voluntarily during such period without the written consent of a majority of the
Board of Directors. Following the applicable period set forth above, Indemnitee
agrees to continue to serve in such capacity at the will of the Company (or
under separate agreement, if such agreement exists) so long as he is duly
appointed or elected and qualified in accordance with the applicable provisions
of the by-laws of the Company or any subsidiary of the
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Company or until such time as he tenders his resignation in writing. Nothing
contained in this Agreement is intended to create in Indemnitee any right to
continued employment.
3. EXPENSES; INDEMNIFICATION PROCEDURE.
(a) Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all expenses
incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement
or appeal of any civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding referenced in
Section l(a) or (b) hereof. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such amounts
advanced only if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined that
the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized
hereby. The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the Company to the
Indemnitee within twenty (20) days following delivery of a written request
therefor by Indemnitee to the Company.
(b) Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall, as a
condition precedent to Indemnitee's right to be indemnified under this
Agreement, give the Company notice in writing as soon as practicable of any
Claim made against Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought
under this Agreement. Notice to the Company shall be directed to the Chief
Executive Officer of the Company at the address shown on the signature page of
this Agreement (or such other address as the Company shall designate in writing
to Indemnitee). In addition, Indemnitee shall give the Company such information
and cooperation as it may reasonably require and as shall be within Indemnitee's
power.
(c) Procedure. Any indemnification and advances provided for in
Section 1 and this Section 3 shall be made no later than forty-five (45) days
after receipt of the written request of Indemnitee. If a claim under this
Agreement, under any statute, or under any provision of the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws providing for indemnification, is not
paid in full by the Company within forty-five (45) days after a written request
for payment thereof has first been received by the Company, Indemnitee may, but
need not, at any time thereafter bring an action against the Company to recover
the unpaid amount of the claim and, subject to Section 13 of this Agreement,
Indemnitee shall also be entitled to be paid for the expenses (including
attorneys' fees) of bringing such action. It shall be a defense to any such
action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in
connection with any action, suit or proceeding in advance of its final
disposition) that Indemnitee has not met the standards of conduct which make it
permissible under applicable law for the Company to indemnify Indemnitee for the
amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Company
and Indemnitee shall be entitled to receive interim payments of expenses
pursuant to Subsection 3(a) unless and until such defense may be finally
adjudicated by court order or judgment from which no further right of appeal
exists. It is the parties' intention that if the Company contests Indemnitee's
right to indemnification, the question of Indemnitee's right to indemnification
shall be for the court to decide, and neither the failure of the Company
(including its Board
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of Directors or any committee or subgroup of the Board of Directors,
independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination
that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because
Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct required by applicable
law, nor an actual determination by the Company (including its Board of
Directors or any committee or subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent
legal counsel, or its stockholders) that Indemnitee has not met such
applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that Indemnitee has
or has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(d) Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt by the
Company of a notice of a Claim pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, the Company
has liability insurance in effect which may cover such Claim, the Company
shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such Claim to the insurers in
accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The
Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such
insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result
of such action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation in accordance with
the terms of such policies.
(e) Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be
obligated hereunder to pay the Expenses of any Claim the Company, if
appropriate, shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Claim with
counsel approved by Indemnitee, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written
notice of its election so to do. After delivery of such notice, approval of
such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company,
the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees
of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same Claim;
provided that, (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ Indemnitee's
counsel in any such Claim at Indemnitee's expense and (ii) if (A) the
employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the
Company, (B) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a
conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any
such defense, or (C) the Company shall not continue to retain such counsel to
defend such Claim, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee's counsel shall be
at the expense of the Company.
4. ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION RIGHTS; NONEXCLUSIVITY.
(a) Scope. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement,
the Company hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitee to the fullest extent
permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification is not
specifically authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation, the Company's By-laws or by statute.
In the event of any change, after the date of this Agreement, in any
applicable law, statute, or rule which expands the right of a Delaware
corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an officer,
such changes shall be, IPSO FACTO, within the purview of Indemnitee's
rights and Company's obligations, under this Agreement. In the event of any
change in any applicable law, statute or rule which narrows the right of a
Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an
officer, such changes, to the extent not otherwise required by such law,
statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement shall have no effect on this
Agreement or the parties' rights and obligations hereunder.
(b) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement
shall not be deemed exclusive of any rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled
under the Company's
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Certificate of Incorporation, its By-laws, any agreement, any vote of
stockholders or disinterested Directors, the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware, or otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitee's official
capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. The
indemnification provided under this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee
for any action taken or not taken while serving in an indemnified capacity
even though he may have ceased to serve in an indemnified capacity at the time
of any action, suit or other covered proceeding.
5. PARTIAL INDEMNIFICATION. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a
portion of Expenses incurred in connection with any Claim, but not, however, for
all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify
Indemnitee for the portion of such Expenses to which Indemnitee is entitled.
6. MUTUAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge
that in certain instances, Federal law or public policy may override applicable
state law and prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors and officers
under this Agreement or otherwise. For example, the Company and Indemnitee
acknowledge that the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has taken
the position that indemnification is not permissible for liabilities arising
under certain federal securities laws, and federal legislation prohibits
indemnification for certain ERISA violations. Indemnitee understands and
acknowledges that the Company has undertaken, and may be required in the future
to undertake, with the SEC to submit the question of indemnification to a court
in certain circumstances for a determination of the Company's right under public
policy to indemnify Indemnitee.
7. OFFICER AND DIRECTOR LIABILITY INSURANCE. The Company shall, from time
to time, make the good faith determination whether or not it is practicable for
the Company to obtain and maintain a policy or policies of insurance with
reputable insurance companies providing the officers and directors of the
Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts, or to ensure the Company's
performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Among
other considerations, the Company will weigh the costs of obtaining such
insurance coverage against the protection afforded by such coverage. In all
policies of director and officer liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be named
as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and
benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company's
directors, if Indemnitee is a director; or of the Company's officers, if
Indemnitee is not a director of the Company but is an officer; or of the
Company's key employees, if Indemnitee is not an officer or director but is a
key employee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no
obligation to obtain or maintain such insurance if the Company determines in
good faith that such insurance is not reasonably available, if the premium costs
for such insurance are disproportionate to the amount of coverage provided, if
the coverage provided by such insurance is limited by exclusions so as to
provide an insufficient benefit, or if Indemnitee is covered by similar
insurance maintained by a parent or subsidiary of the Company.
8. SEVERABILITY. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or
shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in
violation of applicable law. The Company's
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inability, pursuant to court order, to perform its obligations under this
Agreement shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement. The provisions of
this Agreement shall be severable as provided in this Section 8. If this
Agreement or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any
court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall nevertheless indemnify
Indemnitee to the full extent permitted by any applicable portion of this
Agreement that shall not have been invalidated, and the balance of this
Agreement not so invalidated shall be enforceable in accordance with its
terms.
9. EXCEPTIONS. Any other provision herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of
this Agreement:
(a) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance
expenses to Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or
brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, except with
respect to proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right to
indemnification under this Agreement or any other statute or law of otherwise
as required under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, but
such indemnification or advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company
in specific cases if the Board of Directors finds it to be appropriate;
(b) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify Indemnitee for any expenses
incurred by Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding instituted by Indemnitee
to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court of competent jurisdiction
determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee in such
proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous;
(c) Insured Claims. To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses or
liabilities of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments,
fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) which
have been paid directly to Indemnitee by an insurance carrier under a policy of
officers' and directors' liability insurance maintained by the Company; or
(d) Claims under Section 16(b). To indemnify Indemnitee for
expenses or the payment of profits arising from the purchase and sale by
Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar successor statute.
10. CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PHRASES.
(a) For purposes of this Agreement, references to the "Company"
shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent
corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a
consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would
have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, and
employees or agents, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the
request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or
agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions
of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or
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surviving corporation as Indemnitee would have with respect to such
constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, references to "other
enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines" shall
include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to an employee
benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Company" shall
include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company
which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer,
employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants,
or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner
Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the interest of the participants and
beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have
acted in a manner "not opposed to the best interests of the Company" as
referred to in this Agreement.
11. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
12. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding upon
the Company and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of
Indemnitee and Indemnitee's estate, heirs, legal representatives and assigns.
13. ATTORNEYS' FEES. In the event that any action is instituted by
Indemnitee under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof,
Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses, including
reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee with respect to such action,
unless as a part of such action, a court of competent jurisdiction determines
that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis for such
action were not made in good faith or were frivolous. In the event of an action
instituted by or in the name of the Company under this Agreement or to enforce
or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to
be paid all court costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred by
Indemnitee in defense of such action (including with respect to Indemnitee's
counterclaims and cross-claims made in such action), unless as a part of such
action the court determines that each of Indemnitee's material defenses to such
action were made in bad faith or were frivolous.
14. NOTICE. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under
this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) if
delivered by hand and receipt is acknowledged by the party addressee, on the
date of such receipt, or (ii) if mailed by certified or registered mail with
postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date postmarked. Addresses
for notice to either party are as shown on the signature page of this Agreement,
or as subsequently modified by written notice.
15. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION. The Company and the Indemnitee each hereby
irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware
for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which arises out of
or relates to this Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this
Agreement shall be brought only in the state courts of the State of Delaware.
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16. CHOICE OF LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, as applied to
contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed entirely
within Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of
the date first above written.
INFOSEEK CORPORATION,
A DELAWARE CORPORATION
By:_________________________
Title:______________________
Address:____________________
____________________
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED
INDEMNITEE:
___________________________
(Signature)
___________________________
(Name of Indemnitee)
___________________________
___________________________
(Address)
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