Reporting Requirements for Public Company Insiders

Officers, directors, and beneficial owners of more than 10 percent of the shares of a public company must report their ownership of shares of the company to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Company officers and directors are considered corporate insiders. Beneficial holders of more than 10% of a class of a company's equity securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act also are considered corporate insiders. Such insiders are required to report their holdings to the Commission when they first acquire company stock and when changes in their ownership occur.

Securities Trading Halts, Delays, and Suspensions

The Securities and Exchange Commission may suspend trading in a security for up to ten days. Securities exchanges such as the New York and American Stock Exchanges and Nasdaq may delay trading in a security at the beginning of a trading day or halt trading in a security during the trading day.

Formation of a Partnership

A partnership is created when members of the partnership intentionally join together to carry on a business that is not incorporated. Members, or partners, may be individuals, trusts, estates, corporations, or other partnerships.

Insider Trading

(Bounties for Persons Reporting Insider Trading)

Business Judgment Rule

The business judgment rule protects a director(s) from personal liability if he or she has performed diligently and carefully in legitimate furtherance of corporate objectives and purposes and has not acted fraudulently, illegally, or otherwise in bad faith. The business judgment rule may be codified, but it is largely a matter of judicial interpretation and application. The business judgment rule is frequently invoked in shareholder damage suits against a director or board of directors. Courts generally acknowledge that the business judgment rule either does or may apply to corporate officers.