CHAPTER 17. General Provisions Relating to Dissolution [6710. - 6721.]

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP 17.

in effect

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6710. Section 6710.

The powers and duties of the directors (or other persons appointed by the court pursuant to Section 6515) and officers after commencement of a dissolution proceeding include, but are not limited to, the following acts in the name and on behalf of the corporation: (a) To elect officers and to employ agents and attorneys to liquidate or wind up its affairs. (b) To continue the conduct of the affairs of the corporation insofar as necessary for the disposal or winding up thereof. (c) To carry out contracts and collect, pay, compromise and settle debts and claims for or against the corporation. (d) To defend suits brought against the corporation. (e) To sue, in the name of the corporation, for all sums due or owing to the corporation or to recover any of its property. (f) To collect any amounts remaining unpaid on memberships or to recover unlawful distributions. (g) Subject to the provisions of Section 5142, to sell at public or private sale, exchange, convey or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the assets of the corporation for an amount deemed reasonable by the board without compliance with the provisions of Section 5911, and to execute bills of sale and deeds of conveyance in the name of the corporation. (h) In general, to make contracts and to do any and all things in the name of the corporation which may be proper or convenient for the purposes of winding up, settling and liquidating the affairs of the corporation.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6711. Section 6711.

A vacancy on the board may be filled during a winding up proceeding in the manner provided in Section 5224.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6712. Section 6712.

When the identity of the directors or their right to hold office is in doubt, or if they are dead or unable to act, or they fail or refuse to act or their whereabouts cannot be ascertained, any interested person, including the Attorney General, may petition the superior court of the proper county to determine the identity of the directors or, if there are no directors, to appoint directors to wind up the affairs of the corporation, after hearing upon such notice to such persons as the court may direct.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6713. Section 6713.

(a) After determining that all the known debts and liabilities of a corporation in the process of winding up have been paid or adequately provided for, the board shall distribute all the remaining corporate assets in the manner provided in Sections 6715 and 6716. (b) If the winding up is by court proceeding or subject to court supervision, the distribution shall not be made until after the expiration of any period for the presentation of claims that has been prescribed by order of the court. (c) Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, assets, if any, which are not subject to attachment, execution or sale for the corporation’s debts and liabilities may be distributed pursuant to Sections 6715 and 6716 even though all debts and liabilities have not been paid or adequately provided for.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6714. Section 6714.

The payment of a debt or liability, whether the whereabouts of the creditor is known or unknown, has been adequately provided for if the payment has been provided for by either of the following means: (a) Payment thereof has been assumed or guaranteed in good faith by one or more financially responsible persons or by the United States government or any agency thereof, and the provision (including the financial responsibility of such persons) was determined in good faith and with reasonable care by the board to be adequate at the time of any distribution of the assets by the board pursuant to this chapter. (b) The amount of the debt or liability has been deposited as provided in Section 6718. This section does not prescribe the exclusive means of making adequate provision for debts and liabilities.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6715. Section 6715.

After complying with the provisions of Section 6713, assets held by a corporation upon a valid condition requiring return, transfer, or conveyance, which condition has occurred or will occur by reason of the dissolution, shall be returned, transferred, or conveyed in accordance with the condition.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6716. Section 6716.

After complying with the provisions of Section 6713: (a) Except as provided in Section 6715, all of a corporation’s assets shall be disposed of on dissolution in conformity with its articles or bylaws subject to complying with the provisions of any trust under which such assets are held. (b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), the disposition required in subdivision (a) shall be made by decree of the superior court of the proper county in proceedings to which the Attorney General is a party. The decree shall be made upon petition therefor by the Attorney General or, upon 30 days’ notice to the Attorney General, by any person concerned in the dissolution. (c) The disposition required in subdivision (a) may be made without the decree of the superior court, subject to the rights of persons concerned in the dissolution, if the Attorney General makes a written waiver of objections to the disposition. (d) Subdivisions (b) and (c) shall not be applicable to any corporation as described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 6615.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6717. Section 6717.

Subject to the provisions of any trust under which assets to be distributed are held, distribution may be made either in money or in property or securities and either in installments from time to time or as a whole, if this can be done fairly and ratably and in conformity with the provisions of the articles and bylaws and shall be made as soon as reasonably consistent with the beneficial liquidation of the corporation’s assets.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6718. Section 6718.

(a) If any creditors or other persons are unknown or fail or refuse to accept their payment or distribution in cash or property or their whereabouts cannot be ascertained after diligent inquiry, or the existence or amount of a claim of a creditor or other person is contingent, contested, or not determined, the corporation may deposit any such payment, distribution, or the maximum amount of the claim with the Controller in trust for the benefit of those lawfully entitled to the payment, distribution, or the amount of the claim. The payment or distribution shall be paid over by the depositary to the lawful owners, their representatives or assigns, upon satisfactory proof of title. (b) For the purpose of providing for the transmittal, receipt, accounting for, claiming, management, and investment of all money or other property deposited with the Controller under subdivision (a), the money or other property shall be deemed to be paid or delivered for deposit with the Controller under Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 1500) of Title 10 of Part 3 of the Code of Civil Procedure, and may be recovered in the manner prescribed in that chapter.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6719. Section 6719.

(a) Whenever in the process of winding up a corporation any distribution of assets has been made, otherwise than under an order of court, without prior payment or adequate provision for payment of any of the debts and liabilities of the corporation, any amount so improperly distributed to any person may be recovered by the corporation. Any of such persons may be joined as defendants in the same action or be brought in on the motion of any other defendant. (b) Suit may be brought in the name of the corporation to enforce the liability under subdivision (a) against any or all persons receiving the distribution by the Attorney General or by any one or more creditors of the corporation, whether or not they have reduced their claims to judgment. (c) As used in this section, “process of winding up” includes proceedings under Chapters 15 (commencing with Section 6510) and 16 (commencing with Section 6610) and also any other distribution of assets to persons made in contemplation of termination or abandonment of the corporate business.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6720. Section 6720.

(a) A corporation which is dissolved nevertheless continues to exist for the purpose of winding up its affairs, prosecuting and defending actions by or against it and enabling it to collect and discharge obligations, dispose of and convey its property and collect and divide its assets, but not for the purpose of continuing its activities except so far as necessary for the winding up thereof. (b) No action or proceeding to which a corporation is a party abates by the dissolution of the corporation or by reason of proceedings for winding up and dissolution thereof. (c) Any assets inadvertently or otherwise omitted from the winding up continue in the dissolved corporation for the benefit of the persons entitled thereto upon dissolution of the corporation and on realization shall be distributed accordingly.

Cal. Corporations Code - CORP § 6721. Section 6721.

(a) In all cases where a corporation has been dissolved, any person to whom assets were distributed upon dissolution may be sued in the corporate name upon any cause of action against the corporation arising prior to its dissolution. Notice of such action shall be given to the Attorney General who may intervene. This section is procedural in nature and is not intended to determine liability. (b) Summons or other process against such a corporation may be served by delivering a copy thereof to an officer, director or person having charge of its assets or, if no such person can be found, to any agent upon whom process might be served at the time of dissolution. If none of such persons can be found with due diligence and it is so shown by affidavit to the satisfaction of the court, then the court may make an order that summons or other process be served upon the dissolved corporation by personally delivering a copy thereof, together with a copy of the order, to the Secretary of State or an assistant or deputy secretary of state. Service in this manner is deemed complete on the 10th day after the delivery of process to the Secretary of State. A copy of any summons or other process shall be served on the Attorney General. (c) Every such corporation shall survive and continue to exist indefinitely for the purpose of being sued in any quiet title action. Any judgment rendered in any such action shall bind each and every person having an interest in such corporation, to the extent of their interest therein, and such action shall have the same force and effect as an action brought under the provisions of Sections 410.50 and 410.60 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Service of summons or other process in any such action may be made as provided in Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 413.10) of Title 5 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure or as provided in subdivision (b). (d) Upon receipt of such process and the fee therefor, the Secretary of State forthwith shall give notice to the corporation as provided in Section 1702.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026