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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>65903</law_id><section_number>13.1-624</section_number><catch_line>Bylaws</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>13.1-669.1</reference><reference>13.1-714</reference><reference>13.1-995</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="13.1">Corporations</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="9">Virginia Stock Corporation Act</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Formation of Corporations</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The incorporators or board of directors of a <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> shall adopt initial bylaws for the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>. <a id="paragraph-239486" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-624/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The bylaws of a <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> may contain any provision that is not inconsistent with <span class="dictionary">law</span> or the <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span>. <a id="paragraph-239487" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-624/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The bylaws may contain one or more of the following provisions: <a id="paragraph-239488" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-624/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A requirement that if the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> solicits proxies or consents with respect to an election of directors, the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> include in its proxy statement and any form of its proxy or consent, to the extent and subject to such procedures or conditions as are provided in the bylaws, one or more <span class="dictionary">individuals</span> nominated by a <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> in addition to <span class="dictionary">individuals</span> nominated by the board of directors; and <a id="paragraph-239489" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-624/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> A requirement that any or all <span class="dictionary">internal corporate claims</span> shall be brought exclusively in a <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> or a federal district <span class="dictionary">court</span> in the Commonwealth and, if so specified, in any additional <span class="dictionary">courts</span> in the Commonwealth or in any other <span class="dictionary">jurisdictions</span> in which the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> maintains its <span class="dictionary">principal office</span>. As used in this subdivision, &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">internal corporate claims</span>&#x201D; means (i) any derivative action or <span class="dictionary">proceeding</span> brought on behalf of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>; (ii) any action for breach of duty to the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span> or the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> by any current or former officer, director, or <span class="dictionary">shareholder</span> of the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>; (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to this chapter or the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span> or bylaws; or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine that is not included in clause (i), (ii), or (iii). Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, to the extent any provision of this chapter allows or requires an action or <span class="dictionary">proceeding</span> to be brought in the <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the county or city where the <span class="dictionary">corporation</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">principal office</span> or registered office is located or in any other specified <span class="dictionary">court</span> location, such action or <span class="dictionary">proceeding</span> shall instead be brought in a <span class="dictionary">court</span> in the Commonwealth specified in a bylaw, if any, authorized by this subdivision and adopted prior to the commencement of such action or <span class="dictionary">proceeding</span>. <a id="paragraph-239490" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-624/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> A provision of the bylaws adopted under subdivision C 2 shall not have the effect of conferring <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> on any <span class="dictionary">court</span> or over any <span class="dictionary">person</span> or claim, and shall not apply if none of the <span class="dictionary">courts</span> specified by such provision has the requisite personal and subject matter <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>. If the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or <span class="dictionary">courts</span> specified in a provision adopted under subdivision C 2 do not have the requisite personal and subject matter <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> and another <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the Commonwealth does have such <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, then the internal corporate claim may be brought in such other <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the Commonwealth, notwithstanding that such other <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the Commonwealth is not specified in such provision, and in any other <span class="dictionary">court</span> specified in such provision that has the requisite <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>. No provision of the <span class="dictionary">articles of incorporation</span> or the bylaws may prohibit bringing an internal corporate claim in the <span class="dictionary">courts</span> of the Commonwealth or require any such claim to be determined by arbitration. <a id="paragraph-239491" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-624/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> Notwithstanding subdivision B 2 of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Amendment of bylaws by board of directors or shareholders" href="/13.1-714/">13.1-714</a>, the <span class="dictionary">shareholders</span> in amending, repealing, or adopting a bylaw described in subdivision C 1 may not limit the authority of the board of directors to <span class="dictionary">amend</span> or repeal any condition or procedure set forth in, or to add any procedure or condition to, such a bylaw to provide for a reasonable, practicable, and orderly process. <a id="paragraph-239492" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/13.1-624/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 13-10, 13.1-24; 1956, c. 428; 1985, c. 522; 2010, c. 782; 2015, c. 611; 2019, c. 734; 2020, c. 1226.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
