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HomeCorporations CodeCh. 2Art. 3§ 12371 Director Duties And Reliance

§ 12371 Director Duties And Reliance

Corporations Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 12371 Director Duties And Reliance

This law says that company directors must act honestly and carefully for the company's benefit, and they can rely on information from trusted people when making decisions.

Key Takeaways

  • •Directors must act in good faith and with the care of a reasonably prudent person.
  • •They can rely on information from reliable officers, experts, or committees.
  • •If they follow these rules, they are not liable for alleged failures in their duties.

Example

A store owner who also serves on the company's board decides to open a new location after reviewing financial reports from the finance team and advice from an outside consultant.

Because the owner used reliable information, acted in good faith, and followed proper procedures, the law shields him from being sued for that decision.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 12371 Director Duties And Reliance

(a) A director shall perform the duties of a director, including duties as a member of any committee of the board upon which the director may serve, in good faith, in a manner such director believes to be in the best interests of the corporation and with such care, including reasonable inquiry, as an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would use under similar circumstances. (b) In performing the duties of a director, a director shall be entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, in each case prepared or presented by: (1) One or more officers or employees of the corporation whom the director believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented; (2) Counsel, independent accountants or other persons as to matters which the director believes to be within such person’s professional or expert competence; or (3) A committee upon which the director does not serve that is composed exclusively of any or any combination of directors, persons described in paragraph (1), or persons described in paragraph (2), as to matters within the committee’s designated authority, which committee the director believes to merit confidence, so long as, in any such case, the director acts in good faith, after reasonable inquiry when the need therefor is indicated by the circumstances and without knowledge that would cause such reliance to be unwarranted. (c) A person who performs the duties of a director in accordance with subdivisions (a) and (b) shall have no liability based upon any alleged failure to discharge the persons’s obligations as a director. (Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 631, Sec. 48. (AB 1233) Effective January 1, 2010.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

corporationliabilitydirectoremployeeportobligationinformationreliance

Related Statutes

  • § 7231 Director Duties And Reliance
  • § 9241 Director Duties And Reliance
  • § 12377 Corporate Agent Indemnification Rules
  • § 5237 Director Liability For Distributions
  • § 7236 Director Liability For Distributions

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Corporations Code. Section 12371.
View Official Source