TITLE 6

Commerce and Trade

SUBTITLE II

Other Laws Relating to Commerce and Trade

CHAPTER 17. Limited Partnerships

Subchapter VI. Distributions and Withdrawal

§ 17-601. Interim distributions.

Except as provided in this subchapter, to the extent and at the times or upon the happening of the events specified in the partnership agreement, a partner is entitled to receive from a limited partnership distributions before withdrawing from the limited partnership and before the dissolution and winding up thereof.

63 Del. Laws, c. 420, §  165 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  166 Del. Laws, c. 316, §  5070 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1

§ 17-602. Withdrawal of general partner and assignment of general partner’s partnership interest.

(a) A general partner may withdraw from a limited partnership at the time or upon the happening of events specified in the partnership agreement and in accordance with the partnership agreement. A partnership agreement may provide that a general partner shall not have the right to withdraw as a general partner of a limited partnership. Notwithstanding that a partnership agreement provides that a general partner does not have the right to withdraw as a general partner of a limited partnership, a general partner may withdraw from a limited partnership at any time by giving written notice to the other partners. If the withdrawal of a general partner violates a partnership agreement, in addition to any remedies otherwise available under applicable law, the limited partnership may recover from the withdrawing general partner damages for breach of the partnership agreement and offset the damages against the amount otherwise distributable to the withdrawing general partner.

(b) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this chapter, a partnership agreement may provide that a general partner may not assign a partnership interest in a limited partnership prior to the dissolution and winding up of the limited partnership.

63 Del. Laws, c. 420, §  165 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  166 Del. Laws, c. 316, §  5167 Del. Laws, c. 348, §  21

§ 17-603. Withdrawal of limited partner.

A limited partner may withdraw from a limited partnership only at the time or upon the happening of events specified in the partnership agreement and in accordance with the partnership agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary under applicable law, unless a partnership agreement provides otherwise, a limited partner may not withdraw from a limited partnership prior to the dissolution and winding up of the limited partnership. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary under applicable law, a partnership agreement may provide that a partnership interest may not be assigned prior to the dissolution and winding up of the limited partnership.

Unless otherwise provided in a partnership agreement, a limited partnership whose original certificate of limited partnership was filed with the Secretary of State and effective on or prior to July 31, 1996, shall continue to be governed by this section as in effect on July 31, 1996.

6 Del. C. 1953, §  1716;  59 Del. Laws, c. 105, §  163 Del. Laws, c. 420, §  165 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  166 Del. Laws, c. 316, §  5269 Del. Laws, c. 258, §  3670 Del. Laws, c. 362, §  1680 Del. Laws, c. 44, §  10

§ 17-604. Distribution upon withdrawal.

Except as provided in this subchapter, upon withdrawal any withdrawing partner is entitled to receive any distribution to which such partner is entitled under a partnership agreement and, if not otherwise provided in a partnership agreement, such partner is entitled to receive, within a reasonable time after withdrawal, the fair value of such partner’s partnership interest in the limited partnership as of the date of withdrawal based upon such partner’s right to share in distributions from the limited partnership.

6 Del. C. 1953, §  1716;  59 Del. Laws, c. 105, §  163 Del. Laws, c. 420, §  165 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  171 Del. Laws, c. 340, §  1572 Del. Laws, c. 128, §  12

§ 17-605. Distribution in kind.

Except as provided in the partnership agreement, a partner, regardless of the nature of the partner’s contribution, has no right to demand and receive any distribution from a limited partnership in any form other than cash. Except as provided in the partnership agreement, a partner may not be compelled to accept a distribution of any asset in kind from a limited partnership to the extent that the percentage of the asset distributed exceeds a percentage of that asset which is equal to the percentage in which the partner shares in distributions from the limited partnership. Except as provided in the partnership agreement, a partner may be compelled to accept a distribution of any asset in kind from a limited partnership to the extent that the percentage of the asset distributed is equal to a percentage of that asset which is equal to the percentage in which the partner shares in distributions from the limited partnership.

6 Del. C. 1953, §  1716;  59 Del. Laws, c. 105, §  163 Del. Laws, c. 420, §  165 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  169 Del. Laws, c. 258, §  3770 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1

§ 17-606. Right to distribution.

(a) Subject to §§ 17-607 and 17-804 of this title, and unless otherwise provided in the partnership agreement, at the time a partner becomes entitled to receive a distribution, he or she has the status of, and is entitled to all remedies available to, a creditor of the limited partnership with respect to the distribution.

(b) A partnership agreement may provide for the establishment of a record date with respect to allocations and distributions by a limited partnership.

6 Del. C. 1953, §  1716;  59 Del. Laws, c. 105, §  163 Del. Laws, c. 420, §  165 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  166 Del. Laws, c. 316, §§  53, 5470 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1

§ 17-607. Limitations on distribution.

(a) A limited partnership shall not make a distribution to a partner to the extent that at the time of the distribution, after giving effect to the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specified property of the limited partnership, exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership, except that the fair value of property that is subject to a liability for which the recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds that liability. For purposes of this subsection (a), the term “distribution” shall not include amounts constituting reasonable compensation for present or past services or reasonable payments made in the ordinary course of business pursuant to a bona fide retirement plan or other benefits program.

(b) A limited partner who receives a distribution in violation of subsection (a) of this section, and who knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution violated subsection (a) of this section, shall be liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution. A limited partner who receives a distribution in violation of subsection (a) of this section, and who did not know at the time of the distribution that the distribution violated subsection (a) of this section, shall not be liable for the amount of the distribution. Subject to subsection (c) of this section, this subsection shall not affect any obligation or liability of a limited partner under an agreement or other applicable law for the amount of a distribution.

(c) Unless otherwise agreed, a limited partner who receives a distribution from a limited partnership shall have no liability under this chapter or other applicable law for the amount of the distribution after the expiration of 3 years from the date of the distribution.

6 Del. C. 1953, §  1716;  59 Del. Laws, c. 105, §  163 Del. Laws, c. 420, §  165 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  166 Del. Laws, c. 316, §  5569 Del. Laws, c. 258, §  3872 Del. Laws, c. 386, §  22

§ 17-608. Liability upon return of contribution.

Repealed by 66 Del. Laws, c. 316, § 56, eff. Sept. 1, 1988.