2016 US Code
Title 12 - Banks and Banking
Chapter 2 - National Banks
Subchapter II - Capital, Stock, and Stockholders
Sec. 51b - Dividends, voting, and retirement of preferred stock; individual liability

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whether relating to restriction upon the payment of dividends upon capital stock or otherwise, the holders of such preferred stock shall be entitled to receive such cumulative dividends and shall have such voting and conversion rights and such control of management, and such stock shall be subject to retirement in such manner and upon such conditions, as may be provided in the articles of association with the approval of the Comptroller of the Currency. The holders of such preferred stock shall not be held individually responsible as such holders for any debts, contracts, or engagements of such association, and shall not be liable for assessments to restore impairments in the capital of such association as now provided by law with reference to holders of common stock.

(b) No dividends shall be declared or paid on common stock until the cumulative dividends on the preferred stock shall have been paid in full; and, if the association is placed in voluntary liquidation or a conservator or a receiver is appointed therefor, no payments shall be made to the holders of the common stock until the holders of the preferred stock shall have been paid in full the par value of such stock plus all accumulated dividends.

(Mar. 9, 1933, ch. 1, title III, §302, 48 Stat. 5; June 15, 1933, ch. 79, 48 Stat. 148; Pub. L. 96–221, title VII, §702, Mar. 31, 1980, 94 Stat. 186.)

1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–221 struck out limitation on payment of cumulative dividends at a rate not exceeding 6 per centum per annum.

1933—Subsec. (a). Act June 15, 1933, struck out former subsec. (a) and inserted a new subsec. (a) which incorporated all former provisions and inserted "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whether relating to restriction upon the payment of dividends upon capital stock or otherwise" and "and conversion rights," in first sentence.

Functions vested by any provision of law in Comptroller of the Currency, referred to in this section, not included in transfer of functions to Secretary of the Treasury, see note set out under section 1 of this title.