2022 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 181 - Nonstock corporations.
181.11055 - Effect of merger.
181.11055 Effect of merger.
(1) When a merger becomes effective, all of the following apply:
(a) Each merging entity merges into the surviving entity, and the separate existence of every constituent entity that is a party to the merger, except the surviving entity, ceases.
(am)
1. Except as provided in this paragraph, no interest holder shall have interest holder liability with respect to any of the constituent entities.
2. If, under the governing law of a constituent entity, one or more of the interest holders thereof had interest holder liability prior to the merger with respect to the entity, such interest holder or holders shall continue to have such liability and any associated contribution or other rights to the extent provided in such governing law with respect to debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the entity that accrued during the period or periods in which such interest holder or holders had such interest holder liability.
3. If, under the governing law of the surviving entity, one or more of the interest holders thereof will have interest holder liability after the merger with respect to the surviving entity, such interest holder or holders will have such liability and any associated contribution and other rights to the extent provided in such governing law with respect to the debts, obligations, and other liabilities of the surviving entity that accrue on or after the merger.
4. This paragraph does not affect liability under any taxation laws.
(b) The title to all property owned by each constituent entity is vested in the surviving entity without transfer, reversion, or impairment.
(c) The surviving entity has all debts, obligations, and other liabilities of each constituent entity.
(d) A civil, criminal, or administrative proceeding pending by or against any constituent entity may be continued as if the merger did not occur, or the surviving entity may be substituted in the proceeding for a constituent entity whose existence ceased.
(e)
1. If the surviving entity preexists the merger, its organizational documents are amended to the extent, if any, provided in the plan of merger and, to the extent such amendments are to be reflected in a public record, as provided in the articles of merger.
2. If the surviving entity is created in the merger, its organizational documents are as provided in the plan of merger and, to the extent such organizational documents are to be reflected in a public record, as provided in the articles of merger.
(f) The interests of each constituent entity that are to be converted into interests, securities, or obligations of the surviving entity, rights to acquire such interests or securities, money, other property, or any combination of the foregoing, are converted as provided in the plan of merger, and the former interest holders of the interests are entitled only to the rights provided to them in the plan of merger or to their rights, if any, under ss. 178.1161, 179.1161, 180.1301 to 180.1331, 181.1180, and 183.1061, or otherwise under the governing law of the constituent entity. All other terms and conditions of the merger also take effect.
(g) Except as prohibited by other law or as otherwise provided in the articles and plan of merger, all of the rights, privileges, immunities, powers, and purposes of each constituent entity vest in the surviving entity.
(h) Except as otherwise provided in the articles and plan of merger, if a merging entity is a partnership, limited liability company, or other entity subject to dissolution under its governing law, the merger does not dissolve the merging entity for the purposes of its governing law.
(2)
(a) When a merger takes effect, the department is the agent of any foreign surviving entity for service of process in a proceeding to enforce any obligation or the rights of interest holders, in their capacity as such, of each domestic constituent entity.
(b) When a merger takes effect, any foreign surviving entity shall timely honor the rights and obligations of interest holders under this chapter with respect to each domestic corporation constituent entity.
(3) When a merger takes effect, any foreign surviving entity may be served with process in this state for the collection and enforcement of any debts, obligations, or other liabilities of a domestic merging entity as provided in s. 181.1510.
History: 2021 a. 258.
Successor liability under s. 181.1106 (3) [now sub. (1) (c)] does not change the identity of a past actor; it merely carries liability for the past actor's actions forward to that actor's successor. Likewise, dissolution by merger under s. 181.1106 (1) [now sub. (1) (a)] does not mean that the merged entity never existed, just that it ceases to exist upon merger. Shannon v. Mayo Clinic Health System - Northwest Wisconsin Region, Inc., 2021 WI App 49, 398 Wis. 2d 685, 963 N.W.2d 115, 20-1186.
