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</div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><i>Ultra vires</i></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 18 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-18" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">18 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-bn mw-list-item"><a href="https://bn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE_%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9C" title="আল্ট্রা ভাইরিজ – Bangla" lang="bn" hreflang="bn" data-title="আল্ট্রা ভাইরিজ" data-language-autonym="বাংলা" data-language-local-name="Bangla" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>বাংলা</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-cy mw-list-item"><a href="https://cy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires – Welsh" lang="cy" hreflang="cy" data-title="Ultra vires" data-language-autonym="Cymraeg" data-language-local-name="Welsh" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Cymraeg</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-da mw-list-item"><a href="https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires – Danish" lang="da" hreflang="da" data-title="Ultra vires" data-language-autonym="Dansk" data-language-local-name="Danish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Dansk</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-de mw-list-item"><a href="https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra-vires-Akt" title="Ultra-vires-Akt – German" lang="de" hreflang="de" data-title="Ultra-vires-Akt" data-language-autonym="Deutsch" data-language-local-name="German" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Deutsch</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="Ultra vires" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ko mw-list-item"><a href="https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EB%8C%80%ED%91%9C%EA%B6%8C_%EC%A0%9C%ED%95%9C" title="대표권 제한 – Korean" lang="ko" hreflang="ko" data-title="대표권 제한" data-language-autonym="한국어" data-language-local-name="Korean" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>한국어</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hy mw-list-item"><a href="https://hy.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires – Armenian" lang="hy" hreflang="hy" data-title="Ultra vires" data-language-autonym="Հայերեն" data-language-local-name="Armenian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Հայերեն</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-hi mw-list-item"><a href="https://hi.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%A4" title="अधिकारातीत – Hindi" lang="hi" hreflang="hi" data-title="अधिकारातीत" data-language-autonym="हिन्दी" data-language-local-name="Hindi" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>हिन्दी</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-id mw-list-item"><a href="https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires – Indonesian" lang="id" hreflang="id" data-title="Ultra vires" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Indonesia" data-language-local-name="Indonesian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Indonesia</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-it mw-list-item"><a href="https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires – Italian" lang="it" hreflang="it" data-title="Ultra vires" data-language-autonym="Italiano" data-language-local-name="Italian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Italiano</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-he mw-list-item"><a href="https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%97%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%92%D7%94_%D7%9E%D7%A1%D7%9E%D7%9B%D7%95%D7%AA" title="חריגה מסמכות – Hebrew" lang="he" hreflang="he" data-title="חריגה מסמכות" data-language-autonym="עברית" data-language-local-name="Hebrew" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>עברית</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-kn mw-list-item"><a href="https://kn.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B2%85%E0%B2%B2%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%9F%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%B0%E0%B2%BE_%E0%B2%B5%E0%B3%88%E0%B2%B0%E0%B3%8D%E0%B2%B8%E0%B3%8D" title="ಅಲ್ಟ್ರಾ ವೈರ್ಸ್ – Kannada" lang="kn" hreflang="kn" data-title="ಅಲ್ಟ್ರಾ ವೈರ್ಸ್" data-language-autonym="ಕನ್ನಡ" data-language-local-name="Kannada" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>ಕನ್ನಡ</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ms mw-list-item"><a href="https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires – Malay" lang="ms" hreflang="ms" data-title="Ultra vires" data-language-autonym="Bahasa Melayu" data-language-local-name="Malay" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Bahasa Melayu</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ja mw-list-item"><a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A6%E3%83%AB%E3%83%88%E3%83%A9%E3%83%BB%E3%83%B4%E3%82%A3%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AC%E3%82%B9%E3%81%AE%E6%B3%95%E7%90%86" title="ウルトラ・ヴィーレスの法理 – Japanese" lang="ja" hreflang="ja" data-title="ウルトラ・ヴィーレスの法理" data-language-autonym="日本語" data-language-local-name="Japanese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>日本語</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pl mw-list-item"><a href="https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires – Polish" lang="pl" hreflang="pl" data-title="Ultra vires" data-language-autonym="Polski" data-language-local-name="Polish" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Polski</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="Ultra vires" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sh mw-list-item"><a href="https://sh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires – Serbo-Croatian" lang="sh" hreflang="sh" data-title="Ultra vires" data-language-autonym="Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски" data-language-local-name="Serbo-Croatian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-sv mw-list-item"><a href="https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_vires" title="Ultra vires – Swedish" lang="sv" hreflang="sv" data-title="Ultra vires" data-language-autonym="Svenska" 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class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none">Legal concept meaning powers are exceeded</div> <p class="mw-empty-elt"> </p> <figure class="mw-halign-right" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Wilmington_Delaware_skyline.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Wilmington_Delaware_skyline.jpg/375px-Wilmington_Delaware_skyline.jpg" decoding="async" width="375" height="174" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Wilmington_Delaware_skyline.jpg/563px-Wilmington_Delaware_skyline.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Wilmington_Delaware_skyline.jpg/750px-Wilmington_Delaware_skyline.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2605" data-file-height="1212" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Wilmington,_Delaware" title="Wilmington, Delaware">Wilmington, Delaware</a> is the incorporation capital of the United States.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Delaware has largely abolished <i>ultra vires</i> in relation to corporations under the <a href="/wiki/Delaware_General_Corporation_Law" title="Delaware General Corporation Law">Delaware General Corporation Law</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></figcaption></figure> <p><b><span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">Ultra vires</i></span></b> ('beyond the powers') is a <a href="/wiki/List_of_Latin_phrases" title="List of Latin phrases">Latin phrase</a> used in law to describe an act that requires legal authority but is done without it. Its opposite, an act done under proper authority, is <b><span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">intra vires</i></span></b> ('within the powers'). Acts that are <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">intra vires</i></span> may equivalently be termed "valid", and those that are <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> termed "invalid". </p><p>Legal issues relating to <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> can arise in a variety of contexts: </p> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Company" title="Company">Companies</a> and other <a href="/wiki/Legal_person" title="Legal person">legal persons</a> sometimes have limited <a href="/wiki/Capacity_(law)" title="Capacity (law)">legal capacity to act</a>, and attempts to engage in activities beyond their legal capacities may be <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span>.<sup id="cite_ref-Ashbury_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Ashbury-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Most countries have restricted the doctrine of <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> in relation to companies by statute.</li> <li>Similarly, statutory and governmental bodies may have limits upon the acts and activities which they legally engage in.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Primary_and_secondary_legislation" title="Primary and secondary legislation">Subordinate legislation</a> which is purported passed without the proper legal authority may be invalid as beyond the powers of the authority which issued it.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-Boddington_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Boddington-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></li></ul> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Corporate_law">Corporate law</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ultra_vires&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Corporate law"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/Corporate_law" title="Corporate law">Corporate law</a></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist 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a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-list-title,html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle{background:transparent!important}html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sidebar:not(.notheme) .sidebar-title-with-pretitle a{color:var(--color-progressive)!important}}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sidebar{display:none!important}}</style><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1246091330"><table class="sidebar sidebar-collapse nomobile nowraplinks vcard hlist"><tbody><tr><td class="sidebar-pretitle">This article is part of <a href="/wiki/Category:Corporate_law" title="Category:Corporate law">a series</a> on</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-title-with-pretitle"><a href="/wiki/Corporate_law" title="Corporate law">Corporate law</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-image"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Society.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Society.svg/200px-Society.svg.png" decoding="async" width="200" height="79" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Society.svg/300px-Society.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Society.svg/400px-Society.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="96" data-file-height="38" /></a></span></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center; background:lavender; line-height:130%; padding:0.3em 0em;;color: var(--color-base)">By jurisdiction</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anguillan_company_law" title="Anguillan company law">Anguilla</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Australian_corporate_law" title="Australian corporate law">Australia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/British_Virgin_Islands_company_law" title="British Virgin Islands company law">BVI</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Canadian_corporate_law" title="Canadian corporate law">Canada</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cayman_Islands_company_law" title="Cayman Islands company law">Cayman Islands</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indian_company_law" title="Indian company law">India</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/South_African_company_law" title="South African company law">South Africa</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_company_law" title="United Kingdom company law">UK</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_corporate_law" title="United States corporate law">United States</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Corporate_law_in_Vietnam" title="Corporate law in Vietnam">Vietnam</a></li> <li><br /><a href="/wiki/European_corporate_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European corporate law">European Union</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/French_company_law" title="French company law">France</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/German_company_law" title="German company law">Germany</a></li></ul></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center; background:lavender; line-height:130%; padding:0.3em 0em;;color: var(--color-base)">General corporate forms</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Company" title="Company">Company</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Conglomerate_(company)" title="Conglomerate (company)">Conglomerate</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cooperative" title="Cooperative">Cooperative</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Corporation" title="Corporation">Corporation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Holding_company" title="Holding company">Holding company</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Joint-stock_company" title="Joint-stock company">Joint-stock</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Partnership" title="Partnership">Partnership</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/General_partnership" title="General partnership">General</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_partnership" title="Limited partnership">Limited</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_liability_partnership" title="Limited liability partnership">Limited liability</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Private_limited_company" title="Private limited company">Private limited</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shell_corporation" title="Shell corporation">Shell corporation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Shelf_corporation" title="Shelf corporation">Shelf corporation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sole_proprietorship" title="Sole proprietorship">Sole proprietorship</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center; background:lavender; line-height:130%; padding:0.3em 0em;;color: var(--color-base)"><a href="/wiki/List_of_legal_entity_types_by_country" title="List of legal entity types by country">Corporate forms<br />by jurisdiction</a></div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks" style="background-color: transparent; color: var( --color-base ); border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; border:none; width:100%; margin:0px; font-size:100%; clear:none; float:none"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <a href="/wiki/European_corporate_law" class="mw-redirect" title="European corporate law">European Union</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="border-bottom:#ccc 1px solid"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Societas_Europaea" title="Societas Europaea"><i>Societas</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(SE)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Societas_cooperativa_Europaea" title="Societas cooperativa Europaea"><i>Societas cooperativa</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(SCE)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Societas_privata_Europaea" title="Societas privata Europaea"><i>Societas privata</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(SPE)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Societas_unius_personae" title="Societas unius personae"><i>Societas unius personae</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(SUP)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_economic_interest_grouping" title="European economic interest grouping">Economic interest grouping <span style="font-size:85%;">(EEIG)</span></a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> <span class="nowrap">UK / Ireland / Commonwealth</span></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="border-bottom:#ccc 1px solid"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Charitable_incorporated_organisation" title="Charitable incorporated organisation">Charitable incorporated organisation (England and Wales) <span style="font-size:85%;">(CIO)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scottish_charitable_incorporated_organisation" title="Scottish charitable incorporated organisation">Scottish charitable incorporated organisation <span style="font-size:85%;">(SCIO)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Community_interest_company" title="Community interest company">Community interest company <span style="font-size:85%;">(CIC)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Industrial_and_provident_society" title="Industrial and provident society">Industrial and provident society <span style="font-size:85%;">(IPS)</span></a></li> <li><br /><a href="/wiki/Limited_company" title="Limited company">Limited company <span style="font-size:85%;">(Ltd.)</span></a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Private_company_limited_by_guarantee" class="mw-redirect" title="Private company limited by guarantee">by guarantee</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Private_company_limited_by_shares" title="Private company limited by shares">by shares</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proprietary_company" title="Proprietary company">proprietary</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Public_limited_company" title="Public limited company">public</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unlimited_company" title="Unlimited company">Unlimited company</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> United States</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="border-bottom:#ccc 1px solid"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Benefit_corporation" title="Benefit corporation">Benefit corporation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/C_corporation" title="C corporation">C corporation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_liability_company" title="Limited liability company">Limited liability company <span style="font-size:85%;">(LLC)</span></a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Low-profit_limited_liability_company" title="Low-profit limited liability company">Low-profit LLC</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Series_LLC" title="Series LLC">Series LLC</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_liability_limited_partnership" title="Limited liability limited partnership">Limited liability limited partnership <span style="font-size:85%;">(LLLP)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/S_corporation" title="S corporation">S corporation</a></li> <li><span class="nowrap"><a href="/wiki/Delaware_General_Corporation_Law" title="Delaware General Corporation Law">Delaware corporation</a> / <a href="/wiki/Delaware_statutory_trust" title="Delaware statutory trust">statutory trust</a></span></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Massachusetts_business_trust" title="Massachusetts business trust">Massachusetts business trust</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nevada_corporation" title="Nevada corporation">Nevada corporation</a></li></ul></td> </tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading"> Others</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="border-bottom:#ccc 1px solid"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Aktiebolag" title="Aktiebolag"><i>Aktiebolag</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(AB)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aktiengesellschaft" title="Aktiengesellschaft"><i>Aktiengesellschaft</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(AG)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ansvarlig_selskap" title="Ansvarlig selskap"><i>Ansvarlig selskap</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(ANS)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aktieselskab" title="Aktieselskab"><i>Aktieselskab</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(A/S)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Aksjeselskap" title="Aksjeselskap"><i>Aksjeselskap</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(AS)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gesellschaft_mit_beschr%C3%A4nkter_Haftung" class="mw-redirect" title="Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung"><i>Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(GmbH)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kabushiki_gaisha" title="Kabushiki gaisha"><i>Kabushiki gaisha</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(K.K.)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Naamloze_vennootschap" title="Naamloze vennootschap"><i>Naamloze vennootschap</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(N.V.)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Osakeyhti%C3%B6" title="Osakeyhtiö"><i>Osakeyhtiö</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(Oy)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/S.A._(corporation)" title="S.A. (corporation)">S.A.</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Soci%C3%A9t%C3%A9_%C3%A0_responsabilit%C3%A9_limit%C3%A9e" title="Société à responsabilité limitée"><i>Société à responsabilité limitée</i> <span style="font-size:85%;">(SARL)</span></a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Types_of_business_entity" class="mw-redirect" title="Types of business entity">more...</a></li></ul></td> </tr></tbody></table></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center; background:lavender; line-height:130%; padding:0.3em 0em;;color: var(--color-base)">Doctrines</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Business_judgment_rule" title="Business judgment rule">Business judgment rule</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Corporate_governance" title="Corporate governance">Corporate governance</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/De_facto_corporation_and_corporation_by_estoppel" title="De facto corporation and corporation by estoppel"><i>De facto</i> and estoppel corporations</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Internal_affairs_doctrine" title="Internal affairs doctrine">Internal affairs doctrine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Limited_liability" title="Limited liability">Limited liability</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tag-along_right" title="Tag-along right">Tag-along right</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Drag-along_right" title="Drag-along right">Drag-along right</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Piercing_the_corporate_veil" title="Piercing the corporate veil">Piercing the corporate veil</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rochdale_Principles" title="Rochdale Principles">Rochdale Principles</a></li> <li><i><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Ultra vires</a></i></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content"> <div class="sidebar-list mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><div class="sidebar-list-title" style="text-align:center; background:lavender; line-height:130%; padding:0.3em 0em;;color: var(--color-base)">Related areas</div><div class="sidebar-list-content mw-collapsible-content"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Beneficial_ownership" title="Beneficial ownership">Beneficial ownership</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Civil_procedure" title="Civil procedure">Civil procedure</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Contract" title="Contract">Contract</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/List_of_company_registers" class="mw-redirect" title="List of company registers">Corporate registers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Registered_agent" title="Registered agent">Registered agent</a></li></ul></div></div></td> </tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Portal:Companies" title="Portal:Companies">Company portal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Portal:Law" title="Portal:Law">Law portal</a></li></ul></td></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-navbar"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Corporate_law" title="Template:Corporate law"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Corporate_law" title="Template talk:Corporate law"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Corporate_law" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Corporate law"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>In corporate law, <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> describes acts attempted by a corporation that are beyond the scope of powers granted by the corporation's <a href="/wiki/Objects_clause" title="Objects clause">objects clause</a>, its <a href="/wiki/Articles_of_incorporation" class="mw-redirect" title="Articles of incorporation">articles of incorporation</a>, its <a href="/wiki/By-laws" class="mw-redirect" title="By-laws">by-laws</a>, similar founding documents, or laws authorizing a corporation's formation. Acts attempted by a corporation that are beyond the scope of its charter are <a href="/wiki/Void_(law)" title="Void (law)">void</a> or <a href="/wiki/Voidable" title="Voidable">voidable</a>. </p> <ol><li>An <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> transaction cannot be ratified by shareholders, even if they wish it to be ratified.</li> <li>The doctrine of <a href="/wiki/Estoppel" title="Estoppel">estoppel</a> usually precluded reliance on the defense of <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> where the transaction was fully performed by one party.</li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/A_fortiori" class="mw-redirect" title="A fortiori">A fortiori</a></i>, a transaction fully performed by both parties could not be attacked.</li> <li>If the contract was fully executory, the defense of <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> might be raised by either party.</li> <li>If the contract was partially performed, and the performance was held insufficient to bring the doctrine of estoppel into play, a suit for <a href="/wiki/Quasi-contract" title="Quasi-contract">quasi-contract</a> for recovery of benefits conferred was available.</li> <li>If an <a href="/wiki/Agent_(law)" class="mw-redirect" title="Agent (law)">agent</a> of the corporation committed a <a href="/wiki/Tort" title="Tort">tort</a> within the scope of their employment, the corporation could not defend on the ground the act was <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span>.</li></ol> <p>Several modern developments relating to corporate formation have limited the probability that <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> acts will occur. Except in the case of <a href="/wiki/Non-profit_corporation" class="mw-redirect" title="Non-profit corporation">non-profit corporations</a> (including <a href="/wiki/Municipal_corporations" class="mw-redirect" title="Municipal corporations">municipal corporations</a>), this legal doctrine is <a href="/wiki/Desuetude" title="Desuetude">obsolescent</a>; within recent years, almost all business corporations have been chartered to allow them to transact any lawful business. The <a href="/wiki/Model_Business_Corporation_Act" title="Model Business Corporation Act">Model Business Corporation Act</a> of the United States states that: "The validity of corporate action may not be challenged on the ground that the corporation lacks or lacked power to act." The doctrine still lives among non-profit corporations or state-created corporate bodies established for a specific public purpose, such as universities or charities. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="United_Kingdom">United Kingdom</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ultra_vires&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: United Kingdom"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236090951"><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">See also: <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_company_law" title="United Kingdom company law">United Kingdom company law</a></div> <p>Historically all companies in the United Kingdom were subject to the doctrine of <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> and any act which was outside of the objects specified in a company's <a href="/wiki/Memorandum_of_association" title="Memorandum of association">memorandum of association</a> would be <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> and <a href="/wiki/Void_(law)" title="Void (law)">void</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Ashbury_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Ashbury-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> That result was commercially unpalatable. It led to companies being formed with extremely wide and generic objects clauses permitting a company to engage in all manner of commercial activities.<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The position was changed by statute by the <a href="/wiki/Companies_Act_1985" title="Companies Act 1985">Companies Act 1985</a>, which essentially abolished the doctrine concerning commercial companies. The position is now regulated by the <a href="/wiki/Companies_Act_2006" title="Companies Act 2006">Companies Act 2006</a>, sections 31 and 39, which similarly significantly reduces the applicability of <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> in corporate law. However, it can still apply to charities, and a shareholder may apply for an <a href="/wiki/Injunction" title="Injunction">injunction</a>, in advance only, to prevent an act which is claimed to be <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="United_States">United States</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ultra_vires&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: United States"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>According to American laws, the concept of <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> can still arise in the following kinds of activities in some states: </p> <ol><li>Charitable or political contributions</li> <li>Guaranty of indebtedness of another</li> <li>Loans to officers or directors</li> <li>Pensions, bonuses, stock option plans, job severance payments, and other fringe benefits</li> <li>The power to acquire shares of other corporations</li> <li>The power to enter into a partnership</li></ol> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Other_jurisdictions">Other jurisdictions</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ultra_vires&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Other jurisdictions"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In many jurisdictions, such as Australia, legislation provides that a corporation has all the powers of a natural person<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> plus others; also, the validity of acts which are made <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> is preserved.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Constitutional_law">Constitutional law</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ultra_vires&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Constitutional law"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>Under <a href="/wiki/Constitutional_law" title="Constitutional law">constitutional law</a>, particularly in <a href="/wiki/Constitutional_law_of_Canada" class="mw-redirect" title="Constitutional law of Canada">Canada</a> and the <a href="/wiki/United_States_constitutional_law" class="mw-redirect" title="United States constitutional law">United States</a>, constitutions give federal and provincial or state governments various powers. To go outside those powers would be <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span>; for example, although the court did not use the term in striking down a federal law in <i><a href="/wiki/United_States_v._Lopez" title="United States v. Lopez">United States v. Lopez</a></i> because it exceeded the constitutional authority of Congress, the Supreme Court still declared the law to be <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span>.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>According to Article 15.2 of the <a href="/wiki/Constitution_of_Ireland" title="Constitution of Ireland">Irish constitution</a>, the <a href="/wiki/Oireachtas" title="Oireachtas">Oireachtas</a> (parliament) is the sole lawmaking body in the <a href="/wiki/Republic_of_Ireland" title="Republic of Ireland">Republic of Ireland</a>. In the case of <i><a href="/w/index.php?title=CityView_Press_v_AnCo&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="CityView Press v AnCo (page does not exist)">CityView Press v AnCo</a></i>, however, the <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court_of_Ireland" title="Supreme Court of Ireland">Supreme Court of Ireland</a> held that the Oireachtas may delegate certain powers to subordinate bodies through primary legislation, so long as these delegated powers allow the delegatee only to further the principles and policies laid down by the Oireachtas in primary legislation and not craft new principles or policies themselves. Any piece of primary legislation that grants the power to make public policy to a body other than the Oireachtas is unconstitutional; however, as there is a presumption in <a href="/wiki/Constitution_of_Ireland" title="Constitution of Ireland">Irish constitutional law</a> that the Oireachtas acts within the confines of the constitution, any legislation passed by the Oireachtas must be interpreted in such a way as to be constitutionally valid where possible. </p><p>Thus, in several cases where bodies other than the Oireachtas were found to have used powers granted to them by primary legislation to make public policy, the impugned primary legislation was read in such a way that it would not have the effect of allowing a subordinate body to make public policy. In these cases, the primary legislation was held to be constitutional. Still, the subordinate or secondary legislation, which amounted to creating public policy, was held to be <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> the primary legislation and was struck down. </p><p>In <a href="/wiki/UK_constitutional_law" class="mw-redirect" title="UK constitutional law">UK constitutional law</a>, <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> describes patents, ordinances, and the like enacted under the <a href="/wiki/Prerogative_powers" class="mw-redirect" title="Prerogative powers">prerogative powers</a> of the Crown that contradict statutes enacted by the <a href="/wiki/Queen-in-Parliament" class="mw-redirect" title="Queen-in-Parliament">Crown-in-Parliament</a>. Almost unheard of in modern times, <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> acts by the Crown or its servants were previously a major threat to the <a href="/wiki/Rule_of_law" title="Rule of law">rule of law</a>.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (June 2021)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p><p><i><a href="/wiki/Boddington_v_British_Transport_Police" title="Boddington v British Transport Police">Boddington v British Transport Police</a></i> is an example of an appeal heard by the House of Lords that contested that a by-law was beyond the powers conferred to it under section 67 of the <a href="/wiki/Transport_Act_1962" title="Transport Act 1962">Transport Act 1962</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-Boddington_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Boddington-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Administrative_law">Administrative law</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ultra_vires&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Administrative law"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In <a href="/wiki/Administrative_law" title="Administrative law">administrative law</a>, an act may be <a href="/wiki/Judicial_review" title="Judicial review">judicially reviewable</a> for <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> in a narrow or broad sense. Narrow <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> applies if an administrator did not have the substantive power to make a decision or it was wrought with procedural defects. Broad <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> applies if there is an abuse of power (e.g., <a href="/wiki/Wednesbury_unreasonableness" class="mw-redirect" title="Wednesbury unreasonableness">Wednesbury unreasonableness</a> or bad faith) or a failure to exercise an administrative discretion (e.g., acting at the behest of another or unlawfully applying a government policy) or application of discretionary powers in an irrational and wrong way.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Either doctrine may entitle a claimant to various prerogative writs, equitable remedies or statutory orders if they are satisfied. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="United_Kingdom_2">United Kingdom</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ultra_vires&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: United Kingdom"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In the seminal case of <i><a href="/wiki/Anisminic_v_Foreign_Compensation_Commission" class="mw-redirect" title="Anisminic v Foreign Compensation Commission">Anisminic v Foreign Compensation Commission</a></i>,<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Lord Reid is credited with formulating the doctrine of <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span>. However, <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span>, together with unreasonableness, was mentioned much earlier by Lord Russell in the well-known case, <i><a href="/wiki/Kruse_v_Johnson" title="Kruse v Johnson">Kruse v Johnson</a></i>,<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> regarding challenging by-laws and other rules. <i>Anisminic</i> is better known for not depriving courts of their jurisdiction to declare a decision a nullity, even if a statute expressly prevents it from being subject to judicial review. Further cases such as <i><a href="/wiki/Fares_Fair#Legal_challenge" title="Fares Fair">Bromley LBC v Greater London Council</a></i><sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <i><a href="/wiki/Council_of_Civil_Service_Unions_v_Minister_for_the_Civil_Service" title="Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service">Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service</a></i><sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> have sought to refine the doctrine. </p><p>In <i><a href="/wiki/Hammersmith_and_Fulham_London_Borough_Council_v_Hazell" class="mw-redirect" title="Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council v Hazell">Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council v Hazell</a></i>,<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> the <a href="/wiki/Judicial_functions_of_the_House_of_Lords" title="Judicial functions of the House of Lords">House of Lords</a> held that <a href="/wiki/Interest_rate_swap" title="Interest rate swap">interest rate swaps</a> entered into by <a href="/wiki/Local_authority" class="mw-redirect" title="Local authority">local authorities</a> (a popular method of circumventing statutory restrictions on local authorities borrowing money at that time) were all <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> and <a href="/wiki/Void_(law)" title="Void (law)">void</a>, sparking a <a href="/wiki/Local_authorities_swaps_litigation" title="Local authorities swaps litigation">raft of satellite litigation</a>. </p><p>Mark Elliott (<a href="/wiki/St_Catharine%27s_College,_Cambridge" title="St Catharine's College, Cambridge">St Catharine's College, Cambridge</a>) proposes a modified <span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">ultra vires</i></span> doctrine for administrative law, placing it firmly in the correct constitutional setting.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ultra_vires&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Judicial_activism" title="Judicial activism">Judicial activism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Judicial_Review_in_English_Law" class="mw-redirect" title="Judicial Review in English Law">Judicial Review in English Law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Precedent" title="Precedent">Precedent</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ultra_vires&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist reflist-columns references-column-width reflist-columns-2"> <ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFEvelina_Munteanu2014" class="citation web cs1">Evelina Munteanu (25 November 2014). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.incplan.net/blog/business-startup/top-5-us-states-company-formations/">"Top 5 US States For Company Formations"</a>. Inc Plan (USA). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171107221804/https://www.incplan.net/blog/business-startup/top-5-us-states-company-formations/">Archived</a> from the original on 7 November 2017<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">7 November</span> 2017</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Top+5+US+States+For+Company+Formations&rft.pub=Inc+Plan+%28USA%29&rft.date=2014-11-25&rft.au=Evelina+Munteanu&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.incplan.net%2Fblog%2Fbusiness-startup%2Ftop-5-us-states-company-formations%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUltra+vires" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222"><cite id="CITEREFFrancis_Pileggi2012" class="citation web cs1">Francis Pileggi (4 September 2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.delawarelitigation.com/2012/09/articles/chancery-court-updates/septa/">"Abolishment of Ultra Vires Doctrine with Exceptions"</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230401211013/https://www.delawarelitigation.com/2012/09/articles/chancery-court-updates/septa/">Archived</a> from the original on 1 April 2023<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">7 November</span> 2017</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=Abolishment+of+Ultra+Vires+Doctrine+with+Exceptions&rft.date=2012-09-04&rft.au=Francis+Pileggi&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.delawarelitigation.com%2F2012%2F09%2Farticles%2Fchancery-court-updates%2Fsepta%2F&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AUltra+vires" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Ashbury-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Ashbury_3-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Ashbury_3-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a href="/wiki/Ashbury_Railway_Carriage_and_Iron_Co_Ltd_v_Riche" class="mw-redirect" title="Ashbury Railway Carriage and Iron Co Ltd v Riche">Ashbury Railway Carriage and Iron Co Ltd v Riche</a></i> (1875) LR 7 HL 653</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a href="/wiki/Hazell_v_Hammersmith_and_Fulham_LBC" title="Hazell v Hammersmith and Fulham LBC">Hazell v Hammersmith and Fulham LBC</a></i> [1992] 2 AC 1</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a href="/wiki/Woolwich_Equitable_Building_Society_v_IRC" class="mw-redirect" title="Woolwich Equitable Building Society v IRC">Woolwich Equitable Building Society v IRC</a></i> [1993] AC 70</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Boddington-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Boddington_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Boddington_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a href="/wiki/Boddington_v_British_Transport_Police" title="Boddington v British Transport Police">Boddington v British Transport Police</a></i> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/1998/13.html">[1998] UKHL 13</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a href="/wiki/Rolled_Steel_Products_(Holdings)_Ltd_v_British_Steel_Corp" title="Rolled Steel Products (Holdings) Ltd v British Steel Corp">Rolled Steel Products (Holdings) Ltd v British Steel Corp</a></i> [1986] Ch 246</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca2001172/s124.html">Sn 124 Legal capacity and powers of a Company</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060515175721/http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca2001172/s124.html">Archived</a> 2006-05-15 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a>, <i>Corporations Act 2001</i>, Commonwealth Consolidated Acts</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca2001172/s125.html">Sn 125 Constitution may limit powers and set out objectives</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20060515175737/http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ca2001172/s125.html">Archived</a> 2006-05-15 at the <a href="/wiki/Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a>, <i>Corporations Act 2001</i>, Commonwealth Consolidated Acts</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>United States v. Lopez</i>, <a href="/wiki/List_of_United_States_Supreme_Court_cases,_volume_514" title="List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 514">514</a> <a href="/wiki/United_States_Reports" title="United States Reports">U.S.</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/514/549/#567">549, 567</a> (1995).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Örücü Esin, The Liability of administration in England and main principles applied in judicial review, in Onar Armagani, Fakulteler Matbaasi, Istanbul 1977, p.660</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Anisminic v Foreign Compensation Commission</i> [1969] 2 WLR 163</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Kruse v Johnson</i> [1898] 2 QB 91</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Bromley LBC v Greater London Council</i> [1983] AC 768 (see Lord Wilberforce's judgment)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service</i> [1985] AC 374 (see Lord Diplock's judgment)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i>Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council v Hazell</i> [1992] 2 AC 1</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Elliott, M., <i>The Ultra Vires Doctrine in a Constitutional Setting: Still the Central Principle of Administrative Law</i> [1999] <a href="/wiki/Cambridge_Law_Journal" title="Cambridge Law Journal">Cambridge Law Journal</a> Vol. 58 129</span> </li> </ol></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239549316">.mw-parser-output .refbegin{margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul{margin-left:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{margin-left:0;padding-left:3.2em;text-indent:-3.2em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul,.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul li{list-style:none}@media(max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{padding-left:1.6em;text-indent:-1.6em}}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .refbegin{font-size:90%}}</style><div class="refbegin" style=""> <ul><li>Robert W. Hamilton.<i> The Law of Corporation </i> 4th Edition, 1996 West Group</li></ul> </div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output 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href="/wiki/Promulgation" title="Promulgation">Promulgation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ratification" title="Ratification">Ratification</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Repeal" title="Repeal">Repeal</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Treaty" title="Treaty">Treaty</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Concordat" title="Concordat">Concordat</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Statutory_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Statutory law">Statutory law</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Statute" title="Statute">Statute</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Act_of_parliament" title="Act of parliament">Act of parliament</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Act_of_Congress" title="Act of Congress">Act of Congress</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Basic_structure_doctrine" title="Basic structure doctrine">Basic structure doctrine</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align:center;;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/List_of_national_legal_systems" title="List of national legal systems">Legal systems</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Civil_law_(legal_system)" title="Civil law (legal system)">Civil law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Common_law" title="Common law">Common law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chinese_law" title="Chinese law">Chinese law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Legal_pluralism" title="Legal pluralism">Legal pluralism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Religious_law" title="Religious law">Religious law</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Canon_law" title="Canon law">Canon law</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Canon_law_of_the_Catholic_Church" title="Canon law of the Catholic Church">Catholic canon law</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hindu_law" title="Hindu law">Hindu law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jain_law" title="Jain law">Jain law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Halakha" title="Halakha">Jewish law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Parsi_law" title="Parsi law">Parsi law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sharia" title="Sharia">Sharia</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Roman_law" title="Roman law">Roman law</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Byzantine_law" title="Byzantine law">Byzantine law</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Socialist_law" title="Socialist law">Socialist law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Statutory_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Statutory law">Statutory law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Xeer" title="Xeer">Xeer</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Yassa" title="Yassa">Yassa</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align:center;;width:1%">Legal theory</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Anarchist_law" title="Anarchist law">Anarchist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Contract_theory" title="Contract theory">Contract theory</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Comparative_law" title="Comparative law">Comparative 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of law</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rule_of_man" title="Rule of man">Rule of man</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sociology_of_law" title="Sociology of law">Sociology</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="text-align:center;;width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Jurisprudence" title="Jurisprudence">Jurisprudence</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Adjudication" title="Adjudication">Adjudication</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Administration_of_justice" title="Administration of justice">Administration of justice</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Constitutionalism" title="Constitutionalism">Constitutionalism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Criminal_justice" title="Criminal justice">Criminal justice</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Court-martial" title="Court-martial">Court-martial</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dispute_resolution" title="Dispute resolution">Dispute resolution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fiqh" title="Fiqh">Fiqh</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Lawsuit" title="Lawsuit">Lawsuit/Litigation</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Legal_opinion" title="Legal opinion">Legal opinion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Legal_remedy" title="Legal remedy">Legal remedy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Judge" title="Judge">Judge</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Justice_of_the_peace" title="Justice of the peace">Justice of the peace</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Magistrate" title="Magistrate">Magistrate</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Judgment_(law)" title="Judgment (law)">Judgment</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Judicial_review" title="Judicial review">Judicial review</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jurisdiction" title="Jurisdiction">Jurisdiction</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Jury" title="Jury">Jury</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Justice" title="Justice">Justice</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Practice_of_law" title="Practice of law">Practice of law</a> <ul><li><a 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class="navbox-group" style="text-align:center;;width:1%">Legal institutions</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Barristers%27_chambers" title="Barristers' chambers">Barristers' chambers</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bureaucracy" title="Bureaucracy">Bureaucracy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bar_(law)" title="Bar (law)">The bar</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bench_(law)" title="Bench (law)">The bench</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Civil_society" title="Civil society">Civil society</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Court" title="Court">Court</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Court_of_equity" title="Court of equity">Court of equity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Election_commission" title="Election commission">Election commission</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Executive_(government)" title="Executive (government)">Executive</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Judiciary" title="Judiciary">Judiciary</a></li> 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the legal profession">History of the legal profession</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/History_of_the_American_legal_profession" title="History of the American legal profession">History of the American legal profession</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Women_in_law" title="Women in law">Women in law</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow hlist" colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"><div> <ul><li><b><span class="nowrap"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Balance,_by_David.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="icon" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/30px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="28" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/46px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/61px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png 2x" 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