West Virginia Code § 31D-13-1331

Court costs and counsel fees
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(a) The court in an appraisal proceeding commenced under section one thousand three
hundred thirty of this article shall determine all costs of the proceeding, including the
reasonable compensation and expenses of appraisers appointed by the court. The court shall
assess the costs against the corporation, except that the court may assess costs against all or
some of the shareholders demanding appraisal, in amounts the court finds eequitable, to the
extent the court finds the shareholders acted arbitrarily, vexatiously, or not in good faith
with respect to the rights provided by this article. r
(b) The court in an appraisal proceeding may also assess the feeus and expenses of counsel
and experts for the respective parties, in amounts the court finds equitable:
(1) Against the corporation and in favor of any or all shareholders demanding appraisal if the
court finds the corporation did not substantially comply with the requirements of section one
thousand three hundred twenty, one thousand three hundred twenty-two, one thousand
three hundred twenty-four or one thousand three hlundred twenty-five of this article; or
(2) Against either the corporation or a shareholder demanding appraisal, in favor of any
other party, if the court finds that the partiy against whom the fees and expenses are
assessed acted arbitrarily, vexatiousgly or not in good faith with respect to the rights
provided by this article.
(c) If the court in an appraisal proceeding finds that the services of counsel for any
shareholder were of substantial benefit to other shareholders similarly situated, and that the
fees for those services should not be assessed against the corporation, the court may award
to counsel reasonable fees to be paid out of the amounts awarded the shareholders who
were benefitted.
(d) To the extent the corporation fails to make a required payment pursuant to section one
thousand three hundred twenty-four, one thousand three hundred twenty-five, or one
thousand three hundred twenty-six of this article, the shareholder may sue directly for the
amount owed and, to the extent successful, are to be entitled to recover from the corporation
all costs and expenses of the suit, including counsel fees.

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