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Liability of organizations and certain related persons - 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 307Legal Research Home > Pennsylvania Statutes
§ 307. Liability of organizations and certain related persons.
(a) Corporations generally.--A corporation may be convicted
of the commission of an offense if:
(1) the offense is a summary offense or the offense is
defined by a statute other than this title in which a
legislative purpose to impose liability on corporations
plainly appears and the conduct is performed by an agent of
the corporation acting in behalf of the corporation within
the scope of his office or employment, except that if the law
defining the offense designates the agents for whose conduct
the corporation is accountable or the circumstances under
which it is accountable, such provisions shall apply;
(2) the offense consists of an omission to discharge a
specific duty of affirmative performance imposed on
corporations by law; or
(3) the commission of the offense was authorized,
requested, commanded, performed or recklessly tolerated by
the board of directors or by a high managerial agent acting
in behalf of the corporation within the scope of his office
or employment.
(b) Corporations, absolute liability.--When absolute
liability is imposed for the commission of an offense, a
legislative purpose to impose liability on a corporation shall
be assumed, unless the contrary plainly appears.
(c) Unincorporated associations.--An unincorporated
association may be convicted of the commission of an offense if:
(1) the offense is defined by a statute other than this
title which expressly provides for the liability of such an
association and the conduct is performed by an agent of the
association acting in behalf of the association within the
scope of his office or employment, except that if the law
defining the offense designates the agents for whose conduct
the association is accountable or the circumstances under
which it is accountable, such provisions shall apply; or
(2) the offense consists of an omission to discharge a
specific duty of affirmative performance imposed on
associations by law.
(d) Defenses.--In any prosecution of a corporation or an
unincorporated association for the commission of an offense
included within the terms of paragraph (a)(1) or paragraph
(c)(1) of this section, other than an offense for which absolute
liability has been imposed, it shall be a defense if the
defendant proves by a preponderance of evidence that the high
managerial agent having supervisory responsibility over the
subject matter of the offense employed due diligence to prevent
its commission. This subsection shall not apply if it is plainly
inconsistent with the legislative purpose in defining the
particular offense.
(e) Persons acting or under a duty to act for
organizations.--
(1) A person is legally accountable for any conduct he
performs or causes to be performed in the name of a
corporation or an unincorporated association or in its behalf
to the same extent as if it were performed in his own name or
behalf.
(2) Whenever a duty to act is imposed by law upon a
corporation or an unincorporated association, any agent of
the corporation or association having primary responsibility
for the discharge of the duty is legally accountable for a
reckless omission to perform the required act to the same
extent as if the duty were imposed by law directly upon
himself.
(3) When a person is convicted of an offense by reason
of his legal accountability for the conduct of a corporation
or an unincorporated association, he is subject to the
sentence authorized by law when a natural person is convicted
of an offense of the grade and the degree involved.
(f) Definitions.--As used in this section the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection:
"Agent." Any director, officer, servant, employee or other
person authorized to act in behalf of the corporation or
association and, in the case of an unincorporated association, a
member of such association.
"Corporation." Does not include an entity organized as or by
a governmental agency for the execution of a governmental
program.
"High managerial agent." An officer of a corporation or an
unincorporated association, or, in the case of a partnership, a
partner, or any other agent of a corporation or association
having duties of such responsibility that his conduct may fairly
be assumed to represent the policy of the corporation or
association.
Cross References. Section 307 is referred to in section 6305
of this title.
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Last modified: November 27, 2007 |