Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-647 (2026)

General powers

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section CT-CGAcga.ct.gov (official) JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar
Unless its certificate of incorporation provides otherwise, every corporation has perpetual duration and succession in its corporate name and has the same powers as an individual to do all things necessary or convenient to carry out its business and affairs, including without limitation power:

(1) To sue and be sued, complain and defend in its corporate name;

(2) To have a corporate seal, which may be altered at will, and to use it, or a facsimile of it, by impressing or affixing it or in any other manner reproducing it;

(3) To make and amend bylaws, not inconsistent with its certificate of incorporation or with the laws of this state, for managing the business and regulating the affairs of the corporation;

(4) To purchase, receive, lease or otherwise acquire, and own, hold, improve, use and otherwise deal with, real or personal property, or any legal or equitable interest in property, wherever located;

(5) To sell, convey, mortgage, pledge, lease, exchange and otherwise dispose of all or any part of its property;

(6) To purchase, receive, subscribe for or otherwise acquire, own, hold, vote, use, sell, mortgage, lend, pledge or otherwise dispose of, and deal in and with shares or other interests in, or obligations of, any other entity;

(7) To make contracts and guarantees, incur liabilities, borrow money, issue its notes, bonds and other obligations, which may be convertible into or include the option to purchase other securities of the corporation, and secure any of its obligations by mortgage or pledge of any of its property, franchises or income;

(8) To lend money, invest and reinvest its funds, and receive and hold real and personal property as security for repayment;

(9) To be a promoter, partner, member, associate or manager of any partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity;

(10) To conduct its business, locate offices and exercise the powers granted by sections 33-600 to 33-998, inclusive, within or without this state;

(11) To elect directors and appoint officers, employees and agents of the corporation, define their duties, fix their compensation and lend them money and credit;

(12) To pay pensions and establish pension plans, pension trusts, profit-sharing plans, share bonus plans, share option plans and benefit or incentive plans for any or all of its current or former directors, officers, employees and agents;

(13) To make donations for the public welfare or for charitable, scientific or educational purposes;

(14) To transact any lawful business that will aid government policy; and

(15) To make payments or donations, or do any other act, not inconsistent with law, that furthers the business and affairs of the corporation.

(P.A. 94-186, S. 29, 215; P.A. 96-271, S. 24, 254.)

History: P.A. 94-186 effective January 1, 1997; P.A. 96-271 replaced “articles” of incorporation with “certificate” of incorporation where appearing, effective January 1, 1997.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2 cases, 2001–2015 · leading case: Ganim v. Smith & Wesson Corp., 780 A.2d 98 (Conn. 2001).
Ganim v. Smith & Wesson Corp., 780 A.2d 98 (Conn. 2001). · cites it 4× “Indeed, the general language giving a municipality the power to “sue and be sued” is the same language contained in General Statutes § 33-647 (l), 17 regarding the general powers of business corporations, and General Statutes § 33-1036 (l), 18 regarding the general powers of…”
Success, Inc. v. Curcio (Conn. App. Ct. 2015). · cites it 2× “See General Statutes § 33-636 (c). A corpora- tion is endowed with all powers specifically granted to it by law, and all powers enumerated in the CBCA, without the necessity of setting forth any of them in its certificate of incorporation.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.