Revised Code of Washington

Wash. Rev. Code § 24.03A.495 (2025)

Standards of conduct for directors

✓ laws through the 2025 session: 2026 session laws are not yet included
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(1) Each director, when discharging the duties of a director, shall act:
(a) In good faith;
(b) With the care an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances; and
(c) In a manner the director reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the nonprofit corporation.
(2) In discharging board or committee duties a director shall disclose, or cause to be disclosed, to the other board or committee members information not already known by them but known by the director to be material to the discharge of their decision-making or oversight functions, except that disclosure is not required to the extent that the director reasonably believes that doing so would violate a duty imposed by law, a legally enforceable obligation of confidentiality, or a professional ethics rule.
(3) In discharging the duties of a director, a director may rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements, including financial statements or other financial data, if prepared or presented by:
(a) One or more officers, employees, or volunteers of the nonprofit corporation whom the director reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the functions performed or the matters presented;
(b) Legal counsel, public accountants, or other persons retained by the corporation as to matters involving skills or expertise the director reasonably believes are matters:
(i) Within the particular person's professional or expert competence; or
(ii) As to which the particular person merits confidence; or
(c) A committee of the board of which the director is not a member, designated in accordance with provisions of the articles or bylaws, as to matters within its designated authority, if the director reasonably believes the committee merits confidence.
(4) A director is not a trustee with respect to the nonprofit corporation or with respect to any property held or administered by the corporation, including property that may be subject to restrictions imposed by the donor or transferor of the property.
[ 2021 c 176 s 2402.]

Notes:

Effective date—2021 c 176: See note following RCW 24.03A.005.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2024–2025 · leading case: Parker v. Soc'y for Creative Anachronism Inc, No. 3:23-cv-05069 (W.D. Wash. Mar. 11, 2024).
Parker v. Soc'y for Creative Anachronism Inc, No. 3:23-cv-05069 (W.D. Wash. Mar. 11, 2024). · cites it 4× “In particular, they point to RCW 24.03A.495, which provides “standards 15 of conduct for directors.”
Erwin Chappel, Respondent/cr-appellants V. Douglas Johnson, Appellant/cr-respondents, 576 P.3d 578 (Wash. Ct. App. 2025). “” RCW 24.03A.495(1). The language of the two statutes is not identical, but under both directors owe duties of good faith, ordinary prudence, and a reasonable belief that their actions are in the corporation’s best interests.”
Wash. Rev. Code § 24.03A.495(1): 1 case
Erwin Chappel, Respondent/cr-appellants V. Douglas Johnson, Appellant/cr-respondents, 576 P.3d 578 (Wash. Ct. App. 2025). “” RCW 24.03A.495(1). The language of the two statutes is not identical, but under both directors owe duties of good faith, ordinary prudence, and a reasonable belief that their actions are in the corporation’s best interests.”
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