(1) When a winding up order is made or a provisional liquidator is appointed, no suit, action or other proceedings, including criminal proceedings, shall be proceeded with or commenced against the company except with the leave of the Court and subject to such terms as the Court may impose. Avoidance of attachments and stay of proceedings (2) When a winding up order has been made, any attachment, distress or execution put in force against the estate or effects of the company after the commencement of the winding up is void. 98. When a winding up order is made, the liquidator shall- Notice of winding up order (a) file a copy of the winding up order with the Registrar; and (b) publish notice of the winding up in the Gazette and any newspaper in which the winding up petition was advertised. 99. When a winding up order has been made, any disposition of the company’s property and any transfer of shares or alteration in the status of the company’s members made after the commencement of the winding up is, unless the Court otherwise orders, void. Avoidance of property dispositions, etc. 100. (1) If, before the presentation of a petition for the winding up of a company by the Court- Commencement of winding up by Court (a) a resolution has been passed by the company for voluntary winding up; (b) the period, if any, fixed for the duration of the company by the articles of association has expired; or (c) the event upon the occurrence of which it is provided by the articles of association that the company is to be wound up has occurred, the winding up of the company is deemed to have commenced at the time of passing of the resolution or the expiry of the relevant period or the occurrence of the relevant event. (2) In any other circumstance not specified in subsection (1), the winding up of a company by the Court is deemed to commence at the time of the presentation of the petition for winding up. 101. (1) Where the Court has made a winding up order or appointed a provisional liquidator, the liquidator may require some or all of the persons mentioned in subsection (3) to prepare and submit to him a statement in the prescribed form as to the affairs of the company. Company’s statement of affairs (2) The statement shall be verified by an affidavit sworn by the persons required to submit it and shall show- 59 Companies Law (2009 Revision) (a) particulars of the company’s assets and liabilities, including contingent and prospective liabilities; (b) the names and addresses of any persons having possession of the company’s assets; (c) the assets of the company held by those persons; (d) the names and addresses of the company’s creditors; (e) the securities held by those creditors; (f) the dates when the securities were respectively given; and (g) such further or other information that the liquidator may require. (3) The persons referred to in subsection (1) are- (a) persons who are or have been directors or officers of the company; (b) persons who are or have been professional service providers to the company; and (c) persons who are or have been employees of the company, during the period of one year immediately preceding the relevant date. (4) Where any persons are required under this section to submit a statement of affairs to the liquidator, they shall do so, subject to subsection (5), before the end of the period of twenty-one days beginning with the day after that on which the prescribed notice of the requirement is given to them by the liquidator. (5) The liquidator may release a person from an obligation imposed on him under subsection (1) or, when giving the notice mentioned in subsection (4) or subsequently, the liquidator may extend the time for compliance; and if the liquidator refuses to extend the time for compliance, the Court may do so. (6) In this section- “relevant date” means- (a) in a case where a provisional liquidator is appointed, the date of his appointment; and (b) in any other case, the commencement of the winding up. (7) Whoever, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with any obligation imposed under this section is guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of ten thousand dollars. 102. (1) Where a winding up order is made by the Court, the liquidator shall be empowered to investigate- Investigation by liquidator (a) if the company has failed, the causes of the failure; and (b) generally, the promotion, business, dealings and affairs of the company, 60 Companies Law (2009 Revision) and to make such report, if any, to the Court as he thinks fit. (2) Subject to obtaining the directions of the Court, the liquidator shall have power to - (a) assist the Authority and the Royal Cayman Islands Police Force to investigate the conduct of persons referred to in section 101(3); and (b) institute and conduct a criminal prosecution of persons referred to in section 101(3). (3) Subject to obtaining the prior approval of the company’s creditors, if it is insolvent, or its contributories, if it is solvent, the directions given under subsection (2) may include a direction that the whole or part of the costs of investigation and prosecution be paid out of the assets of the company. 103. (1) This section applies to any person who, whether resident in the Islands or elsewhere- Duty to co-operate and the private examination of relevant persons (a) has made or concurred with the statement of affairs; (b) is or has been a director or officer of the company; (c) is or was a professional service provider to the company; (d) has acted as a controller, advisor or liquidator of the company or receiver or manager of its property; (e) not being a person falling within paragraphs (a) to (c), is or has been concerned or has taken part in the promotion, or management of the company, and such person is referred to in this section as the “relevant person”. (2) It is the duty of every relevant person to co-operate with the official liquidator. (3) While a company is being wound up, the official liquidator may at any time before its dissolution apply to the Court for an order- (a) for the examination of any relevant person; or (b) that a relevant person transfer or deliver up to the liquidator any property or documents belonging to the company. (4) Unless the Court otherwise orders, the official liquidator shall make an application under subsection (3) if he is requested in accordance with the rules to do so by one-half, in value, of the company's creditors or contributories. (5) On an application made under subsection (3) (a), the Court may order that a relevant person- (a) swear an affidavit in answer to written interrogatories; 61 Companies Law (2009 Revision) (b) attend for oral examination by the official liquidator at a specified time and place, or (c) do both things specified in paragraphs (a) and (b). (6) The Court may direct that any creditor or contributory of the company be permitted by the official liquidator to participate in an oral examination. (7) The Court shall have jurisdiction- (a) to make an order under this section against a relevant person resident outside the Islands; and (b) to issue a letter of request for the purpose of seeking the assistance of a foreign court in obtaining the evidence of a relevant person resident outside the jurisdiction. Official Liquidators 104. (1) Subject to this section and any rules made under section 155, the Court may, at any time after the presentation of a winding up petition but before the making of a winding up order, appoint a liquidator provisionally. Appointment and powers of provisional liquidator (2) An application for the appointment of a provisional liquidator may be made under subsection (1) by a creditor or contributory of the company on the grounds that- (a) there is a prima-facie case for making a winding up order; and (b) the appointment of a provisional liquidator is necessary in order to- (i) prevent the dissipation or misuse of the company’s assets; (ii) prevent the oppression of minority shareholders; or (iii) prevent mismanagement or misconduct on the part of the company's directors. (3) An application for the appointment of a provisional liquidator may be made under subsection (1) by the company ex-parte on the grounds that- (a) the company is or is likely to become unable to pay its debts within the meaning of section 93; and (b) the company intends to present a compromise or arrangement to its creditors. (4) A provisional liquidator shall carry out only such functions as the Court may confer on him and his powers may be limited by the order appointing him. (5) The remuneration of the provisional liquidator shall be fixed by the Court from time to time on his application and the Court shall in fixing such remuneration act in accordance with rules made under section 155. 62 Companies Law (2009 Revision) 105. (1) For the purpose of conducting the proceedings in winding up a company and assisting the Court therein, there may be appointed one or more than one person to be called an official liquidator or official liquidators; and the Court may appoint to such office such person as it thinks fit, and if more persons than one are appointed to such office, the Court shall declare whether any act hereby required or authorised to be done by the official liquidator is to be done by all or any or more of such persons. Appointment of official liquidator (2) The Court may also determine whether any and what security is to be given by an official liquidator on his appointment; and if no official liquidator is appointed, or during any vacancy in such office, all the property of the company shall be in the custody of the Court. (3) The liquidator shall, within twenty-eight days of the date upon which the winding up order is made, summon- (a) a meeting of the company’s creditors if the order was made on the grounds that the company is insolvent; or (b) a meeting of the company’s contributories if the order was made on grounds other than insolvency, for the purposes of resolving any other matters which the liquidator puts before the meeting. (4) The Court may make an order dispensing with the need to summon a meeting under this section or extending the time within which it shall be summoned. 106. When two or more persons are appointed to the office of liquidator, either provisionally or as official liquidators, they shall be authorised to act jointly and severally, unless their powers are expressly limited by order of the Court. Appointment of joint liquidators 107. An official liquidator may be removed from office by order of the Court made on the application of a creditor or contributory of the company. Removal of official liquidators 108. (1) A foreign practitioner may be appointed to act jointly with a qualified insolvency practitioner. Qualifications of official liquidators (2) Official liquidators are officers of the Court. 109. (1) The expenses properly incurred in the winding up, including the remuneration of the liquidator, are payable out of the company's assets in priority to all other claims. Remuneration of official liquidators (2) There shall be paid to the official liquidator such remuneration, by way of percentage or otherwise, that the Court may direct acting in accordance with 63 Companies Law (2009 Revision) rules made under section 155; and if more liquidators than one are appointed such remuneration shall be distributed amongst them in such proportions as the Court directs. 110. (1) It is the function of an official liquidator- Function and powers of official liquidators (a) to collect, realise and distribute the assets of the company to its creditors and, if there is a surplus, to the persons entitled to it; and (b) to report to the company’s creditors and contributories upon the affairs of the company and the manner in which it has been wound up. (2) The official liquidator may- (a) with the sanction of the Court, exercise any of the powers specified in Part I of the Third Schedule; and (b) with or without that sanction, exercise any of the general powers specified in Part II of the Third Schedule. (3) The exercise by the liquidator of the powers conferred by this section is subject to the control of the Court, and subject to subsection (5), any creditor or contributory may apply to the Court with respect to the exercise or proposed exercise of such powers (hereinafter referred to as a “sanction application”). (4) In the case of- (a) a solvent company, a sanction application may only be made by a contributory and the creditors shall have no right to be heard; (b) an insolvent company, a sanction application may only be made by a creditor and the contributories shall have no right to be heard; and (c) a company whose solvency is doubtful, a sanction application may be made by both contributories and creditors and both contributories and creditors shall have a right to be heard. (5) For the purposes of this section, a person shall be treated as a related to a company if- (a) he has acted for the company as a professional service provider; (b) he is or was a shareholder or director of the company or of any other company in the same group as the company; (c) he has a direct or indirect beneficial interest in the shares of the company; or (d) he is a creditor or debtor of the company. 64 Companies Law (2009 Revision) General Powers of the Court 111. (1) The Court may at any time after an order for winding up, on the application either of the liquidator or any creditor or contributory, and on proof to the satisfaction of the Court that all proceedings in the winding up ought to be stayed, make an order staying the proceedings either all together or for a limited time, on such terms and conditions as the Court thinks fit. Power to stay winding up (2) The Court may at any time after the liquidation has commenced under section 116 (c), but before the final meeting has been held as provided for in section 127, on the application of the liquidator accompanied by- (a) a special resolution stating that the company will not be wound up and setting out the reasons for such decision; (b) proof of a recall notice published in the Gazette; and (c) such other documents as the Court may consider necessary, make an order to recall the liquidation, place the company into active status and place the company back into good standing as it was prior to the commencement of liquidation under section 116(c), on such terms and conditions as the Court thinks fit. (3) A company shall, within seven days of the making of an order under this section, forward a copy of the order to the Registrar who shall enter it in the records relating to the company. 112. (1) The liquidator shall settle a list of contributories, if any, for which purpose he shall have power to adjust the rights of contributories amongst themselves. Settlement of list of contributories (2) In the case of a solvent liquidation of a company which has issued redeemable shares at prices based upon its net asset value from time to time, the liquidator shall have power to settle and, if necessary rectify the company’s register of members, thereby adjusting the rights of members amongst themselves. (3) A contributory who is dissatisfied with the liquidator’s determination may appeal to the Court against such determination. 113. (1) The Court may, at any time after making a winding up order, and either before or after it has ascertained the sufficiency of the company’s assets, make calls on all or any of the contributories for the time being settled on the list of the contributories- Power to make calls 65 Companies Law (2009 Revision) (a) to the extent of their liability, for the payment of any money which the Court considers necessary to satisfy the company’s debts and liabilities and the expenses of winding up; and (b) to the adjustment of the rights of the contributories among themselves, and make an order for payment of any call so made. (2) In making a call the Court may take into consideration the probability that some of the contributories may partly or wholly fail to pay it. 114. (1) At any time after making a winding up order the Court may make such orders as it thinks fit for- Inspection of documents by creditors, etc. (a) the inspection of the company’s documents by creditors and contributories; and (b) the preparation of reports by the official liquidator and the provision of such reports to the company’s creditors and contributories. (2) A contributory shall be entitled to make an application under this section notwithstanding that the company is or may be insolvent and the Court shall not refuse to make an order upon the application of a contributory merely by reason of the fact that the company is or may be insolvent. 115. (1) The Court shall, as to all matters relating to the winding up, have regard to wishes of the creditors or contributories and for that purpose it may direct reports to be prepared by the official liquidator and meetings of creditors or contributories to be summoned. Meetings to ascertain wishes of creditors or contributories (2) If it considers it necessary to do so, the Court may direct that separate meetings be held of different classes of creditors or contributories. (3) Subject to Rules made under section 155, meetings may be requisitioned by creditors, if the company is insolvent, or by contributories if the company is solvent. (4) The votes of creditors and contributories shall be counted by reference to- (a) the value of their debts, in the case of creditors; (b) the number of votes, in the case of contributories whose shares carry voting rights under the articles of association of the company; and (c) the par value of all the shares held, in the case of contributories whose shares do not carry votes under the articles of association 66 Companies Law (2009 Revision) of the company and, where there are no par value shares, the net asset value of the company shown. Voluntary Winding up 116. A company incorporated and registered under this Law or an existing company may be wound up voluntarily- Circumstances in which a company may be wound up voluntarily (a) when the period, if any, fixed for the duration of the company by its memorandum or articles of association expires; (b) if the event, if any, occurs, on the occurrence of which the memorandum or articles of association provide that the company is to be wound up; (c) if the company resolves by special resolution that it be wound up voluntarily; or (d) if the company resolves by ordinary resolution that it be wound up voluntarily because it is unable to pay its debts as they fall due. 117. (1) A voluntary winding up is deemed to commence- Commencement of winding up (a) at the time of the passing of the resolution for winding up; or (b) on the expiry of the period or the occurrence of the event specified in the company's memorandum or articles of association, notwithstanding that a supervision order is subsequently made by the Court. (2) Subject to any contrary provision in its memorandum or articles of association, the voluntary winding up of an exempted limited duration company is taken to have commenced upon the expiry of a period of ninety days starting on- (a) the death, insanity, bankruptcy, dissolution, [...]