California Articles of Merger is a legal document filed with the California Secretary of State by businesses undergoing a merger or consolidation. This document serves as a formal notification of the intent to merge and outlines the terms and conditions of the merger. It is an essential requirement for businesses seeking to combine their assets, liabilities, and operations into a single entity. The California Articles of Merger outline several key details related to the merger, including the names and addresses of the merging entities, the effective date of the merger, and the new name and address of the merged entity. It also includes information about the provisions, if any, for the disposition of pending legal proceedings. Additionally, the document provides information on the manner and basis of conversion of shares or interests of the merging entities into shares, interests, obligations, or securities of the merged entity. There are a few types or variants of California Articles of Merger that can be filed depending on the specific circumstances of the merger: 1. Short Form Articles of Merger: This form is used when one or more parent corporations own 90% or more of the outstanding shares of each class of the corporation's stock to be exchanged in the merger. 2. Long Form Articles of Merger: This form is used for mergers or consolidations that do not meet the requirements for the short form, such as mergers between corporations with different parent corporations or when the parent corporations don't own the required percentages of the outstanding shares. 3. Public Benefit Corporation Articles of Merger: This type applies when one of the merging entities is a public benefit corporation, which is a corporation formed to promote public or charitable purposes. The document includes specific information related to the public benefit corporation and its mission. Filing the California Articles of Merger is a crucial step in the merger process as it ensures compliance with California state laws and regulations. It establishes the legal framework for the merger and provides transparency to stakeholders and the public regarding the combining entities, their rights, and obligations.