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<PAGE> PAGE 2
011 C03AA01 02110
012 A00AA01 SCUDDER SERVICE CORPORATION
012 B00AA01 84-1489
012 C01AA01 BOSTON
012 C02AA01 MA
012 C03AA01 02110
013 A00AA01 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
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013 B03AA01 02109
014 A00AA01 SCUDDER INVESTOR SERVICES, INC.
014 B00AA01 8-44899
014 A00AA02 GRUNTAL & CO., INC.
014 B00AA02 8-31022
014 A00AA03 GMS GROUP LLC (A GRUNTAL AFFILIATE)
014 B00AA03 8-23936
014 A00AA04 ZURICH CAPITAL MARKETS
014 B00AA04 8-49827
014 A00AA05 BANK HANDLOWY
014 B00AA05 8-24613
014 A00AA06 KEMPER DISTRIBUTORS
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015 A00AA01 STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY
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<PAGE> PAGE 3
015 E01AA05 X
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<PAGE> PAGE 4
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<PAGE> PAGE 5
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<PAGE> PAGE 6
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<PAGE> PAGE 7
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<PAGE> PAGE 8
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<PAGE> PAGE 9
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SIGNATURE THOMAS F. MCDONOUGH
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the Scudder
Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund Annual Report for the fiscal year ended
10/31/98 and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial
statements.
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 6
<NAME> Scudder Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> OCT-31-1998
<PERIOD-START> NOV-01-1997
<PERIOD-END> OCT-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 88,946,209
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 91,905,076
<RECEIVABLES> 1,511,818
<ASSETS-OTHER> 2,725,999
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 96,142,893
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<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 565,743
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 565,743
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
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<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 6,573,339
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<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (171,093)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
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<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 0
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<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 3,709,601
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (17,874)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 1,231,974
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 4,923,701
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (3,708,899)
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<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
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<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 549,378
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.10
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.49
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.17
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<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (0.49)
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<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
To the Trustees of Scudder State Tax Free Trust:
In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements and financial
highlights (hereinafter referred to as "financial statements") of Scudder
Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund for the year ended October 31, 1998, we
considered its internal control, including control activities for safeguarding
securities, in order to determine our auditing procedures for the purpose of
expressing our opinion on the financial statements and to comply with the
requirements of Form N-SAR, not to provide assurance on internal control.
The management of Scudder Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund is
responsible for establishing and maintaining internal control. In fulfilling
this responsibility, estimates and judgments by management are required to
assess the expected benefits and related costs of controls. Generally, controls
that are relevant to an audit pertain to the entity's objective of preparing
financial statements for external purposes that are fairly presented in
conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. Those controls include
the safeguarding of assets against unauthorized acquisition, use, or
disposition.
Because of inherent limitations in internal control, error or fraud may occur
and not be detected. Also, projection of any evaluation of internal control to
future periods is subject to the risk that it may become inadequate because of
changes in conditions or that the effectiveness of the design and operation may
deteriorate.
Our consideration of internal control would not necessarily disclose all matters
in internal control that might be material weaknesses under standards
established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A
material weakness is a condition in which the design or operation of one or more
of the internal control components does not reduce to a relatively low level the
risk that misstatements caused by error or fraud in amounts that would be
material in relation to the financial statements being audited may occur and not
be detected within a timely period by employees in the normal course of
performing their assigned functions. However, we noted no matters involving
internal control and its operation, including controls for safeguarding
securities, that we consider to be material weaknesses as defined above as of
October 31, 1998.
This report is intended solely for the information and use of management, the
Trustees of Scudder Tax Free Trust and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
December 4, 1998
Scudder State Tax Free Trust
Two International Place
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
September 7, 1998
Scudder Kemper Investments, Inc.
345 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10154
Investment Management Agreement
Scudder Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Scudder State Tax Free Trust (the "Trust") has been established as a
Massachusetts business trust to engage in the business of an investment company.
Pursuant to the Trust's Declaration of Trust, as amended from time-to-time (the
"Declaration"), the Board of Trustees has divided the Trust's shares of
beneficial interest, par value $0.01 per share, (the "Shares") into separate
series, or funds, including Scudder Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund
(the "Fund"). Series may be abolished and dissolved, and additional series
established, from time to time by action of the Trustees.
The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has selected you to act as the sole
investment manager of the Fund and to provide certain other services, as more
fully set forth below, and you have indicated that you are willing to act as
such investment manager and to perform such services under the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth. Accordingly, the Trust on behalf of the Fund
agrees with you as follows:
1. Delivery of Documents. The Trust engages in the business of
investing and reinvesting the assets of the Fund in the manner and in accordance
with the investment objectives, policies and restrictions specified in the
currently effective Prospectus (the "Prospectus") and Statement of Additional
Information (the "SAI") relating to the Fund included in the Trust's
Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as amended from time to time, (the
"Registration Statement") filed by the Trust under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended, (the "1940 Act") and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Copies of the documents referred to in the preceding sentence have been
furnished to you by the Trust. The Trust has also furnished you with copies
properly certified or authenticated of each of the following additional
documents related to the Trust and the Fund:
(a) The Declaration dated December 8, 1987, as amended to date.
(b) By-Laws of the Trust as in effect on the date hereof (the "By-Laws").
(c) Resolutions of the Trustees of the Trust and the shareholders of the
Fund selecting you as investment manager and approving the form of this
Agreement.
<PAGE>
(d) Establishment and Designation of Series of Shares of Beneficial Interest
dated December 14, 1993 relating to the Fund.
The Trust will furnish you from time to time with copies, properly
certified or authenticated, of all amendments of or supplements, if any, to the
foregoing, including the Prospectus, the SAI and the Registration Statement.
2. Sublicense to Use the Scudder Trademarks. As exclusive licensee of
the rights to use and sublicense the use of the "Scudder," "Scudder Kemper
Investments, Inc." and "Scudder, Stevens & Clark, Inc." trademarks (together,
the "Scudder Marks"), you hereby grant the Trust a nonexclusive right and
sublicense to use (i) the "Scudder" name and mark as part of the Trust's name
(the "Fund Name"), and (ii) the Scudder Marks in connection with the Trust's
investment products and services, in each case only for so long as this
Agreement, any other investment management agreement between you and the Trust,
or any extension, renewal or amendment hereof or thereof remains in effect, and
only for so long as you are a licensee of the Scudder Marks, provided however,
that you agree to use your best efforts to maintain your license to use and
sublicense the Scudder Marks. The Trust agrees that it shall have no right to
sublicense or assign rights to use the Scudder Marks, shall acquire no interest
in the Scudder Marks other than the rights granted herein, that all of the
Trust's uses of the Scudder Marks shall inure to the benefit of Scudder Trust
Company as owner and licensor of the Scudder Marks (the "Trademark Owner"), and
that the Trust shall not challenge the validity of the Scudder Marks or the
Trademark Owner's ownership thereof. The Trust further agrees that all services
and products it offers in connection with the Scudder Marks shall meet
commercially reasonable standards of quality, as may be determined by you or the
Trademark Owner from time to time, provided that you acknowledge that the
services and products the Trust rendered during the one-year period preceding
the date of this Agreement are acceptable. At your reasonable request, the Trust
shall cooperate with you and the Trademark Owner and shall execute and deliver
any and all documents necessary to maintain and protect (including but not
limited to in connection with any trademark infringement action) the Scudder
Marks and/or enter the Trust as a registered user thereof. At such time as this
Agreement or any other investment management agreement shall no longer be in
effect between you (or your successor) and the Trust, or you no longer are a
licensee of the Scudder Marks, the Trust shall (to the extent that, and as soon
as, it lawfully can) cease to use the Fund Name or any other name indicating
that it is advised by, managed by or otherwise connected with you (or any
organization which shall have succeeded to your business as investment manager)
or the Trademark Owner. In no event shall the Trust use the Scudder Marks or any
other name or mark confusingly similar thereto (including, but not limited to,
any name or mark that includes the name "Scudder") if this Agreement or any
other investment advisory agreement between you (or your successor) and the Fund
is terminated.
3. Portfolio Management Services. As manager of the assets of the Fund,
you shall provide continuing investment management of the assets of the Fund in
accordance with the investment objectives, policies and restrictions set forth
in the Prospectus and SAI; the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the "Code") relating to regulated
investment companies and all rules and regulations thereunder; and all other
applicable federal and state laws and regulations of which you have knowledge;
subject always to policies and instructions adopted by the Trust's Board of
Trustees. In connection therewith, you shall use reasonable efforts to manage
the Fund so that it will qualify as a regulated investment company under
Subchapter M of the Code and regulations issued thereunder. The Fund shall have
the benefit of the investment analysis and research, the review of current
economic conditions and trends and the consideration of long-range investment
policy generally available to your investment advisory clients. In managing the
Fund in accordance with the requirements set forth in this section 3, you shall
be entitled to receive and act upon advice of counsel
2
<PAGE>
to the Trust or counsel to you. You shall also make available to the Trust
promptly upon request all of the Fund's investment records and ledgers as are
necessary to assist the Trust in complying with the requirements of the 1940 Act
and other applicable laws. To the extent required by law, you shall furnish to
regulatory authorities having the requisite authority any information or reports
in connection with the services provided pursuant to this Agreement which may be
requested in order to ascertain whether the operations of the Trust are being
conducted in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations.
You shall determine the securities, instruments, investments,
currencies, repurchase agreements, futures, options and other contracts relating
to investments to be purchased, sold or entered into by the Fund and place
orders with broker-dealers, foreign currency dealers, futures commission
merchants or others pursuant to your determinations and all in accordance with
Fund policies as expressed in the Registration Statement. You shall determine
what portion of the Fund's portfolio shall be invested in securities and other
assets and what portion, if any, should be held uninvested.
You shall furnish to the Trust's Board of Trustees periodic reports on
the investment performance of the Fund and on the performance of your
obligations pursuant to this Agreement, and you shall supply such additional
reports and information as the Trust's officers or Board of Trustees shall
reasonably request.
4. Administrative Services. In addition to the portfolio management
services specified above in section 3, you shall furnish at your expense for the
use of the Fund such office space and facilities in the United States as the
Fund may require for its reasonable needs, and you (or one or more of your
affiliates designated by you) shall render to the Trust administrative services
on behalf of the Fund necessary for operating as an open-end investment company
and not provided by persons not parties to this Agreement including, but not
limited to, preparing reports to and meeting materials for the Trust's Board of
Trustees and reports and notices to Fund shareholders; supervising, negotiating
contractual arrangements with, to the extent appropriate, and monitoring the
performance of, accounting agents, custodians, depositories, transfer agents and
pricing agents, accountants, attorneys, printers, underwriters, brokers and
dealers, insurers and other persons in any capacity deemed to be necessary or
desirable to Fund operations; preparing and making filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and other regulatory and self-regulatory
organizations, including, but not limited to, preliminary and definitive proxy
materials, post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, semi-annual
reports on Form N-SAR and notices pursuant to Rule 24f-2 under the 1940 Act;
overseeing the tabulation of proxies by the Fund's transfer agent; assisting in
the preparation and filing of the Fund's federal, state and local tax returns;
preparing and filing the Fund's federal excise tax return pursuant to Section
4982 of the Code; providing assistance with investor and public relations
matters; monitoring the valuation of portfolio securities and the calculation of
net asset value; monitoring the registration of Shares of the Fund under
applicable federal and state securities laws; maintaining or causing to be
maintained for the Fund all books, records and reports and any other information
required under the 1940 Act, to the extent that such books, records and reports
and other information are not maintained by the Fund's custodian or other agents
of the Fund; assisting in establishing the accounting policies of the Fund;
assisting in the resolution of accounting issues that may arise with respect to
the Fund's operations and consulting with the Fund's independent accountants,
legal counsel and the Fund's other agents as necessary in connection therewith;
establishing and monitoring the Fund's operating expense budgets; reviewing the
Fund's bills; processing the payment of bills that have been approved by an
authorized person; assisting the Fund in determining the amount of dividends and
distributions available to be paid by the Fund to its shareholders, preparing
and arranging for the printing of dividend notices to shareholders, and
providing the transfer and dividend paying agent, the custodian, and the
accounting agent with such information as is required for such parties to effect
the payment of dividends and distributions; and otherwise assisting
3
<PAGE>
the Trust as it may reasonably request in the conduct of the Fund's business,
subject to the direction and control of the Trust's Board of Trustees. Nothing
in this Agreement shall be deemed to shift to you or to diminish the obligations
of any agent of the Fund or any other person not a party to this Agreement which
is obligated to provide services to the Fund.
5. Allocation of Charges and Expenses. Except as otherwise specifically
provided in this section 5, you shall pay the compensation and expenses of all
Trustees, officers and executive employees of the Trust (including the Fund's
share of payroll taxes) who are affiliated persons of you, and you shall make
available, without expense to the Fund, the services of such of your directors,
officers and employees as may duly be elected officers of the Trust, subject to
their individual consent to serve and to any limitations imposed by law. You
shall provide at your expense the portfolio management services described in
section 3 hereof and the administrative services described in section 4 hereof.
You shall not be required to pay any expenses of the Fund other than
those specifically allocated to you in this section 5. In particular, but
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, you shall not be responsible,
except to the extent of the reasonable compensation of such of the Fund's
Trustees and officers as are directors, officers or employees of you whose
services may be involved, for the following expenses of the Fund: organization
expenses of the Fund (including out-of-pocket expenses, but not including your
overhead or employee costs); fees payable to you and to any other Fund advisors
or consultants; legal expenses; auditing and accounting expenses; maintenance of
books and records which are required to be maintained by the Fund's custodian or
other agents of the Trust; telephone, telex, facsimile, postage and other
communications expenses; taxes and governmental fees; fees, dues and expenses
incurred by the Fund in connection with membership in investment company trade
organizations; fees and expenses of the Fund's accounting agent, custodians,
subcustodians, transfer agents, dividend disbursing agents and registrars;
payment for portfolio pricing or valuation services to pricing agents,
accountants, bankers and other specialists, if any; expenses of preparing share
certificates and, except as provided below in this section 5, other expenses in
connection with the issuance, offering, distribution, sale, redemption or
repurchase of securities issued by the Fund; expenses relating to investor and
public relations; expenses and fees of registering or qualifying Shares of the
Fund for sale; interest charges, bond premiums and other insurance expense;
freight, insurance and other charges in connection with the shipment of the
Fund's portfolio securities; the compensation and all expenses (specifically
including travel expenses relating to Trust business) of Trustees, officers and
employees of the Trust who are not affiliated persons of you; brokerage
commissions or other costs of acquiring or disposing of any portfolio securities
of the Fund; expenses of printing and distributing reports, notices and
dividends to shareholders; expenses of printing and mailing Prospectuses and
SAIs of the Fund and supplements thereto; costs of stationery; any litigation
expenses; indemnification of Trustees and officers of the Trust; costs of
shareholders' and other meetings; and travel expenses (or an appropriate portion
thereof) of Trustees and officers of the Trust who are directors, officers or
employees of you to the extent that such expenses relate to attendance at
meetings of the Board of Trustees of the Trust or any committees thereof or
advisors thereto held outside of Boston, Massachusetts or New York, New York.
You shall not be required to pay expenses of any activity which is
primarily intended to result in sales of Shares of the Fund if and to the extent
that (i) such expenses are required to be borne by a principal underwriter which
acts as the distributor of the Fund's Shares pursuant to an underwriting
agreement which provides that the underwriter shall assume some or all of such
expenses, or (ii) the Trust on behalf of the Fund shall have adopted a plan in
conformity with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act providing that the Fund (or some
other party) shall assume some or all of such expenses. You shall be required to
pay such of the foregoing sales expenses as are not required to be paid by the
principal
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underwriter pursuant to the underwriting agreement or are not permitted to be
paid by the Fund (or some other party) pursuant to such a plan.
6. Management Fee. For all services to be rendered, payments to be made
and costs to be assumed by you as provided in sections 3, 4 and 5 hereof, the
Trust on behalf of the Fund shall pay you in United States Dollars on the last
day of each month the unpaid balance of a fee equal to the excess of 1/12 of
0.60 of 1 percent of the average daily net assets as defined below of the Fund
for such month over any compensation waived by you from time to time (as more
fully described below). You shall be entitled to receive during any month such
interim payments of your fee hereunder as you shall request, provided that no
such payment shall exceed 75 percent of the amount of your fee then accrued on
the books of the Fund and unpaid.
The "average daily net assets" of the Fund shall mean the average of
the values placed on the Fund's net assets as of 4:00 p.m. (New York time) on
each day on which the net asset value of the Fund is determined consistent with
the provisions of Rule 22c-1 under the 1940 Act or, if the Fund lawfully
determines the value of its net assets as of some other time on each business
day, as of such time. The value of the net assets of the Fund shall always be
determined pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Declaration and the
Registration Statement. If the determination of net asset value does not take
place for any particular day, then for the purposes of this section 6, the value
of the net assets of the Fund as last determined shall be deemed to be the value
of its net assets as of 4:00 p.m. (New York time), or as of such other time as
the value of the net assets of the Fund's portfolio may be lawfully determined
on that day. If the Fund determines the value of the net assets of its portfolio
more than once on any day, then the last such determination thereof on that day
shall be deemed to be the sole determination thereof on that day for the
purposes of this section 6.
You may waive all or a portion of your fees provided for hereunder and
such waiver shall be treated as a reduction in purchase price of your services.
You shall be contractually bound hereunder by the terms of any publicly
announced waiver of your fee, or any limitation of the Fund's expenses, as if
such waiver or limitation were fully set forth herein.
7. Avoidance of Inconsistent Position; Services Not Exclusive. In
connection with purchases or sales of portfolio securities and other investments
for the account of the Fund, neither you nor any of your directors, officers or
employees shall act as a principal or agent or receive any commission. You or
your agent shall arrange for the placing of all orders for the purchase and sale
of portfolio securities and other investments for the Fund's account with
brokers or dealers selected by you in accordance with Fund policies as expressed
in the Registration Statement. If any occasion should arise in which you give
any advice to clients of yours concerning the Shares of the Fund, you shall act
solely as investment counsel for such clients and not in any way on behalf of
the Fund.
Your services to the Fund pursuant to this Agreement are not to be
deemed to be exclusive and it is understood that you may render investment
advice, management and services to others. In acting under this Agreement, you
shall be an independent contractor and not an agent of the Trust. Whenever the
Fund and one or more other accounts or investment companies advised by the
Manager have available funds for investment, investments suitable and
appropriate for each shall be allocated in accordance with procedures believed
by the Manager to be equitable to each entity. Similarly, opportunities to sell
securities shall be allocated in a manner believed by the Manager to be
equitable. The Fund recognizes
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that in some cases this procedure may adversely affect the size of the position
that may be acquired or disposed of for the Fund.
8. Limitation of Liability of Manager. As an inducement to your
undertaking to render services pursuant to this Agreement, the Trust agrees that
you shall not be liable under this Agreement for any error of judgment or
mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the
matters to which this Agreement relates, provided that nothing in this Agreement
shall be deemed to protect or purport to protect you against any liability to
the Trust, the Fund or its shareholders to which you would otherwise be subject
by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the
performance of your duties, or by reason of your reckless disregard of your
obligations and duties hereunder. Any person, even though also employed by you,
who may be or become an employee of and paid by the Fund shall be deemed, when
acting within the scope of his or her employment by the Fund, to be acting in
such employment solely for the Fund and not as your employee or agent.
9. Duration and Termination of This Agreement. This Agreement shall
remain in force until September 30, 1999, and continue in force from year to
year thereafter, but only so long as such continuance is specifically approved
at least annually (a) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not
parties to this Agreement or interested persons of any party to this Agreement,
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval,
and (b) by the Trustees of the Trust, or by the vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Fund. The aforesaid requirement that
continuance of this Agreement be "specifically approved at least annually" shall
be construed in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder and any applicable SEC exemptive order therefrom.
This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the Fund at any time,
without the payment of any penalty, by the vote of a majority of the outstanding
voting securities of the Fund or by the Trust's Board of Trustees on 60 days'
written notice to you, or by you on 60 days' written notice to the Trust. This
Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.
10. Amendment of this Agreement. No provision of this Agreement may be
changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in
writing signed by the party against whom enforcement of the change, waiver,
discharge or termination is sought, and no amendment of this Agreement shall be
effective until approved in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act and rules and
regulations thereunder and any applicable SEC exemptive order therefrom.
11. Limitation of Liability for Claims. The Declaration, a copy of
which, together with all amendments thereto, is on file in the Office of the
Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, provides that the name "Scudder
State Tax Free Trust" refers to the Trustees under the Declaration collectively
as Trustees and not as individuals or personally, and that no shareholder of the
Fund, or Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust, shall be subject to
claims against or obligations of the Trust or of the Fund to any extent
whatsoever, but that the Trust estate only shall be liable.
You are hereby expressly put on notice of the limitation of liability
as set forth in the Declaration and you agree that the obligations assumed by
the Trust on behalf of the Fund pursuant to this Agreement shall be limited in
all cases to the Fund and its assets, and you shall not seek satisfaction of any
such obligation from the shareholders or any shareholder of the Fund or any
other series of the Trust, or from
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any Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust. You understand that the
rights and obligations of each Fund, or series, under the Declaration are
separate and distinct from those of any and all other series.
12. Miscellaneous. The captions in this Agreement are included for
convenience of reference only and in no way define or limit any of the
provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. This
Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.
In interpreting the provisions of this Agreement, the definitions
contained in Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act (particularly the definitions of
"affiliated person," "assignment" and "majority of the outstanding voting
securities"), as from time to time amended, shall be applied, subject, however,
to such exemptions as may be granted by the SEC by any rule, regulation or
order.
This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, provided that nothing herein shall be construed
in a manner inconsistent with the 1940 Act, or in a manner which would cause the
Fund to fail to comply with the requirements of Subchapter M of the Code.
This Agreement shall supersede all prior investment advisory or
management agreements entered into between you and the Trust on behalf of the
Fund.
If you are in agreement with the foregoing, please execute the form of
acceptance on the accompanying counterpart of this letter and return such
counterpart to the Trust, whereupon this letter shall become a binding contract
effective as of the date of this Agreement.
Yours very truly,
SCUDDER STATE TAX FREE TRUST, on behalf of
Scudder Massachusetts Limited Term Tax Free Fund
By: ______________________________
Vice President
The foregoing Agreement is hereby accepted as of the date hereof.
SCUDDER KEMPER INVESTMENTS, INC.
By: ______________________________
Managing Director
7
SCUDDER STATE TAX FREE TRUST
Two International Place
Boston, MA 02110
September 7, 1998
Scudder Investor Services, Inc.
Two International Place
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Underwriting Agreement
----------------------
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:
Scudder State Tax Free Trust (hereinafter called the "Trust") is a
business trust organized under the laws of Massachusetts and is engaged in the
business of an investment company. The authorized capital of the Trust consists
of shares of beneficial interest, with par value of $0.01 per share ("Shares"),
currently divided into six portfolios (each a "Portfolio"); however, shares may
be divided into additional Portfolios of the Trust and the Portfolios may be
terminated from time to time. The Trust has selected you to act as principal
underwriter (as such term is defined in Section 2(a)(29) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act")) of the Shares and you are
willing to act as such principal underwriter and to perform the duties and
functions of underwriter in the manner and on the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth. Accordingly, the Trust hereby agrees with you as follows:
1. Delivery of Documents. The Trust has furnished you with copies
properly certified or authenticated of each of the following:
(a) Declaration of Trust of the Trust, dated December 8, 1987, as
amended to date.
(b) By-Laws of the Trust as in effect on the date hereof.
<PAGE>
(c) Resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the Trust selecting you as
principal underwriter and approving this form of Agreement.
The Trust will furnish you from time to time with copies, properly
certified or authenticated, of all amendments of or supplements to the
foregoing, if any.
The Trust will furnish you promptly with properly certified or
authenticated copies of any registration statement filed by it with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
(the "1933 Act") or the 1940 Act, together with any financial statements and
exhibits included therein, and all amendments or supplements thereto hereafter
filed.
2. Registration and Sale of Additional Shares. The Trust will from time
to time use its best efforts to register under the 1933 Act such number of
Shares not already so registered as you may reasonably be expected to sell on
behalf of the Trust. You and the Trust will cooperate in taking such action as
may be necessary from time to time to comply with requirements applicable to the
sale of Shares by you or the Trust in any states mutually agreeable to you and
the Trust, and to maintain such compliance. This Agreement relates to the issue
and sale of Shares that are duly authorized and registered under the 1933 Act
and available for sale by the Trust, including redeemed or repurchased Shares if
and to the extent that they may be legally sold and if, but only if, the Trust
sees fit to sell them.
3. Sale of Shares. Subject to the provisions of paragraphs 5 and 7
hereof and to such minimum purchase requirements as may from time to time be
currently indicated in the Trust's prospectus or statement of additional
information, you are authorized to sell as agent on behalf of the Trust Shares
authorized for issue and registered under the 1933 Act. You may also purchase as
principal Shares for resale to the public. Such sales will be made by you on
behalf of the Trust by accepting unconditional orders to purchase Shares placed
with you by investors and such purchases will be made by you only after
acceptance by you of such orders. The sales price to the public of Shares shall
be the public offering price as defined in paragraph 6 hereof.
4. Solicitation of Orders. You will use your best efforts (but only in
states in which you may lawfully do so) to obtain from investors unconditional
orders for Shares authorized for issue by
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the Trust and registered under the 1933 Act, provided that you may in your
discretion refuse to accept orders for Shares from any particular applicant.
5. Sale of Shares by the Trust. Unless you are otherwise notified by
the Trust, any right granted to you to accept orders for Shares or to make sales
on behalf of the Trust or to purchase Shares for resale will not apply to (i)
Shares issued in connection with the merger or consolidation of any other
investment company with the Trust or its acquisition, by purchase or otherwise,
of all or substantially all of the assets of any investment company or
substantially all the outstanding shares of any such company, and (ii) to Shares
that may be offered by the Trust to shareholders of the Trust by virtue of their
being such shareholders.
6. Public Offering Price. All Shares sold to investors by you will be
sold at the public offering price. The public offering price for all accepted
subscriptions will be the net asset value per Share, determined, in the manner
provided in the Trust's registration statements as from time to time in effect
under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act, next after the order is accepted by you.
7. Suspension of Sales. If and whenever the determination of net asset
value is suspended and until such suspension is terminated, no further orders
for Shares shall be accepted by you except unconditional orders placed with you
before you had knowledge of the suspension. In addition, the Trust reserves the
right to suspend sales and your authority to accept orders for Shares on behalf
of the Trust if, in the judgment of a majority of the Board of Trustees or a
majority of the Executive Committee of such Board, if such body exists, it is in
the best interests of the Trust to do so, such suspension to continue for such
period as may be determined by such majority; and in that event, no Shares will
be sold by you on behalf of the Trust while such suspension remains in effect
except for Shares necessary to cover unconditional orders accepted by you before
you had knowledge of the suspension.
8. Portfolio Securities. Portfolio securities of any Portfolio of the
Trust may be bought or sold by or through you and you may participate directly
or indirectly in brokerage commissions or "spread" in respect of transactions in
portfolio securities of any Portfolio of the Trust; provided, however, that all
sums of money received by you as a result
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<PAGE>
of such purchases and sales or as a result of such participation must, after
reimbursement of your actual expenses in connection with such activity, be paid
over by you to or for the benefit of the Trust.
9. Expenses. (a) The Trust will pay (or will enter into arrangements
providing that others than you will pay) all fees and expenses:
(1) in connection with the preparation, setting in type and filing
of any registration statement (including a prospectus and
statement of additional information) under the 1933 Act or the
1940 Act, or both, and any amendments or supplements thereto
that may be made from time to time;
(2) in connection with the registration and qualification of
Shares for sale, or compliance with other conditions
applicable to the sale of Shares in the various jurisdictions
in which the Trust shall determine it advisable to sell such
Shares (including registering the Trust as a broker or dealer
or any officer of the Trust or other person as agent or
salesman of the Trust in any such jurisdictions);
(3) of preparing, setting in type, printing and mailing any
notice, proxy statement, report, prospectus or other
communication to shareholders of the Trust in their capacity
as such;
(4) of preparing, setting in type, printing and mailing
prospectuses annually, and any supplements thereto, to
existing shareholders;
(5) in connection with the issue and transfer of Shares resulting
from the acceptance by you of orders to purchase Shares placed
with you by investors, including the expenses of printing and
mailing confirmations of such purchase orders and the expenses
of printing and mailing a prospectus included with the
confirmation of such orders;
(6) of any issue taxes or any initial transfer taxes;
(7) of WATS (or equivalent) telephone lines other than the portion
allocated to you in this paragraph 9;
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<PAGE>
(8) of wiring funds in payment of Share purchases or in
satisfaction of redemption or repurchase requests, unless such
expenses are paid for by the investor or shareholder who
initiates the transaction;
(9) of the cost of printing and postage of business reply
envelopes sent to Trust shareholders;
(10) of one or more CRT terminals connected with the computer
facilities of the transfer agent other than the portion
allocated to you in this paragraph 9;
(11) permitted to be paid or assumed by the Trust pursuant to a
plan ("12b-1 Plan"), if any, adopted by the Trust in
conformity with the requirements of Rule 12b-1 under the 1940
Act ("Rule 12b-1") or any successor rule, notwithstanding any
other provision to the contrary herein;
(12) of the expense of setting in type, printing and postage of the
periodic newsletter to shareholders other than the portion
allocated to you in this paragraph 9; and
(13) of the salaries and overhead of persons employed by you as
shareholder representatives other than the portion allocated
to you in this paragraph 9.
b) You shall pay or arrange for the payment of all fees and expenses:
(1) of printing and distributing any prospectuses or reports
prepared for your use in connection with the offering of
Shares to the public;
(2) of preparing, setting in type, printing and mailing any other
literature used by you in connection with the offering of
Shares to the public;
(3) of advertising in connection with the offering of Shares to
the public;
(4) incurred in connection with your registration as a broker or
dealer or the registration or qualification of your officers,
trustees, agents or representatives under Federal and state
laws;
(5) of that portion of WATS (or equivalent) telephone lines,
allocated to you on the basis of use by investors (but not
shareholders) who request information or prospectuses;
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<PAGE>
(6) of that portion of the expenses of setting in type, printing
and postage of the periodic newsletter to shareholders
attributable to promotional material included in such
newsletter at your request concerning investment companies
other than the Trust or concerning the Trust to the extent you
are required to assume the expense thereof pursuant to
paragraph 9(b)(8), except such material which is limited to
information, such as listings of other investment companies
and their investment objectives, given in connection with the
exchange privilege as from time to time described in the
Trust's prospectus;
(7) of that portion of the salaries and overhead of persons
employed by you as shareholder representatives attributable to
the time spent by such persons in responding to requests from
prospective investors and shareholders for information about
the Trust;
(8) of any activity which is primarily intended to result in the
sale of Shares, unless a 12b-1 Plan shall be in effect which
provides that the Trust shall bear some or all of such
expenses, in which case the Trust shall bear such expenses in
accordance with such Plan; and
(9) of that portion of one or more CRT terminals connected with
the computer facilities of the transfer agent attributable to
your use of such terminal(s) to gain access to such of the
transfer agent's records as also serve as your records.
Expenses which are to be allocated between you and the Trust shall be
allocated pursuant to reasonable procedures or formulae mutually agreed upon
from time to time, which procedures or formulae shall to the extent practicable
reflect studies of relevant empirical data.
10. Conformity with Law. You agree that in selling Shares you will duly
conform in all respects with the laws of the United States and any state in
which Shares may be offered for sale by you pursuant to this Agreement and to
the rules and regulations of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc., of which you are a member.
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<PAGE>
11. Independent Contractor. You shall be an independent contractor and
neither you nor any of your officers or employees is or shall be an employee of
the Trust in the performance of your duties hereunder. You shall be responsible
for your own conduct and the employment, control and conduct of your agents and
employees and for injury to such agents or employees or to others through your
agents or employees. You assume full responsibility for your agents and
employees under applicable statutes and agree to pay all employee taxes
thereunder.
12. Indemnification. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Trust
and each of its trustees and officers and each person, if any, who controls the
Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation (including legal and other
expenses) to which the Trust or such trustees, officers, or controlling person
may become subject under such Act, under any other statute, at common law or
otherwise, arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any person which (i)
may be based upon any wrongful act by you or any of your employees or
representatives, or (ii) may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in a registration statement
(including a prospectus or statement of additional information) covering Shares
or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statement therein not misleading if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Trust by you, or
(iii) may be incurred or arise by reason of your acting as the Trust's agent
instead of purchasing and reselling Shares as principal in distributing the
Shares to the public, provided, however, that in no case (i) is your indemnity
in favor of a trustee or officer or any other person deemed to protect such
trustee or officer or other person against any liability to which any such
person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith,
or gross negligence in the performance of his duties or by reason of his
reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or (ii) are
you to be liable under your indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph with
respect to any claim made against the Trust or any person indemnified unless the
Trust or such person, as the case may be, shall have notified you in writing
within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
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<PAGE>
information of the nature of the claims shall have been served upon the Trust or
upon such person (or after the Trust or such person shall have received notice
of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify you of any such
claim shall not relieve you from any liability which you may have to the Trust
or any person against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of
your indemnity agreement contained in this paragraph. You shall be entitled to
participate, at your own expense, in the defense, or, if you so elect, to assume
the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such liability, but if you elect
to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by you
and satisfactory to the Trust, to its officers and trustees, or to any
controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit. In the event
that you elect to assume the defense of any such suit and retain such counsel,
the Trust, such officers and trustees or controlling person or persons,
defendant or defendants in the suit shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by them, but, in case you do not elect to assume the
defense of any such suit, you will reimburse the Trust, such officers and
trustees or controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in such suit
for the reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them. You agree
promptly to notify the Trust of the commencement of any litigation or
proceedings against it in connection with the issue and sale of any Shares.
The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless you and each of your
trustees and officers and each person, if any, who controls you within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which
you or such trustees, officers or controlling person may become subject under
such Act, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise, arising out of
the acquisition of any Shares by any person which (i) may be based upon any
wrongful act by the Trust or any of its employees or representatives, or (ii)
may be based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in a registration statement (including a prospectus or statement
of additional information) covering Shares or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon
8
<PAGE>
information furnished to you by the Trust; provided, however, that in no case
(i) is the Trust's indemnity in favor of you, a trustee or officer or any other
person deemed to protect you, such trustee or officer or other person against
any liability to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of
willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of his
duties or by reason of his reckless disregard of obligations and duties under
this Agreement or (ii) is the Trust to be liable under its indemnity agreement
contained in this paragraph with respect to any claims made against you or any
such trustee, officer or controlling person unless you or such trustee, officer
or controlling person, as the case may be, shall have notified the Trust in
writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process
giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon you or
upon such trustee, officer or controlling person (or after you or such trustee,
officer or controlling person shall have received notice of such service on any
designated agent), but failure to notify the Trust of any such claim shall not
relieve it from any liability which it may have to the person against whom such
action is brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained
in this paragraph. The Trust will be entitled to participate at its own expense
in the defense, or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought
to enforce any such liability, but if the Trust elects to assume the defense,
such defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and satisfactory to you,
your trustees, officers, or controlling person or persons, defendant or
defendants in the suit. In the event that the Trust elects to assume the defense
of any such suit and retain such counsel, you, your trustees, officers or
controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear
the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them, but, in case
the Trust does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, it will
reimburse you or such trustees, officers or controlling person or persons,
defendant or defendants in the suit, for the reasonable fees and expenses of any
counsel retained by them. The Trust agrees promptly to notify you of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers
or trustees in connection with the issuance or sale of any Shares.
13. Authorized Representations. The Trust is not authorized to give any
information or to make any representations on behalf of you other than the
information and representations contained
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<PAGE>
in a registration statement (including a prospectus or statement of additional
information) covering Shares, as such registration statement and prospectus may
be amended or supplemented from time to time.
You are not authorized to give any information or to make any
representations on behalf of the Trust or in connection with the sale of Shares
other than the information and representations contained in a registration
statement (including a prospectus or statement of additional information)
covering Shares, as such registration statement may be amended or supplemented
from time to time. No person other than you is authorized to act as principal
underwriter (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) for the Trust.
14. Duration and Termination of this Agreement. This Agreement shall
become effective upon the date first written above and will remain in effect
until September 30, 1999 and from year to year thereafter, but only so long as
such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the vote of a
majority of the trustees who are not interested persons of you or of the Trust,
cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval,
and by vote of the Board of Trustees or of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Trust. This Agreement may, on 60 days' written notice, be
terminated at any time without the payment of any penalty, by the Board of
Trustees of the Trust, by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Trust, or by you. This Agreement will automatically terminate
in the event of its assignment. In interpreting the provisions of this paragraph
14, the definitions contained in Section 2(a) of the 1940 Act (particularly the
definitions of "interested person", "assignment" and "majority of the
outstanding voting securities"), as modified by any applicable order of the
Securities and Exchange Commission, shall be applied.
15. Amendment of this Agreement. No provisions of this Agreement may be
changed, waived, discharged or terminated orally, but only by an instrument in
writing signed by the party against which enforcement of the change, waiver,
discharge or termination is sought. If the Trust should at any time deem it
necessary or advisable in the best interests of the Trust that any amendment of
this Agreement be made in order to comply with the recommendations or
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requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission or other governmental
authority or to obtain any advantage under state or federal tax laws and should
notify you of the form of such amendment, and the reasons therefor, and if you
should decline to assent to such amendment, the Trust may terminate this
Agreement forthwith. If you should at any time request that a change be made in
the Trust's Declaration of Trust or By-laws or in its methods of doing business,
in order to comply with any requirements of federal law or regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission or of a national securities association of
which you are or may be a member relating to the sale of shares of the Trust,
and the Trust should not make such necessary change within a reasonable time,
you may terminate this Agreement forthwith.
16. Termination of Prior Agreements. This Agreement upon its
effectiveness terminates and supersedes all prior underwriting contracts between
the parties.
17. Miscellaneous. The captions in this Agreement are included for
convenience of reference only and in no way define or delimit any of the
provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect. This
Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.
The name "Scudder State Tax Free Trust" is the designation of the
Trustees for the time being under a Declaration of Trust dated December 8, 1987,
as amended from time to time, and all persons dealing with the Trust must look
solely to the property of the Trust for the enforcement of any claims against
the Trust, as neither the Trustees, officers, agents or shareholders assume any
personal liability for obligations entered into on behalf of the Trust.
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If you are in agreement with the foregoing, please sign the form of
acceptance on the accompanying counterpart of this letter and return such
counterpart to the Trust, whereupon this letter shall become a binding contract.
Very truly yours,
SCUDDER STATE TAX FREE TRUST
By: /s/Thomas F. McDonough
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Thomas F. McDonough
Vice President
The foregoing agreement is hereby accepted as of the foregoing date
thereof.
SCUDDER INVESTOR SERVICES, INC.
By: /s/Daniel Pierce
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Daniel Pierce
Vice President
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