Note 18 - Commitments and Contingencies

Restricted Cash Balances— Reserves (in the form of deposits with the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank) of $78,813,000 and $70,660,000 were maintained to satisfy Federal regulatory requirements at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015. These reserves are included in cash and due from banks in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.

Lease Commitments— The Company leases 42 sites under non-cancelable operating leases. The leases contain various provisions for increases in rental rates, based either on changes in the published Consumer Price Index or a predetermined escalation schedule. Substantially all of the leases provide the Company with the option to extend the lease term one or more times following expiration of the initial term. The Company currently does not have any capital leases.

At December 31, 2015, future minimum commitments under non-cancelable operating leases with initial or remaining terms of one year or more are as follows:


	Operating
	Leases
	(in thousands)
2016	$	3,067
2017		2,400
2018		1,755
2019		1,211
2020		2,382
Thereafter		659


Future minimum lease payments	$	11,474

Rent expense under operating leases was $1,034,000 and $1,049,000 during the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Rent expense was offset by rent income of $58,000 and $57,000 during the three months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Rent expense under operating leases was $3,024,000 and $2,992,000 during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Rent expense was offset by rent income of $177,000 and $161,000 during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Financial Instruments with Off-Balance-Sheet Risk— The Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk in the normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers. These financial instruments include commitments to extend credit, standby letters of credit, and deposit account overdraft privilege. Those instruments involve, to varying degrees, elements of risk in excess of the amount recognized in the balance sheet. The contract amounts of those instruments reflect the extent of involvement the Company has in particular classes of financial instruments.

The Company’s exposure to loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit and standby letters of credit written is represented by the contractual amount of those instruments. The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as it does for on-balance sheet instruments. The Company’s exposure to loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for deposit account overdraft privilege is represented by the overdraft privilege amount disclosed to the deposit account holder.

The following table presents a summary of the Bank’s commitments and contingent liabilities:


(in thousands)	September 30, 2016		December 31, 2015
Financial instruments whose amounts represent risk:
Commitments to extend credit:
Commercial loans	$	224,875	$	196,399
Consumer loans		402,851		394,278
Real estate mortgage loans		70,428		42,793
Real estate construction loans		107,130		71,846
Standby letters of credit		10,349		8,330
Deposit account overdraft privilege		98,400		94,473

Commitments to extend credit are agreements to lend to a customer as long as there is no violation of any condition established in the contract. Commitments generally have fixed expiration dates of one year or less or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Since many of the commitments are expected to expire without being drawn upon, the total commitment amounts do not necessarily represent future cash requirements. The Company evaluates each customer’s credit worthiness on a case-by-case basis. The amount of collateral obtained, if deemed necessary by the Company upon extension of credit, is based on Management’s credit evaluation of the customer. Collateral held varies, but may include accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment, residential properties, and income-producing commercial properties.

Standby letters of credit are conditional commitments issued by the Company to guarantee the performance of a customer to a third party. Those guarantees are primarily issued to support private borrowing arrangements. Most standby letters of credit are issued for one year or less. The credit risk involved in issuing letters of credit is essentially the same as that involved in extending loan facilities to customers. Collateral requirements vary, but in general follow the requirements for other loan facilities.

Deposit account overdraft privilege amount represents the unused overdraft privilege balance available to the Company’s deposit account holders who have deposit accounts covered by an overdraft privilege. The Company has established an overdraft privilege for certain of its deposit account products whereby all holders of such accounts who bring their accounts to a positive balance at least once every thirty days receive the overdraft privilege. The overdraft privilege allows depositors to overdraft their deposit account up to a predetermined level. The predetermined overdraft limit is set by the Company based on account type.

Legal Proceedings — On September 15, 2014, a former Personal Banker at one of the Bank’s in-store branches filed a Class Action Complaint against the Bank in Butte County Superior Court, alleging causes of action related to the observance of meal and rest periods and seeking to represent a class of current and former hourly-paid or non-exempt personal bankers, or employees with the same or similar job duties, employed by the Bank within the State of California during the preceding four years. On or about June 25, 2015, Plaintiff filed an Amended Complaint expanding the class definition to all current and formerly hourly-paid or non-exempt branch employees employed by the Bank within the State of California at any time during the period from September 15, 2010 to final judgment. The Bank responded to the First Amended Complaint, denying the charges, and the parties engaged in written discovery. The parties engaged in non-binding mediation of this action during the third quarter of 2016.

On January 20, 2015, a then-current Personal Banker at one of the Bank’s in-store branches filed a First Amended Complaint against Tri Counties Bank and TriCo Bancshares, dba Tri Counties Bank, in Sacramento County Superior Court, alleging causes of action related to wage statement violations. Plaintiff seeks to represent a class of current and former exempt and non-exempt employees who worked for t defendants during the time period beginning October 18, 2013 through the date of the filing of this action. The Company and the Bank responded to the First Amended Complaint, denying the charges, and engaged in written discovery with Plaintiff. The parties engaged in non-binding mediation of this action during the third quarter of 2016.

During the third quarter of 2016, the Bank agreed to settle the two foregoing matters. In connection with the settlement and in consideration for the full settlement and release of all claims, the Bank would pay up to $1.9 million. The actual cost of the settlement will depend on the number of claims submitted by purported class members and the Bank estimates that the actual cost of settlement will be approximately $1,450,000. In the event that the parties enter into a stipulation of settlement, hearings will be scheduled at which the court will consider the settlement. The settlement is subject to customary conditions, including court approval following notice to members of the purported classes. There can be no assurance that the parties will ultimately enter into a stipulation of settlement or that the court will approve the settlement even if the parties were to enter into such stipulation.

Neither the Company nor its subsidiaries, are party to any other material pending legal proceeding, nor is their property the subject of any other material pending legal proceeding, except routine legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of their business. None of these proceedings is currently expected to have a material adverse impact upon the Company’s business, consolidated financial position or results of operations in addition to amounts already accrued, taking any applicable insurance into consideration.

Other Commitments and Contingencies—The Company has entered into employment agreements or change of control agreements with certain officers of the Company providing severance payments and accelerated vesting of benefits under supplemental retirement agreements to the officers in the event of a change in control of the Company and termination for other than cause or after a substantial and material change in the officer’s title, compensation or responsibilities.

The Bank owns 13,396 shares of Class B common stock of Visa Inc. which are convertible into Class A common stock at a conversion ratio of 1.648265 per Class B share. As of September 30, 2016, the value of the Class A shares was $82.70 per share. Utilizing the conversion ratio, the value of unredeemed Class A equivalent shares owned by the Bank was $1,826,000 as of September 30, 2016, and has not been reflected in the accompanying financial statements. The shares of Visa Class B common stock are restricted and may not be transferred. Visa Member Banks are required to fund an escrow account to cover settlements, resolution of pending litigation and related claims. If the funds in the escrow account are insufficient to settle all the covered litigation, Visa may sell additional Class A shares, use the proceeds to settle litigation, and further reduce the conversion ratio. If funds remain in the escrow account after all litigation is settled, the Class B conversion ratio will be increased to reflect that surplus.

Mortgage loans sold to investors may be sold with servicing rights retained, with only the standard legal representations and warranties regarding recourse to the Bank. Management believes that any liabilities that may result from such recourse provisions are not significant.