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Exhibit 3.17

        CORNELL COMPANIES MANAGEMENT SERVICES
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
(A Delaware Limited Partnership)

LIMITED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

THESE PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, NOR
PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF ANY STATE SECURITIES ACT

CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERS OF INTERESTS ARE SET FORTH HEREIN



Table of Contents

 
  Page
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS   1
ARTICLE II GENERAL PROVISIONS   4
  2.1 Formation of the Partnership   4
  2.2 Name   4
  2.3 Principal Office, Registered Agent, Registered Office   4
  2.4 Term   5
  2.5 Other Acts and Filings   5
  2.6 Purposes and Character of Business; Powers   5
ARTICLE III CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS   5
  3.1 Capital Contributions of the Partners.   5
  3.2 Partnership Capital.   5
  3.3 Liability of Partners.   6
  3.4 Loans by Partners or Affiliates   6
  3.5 Capital Accounts.   6
  3.6 Sharing Ratios   7
  3.7 Partnership Debt   7
ARTICLE IV ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS   7
  4.1 Distributions   7
  4.2 Allocations of Profits and Losses.   7
  4.3 Compliance with Code   10
  4.4 Allocations upon Transfer of Partnership Interest   10
ARTICLE V RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE GENERAL PARTNER   10
  5.1 Management and Control of the Partnership   10
  5.2 Authority of the General Partner as to Third Persons   10
  5.3 Reimbursement of Expenses and Compensation of the General Partner.   11
  5.4 Devotion of Time   11
  5.5 Right of Competition   11
  5.6 Liability of the General Partner   11
  5.7 Indemnification and Exculpation of the General Partner   11
  5.8 Transaction with Partners and Affiliates   12
  5.9 Resolving Conflicts of Interest   12
  5.10 Conversion in Anticipation of Public Offering   12
  5.11 Officers.   12
ARTICLE VI RIGHTS AND STATUS OF LIMITED PARTNER   14
  6.1 General   14
  6.2 Limitation on Liability   14
  6.3 Bankruptcy, Death   14
ARTICLE VII TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST   14
  7.1 Restriction on Transfer.   14
  7.2 Assignees.   15
  7.3 Substituted Partner.   15
  7.4 Basis Adjustment   15
ARTICLE VIII BANK ACCOUNTS, BOOKS OF ACCOUNT, REPORTS AND FISCAL YEAR   16
  8.1 Bank Accounts, Investments   16
  8.2 Books and Records   16
  8.3 Tax Returns and Information   16
     

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  8.4 Tax Matters Partner   16
  8.5 Fiscal Year   16
ARTICLE IX DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION AND TERMINATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP   16
  9.1 Events Causing Dissolution.   19
  9.2 Liquidation; Sale of Substantially all of the Assets.   17
  9.3 Distributions in Kind   17
ARTICLE X POWER OF ATTORNEY   18
  10.1 Appointment of the General Partner as Attorney-in-Fact.   18
ARTICLE XI MISCELLANEOUS   18
  11.1 Notices   18
  11.2 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction   18
  11.3 Successors and Assigns   19
  11.4 Entire Agreement   19
  11.5 Amendments   19
  11.6 Severability   19
  11.7 Gender and Number   19
  11.8 Exhibits and Schedules   19
  11.9 Creditors Not Benefited   19
  11.10 Captions   19
  11.11 Counterparts   19
  11.12 Estoppel Certificate   19

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AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
OF
CORNELL COMPANIES MANAGEMENT SERVICES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

        This Agreement dated effective as of the 18th day of December, 2001, is made and entered into by and among Cornell Companies Management, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, as General Partner, and the Person listed on the signature pages attached hereto, as a Limited Partner, and such Persons who become Partners of the Partnership as hereinafter provided.

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

        The following definitions shall for all purposes, unless otherwise clearly indicated, apply to the terms used in this Agreement:

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ARTICLE II

GENERAL PROVISIONS

        2.1    Formation of the Partnership.    The Partners hereby form a limited partnership pursuant to the Partnership Act.

        2.2    Name.    The name of the Partnership is Cornell Companies Management Services Limited Partnership. The business of the Partnership shall be conducted under its name, or any other name as determined by the General Partner to be in the best interest of the Partnership.

        2.3    Principal Office, Registered Agent, Registered Office.    The principal office of the Partnership shall be at 1700 West Loop South, Suite 1500, Houston, Texas. The initial registered agent and

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registered office of the Partnership are set forth in the Certificate of Limited Partnership. The General Partner may at any time change the location of the Partnership's office and may establish additional offices, if it deems advisable. The General Partner shall promptly give the Limited Partners written notice of any change in location of the principal office of the Partnership.

        2.4    Term.    The Partnership shall commence business on the date of the original filing of the Certificate of Limited Partnership and its existence shall be perpetual unless terminated sooner as herein provided.

        2.5    Other Acts and Filings.    The Partners shall from time to time execute or cause to be executed all such certificates or other documents, and do or cause to be done all such filing, recording, publishing or other acts, as the General Partner may deem to be appropriate to comply with the requirements of law for the formation and/or operation of a limited partnership in the State of Delaware and all other jurisdictions where the Partnership shall desire to conduct business and to preserve the limited liability of the Limited Partners to the fullest possible extent.

        2.6    Purposes and Character of Business; Powers.    The purposes and character of the business of the Partnership are to perform the Services, as defined in the Corporate Services Agreement, and to transact any lawful business that may be conducted by a Delaware limited partnership. The Partnership shall carry out the foregoing activities pursuant to the arrangements set forth in this Agreement.

ARTICLE III

CAPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS

        3.1    Capital Contributions of the Partners.    

        3.2    Partnership Capital.    

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        3.3    Liability of Partners.    

        3.4    Loans by Partners or Affiliates.    Subject to obtaining any approvals required under this Agreement for the Partnership to borrow funds, any Partner or Affiliate may (but shall not be obligated to) at any time, upon obtaining the consent of the General Partner, loan money to the Partnership to finance Partnership operations, to finance or refinance the assets of the Partnership, to pay the debts and obligations of the Partnership, or for-any other Partnership purpose. If any Partner or an Affiliate lends funds to the Partnership, such Partner or Affiliate shall be entitled to receive interest on such loan at an interest rate to be agreed upon by such Partner or Affiliate and the General Partner.

        3.5    Capital Accounts.    

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        3.6    Sharing Ratios.    The Sharing Ratio of each Partner is set forth opposite its respective name on Schedule 1, attached hereto and hereby made a part of this Agreement. The Sharing Ratios set forth on Schedule 1 may be amended from time to time by the General Partner to reflect any adjustments to such Sharing Ratios as provided in this Agreement.

        3.7    Partnership Debt.    The Partnership will endeavor to obtain financing on a nonrecourse basis as to any individual Partner. However, in the event any debt obligation of the Partnership requires a guarantee of a Partner or the posting of a letter of credit, and all of the Partners do not agree upon request of the General Partner to guarantee such Partnership obligation and/or post such letter of credit in proportion to its Sharing Ratio, then. any Partner guaranteeing such obligation or posting such letter of credit may receive a reasonable fee for such guarantee or letter of credit in an amount determined by such Partner and the General Partner.

ARTICLE IV

ALLOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

        4.1    Distributions.    Except as otherwise provided in Section 9.2, Distributable Cash Flow shall be distributed to the Partners in accordance with their respective Sharing Ratios, at such times and in such amounts as determined by the General Partner.

        4.2    Allocations of Profits and Losses.    

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8


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        4.3    Compliance with Code.    The foregoing provisions of this Article relating to the allocation of Profits, Losses and other items for federal income tax purposes are intended to comply with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-1(b) and 1.704-2, and shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with such Treasury Regulations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, nothing in this Article shall apply if it lacks "economic effect."

        4.4    Allocations upon Transfer of Partnership Interest.    Profits or Losses attributable to any Partnership Interest which has been transferred during any Partnership Fiscal Year shall be allocated between the transferor and the transferee as follows:

ARTICLE V

RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE GENERAL PARTNER

        5.1    Management and Control of the Partnership.    The General Partner shall manage and control all of the business operations and affairs of the Partnership and shall make all decisions affecting the Partnership business on all matters concerning the Partnership. Any Partnership action permitted or required by this Agreement to be made or taken by the General Partner shall be binding on all the Partners.

        5.2    Authority of the General Partner as to Third Persons.    Any Person dealing with the Partnership, the General Partner or any Partner may rely upon a certificate signed by the General Partner, thereunto duly authorized, concerning:

        5.3    Reimbursement of Expenses and Compensation of the General Partner.    

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        5.4    Devotion of Time.    The General Partner. shall devote such time, services and efforts as may be reasonably necessary for the proper furtherance, management, operation, maintenance and care of the Partnership business. The General Partner shall not be required to devote its entire time to the business of the Partnership.

        5.5    Right of Competition.    Each Partner, in its individual capacity or otherwise, and its respective principals and Affiliates, shall be free to engage and conduct or participate in any business or activity whatsoever, including, without limitation, the business conducted by the Partnership, without any accountability or obligation whatsoever to the Partnership or to any other Partner.

        5.6    Liability of the General Partner.    It is the intent of this Section 5.6 to restrict the liability and fiduciary duties of the General Partner to. the maximum extent permitted under applicab'.e law and the Partnership Act. Neither the Partnership nor any Partner shall have any claim against the General Partner by reason of any act or omission of the General Partner, provided that such act or omission was performed by the General Partner in the belief that the General Partner was acting within the scope of its authority under this Agreement and that such act or omission did not involve the General Partner's bad faith, willful misconduct or fraud. Notwithstanding the above, the General Partner shall have no liability hereunder for failing to act if such act required the consent of some or all of the Limited Partners and the required consent to such action was not granted. Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 5.6 or any provision in this Section 5.6 shall be prospective only and shall not in any way affect the limitations on the General Partner's liability to the Partnership and the Limited Partners under this Section 5.6 as in effect immediately prior to such amendment, modification or repeal with respect to matters occurring, in whole or in part, prior to such amendment, modification or repeal, regardless of when claims relating to such matters may arise or be asserted.

        5.7    Indemnification and Exculpation of the General Partner.    The Partnership shall indemnify the General Partner and each of its Affiliates, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, joint or several, expenses (including reasonable legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, settlements, and other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, that relate to the operations of the Partnership as set forth in this Agreement in which the General Partner or any of its Affiliates, may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, unless it is established that: (i) the act or omission of the General Partner, or any of its Affiliates, was material to the matter giving rise to the proceeding and either was committed in bad faith or was the result of active and deliberate dishonesty; (ii) the General Partner did not reasonably believe that the General Partner, while acting as general partner, was acting in the best interests of the Limited Partners or, in all other cases, was acting in opposition of the Limited Partner's best interests; (iii) the General Partner or its Affiliates, actually received an improper personal benefit in money, property or services; or (iv) in the case of any criminal proceeding, the General Partner or its Affiliates, had reasonable cause to believe that the actor omission was unlawful. The termination of any proceeding by judgment, order or settlement does not create a presumption that the General Partner or its Affiliates, did not meet the requisite standard of conduct set forth in this Section 5.7. The termination of any proceeding by conviction or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, or an entry of an order of probation prior to judgment, creates a rebuttable presumption that the General Partner or its Affiliates, acted in a manner contrary to that

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specified in this Section 5.7. Any indemnification pursuant to this Section 5.7 shall be made only out of the assets of the Partnership, including insurance proceeds, if any.

        5.8    Transaction with Partners and Affiliates.    In addition to transactions specifically contemplated by the terms and provisions of this Agreement, the Partnership may enter into other transactions with any Partner or an Affiliate thereof or of the Partnership, provided that the terms of the transaction are fair and reasonable to the Partnership. To determine whether or not a transaction is fair and reasonable to the Partnership, the General Partner may consider the interests of any relevant Person, including any Partner or an affiliate thereof or the Partnership. In the absence of bad faith, willful misconduct or fraud by the General Partner, any transaction approved or effected by the General Partner on the Partnership's behalf with any Partner or an Affiliate thereof or of the Partnership, will be deemed to be fair and reasonable and not constitute a breach of the General Partner's fiduciary duty to the Partnership or to any Partner.

        5.9    Resolving Conflicts of Interest.    Unless expressly provided otherwise in this Agreement, if a potential conflict of interest arises between the General Partner or any of its owners or Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Partnership or any other Partner, on the other hand, the General Partner shall resolve the conflict of interest and any such resolution or course of action in respect of the conflict of interest shall be permitted and deemed approved, ratified and confirmed by all Partners, and shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement, of any other agreement contemplated herein or therein, or of any duty stated or implied by law or equity, if the resolution or course of action is or (by operation of this Agreement) is deemed to be fair and reasonable to the Partnership. In connection with resolving any conflict of interest, the General Partner may consider (i) the relative interests of any Person (including. its own interest) to the conflict, agreement, transaction or situation and the benefits and burdens relating to the interests; (ii) any customary or accepted industry practices or historical dealings with a particular Person; (iii) any applicable generally accepted accounting practices or principles; and (iv) such additional factors as the General Partner deems relevant, reasonable or appropriate under the circumstances. Nothing in this Agreement shall require the General Partner to consider the interests of any Person other than the Partnership and its Partners.

        5.10    Conversion in Anticipation of Public Offering.    Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, and in addition to the rights of the General Partner granted in this Agreement, in anticipation of a public offering of the Partnership Interests, the General Partner may engage, or cause the Partnership to engage, in any transaction or combination of transactions for the purpose of reorganizing, converting or otherwise changing the form of the Partnership into a corporation or other business entity. If the General Partner engages or causes the Partnership to engage in any transaction described in this section, no Limited Partner, as such, may veto or have any other power that may limit the General Partner's authority under this section. A reorganization, conversion or change in form under this section may not affect the Partnership's overall business or operations, and the equity interests in the successor corporation or other entity must be based on the Partners' proportionate interests in the Partnership.

        5.11    Officers.    

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ARTICLE VI

RIGHTS AND STATUS OF LIMITED PARTNER

        6.1    General.    The Limited Partners have the rights and status of limited partners as provided in the Partnership Act. The Limited Partners may not take part in the management or control of the Partnership business, or sign for or bind the Partnership, such power being vested exclusively in the General Partner as provided herein.

        6.2    Limitation on Liability.    Except as provided under the Partnership Act, no Limited Partner shall have any personal liability whatsoever, whether to the Partnership, the General Partner or any creditor of the Partnership, for the debts of the Partnership, or any of its losses beyond the amount of the Limited Partners' Initial Capital Contribution and Additional Capital Contribution, if any. Accordingly, each Limited Partner's Partnership Interest shall be fully paid and nonassessable.

        6.3    Bankruptcy, Death.    Neither the Bankruptcy, death, disability, dissolution, liquidation or declaration of incompetence of a Limited Partner shall dissolve the Partnership, but the rights of a Limited Partner to share in the Profits and Losses of the Partnership and to receive distributions of Partnership funds, shall, on the happening of such an event, devolve upon the Limited Partner's estate, legal representative, or successors in interest, as the case may be, subject to this Agreement, and the Partnership shall continue as a limited partnership. In no event shall the estate, representative or successors in interest become a substitute Limited Partner, except in accordance with Article VII.

ARTICLE VII

TRANSFER OF PARTNERSHIP INTEREST

        7.1    Restriction on Transfer.    

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        7.2    Assignees.    

        7.3    Substituted Partner.    

        7.4    Basis Adjustment.    Upon the transfer of all or part of an interest in the Partnership, at the request of the transferee of the interest, the General Partner with the consent of all of the Partners may cause the Partnership to elect, pursuant to Section 754 of the Code, to adjust the basis of the Partnership properties as provided in Section 734 and 743 of the Code. The Partnership may require the requesting transferee to bear all of the accounting and administrative costs as a condition to its consent.

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ARTICLE VIII

BANK ACCOUNTS, BOOKS OF ACCOUNT, REPORTS AND FISCAL YEAR

        8.1    Bank Accounts, Investments.    The General Partner shall establish one or more bank accounts in the name of the Partnership into which all Partnership funds shall be deposited. No other funds shall be deposited into these accounts. However, pending their withdrawal for Partnership purposes, Partnership funds may be invested in such securities and money market funds as the General Partner may select.

        8.2    Books and Records.    The General Partner shall keep complete and accurate books of account and records relative to the Partnership's business. The books and records of the Partnership shall be kept on the method of reporting for tax and financial reporting purposes as determined by the General Partner. The Partnership books and records shall at all times be maintained at the principal business office of the Partnership or its accountants and shall be available for examination at such office by any Partner or its duly authorized representatives during regular business hours. Any Partner, at its own expense, may cause an audit of the books and records of the Partnership during regular business hours and shall furnish a written report thereof to the other Partners.

        8.3    Tax Returns and Information.    The Partners intend for the Partnership to be treated as a partnership for tax purposes. The General Partner shall prepare or cause to be prepared all federal, state and local income and other tax returns which the Partnership is required to file. The method of computing Depreciation for tax purposes, and the decision whether to exercise or to revoke any or all of the elections available to the Partnership under the Code, shall be made by all of the Partners. Each of the Partners shall supply to the Partnership the information necessary to properly give effect to any such election.

        8.4    Tax Matters Partner.    The General Partner will serve as the tax matters partner of the Partnership pursuant to Section 623 1(a)(7) of the Code.

        8.5    Fiscal Year.    The Fiscal Year of the Partnership shall be the calendar year.

ARTICLE IX

DISSOLUTION, LIQUIDATION AND TERMINATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP

        9.1    Events Causing Dissolution.    

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        9.2    Liquidation; Sale of Substantially all of the Assets.    

        9.3    Distributions in Kind.    If any assets of the Partnership are distributed in kind pursuant to this Agreement, such assets shall be distributed to the Partners entitled thereto as tenants in common in the same proportions as the Partners would have been entitled to cash distributions if such property had been sold for cash at its fair market value and the net proceeds thereof distributed to the Partners. In the event that distributions in kind are made to the Partners, the Capital Account balances of such Partners shall be adjusted to reflect the Partners' allocable share of gain or loss which would have resulted if the distributed property had been sold at its fair market value.

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ARTICLE X

POWER OF ATTORNEY

        10.1    Appointment of the General Partner as Attorney-in-Fact.    

ARTICLE XI

MISCELLANEOUS

        11.1    Notices.    All notices given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and shall either be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, registered or certified with return receipt requested, or delivered in person to the intended addressee, or sent by telecopy followed by confirmatory letter. Notice so mailed shall be effective upon the expiration of three business days after its deposit. Notice given in any other manner shall be effective only if and when received by the addressee. For purposes of notice, the address of the Partners shall be as stated under their names on the attached Schedule 1;provided, however, that each Partner shall have the right to change its address for notice hereunder to any other location by the giving of ten (10) days notice to-the General Partner (or in the case of the General Partner, to the other Partners) in the manner set forth above.

        11.2    Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction.    This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive federal laws of the United States and the internal laws of the State of Delaware.

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        11.3    Successors and Assigns.    This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the Partners, and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall negate or diminish the restrictions set forth in Article VII.

        11.4    Entire Agreement.    This Agreement, including the schedules and exhibits, if any, contains the entire agreement among the Partners relating to the subject matter hereof and all prior agreements relative hereto which are not contained herein are terminated.

        11.5    Amendments.    Amendments or modifications may be made to this Agreement only by setting the same forth in a document duly executed by all of the Partners, and any alleged amendment or modification herein which is not so documented shall not be effective as to any Partner. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the General Partner (under its power of attorney), without the approval of the Limited Partner, may amend this Agreement in any way that does not affect materially the Limited Partner's fundamental economic interests in the Partnership.

        11.6    Severability.    This Agreement is intended to be performed in accordance with, and only to the extent permitted by, all applicable laws, ordinances, rules and regulations. If any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any Person or circumstance shall, for any reason and to any extent, be invalid or unenforceable, but the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability does not destroy the basis of the bargain among the Partners as expressed herein, the remainder of this Agreement and the application of such provision to other Persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby, but rather shall be enforced to 'the greatest extent permitted by law.

        11.7    Gender and Number.    Whenever required by the context, as used in this Agreement, all personal pronouns shall include the other genders whether using the masculine, feminine or neuter gender, and the singular shall include the plural.

        11.8    Exhibits and Schedules.    Each exhibit and schedule to this Agreement is incorporated herein for all purposes.

        11.9    Creditors Not Benefited.    Nothing in this Agreement is intended to nor shall it benefit any creditor of the Partnership. No creditor of the Partnership will be entitled to require the General Partner to solicit or accept any loan or Additional Capital Contribution for the Partncrship or to enforce any right which the Partnership or any Partner may have against a Partner, whether arising under this Agreement or otherwise.

        11.10    Captions.    The Article and Section headings appearing in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and are not intended, to any extent or for any purpose, to limit or define the text of any Article or Section.

        11.11    Counterparts.    This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original but all of which shall constitute but one document.

        11.12    Estoppel Certificate.    Each Partner shall at any time and from time to time upon not less than 20 days' prior written notice from the General Partner execute, acknowledge, and send to the Partnership a statement in writing certifying that this Agreement is unmodified and in full force and effect (or if there have been modifications, that the Agreement is in full force and effect as modified and stating the modifications) and stating whether or not as to all Partners any is in default in keeping, observing or performing any of the terms contained in this Agreement, and if in default, specifying each default (limited, as regards the other's defaults, to those defaults of which the certifying Partner has knowledge).

[Separate signature pages attached]

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        EXECUTED to be effective the day, month and year above first written.

General Partner   Cornell Companies Management, LLC

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 
        /s/ Kevin Kelly
  , Manager

Limited Partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Kevin Kelly

Cornell Companies, Inc.

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SCHEDULE 1

        Names, Addresses, Initial Capital Contributions and Sharing Ratios of the Partners

Names and Addresses
of Partners

  Initial
Contribution

  Sharing Ratio
 
General Partner:          

Cornell Companies Management, LLC
1700 West Loop South, Suite 1500
Houston, TX 77027
Attn: Kevin Kelly, Manager

 

$10.00

 

1.00

%

Limited Partner:

 

 

 

 

 

Cornell Companies, Inc.
1700 West Loop South, Suite 1500
Houston, TX 77027
Attn: Kevin Kelly, Manager

 

All of the Limited Partner's right, title and interest in and to the assets and property required to perform, or reasonably related to performing, the Services, as defined in the Corporate Services Agreement.

 

99.0

%

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AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP OF CORNELL COMPANIES MANAGEMENT SERVICES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
SCHEDULE 1