In King v. VeriFone Holdings, Inc., No. 330, 2010, 2011 WL 284966 (Del. Jan. 28, 2011), the Supreme Court of the State of Delaware reversed a decision by the Court of Chancery dismissing a derivative plaintiff’s action under Section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law seeking books and records of a Delaware corporation. The Supreme Court held that the Chancery Court erred as a matter of law when it held that the purpose of plaintiff’s demand to inspect books and records — to assist in bolstering demand futility allegations in a parallel shareholder derivative complaint filed in a California federal court — was improper. The Supreme Court explained that although the plaintiff’s simultaneous pursuit of a derivative action and a Section 220 books and records action was perhaps ill advised, it was not impermissible under prevailing Delaware law.

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