Greenlight Capital Offshore Partners, LTD., v. Brighthouse Financial Inc., C.A. No. 2022-1067-LWW (Del. Ch. Nov. 20, 2023) -
Valuation is a well-established proper purpose to inspect corporate books and records. While each...more
In re Zendesk, Inc. Section 220 Litigation, C.A. No. 2023-0454-BWD (Del. Ch. Aug. 25, 2023) -
The background of this books-and-records decision involved a failed acquisition, a strategic review, a proxy contest, and a...more
Ontario Provincial Council of Carpenters’ Pension Trust Fund v. Walton, C.A. No. 2021-0827-JTL (Del. Ch. Apr. 26, 2023) -
To assert a derivative claim, a stockholder plaintiff must plead demand futility. The plaintiffs...more
Georgia Notes 18, LLC v. Net Element, Inc., C.A. No. 2021-0246-JRS (Del. Ch. Nov. 18, 2021) -
Plaintiff, a stockholder and creditor of the defendant company, demanded to inspect the company’s books and records pursuant to...more
This top ten list summarizes significant decisions of the Delaware Supreme Court and the Delaware Court of Chancery over the past calendar year. Our criteria for selection are that the decision either meaningfully changed...more
Harris v. Harris FRC Corp., C.A. No. 2019-0736-JTL (Del. Ch. Jan. 7, 2021) -
Under Rule 5.1, the Court of Chancery may enter a confidentiality order upon a showing of good cause that such an order is necessary to protect...more
The Delaware Court of Chancery's recent decision in In re: Mindbody Inc. Stockholders Litigation is important reading for lawyers whose practices include evaluating, addressing and — when necessary — litigating potential...more
Woods v. Sahara Enterprises, Inc., C.A. No. 2020-0153-JTL (Del. Ch. July 22, 2020) -
This decision concerning statutory inspection rights under Section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law clarifies the requirements...more
Stanco v. Rallye Motors Holding, LLC, C.A. No. 2019-0751-SG (Del. Ch. Dec. 23, 2019).
Delaware courts generally respect contractual forum selection provisions. When it comes to Delaware LLCs, however, the Delaware statute...more
High River Limited Partnership v. Occidental Petroleum Corp., C.A. No. 2019-0403-JRS (Del. Ch. Nov. 14, 2019).
Section 220 of the DGCL grants stockholders a qualified right to inspect corporate books and records “necessary...more
Southeastern Pa. Trans. Auth. v. Facebook, Inc., C.A. No. 2019-0228-JRS (Oct. 29, 2019) -
Shareholders of a Delaware corporation have a qualified right to access corporate books and records for a “proper purpose.” ...more
This top ten list summarizes significant decisions of the Delaware Supreme Court and the Delaware Court of Chancery over the past calendar year 2018.
Originally published in Transaction Advisors....more
2/25/2019
/ Board of Directors ,
Books & Records ,
Breach of Duty ,
Controlling Stockholders ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Governance ,
Delaware General Corporation Law ,
Derivative Suit ,
Elon Musk ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Mergers ,
Section 220 Request ,
Shareholder Litigation ,
Shareholders ,
Tesla
CHC Investments LLC v. Firstsun Capital Bancorp, C.A. No. 2018-0610-KSJM (Del. Ch. Jan. 24, 2019).
One proper purpose for a books and records inspection under Section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law is to...more
Inter-Local Pension Fund GCC/IBT v. Calgon Carbon Corp., C.A. No. 2017-0910-MTZ (Del. Ch. Jan. 25, 2019).
It is sometimes fair to characterize plaintiff-side representative litigation in the corporate context as...more
KT4 Partners LLC v. Palantir Technologies Inc., No. 281, 2018 (Del. Jan. 29, 2019) (Strine, Chief Justice).
Two prevailing questions for books and records inspections under Section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation...more
Schnatter v. Papa John’s Int’l, Inc., C.A. No. 2018-0542-AGB (Del. Ch. Jan. 15, 2019).
As a general matter, under Section 220 of the DGCL, directors of a Delaware corporation enjoy the right to virtually unfettered access...more
Norman v. Elkin, C.A. No. 06-005-LPS (D. Del. Sept. 4, 2018) -
Litigation seeking to inspect a corporation’s records under Section 220 of the DGCL might toll the statute of limitations for certain claims under the right...more
Barnes v. Sprouts Farmers Market Inc., C.A. No. 2017-0735-MTZ (Del. Ch. July 18, 2018) -
An investor seeking books and records for the purpose of investigating wrongdoing or mismanagement must establish a “credible basis”...more
The Ravenswood Investment Company LP v. The Estate Of Bassett S. Winmill, C.A. No. 3730-VCS (Del. Ch. Mar. 21, 2018) -
It is easy to assume that some form of meaningful relief must be available when a fiduciary bears the...more
This top ten list summarizes significant decisions of the Delaware Supreme Court and the Delaware Court of Chancery over the past calendar year. Our criteria for selection are that the decision either changed the law in a...more
2/22/2018
/ Appraisal ,
Appraisal Rights ,
Books & Records ,
Breach of Duty ,
Business Litigation ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Derivative Suit ,
Directors ,
Fiduciary Duty ,
Master Limited Partnerships ,
Partnership Agreements ,
Section 220 Request ,
Shareholder Litigation ,
Shareholders
Wilkinson v. A. Schulman, Inc., C.A. No. 2017-0138-VCL (Nov. 13, 2017) -
This decision has potential far-reaching consequences for shareholder-plaintiff litigation. As is well known, some entrepreneurial plaintiff-side...more
Salberg v. Genworth Financial Inc., C.A. No. 2017-0018-JRS (July 27, 2017) -
This is an important decision for its analyses implicating the Garner and Corwin rules. The Garner rule is that, under certain narrow...more
In re Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Delaware Derivative Litig., C.A. No. 7455-CB (Del. Ch. July 25, 2017) -
This is an important decision holding that just because one derivative litigation was dismissed for failure to overcome...more
Henry v. Phixios Holdings Inc., C.A. No. 12504-VCMR (July 10, 2017) -
This is the rare decision explaining when restrictions on stock transfers (permitted by Section 202 of the DGCL) can be enforced. While the statute...more
This decision resolved a matter of first impression: a plaintiff seeking corporate records under Section 220 of the DGCL must be a stockholder at the time he files his complaint to have standing. Thus, when a stockholder...more