McDowell v. Greenfield, (Del. Ch., Aug. 1, 2008), read opinion here, is a Chancery Court decision that reiterates the standard of review for a "report" by one of the Masters in Chancery that often hear cases and recommend decisions for review by the Court. Chancery Court rules also address the matter. The review standard was described by the court as follows:
“When considering objections to a master’s report, this Court reviews de novo the master’s legal and factual conclusions.”FN27 Significantly, the “master’s ‘rulings are not final until reviewed and adopted by a judge.’ “ FN28
FN27. Aveta, Inc. v. Colon, 942 A.2d 603, 607 (Del. Ch. Jan. 15, 2008) (quoting DiGiacobbe v. Sestak, 743 A.2d 180, 184 (Del.1999)).FN28. DiGiacobbe, 743 A.2d at 181.