A recent Delaware Court of Chancery decision ordered mandatory indemnification based on success in underlying litigation pursuant to DGCL § 145(c), in the matter styled:  Brown v. Rite Aid Corporation, C.A. No. 2017-0480-MTZ (Del. Ch. May 24, 2019).

Issue Addressed Whether dismissal of the underlying litigation based on a technical argument was “success” for purposes of mandatory indemnification under DGCL Section 145(c)–even if all of the arguments in the underlying litigation were not successful?

Answer:  Yes.

Procedural Background:

The procedural history of this litigation involves multiple court decisions in several jurisdictions over the span of a decade.  See, e.g., cases cited at footnotes 4, and 13 through 17.

Even though Brown was convicted and sentenced for certain financial crimes in connection with his role as an officer and a director of Rite Aid, in separate civil litigation pursued against him by Rite Aid, Brown was successful in having that litigation dismissed based on technical procedural arguments.  See footnotes 18 through 20 and accompanying text.

Key Aspects of Court’s Legal Analysis:

The court began its analysis by explaining that indemnification sought in this matter was based on three separate sources.

First, Brown relied on DGCL Section 145(c) which requires indemnification when a present or former director or officer has been “successful on the merits or otherwise” . . ..  The court noted that Section 145(c) is independent and non-exclusive of any right based in the charter, which in turn is independent and non-exclusive of any bylaw right, which in turn is independent and non-exclusive of any contract right, absent specific agreement to the contrary.  See Section 145(f), which makes this clear in both the indemnification and the advancement context.

The second basis for indemnification in this case was a provision in the corporate bylaws.

The third basis for indemnification sought in this matter was a provision in the corporate charter.

Notably, the court observed that even though Section 145(c), in the current version of the statute, covers officers and directors, the court added : 

“But when a corporation has provided other authorized individuals with mandatory indemnification to the fullest extent of the law, then that right extends the mandatory indemnification contemplated by Section 145(c) to those individuals”  (citing Dore v. Sweports, Ltd., 2017 WL 415469, at * 18 (Del. Ch. Jan. 31, 2017)).

The foregoing extension of the mandatory indemnification of Section 145(c), which in its current form only benefits directors and officers–to employees, agents and others that are expressly granted indemnification in the bylaws “to the fullest extent allowed by law”–is not well-known even by those familiar generally with the nuances of advancement law in Delaware.

The court explained that Section 145(c) provides for mandatory indemnification for an officer and a director who meets the requirements of the statutory provision, which is when: “a covered person defending himself in a covered proceeding . . . succeeds on the merits or otherwise . . ..”  See Slip op. at 10.  See also footnotes 39-41.

Other Notable Bullet Points:

·     The court recited the public policy rationale behind mandatory indemnification as including the need to encourage capable individuals to serve as corporate directors, which is viewed less as an individual benefit and more as a desirable mechanism in return for greater corporate benefits.

·     A key point and an essential aspect of the court’s reasoning is its reliance on an abundance of case law that interprets the “success” requirement in Section 145(c) very broadly.  That is, in order to satisfy the requirement of success “on the merits or otherwise” under Section 145(c), one must merely obtain any result in a lawsuit “other than conviction,” which does not equate with moral exoneration, but rather can be satisfied merely from:  “escape from an adverse judgment or other detriment, for whatever reason . . ..”  See footnotes 54 to 55 and accompanying text.

·     Moreover, if such a broad definition of success is achieved, it is not relevant, and the court will not inquire into, whether all arguments were won, or if preliminary motions or other efforts in the underlying litigation failed before the final successful result was reached.  See footnote 56 and accompanying text.  See also footnotes 72 to 80 and accompanying text.

·     The court also granted fees on fees and required Brown to file an affidavit under Rule 88, itemizing the fees for which he seeks indemnification, along with a motion seeking an entry of an order requiring the corporation to indemnify him in the amount specified in the damages motion.