A recent Delaware Court of Chancery decision provides useful guidance regarding the requirements to preserve evidence in litigation and the potential penalties for spoliation. In the matter styled: In re Facebook, Inc. Derivative Litigation, C.A. Cons. No. 2018-0307-JTL (Del. Ch. Jan. 21, 2025), the court addressed spoliation in litigation involving allegations that Facebook sold personal
delaware corporate litigation
Chancery Rejects Claims Against Controller in Sale of Company
By Francis Pileggi on
Posted in Court of Chancery Updates
A recent Court of Chancery decision determined that the sale of a company initiated by the controller, a private equity fund which was also the largest equity holder in the company, did not run afoul of the business judgment rule. The decision in Manti Holdings, LLC v. The Carlyle Group Inc., C.A. No. 2020-0657-SG…
Chancery Lets Suit Over Fox “Stolen Election” Stories Proceed Due to CEO’s Influence
By Francis Pileggi on
Posted in Court of Chancery Updates
Frank Reynolds, who has been covering Delaware corporate decisions for various national publications for over 35 years, prepared this article
A recent Delaware Court of Chancery opinion clarifies how and when a majority of directors may lack independence from its CEO, and finds Rupert Murdoch’s financial or personal influence could have skewed the objectivity of…
The Delaware Supreme Court Suggests that Some Forfeiture-for-Competition Provisions May be Reviewed for Reasonableness.
By Francis Pileggi on
Posted in Delaware Supreme Court Updates
Sean Brennecke, a partner in the Delaware office of Lewis Brisbois, prepared this post.
In LKQ v. Rutledge, 2024 WL 5152746 (Del. Supr. 2024), the Delaware Supreme Court recently responded to questions certified by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit by confirming that the Supreme Court’s ruling in Cantor Fitzgerald…
20th Annual Review of Key Delaware Corporate and Commercial Decisions
By Francis Pileggi on
Posted in Annual Review of Key Delaware Cases
This is the 20th-anniversary edition of Francis Pileggi’s annual list of key corporate and commercial decisions of the Delaware Supreme Court and the Delaware Court of Chancery. This year’s list does not attempt to include all important decisions of those courts that were rendered in 2024, and eschews some of the cases already extensively discussed…
Chancellor Provides Practice Tips and Unwritten Scheduling Guidelines
By Francis Pileggi on
Posted in Court of Chancery Updates
Two recent letter decisions provide practice tips from the Chancellor for Chancery practitioners regarding coordinating with non-Delaware lawyers working on Chancery cases, as well as nuances of contacting chambers for scheduling purposes. In the matter styled In re SwervePay Holdings Acquisition, LLC, C.A. No. 2021-0446-KSJM (Del. Ch. Oct. 21, 2024), the court provided instruction…
Indemnification Granted for Successful Books and Records Action
By Francis Pileggi on
Posted in Court of Chancery Updates
Most indemnification cases involve successfully defending claims, but a recent Delaware Court of Chancery decision granted indemnification for the successful pursuit of a books and records action, in Gentile v. GPB Capital Holdings, LLC, C.A. No. 2024-0165-PAF (Del. Ch., Nov. 27, 2024).
This decision is noteworthy because it explains the broader scope of indemnification…
Removal of LLC Manager Upheld
By Francis Pileggi on
Posted in Court of Chancery Updates
In an expedited post-trial decision, the Delaware Court of Chancery recently determined who the proper managers were of an LLC, as well as the validity of the removal of a manager, pursuant to the summary proceedings provided for in Section 18-110 of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act. In St. Peters, L.P. v. Bold On …
Chancery Rejects Musk’s Reasons to Revise Ruling on Tesla Pay Plan
By Francis Pileggi on
Posted in Court of Chancery Updates
Frank Reynolds, who has been covering Delaware corporate decisions for various national publications for over 35 years, prepared this article
The Delaware Court of Chancery recently declined to revise its January post-trial decision that the Tesla Inc. directors’ more than $55 billion pay package for CEO Elon Musk was a breach of duty that must…
Chancery Reviews Section 220 Basics
By Francis Pileggi on
Posted in Court of Chancery Updates
Aimee Czachorowski, an attorney in the Delaware office of Lewis Brisbois, prepared this post.
Chancellor McCormick’s recent letter decision in Floreani, et al. v. FloSports, Inc., C.A. No. 2023-0684-LM-KSJM (Del. Ch. Oct. 31, 2014), illustrates the pitfalls of non-compliance with the technical requirements of a Section 220 demand by a stockholder for corporate books…