Archive:September 16, 2020

1
CHANCERY COURT RULES ON AGRIBUSINESS SALE FRAUD SUIT
2
Chancery Court Dismisses Former LLC Member’s Claims for Alleged Amounts Owed and Breach by Former Co-Members
3
Chancery Court Holds Under-Manned Board’s Acts Were Invalid but Potentially Susceptible to Validation under DGCL §205

CHANCERY COURT RULES ON AGRIBUSINESS SALE FRAUD SUIT

By: Scott E. Waxman and Marissa Leon

In Agspring Holdco, LLC, et al. v. NGP X US Holdings, L.P., et al. (C.A. No. 2019-0567-AGB), the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “Court”) tolled the statute of limitations on claims by the purchaser of an agricultural commodities company and refused to dismiss the majority of fraud and related claims against officers of the company.

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Chancery Court Dismisses Former LLC Member’s Claims for Alleged Amounts Owed and Breach by Former Co-Members

By: Scott E. Waxman and Michael C. Payant

In Terry L. Menacker v. Overture, L.L.C., et al., C.A. No. 2019-0762-JTL (Del. Ch. Aug. 4, 2020), the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “Court”) considered a motion to dismiss claims by a former member of Overture L.L.C. (the “Company”) concerning a dispute over a buyout payment allegedly due upon his withdrawal as a member, certain other alleged past-due amounts, and an alleged breach of fiduciary duty by former co-members of the Company. The Court dismissed all claims, holding that (i) the Court lacked subject matter jurisdiction over the buyout payment dispute because it was subject to arbitration; (ii) plaintiff’s allegations regarding other amounts owed failed to state claims upon which relief could be granted; and (iii) plaintiff’s claims for breach of duty were derivative claims for which plaintiff lacked standing.

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Chancery Court Holds Under-Manned Board’s Acts Were Invalid but Potentially Susceptible to Validation under DGCL §205

By: Scott E. Waxman and Michael C. Payant

In Applied Energetics, Inc. v. George Farley, et al., C.A. No. 2018-0489-JTL (Del. Ch., Aug. 3, 2020), the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “Court”) considered a motion for partial summary judgment by Applied Energetics, Inc. (the “Company”) relating to actions by George Farley (“Farley”) as sole member of the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) and compensation committee (the “Committee”). The Court granted summary judgment for the Company that certain actions taken by Farley were invalid for failure of authorization but denied the Company’s motion for summary judgment on other claims, holding (a) that the actions could potentially be validated under §205 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”); and (b) Farley could potentially recover damages for an allegedly-agreed salary or under an unjust enrichment theory.

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