Posts in Forum Non Conveniens

Delaware Supreme Court Explains Delaware’s Intermediate Forum Non Conveniens Standard Under Gramercy

GXP Capital, LLC v. Argonaut Manufacturing Services, Inc. et al., Nos. 247, 2020 and 248, 2020 (Del. May, 20, 2021)
Delaware has three standards for forum non conveniens motions. The two more commonly addressed are Cryo-Maid, which favors first-filed Delaware actions, and McWane, which favors first-filed litigation pending elsewhere. The third standard, Gramercy, consists of neutrally balancing the well-established forum non conveniens factors as between a later-filed Delaware action and another available forum. This decision clarifies Gramercy in the context of a Delaware action stayed in favor of an available alternate jurisdiction where no action was yet pending. More ›

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Chancery Dismisses Simultaneously-Filed Delaware Action in Favor of New Jersey Action

Sweeney v. RPD Holdgs. Grp., LLC, C.A. No. 2020-0813-SG (Del. Ch. May 27, 2021)
Delaware’s forum non conveniens jurisprudence typically turns on when parties file competing actions. Under Cryo-Maid’s “overwhelming hardship” standard, a defendant seeking to stay a first-filed Delaware action in favor of litigation elsewhere must show that the six so-called Cryo-Maid factors tip overwhelmingly in the defendant’s favor. By contrast, under McWane’s less onerous discretionary standard, a defendant seeking to stay a later-filed Delaware action often succeeds if the defendant can point to foreign litigation between the same parties in a forum that can do prompt and complete justice. More ›

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Chancery Applies Forum Non Conveniens Analysis to Grant Partial Stay of Dispute Between LLCs and Former Manager

AG Resource Holdings, LLC v. Thomas Badford Terral, C.A. No. 2020-0850-JRS (Feb. 10, 2021)

In AG Resource, the Court of Chancery was tasked with determining whether it or a Louisiana state court should resolve similar claims filed at nearly the same time in each forum. Affording neither suit first-filed status, the Court applied a forum non conveniens analysis using the Cryo-Maid factors and split the claims, finding that Louisiana had a greater interest in resolving claims relating to provisions in an employment agreement, but Delaware had a greater interest in resolving a claim implicating the internal affairs of a Delaware LLC. More ›

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Chancery Analogizes to Bylaw Provisions to Conclude that Noteholder was Bound to Forum Selection Clause in Amended Note

Mack v. Rev Worldwide, Inc., C.A. No. 2019-0123-MTZ (Del. Ch. Dec. 30, 2020)

Plaintiff loaned defendant $2.5 million through six secured convertible promissory notes. Each of the notes contained an exclusive forum selection clause requiring any disputes be litigated in Texas. They also contained a “Waiver and Amendment” provision which allowed the notes to be amended or modified upon the consent of the borrower and a majority in interest of the investors in the notes. In 2019, exercising the Waiver and Amendment provision, the defendant borrower, with the consent of the majority of noteholders, consolidated the outstanding notes and amended certain provisions. The new amended note contained the same exclusive forum provision requiring that disputes be litigated in Texas, but the plaintiff noteholder nonetheless asserted default and other claims arising from the notes in the Delaware Court of Chancery. Defendant borrower moved to dismiss, and the plaintiff countered that it had not executed or otherwise consented to the terms of new amended note, including its forum selection provision. More ›

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Chancery Dismisses First-Filed Action Involving Delaware Choice of Law and Forum Selection Clause for Forum Non Conveniens

Focus Fin. Partners, LLC v. Holsopple, C.A. No. 2020-0188-JTL (Del. Ch. Nov. 2, 2020)

Defendant moved on forum non conveniens grounds to dismiss an action brought by a recent hire’s former employer to enforce various provisions in an employment agreement, including restrictive covenants. The plaintiff had filed suit in Delaware five days prior to the former employee and his new employer filing suit in California for declarations that the restrictive covenants were invalid and unenforceable under California law.  More ›

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Applying Rare Intermediate Review of Forum Non Conveniens, the Delaware Superior Court Stays a Delaware Action to Permit Filing of Claims in California

GXP Capital, LLC v. Argonaut Mfg. Servs., Inc., C.A. No. N18C-07-267 PRW CCLD (Del. Super. July 1, 2020)

When evaluating a forum non conveniens challenge, Delaware has a seldom used, intermediate framework of review. Under Gramercy Emerging Markets Fund v. Allied Irish Banks, P.L.C., 173 A.3d 1033, 1044 (Del. 2017), when a prior foreign lawsuit was filed, but is no longer pending, relief in Delaware will be granted or denied based on whichever party the Cryo-Maid factors favor under the traditional forum non conveniens framework. There is no presumption in favor of a plaintiff (such as when a Delaware action is first-filed) or in favor of a defendant (such as when a foreign action is first-filed and still pending). More ›

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Chancery Enforces Delaware Forum Selection Clause and Examines the Limited Circumstances Where a Foreign Nation May Divest Delaware Courts of Jurisdiction

AlixPartners, LLP v. Mori, C.A. No. 2019-0392- KSJM (Del. Ch. Nov. 26, 2019).

In AlixPartners, the Court of Chancery confirmed its jurisdiction to adjudicate disputes relating to the internal affairs of a Delaware limited liability partnership and explained the limited circumstances in which foreign law may divest the Court of subject matter jurisdiction. The suit arose when an employer, the global business advisory firm AlixPartners, which operated as a limited liability partnership, sued an employee, who also held partnership interests, for breaches of the relevant LLP Agreement, Equity Agreement, and Employment Agreement. Pursuant to the LLP and Equity Agreements, the employee had received equity in two partnerships formed under Delaware law by AlixPartners. More ›

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