Delaware Business Litigation Report

Court Of Chancery Explains A Fiduciary's Duty To Selling Stockholders

In Re Wayport Inc. Litigation, C.A. 4167-VCL (May 1, 2013)

When does a corporate fiduciary owe a special disclosure duty to a minority stockholder whose stock he purchases?  There are several approaches to this question and this decision fully reviews them all.  Ultimately the Court adopted the so-called "special circumstances" rule that requires disclosure when the buying fiduciary knows of material facts not known to the seller.  Note that in this context what is "material" is a higher bar to pass than in a more common disclosure case.

The decision is also useful for its review of the equitable fraud and common law fraud rules,  particularly after a duty to disclose arises because of a past disclosure.

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