In its 2019 session, the Delaware legislature passed a number of amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law and the Delaware “alternative entity” statutes—the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act, and the Delaware Revised Uniform Partnership Act... Continue Reading

In June, Delaware enacted its latest installment of annual trust legislation. Trust Act 2019 includes many revisions and clarifications, but two new statutes, Sections 3343 and 3344 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code, represent material advancements in the law. Both statutes grant new trust powers that will help trustees and beneficiaries effectuate a trust’s purpose and maximize administrative... Continue Reading

The DLLCA is amended annually to ensure that it is the preeminent statute governing LLCs and to ensure that the DLLCA addresses the needs of practitioners and persons using the LLC form, including the needs of M&A practitioners.  The amendments that took effect on August 1, 2019 provide for creation of “registered series” (Amendments), among other things. A registered series is... Continue Reading

Congress designed Chapter 11 to be flexible to promote the twin goals of rehabilitating distressed businesses and maximizing stakeholder returns.1 Several recent decisions from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court and District Court for the District of Delaware highlight how Chapter 11’s inherent flexibility promotes these goals. These decisions include: allowing “horizontal gifting” of an... Continue Reading

The U.S. Supreme Court will soon render a decision that could have a significant impact on the manner in which some states tax income accumulated in nongrantor trusts.  The case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, North Carolina Dep’t of Revenue v. The Kimberley Rice Kaestner 1992 Family Trust (No. 18-457), involves a North Carolina statute that assesses a tax upon the undistributed income... Continue Reading

In recent years, many states have enacted pre-mortem validation statutes enabling testators or settlors to take proactive steps to avoid will or trust contests. Pre-mortem validation statutes provide a mechanism to be used during the testator’s life to ensure testamentary documents are declared valid and to avoid post-death challenges. Another approach that offers a strong deterrent to will... Continue Reading

Lou Hering, David Harris and Tarik Haskins, Morris Nichols Commercial Law Counseling Group partners, authored 2019 Summary of Delaware Case Law Relating to Alternative Entities... Continue Reading

In Oxbow Carbon & Minerals Holdings, Inc. v. Crestview-Oxbow Acquisition, LLC, the Delaware Supreme Court affirmed in part and reversed in part a decision by the Court of Chancery that used the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing to permit minority members (the “Minority Members”) of a Delaware limited liability company (the “LLC”) to cause a sale of the LLC despite the... Continue Reading

On August 1, 2018, the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act (DLLCA) was amended to add, among other things, a division statute (Amendments). The Amendments included new Section 18-217 which permits a Delaware limited liability company (LLC) to divide into two or more LLCs (each a Division company). In a division, the LLC effecting the division (the Dividing company) continues its existence or... Continue Reading