Delaware Court of Chancery
The Delaware Court of Chancery is a court of equity in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is one of Delaware's three constitutional courts, along with the Supreme Court and Superior Court. Since 2018, the court consists of seven judges. The court is known for being a hub for corporate governance litigation in the United States, as two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies are incorporated in Delaware.
Delaware Court of Chancery
Connection to corporate law[edit]
Many companies prefer to incorporate in Delaware because of the state's corporate-friendly tax system and the Court's historical expertise in business litigation. The Court's judges tend to be longtime members of the Delaware State Bar Association who have spent their careers doing corporate litigation.[1]
Because of the extensive experience of the Delaware courts, Delaware has a more well-developed body of case law than other states, which serves to give corporations and their counsel greater guidance on matters of corporate governance and transaction liability issues. More than two thirds of Fortune 500 companies are incorporated in the state.[2] Delaware is the home to more than 1.8 million corporations, more than the number of residents in the state.
The Court of Chancery handle corporate internal affairs litigation (such as shareholder disputes and merger disputes) according the Delaware General Corporation Law, the statute governing corporations in Delaware. As a result, it is a hub for corporate litigation in the United States.
Judges[edit]
The chief judge is called the Chancellor, and the other six judges are called Vice Chancellors. The chancellor and vice chancellors are nominated by the governor and confirmed by the state senate for 12-year terms. The Court is subject to the "major-party" rule in the Delaware constitution. Also known as the political balance requirement, this requires that the bare majority of the court "shall be of one major political party", and the other judges "shall be of the other major political party".[3] As a result, any person not affiliated with either the Republican or Democratic Party is not able to serve on the court.[4]
Procedure[edit]
The Chancellor is responsible for appointing a judge on the court to preside over a case.
The Court sits without a jury. All issues of fact are determined by the presiding Chancellor or Vice Chancellor. The Court has the discretion to appoint an advisory jury if it so desires, but this power is practically never exercised.
The Court of Chancery's decision can be appealed to the Delaware Supreme Court, whose decision is final unless appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States.