Frankel v. American Film Technologies, Inc.

177 Misc. 2d 279, 675 N.Y.S.2d 837, 1998 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 275
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJune 12, 1998
StatusPublished

This text of 177 Misc. 2d 279 (Frankel v. American Film Technologies, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Frankel v. American Film Technologies, Inc., 177 Misc. 2d 279, 675 N.Y.S.2d 837, 1998 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 275 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1998).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Thomas A. Stander, J.

The defendants, American Film Technologies, Inc., Gerald Wetzler, Larry King, Harvey Finkel, Daniel A. Schwartz, Eric [280]*280Illowsky, Robert Frome and Leonard White, submit a motion seeking an order dismissing the complaint pursuant to CPLR 3211, on the ground that the complaint fails to state a cause of action. In addition, defendants Frome and White seek dismissal based upon not being Board members during the relevant times at issue; and defendant Finkel seeks dismissal based upon lack of personal jurisdiction. The plaintiffs action is a shareholder’s derivative action.

DIRECTORS FROME AND WHITE

The plaintiff has discontinued the action without prejudice as against defendants Frome and White. These two directors were elected to the Board of Directors of the corporation at the October 27, 1997 Board meeting. They did not attend, participate or vote at the October 27, 1997 Board meeting or any prior Board meeting. Defendants Frome and White were not directors of the corporation during the time periods relevant to this action and did not participate in approving the transactions being challenged by the plaintiff in this lawsuit.

The defendants’, Frome and White, motion to dismiss the complaint is granted.

DIRECTOR FINKEL

The defendant, Harvey Finkel, submits a jurisdictional basis for dismissal of the complaint. Finkel asserts that this court does not have jurisdiction of his person because he is a resident of the State of California with no ties to the State of New York. He does not own or use real property in New York, does not transact business in New York State, does not supply goods or services in New York, and has not appeared in New York on the business of American Film.

The plaintiff concedes he is presently unaware of any particular contacts that Finkel may have with the State of New York. Plaintiff then asserts he is entitled to conduct discovery.

The plaintiff has failed to establish that this court has personal jurisdiction over Harvey Finkel. The motion to dismiss the complaint against Harvey Finkel, personally, based upon lack of jurisdiction is granted.

MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CAUSE OF ACTION

The cause of action stated in the complaint against the defendants claims damages to the corporation, American Film, because the new options to purchase shares granted to Wetzler will potentially impair the value of the company’s stock and [281]*281provide significant advantage to the company’s chairman and chief executive officer. Also the complaint states a cause of action based upon American Film issuing convertible notes and granting senior secured position to defendant, Wetzler, providing a financial benefit to Wetzler, which is not in the best interests of the corporation.

This is a motion to dismiss under CPLR 3211. The generally accepted principle of law in New York on a motion to dismiss for failure to state a cause of action is that the factual allegations in the pleading must be accepted as true and be given every possible favorable inference. (Campaign for Fiscal Equity v State of New York, 86 NY2d 307, 318; see also, Henning v Rando Mach. Corp., 207 AD2d 106, 110 [4th Dept 1994] [“On a motion to dismiss for failure to state a cause of action, the allegations in a complaint are deemed to be true and are given the benefit of every possible favorable inference”]; Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. v Ferranti-Packard Transformers, 201 AD2d 902 [4th Dept 1994]; Montrallo v Fritz, 176 AD2d 1215 [4th Dept 1991].) Plaintiff’s complaint must be examined in accordance with this well-established principle.

The applicable procedural law is that of New York law. However, because the corporation is incorporated in the State of Delaware, the relevant substantive law to be applied in this shareholder’s derivative suit is the law of Delaware. The defendants assert that the plaintiff has failed to comply with the requirements under Delaware law for commencing a shareholder’s derivative suit.

The Delaware Chancery Court Rules set forth the requirement of a demand to a Board of Directors before a shareholder’s derivative action may be commenced. “In a derivative action brought by 1 or more shareholders or members to enforce a right of a corporation or of an unincorporated association, the corporation or association having failed to enforce a right which may properly be asserted by it, the complaint shall allege that the plaintiff was a shareholder or member at the time of the transaction of which the plaintiff complains or that the plaintiff’s share or membership thereafter devolved on the plaintiff by operation of law. The complaint shall also allege with particularity the efforts, if any, made by the plaintiff to obtain the action the plaintiff desires from the directors or comparable authority and the reasons for the plaintiff’s failure to obtain the action or for not making the effort.” (Del Ch Ct Rules, rule 23.1.) This rule requires the plaintiff to set forth allegations, with particularity, of the efforts to obtain the desired [282]*282action and the reasons for plaintiffs failure to obtain the action by the Board, or for not making the demand. The Delaware Supreme Court interpreted this rule and developed a two-prong test for determining the futility of a demand by a shareholder. This test is set forth in the leading Delaware case, Aronson v Lewis (473 A2d 805 [Del Sup Ct 1984]). The criteria are that the court “in the proper exercise of its discretion must decide whether, under the particularized facts alleged, a reasonable doubt is created that: (1) the directors are disinterested and independent and (2) the challenged transaction was otherwise the product of a valid exercise of business judgment.” (Aronson v Lewis, at 814.) The plaintiff asserts that demand on the Board of Directors was not necessary because such demand would be futile. As delineated by the Supreme Court of Delaware, the court is required to make two inquiries.

(1) Disinterested and Independent Directors

The first inquiry is into the independence and disinterestedness of the directors. In the instant case the plaintiff has failed to allege particularized facts showing a reasonable doubt that the directors are disinterested and independent. Although there are factual allegations that show Wetzel may be interested, there is nothing to raise a reasonable doubt as to the disinterestedness and the independence of the remaining directors. The remaining directors are outside directors. There are no allegations that a majority of the outside directors received personal gain from the challenged transactions. In fact, two of the current Board members at the time this action was commenced, were not even members of the Board during the time of the alleged wrongdoing.

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Related

Levine v. Smith
591 A.2d 194 (Supreme Court of Delaware, 1991)
Campaign for Fiscal Equity, Inc. v. State
655 N.E.2d 661 (New York Court of Appeals, 1995)
Aronson v. Lewis
473 A.2d 805 (Supreme Court of Delaware, 1984)
Montrallo v. Fritz
176 A.D.2d 1215 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1991)
Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. v. Ferranti-Packard Transformers, Inc.
201 A.D.2d 902 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1994)
Henning v. Rando Machine Corp.
207 A.D.2d 106 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1994)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
177 Misc. 2d 279, 675 N.Y.S.2d 837, 1998 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 275, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/frankel-v-american-film-technologies-inc-nysupct-1998.