500 U.S. 90 (1991) Cited 1,204 times 5 Legal Analyses
Holding that while Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23.1 establishes procedural requirements concerning the "adequacy of the shareholder representative's pleadings," state law governs the substance of the demand requirement
Holding that three of eight directors were interested parties and that the amended complaint raised a reasonable doubt as to the independence of two remaining directors, making demand futile
Holding that Martha Stewart's 94% interest in the corporation whose board she chaired was insufficient to excuse demand because " stockholder's control of a corporation does not excuse presuit demand on the board without particularized allegations of relationships between the directors and the controlling stockholder demonstrating that the directors are beholden to the stockholder."
Holding that the directors' prior agreement to settle eight "harassment lawsuits" lodged against the corporation and its president did not raise any reasonable inference "that the board knew that [the president] had actually engaged in in misconduct," and consequently did not excuse demand