Delaware

Delaware is the first US-state, and was admitted for statehood on December 7, 1878. The state is among the smallest both by population and land-area mass, and it is divided into only three counties. The capital city, Dover is the second most populous in the state, falling behind Wilmington.

The state government of Delaware was put in place by the fourth and current constitution of the state which was adopted in 1897.  This document divided the government of the state into three branches: executive, judicial and legislative branches.

The Executive branch consists of the Governor and the Lieutenant Governor.  The Legislative Branch is the Delaware General Assembly, with a 41 seat House of Representatives and a Senate with 21 seats.  The assembly is based in Dover, with two-year terms and four-year terms, respectively.  A considerable power of the Assembly is to approve nominees appointed by the governor, and the governor gives a “state of the state” speech to the assembly each year.

The Judicial Branch consists of seven courts.  The Delaware Supreme Court is the state’s highest court, the Delaware Superior court handles trial cases of general jurisdiction and the Delaware Court of Common pleas has a limited jurisdiction of some civil and criminal matters.  The Family Court handles domestic and custody matters, and the Justice of the Peace Courts and Aldermen's Courts handle minor matters.  Additionally, the  the Third Circuit Court of Appeals has jurisdiction over Delaware.

The Delaware Court of Chancery is one of the few remaining chancery courts in the country, and it handles corporate disputes related to mergers & acquisitions, stockholder disputes, and board of directors and corporate officers.  This court uses the  Delaware General Corporation Law to inform its decisions, creating a business friendly environment for corporations. Many companies, including 60% of the companies traded on the New York Stock Exchange, are incorporated in Delaware. 

In addition to a diverse number of cases which go through the Court of Chancery, The National Law Review covers several other legal cases and disputes in the state. Tax matters, shareholder actions, bankruptcy disputes, litigation and appeals. Cases including online-driven ‘blockchain’ technologies, unclaimed property disputes, compensation history and employment law matters, and general information about administrative agencies and the government are all found on The National Law Review’s website.

Custom text Title Sort descending Organization
Jan
29
2019
Delaware enacts law providing financial relief to federal employees impacted by shutdowns Ballard Spahr LLP
Jul
8
2015
Delaware Enacts Telehealth Commercial Insurance Parity Law Foley & Lardner LLP
Aug
31
2018
Delaware Expands Protections Against Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Ballard Spahr LLP
Apr
21
2023
Delaware Extends Exculpation Rights to Senior Officers: Updates and Guidance on Corporate Charter Amendments Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Aug
30
2022
Delaware Federal Court Quickly Denies Motion for a Preliminary Injunction Based Upon Alleged Data Incident Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Jun
27
2014
Delaware Fee-Shifting Legislation Delayed Katten
Aug
3
2022
Delaware Finally Catches Up To Nevada (Well, Not Quite) Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Mar
10
2020
Delaware Franchise Taxes Are Around the Corner Winstead
Aug
28
2013
Delaware General Corporation Law Amended to Speed Up the Consummation of Two-Step Merger Transactions Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Apr
8
2020
Delaware Governor Issues Order Clarifying Notice Requirements for Virtual-Only Shareholder Meetings due to COVID-19 Mintz
Apr
30
2020
Delaware Governor Issues Order Imposing Obligations on Businesses Regarding the Use of Face Coverings Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Mar
23
2020
Delaware Governor Issues Statewide Order Closing All Non-Essential Businesses Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Apr
3
2020
Delaware Governor Orders High-Risk Essential Businesses to Conduct Screenings Upon Entry Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Jul
1
2015
Delaware Governor Signs Bill Prohibiting Bylaws on Fee-Shifting Proskauer Rose LLP
Jul
19
2023
Delaware Governor Signs Into Law Amendments to the DGCL and Delaware Alternative Entity Statutes Jones Walker LLP
Jan
16
2020
Delaware Health System Wins Summary Judgment Against Physician Terminated from Medical Staff: Talley v. Christiana Care Health System Polsinelli PC
Mar
2
2020
Delaware Holds That Directors May Choose Lower Value All-Cash Deal Over Stock Deal So Long As The Decision Is Made In Good Faith And Free Of Conflicts K&L Gates
Jun
12
2015
Delaware House Passes Bill Prohibiting Bylaws on Fee-Shifting Proskauer Rose LLP
Feb
2
2015
Delaware Incorporated Employers Must Adopt Policies to Address New Law Regarding the Destruction of Employee Personal Information Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
Apr
23
2014
Delaware Increases Annual Franchise Taxes Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
Feb
17
2015
Delaware Independent Director Liability in Control Buyout Cases Proskauer Rose LLP
Feb
11
2016
Delaware Inspection Ruling May Cause Yahoo! Inc. To Regret Not Incorporating In Nevada Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
May
5
2013
Delaware Is Considering “Public Benefit Corporation” Legislation Faegre Drinker
Jun
17
2020
Delaware Issues Guidance for Employers as State Enters Phase 2 of Reopening Plan Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Oct
31
2023
Delaware Issues Regulatory Guidance, Process Improvements, for D&O Captives Hunton Andrews Kurth
Oct
2
2018
Delaware Joins Growing List of States Passing Anti-Harassment Legislation Faegre Drinker
Sep
26
2014
Delaware Joins List of States Regulating Data Disposal Jackson Lewis P.C.
Aug
25
2022
Delaware Judge Enforces Patent Case Disclosure Requirements Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Jun
2
2015
Delaware Jury Awards $100 million to Pelvic Mesh Patient Stark & Stark
May
27
2022
Delaware Jury Awards US$334 Million in DNA Sequencing Patent Trial K&L Gates
Nov
17
2017
Delaware Law Prohibits Employers from Requesting Compensation Information Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Mar
26
2014
Delaware Law to Provide for Ratification of Defective Corporate Acts as of April 1, 2014 McDermott Will & Emery
Jul
1
2014
Delaware Law Update: Fee-Shifting Bylaw Provisions and the Use of a Poison Pill in Response to Activist Investor Activities Faegre Drinker
Apr
24
2023
Delaware Legalizes Recreational Marijuana Jackson Lewis P.C.
May
30
2014
Delaware Legislation Banning Fee-Shifting in Bylaws and Charters Katten
 

NLR Logo

We collaborate with the world's leading lawyers to deliver news tailored for you. Sign Up to receive our free e-Newsbulletins

 

Sign Up for e-NewsBulletins