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
Jun
3
2014
Delaware Legislature Asked To Address Corporate Fee-Shifting Bylaws After ATP Tour Decision Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP
Mar
20
2015
Delaware Legislature Introduces Rapid Arbitration Act Mintz
May
6
2015
Delaware Legislature to Consider New Fee-Shifting Legislation Proskauer Rose LLP
Dec
18
2014
Delaware Legislature to Resume Debate in January on Bylaws Imposing Liability on Shareholders Proskauer Rose LLP
Mar
16
2023
Delaware Loses its Latest Grab for Purported Unclaimed Property Blank Rome LLP
May
13
2015
Delaware Lowers the Boom on Energy MLP Boards IMS Legal Strategies
Sep
15
2014
Delaware Mandates Pregnancy Accommodations Jackson Lewis P.C.
Feb
9
2014
Delaware Minimum Wage Increases June 1, 2014 Jackson Lewis P.C.
Oct
21
2022
Delaware Now Authorizes Exculpation Of Officers, But On What Basis? Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Nov
19
2019
Delaware Opens The Door To Third-party Beneficiaries McDermott Will & Emery
May
11
2022
Delaware Paid Family and Medical Leave Law Signed Jackson Lewis P.C.
Sep
1
2017
Delaware Passes Amendment to Data Breach Notification Law Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP
Jun
26
2015
Delaware Passes Legislation Prohibiting Fee-Shifting Bylaws and Validating Exclusive Forum Selection Bylaws for Stock Corporations Hunton Andrews Kurth
Mar
23
2015
Delaware Proposal Banning Fee-Shifting and Permitting Exclusive Forum Provisions Katten
Apr
7
2017
Delaware Proposes Unclaimed Property Regulations – No April Fools McDermott Will & Emery
Feb
22
2020
Delaware Provides More Insight into the Scope of the Rights Derived by a Patent Term Extension Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Jul
25
2023
Delaware Public Benefit Corporations Foley & Lardner LLP
Apr
15
2015
Delaware Rapid Arbitration Act to Take Effect in May 2015 Foley & Lardner LLP
Jan
14
2016
Delaware Rapid Arbitration Act: Quick and Easy – But Does it Work in Venture Capital/Public Equity Context? Foley & Lardner LLP
Mar
2
2021
Delaware Reminds Litigants Not to Wait to Disclose Infringement Theories Under the Doctrine of Equivalents Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
May
14
2015
Delaware SB 75 May Prove To Be Delaware’s Seven Sisters re: Corporations Law Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Aug
12
2015
Delaware Secretary of State’s Office Closing for Four Days During US Labor Day Holiday Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
May
13
2015
Delaware Senate Passes Bill Prohibiting Bylaws on Fee Shifting Proskauer Rose LLP
Jun
23
2015
Delaware Senate Passes Unclaimed Property Reform Bill McDermott Will & Emery
Jul
22
2021
Delaware Set to Increase Minimum Wage to $15 by 2025 Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
Oct
3
2017
Delaware Special Litigation Committee Review “Could Stand A Good Tweaking” Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Jan
16
2019
Delaware Starts Unclaimed Property “Compliance Reviews” (Different from Audits) McDermott Will & Emery
Apr
6
2018
Delaware State Bar Association Council Releases Proposed Amendments to the Delaware General Corporation Law Katten
Jan
3
2019
Delaware State Court Holds That Medical Marijuana User May Proceed With Lawsuit Against Employer Jackson Lewis P.C.
Oct
14
2019
Delaware Statutory Trusts And The California General Corporation Law Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Oct
11
2021
Delaware Supreme Court Adopts New Three-Prong Test for Demand Futility Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Jul
20
2020
Delaware Supreme Court Affirms Appraisal Award Using Corporation’s Unaffected Market Price As Fair Value Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Apr
26
2013
Delaware Supreme Court Affirms Preclusive Effect of Non-Delaware Dismissals and Rejects Irrebuttable Presumption That a Derivative Plaintiff Who Fails to Conduct a Section 220 Inspection Is an Inadequate Representative Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Sep
25
2023
Delaware Supreme Court Affirms that D&O Insurer Must Cover Settlement of Alleged False Claims Act Violations Hunton Andrews Kurth
Jul
29
2019
Delaware Supreme Court Allows Caremark Claim to Proceed Against Directors of Ice Cream Manufacturer Following Listeria Outbreak Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
 

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