Greb v. Diamond Internat. Corp., S183365

Jurisdiction: plaintiffs highlight defendant’s history of transacting business in California from the 1930s through the 1980s, when it surrendered its certificate of qualification.  They assert that defendant, having been dormant for nearly two decades, strategically filed for dissolution in Delaware in 2005 in order to cut off its continuing liability (and recovery of damages through applicable “undistributed . . . insurance assets” ) to asbestos victims.  Plaintiffs argue that this course of conduct directly contravenes California policy.  When foreign corporations seek and accept the benefits of transacting business here, California law should not allow them to use their home state’s corporate-friendly laws to deprive California citizens of their remedies. (Cal. S. Ct., S183365, 21.02.2013, Greb v. Diamond Internat. Corp.).

Lorsque des entreprises incorporées hors de l’état de Californie recherchent et acceptent le bénéfice de commercer en Californie, le droit californien ne saurait permettre à ces entreprises de recourir au droit – qui leur est favorable, de leur état d’incorporation, dans le but de priver les résidents de Californie des remèdes que cet état met à leur disposition.