Williams v. Neville

Mississippi Supreme Court
Williams v. Neville, 98 Miss. 268 (Miss. 1910)
53 So. 594
Anderson

Williams v. Neville

Opinion of the Court

Anderson, J.,

after stating the facts as above, delivered the opinion of the court.

The appellants fail to state a case in their bill. Stockholders of an insolvent corporation, in order to maintain a bill against the directors for their ultra vires and fraudulent acts, must allege and prove a state of facts which will entitle them to a decree. They must sho'w an interest in the result. In 3 Cook on Corporations (5th Ed.), p. 1883, the principle involved here is stated in this language; “Another principle of law in *272this connection, is that, where the corporation is insolvent, a stockholder cannot maintain a suit to hold the directors liable for fraud, unless he alleges that the relief asked for will be of some benefit to him; in other words, that there will be a surplus for the stockholders after the creditors are paid.” The assets of a corporation go first to the creditors, and the remainder, if any, to the stockholders. The bill fails to state facts which, if proven, would entitle appellants to a decree — facts which show there would be anything left after paying creditors. Affirmed.

Reference

Full Case Name
John J. Williams v. Samuel A. Neville
Cited By
3 cases
Status
Published
Syllabus
Cokpoeatioüsts. Insolvency. Stockholders. Actions. Director’s liability. Ii'raud. Ultra vires acts. Pleading. The assets of an insolvent corporation are appropriable preferentially to the payment of its debts, other than its obligations to its stockholders as such; wherefore, a bill in equity by the stockholders of a corporation, adjudged to be insolvent and a bankrupt, against its directors to recover for ultra vires and fraudulent acts, is demurrable if it fail to show that the company’s, assets, including the liability sought to be enforced, are more than sufficient to pay all of its other creditors.