Harhen v. Brown

The plaintiff, a policyholder of John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Company (Hancock), made demand on Hancock’s board of directors to commence litigation, alleging that the defendants, certain directors and employees of Hancock, had harmed Hancock by participating in or acquiescing in illegal lobbying of members of the Massachusetts Legislature. The board, a majority of whose members were disinterested, refused the plaintiff’s demand through its committee.2 The plaintiff then brought an action, claiming that the directors had wrongfully refused her demand and seeking to recover over $4…