Delo H. Caspary v. The Louisiana Land and Exploration Company

The sole question before us is whether a shareholder of a Maryland corporation has a common law right to inspect the stockholder list of that corporation for a “proper purpose,” irrespective of the extent of his holdings. The district court ruled that he did not, and the majority affirms. Because I think that there is such a right, I respectfully dissent.

I

The parties, the majority and I are agreed that, at common law, a stockholder in a Maryland corporation, irrespective of the extent of stock holdings, enjoyed a right to inspect corporate records, including stockholders lists, provided there…