State Ex Rel. Costelo v. Middlesex Banking Co.
Supreme Court of Connecticut
Alternative writ of mandamus requiring the respondent to allow the relator, one of its stockholders, to inspect its stock books for the purpose of obtaining the names and addresses of its stockholders, or to show cause to the contrary, brought to and tried by the Superior Court in Hartford County, Holcomb, J., upon demurrer to the respondent’s return; the court sustained the demurrer and rendered judgment in favor of the relator, from which the respondent appealed. No error.
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Alternative writ of mandamus requiring the respondent to allow the relator, one of its stockholders, to inspect its stock books for the purpose of obtaining the names and addresses of its stockholders, or to show cause to the contrary, brought to and tried by the Superior Court in Hartford County, Holcomb, J., upon demurrer to the respondent’s return; the court sustained the demurrer and rendered judgment in favor of the relator, from which the respondent appealed. No error. The pleadings show that the relator is a stockholder of the defendant corporation, that he has made demands to be…
1Opinion of the CourtPrentice, C. J.
The right of inspection of the books and records of a corporation at reasonable times and for proper purposes is a common-law privilege incident to the ownership of shares in a corporation. Guthrie v. Harkness, 199 U. S. 148, 26 Sup. Ct. Rep. 4; Matter of Steinway, 159 N. Y. 250, 258, 53 N. E. 1103; 4 Thompson on Corporations, § 4515. This common-law right is a qualified and not an absolute one. It is qualified by the condition, among others, that the purpose of the stockholder desiring to make the examination is germane to his interest as such stockholder, proper and lawful in its character,…
2Cases cited13 opinions
- Matter of SteinwayNew York Court of Appeals · 1899
- Union Pacific Railroad v. HallSupreme Court of the United States · 1876
- Guthrie v. HarknessSupreme Court of the United States · 1905
- People Ex Rel. Sherwood v. State Board of CanvassersNew York Court of Appeals · 1891
- People Ex Rel. Wood v. Board of Assessors & Collector of TaxesNew York Court of Appeals · 1893
8 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by29 opinions
- Moore v. Rock Creek Oil Corp.Texas Commission of Appeals · 1933
- State v. Cities Service CompanySupreme Court of Delaware · 1922
- State Ex Rel. Lacerenza v. OsbornSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1947
- State Ex Rel. Hansen v. SchallSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1940
- State Ex Rel. Shelton v. EdwardsSupreme Court of Connecticut · 1929
24 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.