Mary Flentge McAuley, Willie O. Flentge, Jr., and Charles Ray Flentge v. Carl Dean Flentge, Independent of the Estate of Laverna Flentge, Carl Dean Flentge, David Flentge and Daniel Junek, Independent of the Estate of Willie Otto Flentge, Sr., Individually, and as Shareholders and on Behalf of W.L. Ranch, Inc
The case involves a shareholder derivative suit and declaratory judgment action. Cross-Appellants, who are majority shareholders, are appealing a trial court's directed verdict that denied their claims for breach of fiduciary duties against Cross-Appellees. The Cross-Appellants allege that the Cross-Appellees, acting as corporate officers and purported directors of W.L. Ranch, Inc., engaged in ultra vires acts including misappropriating corporate property, filing false statements, increasing their own share interests, and unauthorized management. The Cross-Appellants argue that they presented sufficient evidence of breach of fiduciary duties and "benefits" gained by Cross-Appellees, shifting the burden of proof to Cross-Appellees, who failed to demonstrate fairness. The trial court's erroneous directed verdict, which was based on a perceived lack of economic damages, also precluded Cross-Appellants from claiming statutory reimbursement for attorney's fees under the equitable common fund doctrine for actions that substantially benefited the corporation.