DocketNumber: No. CV 940538151
Citation Numbers: 1996 Conn. Super. Ct. 8246, 18 Conn. L. Rptr. 121
Judges: HENNESSEY, J. CT Page 8247
Filed Date: 10/24/1996
Status: Non-Precedential
Modified Date: 4/17/2021
On May 25, 1994, the plaintiffs, Steven Bills and Donald Fitzpatrick, filed a two-count complaint against the defendants, Emhart Corporation (Emhart), BD, Inc. and The Black Decker Corporation (Black Decker). The plaintiffs, on August 8, 1995, filed a second amended complaint alleging in count two a breach of fiduciary duties and requesting attorneys fees in the payer for relief.
On December 4, 1995, the defendants filed their answer and special defenses to the second amended complaint, asserting as a special defense that the plaintiffs' second count was barred by the statute of limitations set forth in General Statutes §
The following facts are undisputed. The plaintiffs were employed by Advanced Technology, Inc. of Delaware (ATI), which, at all times relevant, was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Emhart. In connection with their employment, the plaintiffs entered into a stock option contract with Emhart, subject to the terms of the 1986 Stock Option Plan (Plan). Section 6(e) of the Plan states in relevant part:
(e) Termination of Employment. Upon termination of an option holder's employment, for any reason other than the death or deliberate, willful, or gross misconduct, his option shall be exercisable only to the extent he would have been permitted to purchase shares under his option at the date of such termination, and such option shall expire unless exercised within the three (3) month period following the date of such termination.
Section 10 of the Plan further provided:
10. Termination and Amendment. The Board of Directors may in its discretion terminate this Plan at any time with respect to any CT Page 8248 shares of stock for which options have not theretofore granted may be made without the consent of the respective holders thereof.
In Lamb v. Emhart Corp., supra, Judge Nevas examined Emhart's 1986 Stock Option Plan, which is the same plan at issue here. The court found the following facts regarding the backyard of the change in control amendment.
"[O]n December 22, 1988, Emhart's board of directors adopted a change of control amendment (Amendment) to the Plan which added the following provision.
6(i) Effect of a Change in Control. Notwithstanding Subparagraph (b) or (e) above, in the event of a Change in Control as hereinafter defined, all options outstanding on the date of such Change shall become immediately and full exercisable."
Lamb v. Emhart Corp., supra, 17.
The Board also passed the following directive on December 22, 1988: "RESOLVED: That the Management Compensation Stock Option Committee shall amend the stock option agreements evidencing options outstanding under the 1986 [1983] Stock Option Plan on the date such Amendment is adopted to reflect the terms of such amendment." Lambv. Emhart Corp., supra, 17.
"Further, in its schedule 14D-9 filed with the [Securities and Exchange Commission], Emhart represented to that body that Emhart and B D, Inc. had agreed to provide that each Emhart stock option which was `outstanding' on the date of the merger would become fully exercisable and vested on the date of the change in control." (Emphasis in original.) Lamb v. Emhart Corp.,
supra,
The merger agreement between Emhart and Black and Decker provides that immediately following Black and Decker's purchase of Emhart shares under the Tender Offer, all outstanding Emhart stock options, whether or not currently exercisable, will become fully exercisable and vested, and the option holders will be entitled to receive an amount of cash for each option share equal to the `spread' between the option exercise price and the Tender Offer price of $40 per share. Because all options are being cashed outCT Page 8249 in this manner, it will not be necessary to exercise your option." (Emphasis in original.)
Id., 35. Emhart did not send the Vitkus Memo to the plaintiffs. On April 28, 1989, Emhart and Black Decker consummated a merger, which constituted a change of control under the Amendment. It is based on this change in control that the plaintiffs allege their stock options became fully vested and exercisable.
"Practice Book § 384 provides that summary judgment shall be rendered forthwith if the pleadings, affidavits and any other proof submitted show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." (Citation omitted.) Doty v. Mucci,
"Summary judgment may be granted where the claim is barred by the statute of limitations." (Citations omitted.) Doty v. Mucci, supra, 806. Actions for breach of fiduciary duty are governed by the three-year statute of limitations set out in General Statutes §
The alleged wrongful conduct occurred on or about April 28, 1989, when the merger was consummated. The defendants argue that the three-year statute of limitations expired prior to both the plaintiffs' filing of their second amended complaint. August 8, 1995, and their original complaint, May 25, 1994. In Opposition, the plaintiffs argue that the statute of limitations was tolled pursuant to the continuing course of conduct doctrine.
"When the wrong sued upon consists of a continuing course of conduct, the statute does not begin to run until that course CT Page 8250 of conduct is completed." (Citation omitted.) Sanborn v. Greenwald,
The plaintiffs argue that the special relationship that existed between the parties was fiduciary, and present two arguments as to why a fiduciary relationship existed.
First, the plaintiffs maintain that the directors and officers of Emhart had a fiduciary duty to deal honestly with its former employees, and that Emhart failed to do so by refusing to request plaintiffs' consent to the Amendment, pursuant to section 10 of the Plan, and failing to send the plaintiffs a copy of the Vitkus Memo. "The existence of a duty is a question of law." (Citations omitted; internal quotation marks omitted.) RK Constructors, Inc. v. Fusco Corp.,
The plaintiffs' first argument lacks merit because employers did not owe a fiduciary duty to employees. Grappo v. Atitalia Linee Aeree Italiane, S.P.A.,
Second, the plaintiffs argue that by virtue of Emhart's exercise of sole discretion in the administration of the stock option program, it owed a fiduciary duty to the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs did not cite, and research did not reveal, any cases that stand for the proposition that a company administering a stock option plan owes a fiduciary duty to the option holder.2 The assess cited by the plaintiffs, finding the existence of fiduciary relationship in connection with the administration of benefits programs, were determined pursuant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA),
This court finds that no fiduciary relationship existed between Emhart and the plaintiffs. Because no fiduciary relationship existed, the statute of limitations was not tolled under the continuing course of conduct doctrine. Therefore because the plaintiffs failed to file within the three-year statute of limitations, the defendants' motion for summary judgment on count two of the plaintiffs' second amended complaint is granted.