Dominick A. Pulieri v. Boardwalk Properties, LLC

IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
DOMINICK A. PULIERI, as Court Appointed )
Receiver for SUNVIEW CORPORATION, )
)
Plaintiff, )
)
v. ) C.A. No. 9886-CB
)
BOARDWALK PROPERTIES, LLC, )
)
Defendant. )
MEMORANDUM OPINION
Date Submitted: December 12, 2014
Date Decided: February 18, 2015
Kevin William Gibson of GIBSON & PERKINS P.C., New Castle, Delaware; Attorney
for Plaintiff.
Gregory P. Williams, Blake Rohrbacher and Susan M. Hannigan of RICHARDS
LAYTON & FINGER, P.A., Wilmington, Delaware; Attorneys for Defendant.
BOUCHARD, C.
I. INTRODUCTION
This action involves an alleged oral agreement made over twelve years ago
concerning the ownership of real property located at 101 South Boardwalk, Rehoboth
Beach, Delaware 19971 (the “Rehoboth Property”). The Rehoboth Property used to be a
motel called the Sunview Motel. It is now home to a Greene Turtle restaurant.
The thrust of the oral agreement, which is referred to as the “Friendly Agreement,”
is that Sunview Corporation (“Sunview”) would transfer the Rehoboth Property to
Boardwalk Properties, LLC (“Boardwalk”) and then, upon the satisfaction of two
conditions discussed below, Boardwalk would retransfer the Rehoboth Property back to
Sunview on a “dollar for dollar basis.” Sunview transferred the Rehoboth Property to
Boardwalk for $3.2 million in 2002, and dissolved four years later in 2006. In 2013, the
principal behind Sunview demanded that Boardwalk retransfer the Rehoboth Property for
$3.2 million, which Boardwalk refused to do.
In 2014, a Court-appointed receiver for Sunview filed this action asserting two
claims against Boardwalk: specific performance for breach of contract (Count I) and
unjust enrichment (Count II). Boardwalk moved to dismiss the Complaint under Court of
Chancery Rule 12(b)(6) on four separate grounds: (i) laches; (ii) the Statute of Frauds;
(iii) the rule against perpetuities; and (iv) the Complaint otherwise fails to state a claim.
In this opinion, I conclude that Sunview has failed to state a claim for specific
performance because at least two essential terms of the Friendly Agreement—the
conditions to and timing of Boardwalk’s obligation to perform—are not sufficiently
definite to demonstrate the existence of a valid contract. I also conclude for the reasons
1
explained below that the specific performance claim is legally defective either by
application of the rule against perpetuities or the doctrine of laches, depending on
whether or not the Friendly Agreement is construed to require Sunview to demand that
Boardwalk retransfer the Rehoboth Property before Boardwalk must perform. Finally, I
conclude that Sunview’s unjust enrichment claim, which is premised on the theory that
the Rehoboth Property was transferred to Boardwalk for less than fair value in 2002,
must be dismissed on laches grounds. Accordingly, I grant Boardwalk’s motion to
dismiss the Complaint.
II. BACKGROUND 1
A. The Parties
Plaintiff Dominick A. Pulieri (“Pulieri”) is a former director, officer, and
stockholder of Sunview Corporation. Pulieri is also a stockholder of non-party Grotto
Pizza, Inc. (“Grotto”), a chain of pizzerias well known in Delaware. On June 13, 2014, in
a related action in this Court (C.A. No. 9701), the Court appointed Pulieri as the receiver
of Sunview Corporation “for the limited purpose of prosecuting an action against
Boardwalk Properties, LLC for specific performance of a contract for the transfer of real
property located at 101 South Boardwalk, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware 19971.” 2 Pulieri is
1
Unless noted otherwise, the facts recited in this opinion are based on the well-pled
allegations of the Verified Complaint (the “Complaint”), which are accepted as true for
this motion, and the documents attached to it. See Cent. Mortg. Co. v. Morgan Stanley
Mortg. Capital Hldgs. LLC, 27 A.3d 531, 536 (Del. 2011); Ct. Ch. R. 10(c).
2
Compl. Ex. B.
2
the named plaintiff in this action, but I refer to the plaintiff as “Sunview” because that is
the entity on whose behalf Pulieri has asserted the claims in this action.
Sunview Corporation was a Delaware corporation with its principal place of
business in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. On March 6, 2006, Pulieri filed a Certificate of
Dissolution for Sunview with the Delaware Secretary of State. 3
Non-party Joseph Paglianite (“Paglianite”), Pulieri’s brother-in-law, is also a
former director, officer, and stockholder of Sunview. 4
Defendant Boardwalk Properties, LLC is a Delaware limited liability company.
Boardwalk is the current owner of the Rehoboth Property.
Non-party Joseph J. Farnan, Jr. (“Farnan”), a former federal judge, had the
authority to act on behalf of Boardwalk and non-party KidFar Properties, LLC
(“KidFar”) at all relevant times.
B. The Purported Oral Agreement
From the late 1990s through 2003, Sunview, Grotto, non-party Lido Realty and
certain other unspecified Grotto-related entities (collectively, the “Grotto Entities” 5) were
experiencing financial hardship. During that period, Farnan offered financial assistance
to certain of the Grotto Entities, including by loaning money to them.
3
Id. Ex. A.
4
There is no allegation in the Complaint that Paglianite is a former Sunview stockholder,
but the parties do not dispute this point. See, e.g., Tr. of Oral Arg. 10.
5
The Complaint defines “Grotto Entities” as “Grotto, Pulieri, Sunview, Lido Realty and
other Grotto related entities.” Compl. ¶ 12.
3
“In or around 2002 to 2003,” 6 Farnan and the Grotto Entities allegedly entered
into the Friendly Agreement, an oral agreement pursuant to which the Grotto Entities
would transfer certain real estate to Farnan-affiliated entities and then, upon the
satisfaction of two conditions, the Farnan-affiliated entity would retransfer that real estate
back to the respective Grotto Entity on a “dollar for dollar basis.” More specifically, as
alleged in the Complaint, the Friendly Agreement involved
a series of real estate transactions by which the respective Grotto Entity-
owner would transfer certain real property to entities, for which Farnan was
acting as the authorized agent . . . , on the condition that the respective
Grotto Entity-owner would retain the right to have the real property re-
transferred to it on a dollar for dollar basis, upon the happening of two
contingencies[,] the first being the improvement of the financial health of
the Grotto Entities and the second contingency being an initiation of a buy-
out or removal of the interests of Pulieri’s brother-in-law, [Paglianite], from
all Grotto Entities with the exception of Pizza Systems, Inc. 7
I refer to the improvement of the financial health of the Grotto Entities as the “Financial
Improvement Condition,” to the removal of Paglianite’s interests in certain Grotto
Entities as the “Paglianite Removal Condition,” and to both together as the “Retransfer
Conditions.”
Regarding the Paglianite Removal Condition, Sunview alleges that “[f]or many
years leading up to the Friendly Agreement, Farnan had advised Pulieri to jettison
Paglianite, counseling him to ‘get rid of his evil brother-in-law.’ ” 8 According to
6
Id. ¶ 17.
7
Id.
8
Id. ¶ 18.
4
Sunview, Farnan sought to remove Paglianite as Pulieri’s business partner “so that
Farnan, his family, and/or entities controlled by Farnan could take Paglianite’s place and
thereby exert control and undue influence over Pulieri.” 9
C. The Rehoboth Property
The first alleged transfer pursuant to the Friendly Agreement involved the
Rehoboth Property, which Sunview owned at the time.
In December 2002, Sunview needed money to make a balloon payment on the
loan it had entered into to purchase the Rehoboth Property. Farnan “counseled” Pulieri
and Sunview to transfer the Rehoboth Property to Boardwalk in an arrangement to be
governed by the Friendly Agreement—i.e., upon satisfaction of the Retransfer
Conditions, Boardwalk would transfer the Rehoboth Property back on a dollar-for-dollar
basis. 10
On December 30, 2002, Pulieri and Sunview transferred the Rehoboth Property to
Boardwalk for $3.2 million. 11 Farnan allegedly “failed to advise Sunview and Pulieri that
the Statute of Frauds required the transfer of real estate to be in writing.” 12 Instead,
Farnan purportedly advised Pulieri “that a written agreement was not necessary as the
9
Id. ¶ 20. The Complaint alleges in considerable detail a close personal and business
relationship between Pulieri and Farnan and his family dating back to the early 1990’s.
Id. ¶¶ 11(a)-(r).
10
Id. ¶ 36.
11
Id. Ex. F. The deed is dated December 30, 2002, and was recorded on January 6, 2003.
12
Id. ¶ 37.
5
deal was simply a ‘friendly transaction,’ part of the Friendly Agreement.” 13 Sunview
also alleges that the $3.2 million transfer price was “substantially below fair market
value,” in part because Pulieri and Sunview “did not list the [Rehoboth Property] for sale
on the market nor did Pulieri engage an independent appraisal.” 14
D. The Dewey Beach Property
The second alleged transfer pursuant to the Friendly Agreement involved real
estate located in Dewey Beach, Delaware (the “Dewey Beach Property”). At the time,
Lido Realty, of which Grotto, Pulieri, and Paglianite were general partners, owned the
Dewey Beach Property.
In early 2003, Pulieri faced an income tax liability of approximately $397,000. As
before, Farnan “counseled” Pulieri, Lido Realty, and Grotto to transfer the Dewey Beach
Property to KidFar in another arrangement pursuant to the Friendly Agreement—i.e.,
upon satisfaction of the Retransfer Conditions, KidFar would transfer the Dewey Beach
Property back on a dollar-for-dollar basis. 15 Farnan “represented and assured Pulieri that
the transaction was only temporary.” 16
13
Id. ¶ 38.
14
Id. ¶¶ 39, 41.
15
Id. ¶ 25.
16
Id. ¶ 26.
6
On May 8, 2003, Lido Realty and Grotto transferred the Dewey Beach Property to
KidFar for $2.8 million. 17 Farnan established this $2.8 million transfer price unilaterally,
and he again allegedly “failed to advise Pulieri, Lido [Realty] or Grotto that the Statute of
Frauds required the transfer of real estate to be in writing.” 18
In the fall of 2004, Pulieri informed Farnan and KidFar that he, Lido Realty, and
Grotto were “ready, willing, and able to exercise their right to have the Dewey Beach
Property re-transferred on a dollar-for-dollar basis.” 19 On January 12, 2006, KidFar
transferred the Dewey Beach Property to a new entity, Grotto Pizza Dewey, LLC, a
Delaware limited liability company of which Pulieri is the sole member, for $3.1
million. 20 Sunview contends this retransfer price “constitut[ed] the original transfer
amount and transactional costs.” 21
17
Id. Ex. D. On June 11, 2003, the three Deeds of Transfer for the Dewey Beach
Property were recorded.
18
Id. ¶ 28.
19
Id. ¶ 31.
20
Id. Ex. E. On January 13, 2006, this Deed of Transfer for the Dewey Beach Property
was recorded.
21
Id. ¶ 32.
7
E. Sunview Dissolves
On March 6, 2006, Sunview dissolved. Pulieri executed the Certificate of
Dissolution as Sunview’s President. 22 The Complaint specifically alleges that Sunview,
“prior to dissolution, complied with all terms of the Friendly Agreement.” 23
F. Pulieri Initiates Litigation against His Former Counsel 24
On September 6, 2013, Pulieri, Sunview, and other Grotto-related entities filed a
complaint in Delaware Superior Court against Pulieri’s former counsel, Duane Morris
LLP. As amended, the complaint asserts claims for legal malpractice for failing to timely
pursue certain claims against Farnan and others, including claims related to the retransfer
of the Rehoboth Property. 25
22
Id. Ex. A. Sunview’s board of directors (Pulieri and Paglianite) authorized the
dissolution on December 31, 2005.
23
Id. ¶ 47.
24
Sunview requests that I take judicial notice of the truth of the allegations of the
amended complaint filed in the Delaware Superior Court action, C.A. No. S13C-09-006,
(Def.’s Ex. 1) and Pulieri’s affidavit submitted in connection with his brief in opposition
to the defendant’s motion for judgment on the pleadings (Def.’s Ex. 2). I decline to do
so. Delaware Rule of Evidence 202(d)(1)(B) permits the Court to take judicial notice of
“records of the court in which the action is pending and of any other court of this State or
federal court sitting in or for this State.” Taking judicial notice of the truth of the
statements in the Superior Court filings, however, is beyond the scope of what Rule
202(d)(1)(B) permits. See In re Rural Metro Corp. S’holders Litig., 2013 WL 6634009,
at *8-9 (Del. Ch. Dec. 17, 2013) (construing Rule 202 to permit a Delaware court “to
consider filings and other docketed items that led up to the order, ruling, or decision” and
not as “a license to credit the contents of filings in other courts”). I draw upon certain
allegations from the Superior Court filings for the limited purpose of reciting the relevant
background facts, but I do not rely on them in my analysis.
25
See Def.’s Ex. 1 at ¶ 249.
8
According to that amended complaint, Pulieri and Sunview learned of facts giving
rise to their claims related to the Rehoboth Property in June 2009. 26 In May 2010, they
retained Duane Morris to pursue those claims against Farnan and Farnan-affiliated
entities. 27
On February 10, 2012, Duane Morris informed Pulieri that bringing a claim
against Boardwalk related to the Rehoboth Property could result in sanctions against
Duane Morris and Sunview. 28 In October 2012, Duane Morris refused to bring any
claims against Boardwalk related to the Rehoboth Property. 29
G. Pulieri Seeks to Have the Rehoboth Property Retransferred
On April 3, 2013, Pulieri, on behalf of Sunview, informed Farnan in writing that
Sunview was “ready, willing, and able to have the [Rehoboth Property] transferred back
to Sunview pursuant to the terms of the Friendly Agreement.” 30 Neither Farnan nor
Boardwalk responded to Pulieri’s April 2013 letter.
On March 11, 2014, Pulieri’s counsel, on behalf of Sunview, sent a second letter
to Farnan’s counsel in which Pulieri sought to exercise his right under the Friendly
26
Id. at ¶¶ 216, 220.
27
Id. at ¶ 204; Def.’s Ex. 2 ¶ 19.
28
Def.’s Ex. 1 at ¶ 210.
29
Id. at ¶ 222.
30
Compl. ¶ 42, Ex. G. The typed letter attached to the Complaint as Exhibit G is
undated.
9
Agreement to have the Rehoboth Property retransferred. 31 On April 2, 2014, Farnan’s
counsel informed Pulieri’s counsel that Farnan would not comply with this request. 32
H. Procedural History
On June 13, 2014, Pulieri was appointed as the receiver of Sunview in a separate
action. 33 On July 15, 2014, Pulieri filed the Complaint in his capacity as the Court-
appointed receiver of Sunview. On September 19, 2014, Boardwalk moved to dismiss
the Complaint under Court of Chancery Rule 12(b)(6). On December 12, 2014, I heard
oral argument on Boardwalk’s motion to dismiss.
III. ANALYSIS
A. Legal Standard
A motion to dismiss under Court of Chancery Rule 12(b)(6) for failure to state a
claim for relief must be denied unless, accepting as true all well-pled allegations and
drawing all reasonable inferences from those allegations in the plaintiff’s favor, there is
no “reasonably conceivable set of circumstances susceptible of proof” in which the
plaintiff could recover. 34 The failure to plead an element of a claim warrants dismissal
under Rule 12(b)(6). 35
31
Id. Ex. H.
32
Id. Ex. I.
33
Order, In re Sunview Corp., C.A. No. 9701-CB (Del. Ch. June 13, 2014).
34
See Cent. Mortg., 27 A.3d at 536.
35
See Crescent/Mach I P’rs, L.P. v. Turner, 846 A.2d 963, 972 (Del. Ch. 2000).
10
B. Count I Fails to State a Claim for Specific Performance
Count I, which is styled as a claim for breach of contract, asserts that Sunview “is
entitled to [the] relief of Specific Performance of the Friendly Agreement directing . . .
Boardwalk to re-transfer the [Rehoboth Property] to Sunview Corporation.” 36 In support
of this request, Sunview alleges it has no adequate remedy at law because the Rehoboth
Property “is unique and the damages occasioned by the breach of the Friendly Agreement
to transfer real property are difficult to ascertain.” 37
Under Delaware law, a party asserting a breach of an oral agreement must prove
the existence of an enforceable contract by a preponderance of the evidence. 38 Where a
party seeks an award of specific performance, however, the burden of proof is clear and
convincing evidence:
A party must prove by clear and convincing evidence that he or she is
entitled to specific performance and that he or she has no adequate legal
remedy. A party seeking specific performance must establish that (1) a
valid contract exists, (2) he is ready, willing, and able to perform, and (3)
that the balance of equities tips in favor of the party seeking performance. 39
36
Compl. ¶ 58.
37
Id. ¶ 55.
38
See Grunstein v. Silva, 2014 WL 4473641, at *16 (Del. Ch. Sept. 5, 2014), appeal
docketed, No. 569,2014 (Del. Oct. 3, 2014).
39
Osborn ex rel. Osborn v. Kemp, 991 A.2d 1153, 1158 (Del. 2010).
11
The legal standard here is thus whether it is reasonably conceivable that Sunview could
establish a right to specific performance by clear and convincing evidence. 40
“The elements necessary to prove the existence of an enforceable contract are: (1)
the intent of the parties to be bound, (2) sufficiently definite terms, and (3)
consideration.” 41 Delaware courts have long recognized that equity has no role in
supplying a contract’s essential terms where a party seeks specific performance, “since
that would be rather to make than to execute an agreement.” 42 Thus, all essential terms
of the agreement must be sufficiently definite to establish an enforceable contract. 43
Furthermore, under Delaware law, an award of specific performance to transfer real
40
It is appropriate to consider this heightened evidentiary burden at the motion to dismiss
stage. See, e.g., BAE Sys. Info. & Elec. Sys. Integration, Inc. v. Lockheed Martin Corp.,
2009 WL 264088, at *7 (Del. Ch. Feb. 3, 2009) (“[I]t is reasonably conceivable that BAE
could demonstrate the existence of an enforceable agreement on the facts alleged.
Therefore, the Court cannot conclude, on the facts presented here, that BAE would fail
the higher clear and convincing standard required for specific performance.”);
PharmAthene, Inc. v. SIGA Techs., Inc., 2008 WL 151855, at *15 (Del. Ch. Jan. 16,
2008) (“[I]t is reasonably conceivable that PharmAthene could show the LATS contains
all of the material and essential terms to be incorporated into the final license agreement.
For essentially the same reasons, I consider it conceivable that PharmAthene also could
establish that proposition by clear and convincing evidence[.]”).
41
Otto v. Gore, 45 A.3d 120, 138 (Del. 2012).
42
Godwin v. Collins, 3 Del. Ch. 189, 199 (Del. Ch. 1868), aff’d, 9 Del. 28, 56 (Del.
1869); see also Mehiel v. Solo Cup Co., 2005 WL 1252348, at *7 (Del. Ch. May 13,
2005) (“[T]he Court will not decree this relief [(i.e., specific performance)] if the
contractual terms are unclear and indefinite—there must be no need for the Court to
supply meaning to essential elements of the contract.”).
43
See, e.g., Osborn, 991 A.2d at 1158; Deene v. Peterman, 2007 WL 2162570, at *5
(Del. Ch. July 12, 2007) (“[T]he court must be certain of the essential elements of the
contractual obligation it is asked to enforce.”).
12
property is “an extraordinary remedy” 44 that is “available at the discretion of this
[C]ourt.” 45
This Court has found that that the “price, date of settlement, and the property to be
sold” are essential terms of an enforceable contract for the sale of real property. 46 In my
view, the material conditions to a party’s obligation to perform also are essential terms of
an enforceable contract. This comports with the general legal principles set forth in
American Jurisprudence, which other Delaware courts have cited with approval. 47
According to that legal encyclopedia, which I find persuasive here, the essential terms in
a contract for the sale of real property include “(1) the names of the buyer and seller; (2) a
description of the property; (3) the sales price or the means of determining the price, and
the terms and conditions of the sale; and (4) the signature of the party to be charged.” 48
Boardwalk contends that the Complaint fails to allege with sufficient detail several
essential terms of the Friendly Agreement, including the date of formation, the parties to
44
Osborn, 991 A.2d at 1158.
45
Gildor v. Optical Solutions, Inc., 2006 WL 4782348, at *11 (Del. Ch. June 5, 2006)
(citing Esso Standard Oil Co. v. Cunningham, 114 A.2d 380, 383 (Del. Ch. 1955), aff’d,
118 A.2d 611 (Del. 1955)).
46
See River Enters., LLC v. Tamari Props., LLC, 2005 WL 356823, at *2 (Del. Ch. Feb.
15, 2005); see also Walton v. Beale, 2006 WL 265489, at *5 (Del. Ch. Jan. 30, 2006),
aff’d, 913 A.2d 569 (Del. 2006) (TABLE).
47
See, e.g., Heckman v. Nero, 1999 WL 182570, at *4 (Del. Ch. Mar. 26, 1999) (“Even if
aspects of the agreement are obscure, the agreement will be enforceable if the Court is
able to ascertain the terms and conditions on which the parties intend to bind
themselves.” (citing 77 Am. Jur. 2d Vendor and Purchaser § 7)).
48
77 Am. Jur. 2d Vendor and Purchaser § 4 (emphasis added).
13
the agreement, the covered properties, and the retransfer price. 49 In my opinion, at least
two essential terms of the Friendly Agreement are not sufficiently definite to state a claim
for specific performance as alleged in the Complaint: (1) the Retransfer Conditions to
Boardwalk’s obligation to retransfer the Rehoboth Property to Sunview, and (2) the
timing of Boardwalk’s obligation to perform under the Friendly Agreement.
The two Retransfer Conditions indisputably are essential terms of the Friendly
Agreement because they are the necessary conditions that Sunview must satisfy before
the Rehoboth Property could be retransferred. 50 But these essential terms are not
sufficiently definite in my view for two reasons.
First, both the Financial Improvement Condition and the Paglianite Removal
Condition are dependent on a change in circumstances affecting the “Grotto Entities,”
i.e., “the improvement of the financial health of the Grotto Entities” and the “removal of
the interests of” Paglianite “from all Grotto Entities with the exception of Pizza Systems,
Inc.” 51 The Complaint, however, expressly defines “Grotto Entities” to include “other
Grotto related entities” that are not specified in the Complaint. 52 The fact that these
additional entities are not specified anywhere in the Complaint means that one cannot
know which entities must have improved financially to satisfy the Financial Improvement
49
Def.’s Reply Br. 24-26; Def.’s Op. Br. 25-28.
50
See 77 Am. Jur. 2d Vendor and Purchaser § 4.
51
Compl. ¶ 17.
52
Id. ¶ 12.
14
Condition or from which entities Paglianite’s interests must have been removed to satisfy
the Paglianite Removal Condition.
Second, the Financial Improvement Condition refers vaguely to the “improvement
of the financial health” of the Grotto Entities. In my view, the Complaints fails to
identify any sufficiently definite metric for any party to the Friendly Agreement, let alone
the Court, to discern what it means for the financial health of the Grotto Entities
(assuming one could determine which entities this term encompasses in the first place) to
have improved in order to conclude that this condition has been satisfied.
Even if the Retransfer Conditions were sufficiently definite, a related yet distinct
essential term is not sufficiently definite: the timing of Boardwalk’s obligation to
perform. This is an essential term to the Friendly Agreement because it dictates when
Boardwalk must retransfer the Rehoboth Property to Sunview. 53 The Complaint alleges
that the Farnan-affiliated entities’ obligation to perform under the Friendly Agreement
arises “upon the happening” of the Retransfer Conditions. 54 This term is not sufficiently
definite because the Complaint does not specify what “upon the happening” means as a
general matter or with respect to the Rehoboth Property.
For example, “upon the happening” could mean that Boardwalk was required to
perform automatically upon the satisfaction of the Retransfer Conditions or it could
53
See 77 Am. Jur. 2d Vendor and Purchaser § 4.
54
Compl. ¶ 17.
15
mean, as Sunview contends in its opposition brief, 55 that Boardwalk was required to
perform only if Sunview first makes a demand that it do so. Thus, in my view, even
when viewing the well-pled allegations and all reasonable inferences from those
allegations most favorably to Sunview, the timing of Boardwalk’s obligation to retransfer
the Rehoboth Property is not sufficiently definite to establish that the Friendly Agreement
is an enforceable contract. 56
* * *
For the foregoing reasons, it is not reasonably conceivable in my opinion that
Sunview could prove by a preponderance of the evidence the existence of an enforceable
contract because, as alleged, essential terms of the Friendly Agreement are not
55
See Pl.s’ Ans. Br. 10-12, 17, 37. Sunview concedes no such requirement is pled in the
Complaint. Tr. of Oral Arg. 44. It is procedurally improper for Sunview to attempt to
rewrite its Complaint in its brief. See MCG Capital Corp. v. Maginn, 2010 WL 1782271,
at *5 (Del. Ch. May 5, 2010) (“[The plaintiff] cannot supplement the complaint through
its brief.”). Still, its attempt to do so reinforces my conclusion that Sunview does not
know the essential terms of the contract for which it is now seeking specific performance.
56
I also have doubts as to whether the price of the retransfer is sufficiently definite.
Sunview alleges that the Friendly Agreement provides for the retransfer of properties
from the Farnan-affiliated entities back to the Grotto Entities to be on a “dollar for dollar
basis” and Sunview seeks in Count I to have the Rehoboth Property retransferred to it for
$3.2 million, which is “the same amount, dollar for dollar, for which Boardwalk received
the property.” Compl. ¶¶ 17, 49. But, the Complaint alleges that the Dewey Beach
Property, which Sunview contends is evidence that the Friendly Agreement is binding
and enforceable, was transferred to KidFar (a Farnan-affiliated entity) for $2.8 million in
May 2003, and retransferred to Grotto Pizza Dewey, LLC for $3.1 million in January
2006. Id. ¶¶ 25, 32. According to the Complaint, the $300,000 increase accounted for
the “transactional costs.” Id. ¶ 32. The increase in the retransfer price for the Dewey
Beach Property to account for “transaction costs” suggests that the economic terms of the
Friendly Agreement were not sufficiently definite but instead contemplate further
negotiations.
16
sufficiently definite. 57 Thus, a fortiori, I conclude that it is not reasonably conceivable
that Sunview could prove, by clear and convincing evidence, its claim for specific
performance of the Friendly Agreement with respect to the Rehoboth Property. 58
C. Count I also is Barred by the Rule Against Perpetuities or Laches
Boardwalk alternatively asserts that Sunview’s claim for specific performance
must be dismissed under the rule against perpetuities or under laches, depending on
whether Boardwalk’s obligations under the Friendly Agreement were contingent on
Sunview demanding that Boardwalk perform under the agreement. Specifically,
assuming a demand of performance was required, Boardwalk argues that the Friendly
Agreement is void under the rule against perpetuities because Sunview could exercise its
option to repurchase the Rehoboth Property beyond the perpetuities period. 59
Conversely, assuming a demand of performance was not required, Boardwalk argues that
Count I is barred by laches because Sunview knew of Boardwalk’s failure to perform
57
See Black Horse Capital, LP v. Xstelos Hldgs., Inc., 2014 WL 5025926, at *20 (Del.
Ch. Sept. 30, 2014) (“Because the essential terms of the Serenity Agreement have not
been alleged with sufficient definiteness to render that agreement enforceable, it is not
reasonably conceivable that the remedy of specific performance will be available in this
case.”).
58
Given that the Complaint fails to demonstrate the existence of a valid contract, I do not
consider the sufficiency of the allegations of the Complaint concerning the other
requirements for specific performance, i.e., whether Sunview is ready, willing, and able
to perform and whether the balance of equities tips in its favor.
59
Def.’s Reply Br. 13-18.
17
more than eight years before it filed suit and unreasonably delayed in seeking an award of
specific performance. 60
For the reasons discussed below, I conclude that Count I must be dismissed in
either scenario because the Friendly Agreement would violate the rule against
perpetuities if it did include such a requirement or, alternatively, would be barred under
the doctrine of laches if it did not.
1. Rule Against Perpetuities
As the Delaware Supreme Court noted in Stuart Kingston, Inc. v. Robinson, 61 the
common law rule against perpetuities provides that “[n]o interest [in real property] is
good unless it vests, if at all, not later than twenty-one years after some life in being at the
creation of the interest.” 62 Although courts have shown a willingness to deviate from the
traditional perpetuities period in contracts governing commercial transactions,63
Delaware law nonetheless provides that “an indefinite time limitation to exercise a right
60
Id. 8-9; Def.’s Op. Br. 13-16.
61
596 A.2d 1378 (Del. 1991).
62
Id. at 1383 (“The rule against perpetuities has long been accepted as part of the
common law of Delaware as a principle grounded in the public policy against restricting
the alienability of land and interests in land.”).
63
See, e.g., Pathmark Stores, Inc. v. 3821 Assocs., L.P., 663 A.2d 1189, 1193 (Del. Ch.
1995) (“Commercial transactions . . . have absolutely no tie to either lives in being or
twenty-one years.”); see also JD Hldgs., L.L.C. v. Dowdy, 2014 WL 4980669, at *12
(Del. Ch. Oct. 1, 2014) (“[I]n a commercial transaction, a right will not violate the rule
against perpetuities if it will be exercised or lapse within a reasonable time.”).
18
to a future interest, even in a commercial agreement, violates the Rule.” 64 “If there is any
possibility that the interest will vest beyond the period of the rule, then it is void ab
initio.” 65
Sunview contends it possesses a “power of termination” or a “right of reentry” to
the Rehoboth Property that is not subject to the rule against perpetuities, 66 citing Welsh v.
Heritage Homes of DeLaWarr, Inc. 67 as its sole supporting authority. Sunview’s reliance
on Welsh is misplaced. Under Delaware law, where, as here, a contract for the sale of
real property provides that a grantor may regain title to the property by paying
consideration, the grantor possesses an option to repurchase the property, not a power of
termination or right of reentry that is created by a transfer of a fee simple subject to a
condition subsequent. 68 The Court’s interpretation of the contract at issue in Welsh
illustrates this precise point. There, the contract provided:
Buyer agrees that in the event Buyer is unable to commence construction
for any reason not attributed to Seller, Buyer agrees to-reconvey the subject
lot at the same price as sold to Buyer, within 30 days of receipt of Seller’s
request to re-convey. 69
64
Cornell Glasgow, LLC v. LaGrange Props., LLC, 2012 WL 3157124, at *3 (Del.
Super. Aug. 1, 2012) (Slights, J.) (citing Stuart Kingston, 596 A.2d at 1384).
65
Stuart Kingston, 596 A.2d at 1383 (citing Taylor v. Crosson, 98 A. 375, 377 (Del. Ch.
1916)).
66
Pl.’s Ans. Br. 28-30.
67
2008 WL 442549 (Del. Ch. Feb. 15, 2008, revised Feb. 19, 2008).
68
Id. at *7.
69
Id. at *4.
19
Applying principles from the Restatement (First) of Property, which the Delaware
Supreme Court had cited with approval, 70 the Court in Welsh concluded that the contract
did not create a power of termination or right of reentry because the seller needed “to pay
consideration (the original purchase price) to the [buyer] in order to reclaim title.” 71
Further, the Court concluded that the language of the provision quoted above was “a
textbook example of an option in real property” because it could only be construed to
mean that the buyer “may repurchase the Property for a fixed price upon the occurrence
of [a condition], but in no event is it required to do so.” 72
I find no meaningful distinction between the provision at issue in Welsh and the
Friendly Agreement. Here, assuming Sunview is required to demand performance, as it
contends in its brief, the alleged terms of the Friendly Agreement do not require Sunview
to do so. In other words, upon satisfaction of the Retransfer Conditions, Sunview has the
right, but not the obligation, to demand performance and thereby repurchase the
Rehoboth Property for the retransfer price. As in Welsh, I conclude that the consideration
that Sunview must pay to regain title to the Rehoboth Property means that the Friendly
Agreement did not grant to Sunview a power of termination or a right of reentry. Even if,
70
See, e.g., Libeau v. Fox, 892 A.2d 1068, 1072 (Del. 2006) (“The trial court then
applied settled law, as articulated in . . . the Restatement (First) of Property § 406 (1944)
. . . . We affirm that holding on the basis of and for the reasons stated in the Court of
Chancery’s opinion.”).
71
See Welsh, 2008 WL 442549, at *7 (citing Restatement (First) of Prop. § 394 cmt. c
(1944)).
72
Id. (emphasis added).
20
as Sunview argues, “[i]t is evident from the facts surrounding the transaction that
Sunview never intended to part permanently with the [Rehoboth Property],” 73 the long-
standing legal principles outlined in Welsh teach that the nature of a property interest
depends on the terms of the grant, not the subjective intent of the grantor. 74 The parties
could have structured this transaction differently to provide Sunview with a power of
termination or a right of reentry, but they did not. The way they structured the Friendly
Agreement was for Sunview to transfer the Rehoboth Property to Boardwalk in fee
simple and to receive an option to repurchase it. 75
Because it is “regarded as having the effect of creating a future interest,” an option
to purchase real property, such as Sunview’s option to repurchase the Rehoboth Property,
73
Pl.’s Ans. Br. 29.
74
See, e.g., Eagle Indus., Inc. v. DeVilbiss Health Care, Inc., 702 A.2d 1228, 1232 (Del.
1997) (“If a contract is unambiguous, extrinsic evidence may not be used to interpret the
intent of the parties, to vary the terms of the contract or to create an ambiguity.”);
Monigle v. Darlington, 81 A.2d 129, 131 (Del. Ch. 1951) (“The meaning of restrictive
words is governed by the intention of the grantor to be ascertained from the words
themselves, or from the particular words considered in the light of other words or
provisions in the deed.”).
75
Sunview also argues that Welsh is distinguishable on equitable grounds because, unlike
the real estate developer in Welsh that “presum[ably] . . . had the assistance of legal
counsel in drafting the contract,” Pulieri “relied on the advice and representations of his
close friend, Farnan, who assured [him] that the [Rehoboth Property] would be returned
when [Pulieri] could afford to once again possess it.” Id. 29-30. In my view, the Court’s
analysis in Welsh cannot reasonably be read to turn on this point. Sunview, moreover,
has not offered any authority to support applying estoppel or similar equitable principles
in a rule against perpetuities analysis, and I decline to do so here.
21
is subject to the rule against perpetuities. 76 “ ‘If it is possible that the option might not be
exercised within the limits of the time allowed by the Rule Against Perpetuities, the
option is void.’ ” 77
Boardwalk contends that Sunview’s option is void under the rule against
perpetuities because Sunview, an entity with perpetual existence, could have exercised
that option to repurchase the Rehoboth Property from Boardwalk, another entity with
perpetual existence, at an indefinite time in the future. 78 I agree because I do not see how
the Financial Improvement Condition must be satisfied within a defined period of time.
There is no reasonable limitation of any kind on when Sunview must satisfy that
condition or, after satisfying both Retransfer Conditions, exercise its option.
By way of example, Sunview might not satisfy the Financial Improvement
Condition (or thereafter exercise its option) until two days from now or two centuries
from now. The latter example may seem extreme, but it conclusively demonstrates that
the duration of Sunview’s option is indefinite. Accordingly, if the Friendly Agreement
required Sunview to demand Boardwalk’s performance, as Sunview contends, then Count
I must be dismissed under Court of Chancery Rule 12(b)(6) because Sunview’s option to
repurchase the Rehoboth Property would be void under the rule against perpetuities.
76
See Emerson v. Campbell, 84 A.2d 148, 153 (Del. Ch. 1951).
77
Heritage Homes of De La Warr, Inc. v. Alexander, 2005 WL 2173992, at *2 (Del. Ch.
Sept. 1, 2005) (quoting Emerson, 84 A.2d at 153), aff’d, 900 A.2d 100 (Del. 2006)
(TABLE).
78
Def.’s Reply Br. 16-18.
22
2. Laches
The Delaware Supreme Court has defined laches generally as “an unreasonable
delay by the plaintiff in bringing suit after the plaintiff learned of an infringement of his
rights, thereby resulting in material prejudice to the defendant.” 79 Denying relief on the
grounds of laches typically requires the defendant to show three elements: “first,
knowledge by the claimant; second, unreasonable delay in bringing the claim; and third,
prejudice to the defendant.” 80
Although this Court’s laches inquiry is fact-specific, 81 it is often guided (but not
necessarily dictated) by the analogous statute of limitations. 82 As Chief Justice, then-
Chancellor, Strine noted in In re Sirius XM Shareholder Litigation, 83 “laches may bar a
plaintiff in equity before the analogous statute of limitations has run, but a filing after the
analogous statute of limitations has run cannot be justified except in the ‘rare’ and
‘unusual’ circumstance that a recognized tolling doctrine excuses the late filing.” 84 This
79
Reid v. Spazio, 970 A.2d 176, 182 (Del. 2009).
80
Homestore, Inc. v. Tafeen, 888 A.2d 204, 210 (Del. 2005).
81
See id. (“Whether or not these three elements [to demonstrate laches] exist is generally
determined by a fact-based inquiry.”).
82
See Levey v. Brownstone Asset Mgmt., LP, 76 A.3d 764, 769 (Del. 2013) (“In
determining whether an action is barred by laches, the Court of Chancery will normally,
but not invariably, apply the period of limitations by analogy as a measure of the period
of time in which it is reasonable to file suit.”).
83
2013 WL 5411268 (Del. Ch. Sept. 27, 2013).
84
Id. at *4 (citations omitted); see also U.S. Cellular Inv. Co. of Allentown v. Bell Atl.
Mobile Sys., Inc., 677 A.2d 497, 502 (Del. 1996) (“Absent some unusual circumstances, a
23
is because, as the Chief Justice continued, “[a]fter the statute of limitations has run,
defendants are entitled to repose and are exposed to prejudice as a matter of law by a suit
by a late-filing plaintiff who had a fair opportunity to file within the limitations period.” 85
The three-year statute of limitations for contract claims starts to run when the
claim accrues, 86 and a breach of contract claim accrues “at the time of breach,” 87 “even if
the plaintiff is ignorant of the cause of action.” 88 A party asserting a claim for specific
performance in this Court, however, will typically need to act with even greater alacrity
than simply within the analogous limitations period. Chief Justice Strine summarized
this principle in CertainTeed Corp. v. Celotex Corp.: 89
A claim for specific performance is a specialized request for a mandatory
injunction, requiring a party to perform its contractual duties. Like any
request for an injunction, such a claim necessarily invokes a stricter
requirement for prompt action by the plaintiff, and a plaintiff may not wait
the full period of three years set forth in [10 Del. C.] § 8106 to seek such
relief. Laches, rather, will arise much earlier, if a plaintiff sits on its claim
and does not demand prompt action. 90
court of equity will deny a plaintiff relief when suit is brought after the analogous
statutory period.”).
85
Sirius XM, 2013 WL 5411268, at *4.
86
10 Del. C. § 8106(a).
87
Whittington v. Dragon Gp. L.L.C., 2008 WL 4419075, at *5 (Del. Ch. June 6, 2005,
revised Sept. 30, 2008).
88
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. AIG Life Ins. Co., 860 A.2d 312, 319 (Del. 2004).
89
2005 WL 217032 (Del. Ch. Jan. 24, 2005).
90
Id. at *6; see also State ex rel. Brady v. Pettinaro Enters., 870 A.2d 513, 527 (Del. Ch.
2005) (“Remedies of this kind will only issue if the plaintiff acts with dispatch, and are
24
Here, Boardwalk describes Count I as “between four and ten years old.” 91 More
specifically, Boardwalk contends that Sunview’s claim for specific performance accrued:
(a) in fall 2004, when Pulieri was “ready, willing, and able” to repurchase the Dewey
Beach Property; 92 (b) in March 2006, when Sunview, “prior to dissolution, complied with
all terms of the Friendly Agreement”; 93 (c) in June 2009, when, as alleged in the Superior
Court action, Sunview first learned of the claim; 94 or (d) in May 2010, when, as Pulieri
swore in an affidavit submitted to the Superior Court, Sunview retained counsel to bring
a claim regarding the Rehoboth Property against Farnan and Farnan-affiliated entities. 95
In opposition, Sunview argues that its specific performance claim “accrued, at the
earliest, in the spring of 2013 when Pulieri first demanded the return [of] the [Rehoboth
Property]” and Boardwalk refused to perform. 96
For purposes of Boardwalk’s motion to dismiss, I need not resolve precisely when
Sunview’s contract claim accrued. In my opinion, Sunview’s claim—assuming the
Friendly Agreement did not require Sunview to demand performance—accrued no later
normally foreclosed to a plaintiff who sits on its hands until near the end of the analogous
limitations period.”).
91
Def.’s Op. Br. 16.
92
Compl. ¶ 31.
93
Id. ¶ 47.
94
Def.’s Ex. 1 ¶ 220.
95
Def.’s Ex. 2 ¶ 19.
96
Pl.’s Ans. Br. 10.
25
than March 6, 2006, the date of Sunview’s dissolution. The fact that Boardwalk failed to
perform after Sunview—by its own admission—had satisfied the Retransfer Conditions
and complied with the other terms of the Friendly Agreement before it dissolved97
necessarily means, in my view, that Sunview had knowledge of its claim against
Boardwalk for breaching the Friendly Agreement no later than its dissolution in 2006.
Accordingly, Count I would have been presumptively untimely had it been filed
after March 6, 2009, three years after the date of Sunview’s dissolution, let alone in July
2014. Notably, Sunview does not argue that a recognized tolling doctrine applies, 98 nor
does it offer any “unusual conditions or extraordinary circumstances” that, under
IAC/InterActiveCorp v. O’Brien, 99 may justify deviating from the three-year limitations
period. From my independent analysis, none of the IAC factors (or equivalent
circumstances) is implicated here. In light of Sunview’s unexcused delay, I conclude that
Count I must be dismissed on laches grounds assuming that the Friendly Agreement did
not contain a demand requirement. For the reasons articulated by Chief Justice Strine in
CertainTeed, moreover, laches likely would have barred Count I even before the
97
Compl. ¶ 47 (“Plaintiff Sunview, prior to dissolution, complied with all terms of the
Friendly Agreement.”).
98
See Pettinaro, 870 A.2d at 525 (“A plaintiff asserting a tolling exception must plead
facts supporting the applicability of that exception.”); see also Krahmer v. Christie’s Inc.,
903 A.2d 773, 778 (Del. Ch. 2006) (“[T]olling exceptions include the doctrines of (1)
fraudulent concealment, (2) inherent[ly] unknowable injury, and (3) equitable tolling.”).
99
26 A.3d 174, 178 (Del. 2011) (providing an illustrative, non-exhaustive list of factors
that could bear on this Court’s inquiry of when the analogous statute of limitations should
not apply).
26
expiration of the analogous limitations period because Sunview failed to act with the
alacrity necessary to assert a claim seeking specific performance.
Sunview attempts to salvage the timeliness of its claim by arguing that any delay
was the result of the “prolonged investigation and delay” of Pulieri’s lawyers at Duane
Morris. But, as recently as Levey v. Brownstone Asset Management, LP, 100 the Delaware
Supreme Court rejected this line of argument, concluding that the torpor of counsel
“cannot excuse” a plaintiff’s otherwise unreasonable delay because, under Delaware law,
a party “ ‘must be deemed bound by the acts of his lawyer-agent.’ ” 101 Thus, even if
“[t]he Superior Court complaint makes it abundantly clear that Pulieri made good faith
efforts to bring his and Sunview’s claims in a timely fashion,” 102 Pulieri bears
responsibility for his lawyers’ actions, including their delay.
Finally, Sunview submits that Count I is analogous to the claim for specific
performance of an oral agreement found timely in Walton v. Beale. 103 I disagree. In
Walton, a series of delays extended the settlement date for an agreement to sell real
property that, under a draft (and unsigned) agreement of sale, the parties initially
contemplated would occur in November 1999. During those delays, according to the
Court’s post-trial findings of fact, “[n]one of the communications between the parties . . .
100
76 A.3d 764 (Del. 2013).
101
Id. at 769 (quoting Vance v. Irwin, 619 A.2d 1163, 1165 (Del. 1993)).
102
Pl.’s Ans. Br. 12.
103
2006 WL 265489 (Del. Ch. Jan. 30, 2006), aff’d, 913 A.2d 569 (Del. 2006) (TABLE).
27
reasonably would have led [the buyer] to believe that the [sellers] would not sell him the
property.” 104 It was only in January 2002, when the sellers expressly informed the buyer
that they were revoking their offer to sell, that the buyer learned of the potential breach of
their agreement. Shortly thereafter, in July 2002, the seller filed suit seeking specific
performance. The Court concluded that the buyer’s claim was not barred by laches
because he did not have knowledge of the claim until January 2002 and because his July
2002 lawsuit was not an unreasonable delay. 105
Sunview’s allegations stand in stark contrast to the facts of Walton, where the
buyer had no reason to know of the sellers’ breach until they expressly revoked their
offer. Here, assuming the Friendly Agreement required Boardwalk to retransfer the
Rehoboth Property automatically upon Sunview’s satisfaction of the Retransfer
Conditions and did not require Sunview to demand performance, Sunview had
knowledge of its claim by March 6, 2006, the date it dissolved. That is because Sunview
admits it had complied with all of the terms of the Friendly Agreement by that date and
Sunview inarguably must have known by that date that Boardwalk had not performed.
Unlike the reasonable delay of six months between notice of the claim and the lawsuit in
Walton, I conclude that Sunview’s delay of more than eight years from March 2006 until
the filing of the Complaint in this action in July 2014 was unreasonable and unjustified.
104
Id. at *8 (“[E]ven when things became heated between the parties, the [sellers] never
told [the buyer] the deal was off.”).
105
Id.
28
Sunview was on notice of its claim for specific performance in March 2006, and it
failed to act with the requisite alacrity to vindicate its rights. Thus, assuming the Friendly
Agreement did not require Sunview to demand performance by Boardwalk, Count I must
dismissed under Court of Chancery Rule 12(b)(6) on the grounds of laches. 106
D. Count II is Barred by Laches
In Count II, an alternative claim for relief, Sunview alleges that Boardwalk is
liable for unjust enrichment because it was unfairly “enriched by the transfer of the
[Rehoboth Property] in a transaction that was not arms-length in which Boardwalk
unilaterally set the terms without consideration of the [Rehoboth Property’s] fair market
value.” 107 Sunview was proportionally impoverished “by the transfer of the [Rehoboth
Property] for an amount less than the property’s fair market value.” 108 Boardwalk, in
opposition, argues that Count II must be dismissed as untimely under laches. 109 I agree.
“The elements of unjust enrichment are: (1) an enrichment, (2) an
impoverishment, (3) a relation between the enrichment and impoverishment, (4) the
absence of justification, and (5) the absence of a remedy provided by law.” 110 The
106
In light of the above holdings, I do not reach Boardwalk’s Statute of Frauds argument.
107
Compl. ¶ 60.
108
Id. ¶ 61.
109
Def.’s Reply Br. 28; Def.’s Op. Br. 30-31.
110
Nemec v. Shrader, 991 A.2d 1120, 1130 (Del. 2010).
29
analogous statute of limitations for a claim of unjust enrichment is three years, 111 and an
unjust enrichment claim accrues when the wrongful act causing the enrichment and
impoverishment occurred. 112
According to the Complaint, the alleged enrichment and impoverishment occurred
on December 30, 2002, when Sunview transferred the Rehoboth Property to Boardwalk
for the below-market-value price of $3.2 million. 113 Thus, Count II, which was first
asserted in July 2014, more than eleven years after it accrued, is presumptively untimely
and subject to dismissal on laches grounds absent unusual or extraordinary circumstances
that warrant deviating from the analogous limitations period. 114
Sunview contends that the laches period should be tolled under the inherently
unknowable injury doctrine because “Pulieri and Sunview could not know that
111
10 Del. C. § 8106(a).
112
See Vichi v. Koninklijke Philips Elecs. N.V., 62 A.3d 26, 42-43 (Del. Ch. 2012).
113
Compl. ¶¶ 36, 60-62, Ex. F. Sunview contends that “[t]he Complaint does not support
the inference that the unjust enrichment occurred at the time of transfer” in December
2002. It argues instead that the enrichment occurred in 2013 when Boardwalk refused to
retransfer the Rehoboth Property after Sunview demanded performance. Pl.’s Ans. Br.
36-37. I disagree for two reasons. First, the only enrichment alleged is Sunview’s
transfer of the Rehoboth Property to Boardwalk in 2002. Compl. ¶ 60. Second, in my
view, the only basis for looking to Boardwalk’s retention of the Rehoboth Property in
2013 as the time when Sunview’s unjust enrichment claim accrued would be if the
Friendly Agreement was an enforceable contract that included a demand requirement.
But, if that were the case, Count II would fail to state a claim because “[a] claim for
unjust enrichment is not available if there is a contract that governs the relationship
between parties that gives rise to the unjust enrichment claim.” Kuroda v. SPJS Hldgs.,
L.L.C., 971 A.2d 872, 891 (Del. Ch. 2009).
114
See Sirius XM, 2013 WL 5411268, at *4.
30
Boardwalk had been unjustly enriched until their demand for performance was first met
with silence in the spring of 2013.” 115 The inherently unknowable injury tolling doctrine
provides that
the statute will not run where it would be practically impossible for a
plaintiff to discover the existence of a cause of action. No objective or
observable factors may exist that might have put the plaintiff[] on notice of
an injury, and the plaintiff[] bear[s] the burden to show that [it was]
“blamelessly ignorant” of both the wrongful act and the resulting harm. 116
In my view, Sunview’s argument about tolling is based on a mistaken premise.
As explained above, the unlawful conduct that forms the basis for the unjust
enrichment claim occurred at the time of Sunview’s below-market-value transfer of the
Rehoboth Property to Boardwalk in December 2002. 117 Given the nature of the alleged
enrichment, Sunview cannot, in my view, legitimately contend that it was impossible to
discover the facts giving rise to its claim because the price of the December 2002 transfer
was self-evident. Indeed, Sunview expressly admits in its Complaint that it was “willing
to sell the [Rehoboth Property] [at] below market value” to Boardwalk in 2002. 118 I also
do not see how Sunview could claim to be blamelessly ignorant that Boardwalk had
obtained the Rehoboth Property at a below-market-value price when, in addition to their
conceded willingness to sell at that price, the Complaint expressly acknowledges that
115
Pl.’s Ans. Br. 37.
116
In re Tyson Foods, Inc. Consol. S’holder Litig., 919 A.2d 563, 584-85 (Del. Ch.
2007); see also Morton v. Sky Nails, 884 A.2d 480, 482 (Del. 2005).
117
Compl. ¶¶ 60-62.
118
Id. ¶ 41 (emphasis added).
31
“Pulieri and Sunview did not list the [Rehoboth Property] for sale on the market nor did
Pulieri engage an independent appraisal.” 119 The inherently unknowable injury tolling
doctrine is thus inapplicable.
Because Sunview has not offered a persuasive justification to depart from the
analogous limitations period, I conclude that Count II, a presumptively untimely claim,
must be dismissed on laches grounds.
IV. CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, Boardwalk’s motion to dismiss the Complaint under
Court of Chancery Rule 12(b)(6) is GRANTED. Under Court of Chancery Rule 15(aaa),
the dismissal is WITH PREJUDICE.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
119
Id. ¶ 39.
32