On October 7, 2008, in a decision that could affect other litigation relation to Countrywide Financial, Judge Sue Robinson dismissed the consolidated shareholders’ derivative lawsuit pending in Delaware federal court against the company, as nominal defendants, and ten of its former directors and officers. A copy of the October 7 opinion can be found here.

The plaintiffs in the Delaware federal court derivative lawsuit had alleged that the individual defendants had violated the federal securities laws’ disclosure requirements, and also had committed state law violations of breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty. As Judge Robinson noted in her October 7 opinion, the plaintiffs’ "most serious allegation" was that the defendants caused Countrywide to repurchase $2.37 billion worth of the company’s common stock "concomitant to the sale of $373 million worth of shares personally owned by members of the Board who were in possession of non-public, materially adverse information."

The defendants had moved to dismiss the amended complaint based, among other things, on the plaintiffs’ failure to make demand on the Board prior to the filing of the lawsuit.

However, on January 11, 2008, Countrywide and Bank of America announced that Bank of America was acquiring Countrywide in a stock for stock transaction. Bank of American’s press release announcing the merger can be found here. On July 1, 2008, the merger closed and all outstanding shares of Countrywide were exchanged for Bank of America shares. Banks of America’s July 1, 2008 press release can be found here. Countrywide became a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of America.

Defendants thereafter filed a further motion to dismiss, arguing that as a result of the merger, the plaintiffs were no longer Countrywide shareholders and therefore lacked standing to pursue the derivative lawsuit.

Judge Robinson granted the defendants’ motion, stating that "the Delaware Supreme Court has unequivocally declared that plaintiffs in derivative suits lose standing post-merger."

Notwithstanding several creative arguments plaintiffs raised trying to avert this outcome, Judge Robinson’s decision is unremarkable given Delaware law on the issue. The more interesting question is the impact Judge Robinson’s ruling may have on the other pending Countrywide litigation.

The most immediate impact may be on the Countrywide derivative lawsuit pending before Judge Mariana Pfaelzer in the Central District of California. Readers may recall that on May 14, 2008, Judge Pfaelzer issued a blistering opinion in that case largely denying the defendants’ motion to dismiss and granting plaintiffs leave to file an amended complaint regarding the few portions of the case that were dismissed. My prior post discussing Judge Pfaelzer’s opinion can be found here.

Among other thing, Judge Pfaelzer said in her May 14 opinion that plaintiffs’ allegations in that case create a "cogent and compelling inference that the individual defendants misled the public with regard to the rigor of Countrywide’s loan origination process, the quality of its loans, and the Company’s financial situation – even as they realized that Countrywide had virtually abandoned its own loan underwriting process."

The defendants in the California derivative litigation have now moved for judgment on the pleadings based on the same lack of standing argument that the defendants in the Delaware lawsuit had raised. Indeed, the parties in the California derivative litigation have already filed competing pleadings (here) with respect to the dismissal of the Delaware action. In view of the nature and tone of Judge Pfaelzer’s May 14 opinion in the case, it will be interesting to see whether she follows Judge Robinson’s ruling on post-merger lack of standing.

An even more interesting question is what effect, if any, these developments will have on the consolidated Countrywide subprime securities litigation, which is also pending before Judge Pfaelzer (and about which refer here). The Bank of America acquisition of Countrywide should have no impact on the standing of the securities class action plaintiffs. However, outcome of the dismissal motions in the California derivative litigation potentially could affect the context within which Judge Pfaelzer considers the motions to dismiss in the securities litigation, especially given the strong views Judge Pfaelzer previously expressed in her prior derivative lawsuit dismissal denial.

Oral argument on the pending securities litigation dismissal motions is upcoming.

Very special thanks to a loyal reader for providing copies of Judge Robinson’s October 7 opinion and related pleadings.

You Could Put ‘em on a List: I have added the Countrywide Delaware Derivative lawsuit dismissal to my table of subprime and credit crisis-related securities and derivative lawsuit case dispositions, which can be accessed here.

A Sign of the Times: In connection with a school assignment, my son conducted a census of Obama and McCain lawn signs in our community. He found that the sign that appeared on the highest number of front lawns said "For Sale."