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Shareholder Representative Services, LLC v. Follett Parent, LP

2026-06-25No. N25C-12-337 MAA CCLD

Summary

Holding. The motion for reargument was denied because the court's underlying decision rested on multiple independent factual allegations unrelated to the fair market value allegation, and defendant could not demonstrate that the outcome would have differed absent reliance on that single allegation.

Follett Parent LP sought reargument of the court's prior decision on its motion to dismiss, arguing that the plaintiff had shifted the factual basis of its claim about a Lumen Interest being sold below fair market value. Defendant contended the complaint originally relied on an actual sale price, but plaintiff's counsel later referenced independent valuations during oral argument, and defendant sought an order requiring the complaint to be amended to clarify this change. Defendant also claimed the shift allowed plaintiff to pursue overly broad discovery.

The court rejected defendant's reargument request because the permissive inference supporting the court's earlier ruling rested on multiple independent factual allegations, not solely on the fair market value claim. Specifically, the court's decision was supported by plaintiff's allegations that defendant had repeatedly refused to provide evidence of reasonable efforts to sell the asset and that offers appeared only after a lengthy delay. Even without relying on the fair market value allegation, the court would have reached the same conclusion. The court also declined to address discovery concerns through a reargument motion, noting those issues should be raised in separate discovery motions.

Summary generated by law.co from the public-domain opinion. The opinion text itself is public domain.

Key issues

  • Standard for granting a motion for reargument under Delaware Civil Rule 59(e)
  • Whether a shift in factual basis during pleadings requires complaint amendment
  • Whether multiple independent factual allegations support a permissive inference
  • Proper procedure for raising discovery scope disputes

Procedural posture

The defendant moved for reargument of the court's decision on a motion to dismiss in a dispute concerning the sale of a Lumen Interest.

Authorities cited

Opinion

majority opinion

SUPERIOR COURT

OF THE

STATE OF DELAWARE

MEGHAN A. ADAMS LEONARD L. WILLIAMS JUSTICE CENTER

JUDGE 500 N. KING STREET, SUITE 10400

WILMINGTON, DELAWARE 19801

(302) 255-0634

June 25, 2026

Jaclyn C. Levy, Esq. Melissa Donimirski, Esq. Samuel G. Gustafson, Esq. Stevens & Lee

Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP 919 North Market Street, Suite 1300 1313 N. Market Street, 6th Floor Wilmington, DE 19801 Wilmington, DE 19801

RE: Shareholder Represent v. Follett Parent, LP

C.A. No. N25C-12-337 MAA CCLD

Counsel:

The Court has reviewed Follett Parent, LP’s (“Defendant”) Motion for

Reargument and Shareholder Representative Services, LLC’s (“Plaintiff”)

opposition thereto. For the reasons stated herein, the Motion for Reargument is

DENIED.1

A motion for reargument “provide[s] the trial court with an opportunity to

reconsider a matter and to correct any alleged legal or factual errors prior to an

appeal.”2 Rule 59(e) of the Delaware Superior Court Civil Rules governs a motion

for reargument and requires the motion be filed within five days of the decision. A

motion for reargument “will be granted ‘only if the Court has overlooked precedent

1

The Court assumes familiarity with the facts. A detailed recitation of the facts can be found in the Court’s memorandum opinion resolving Defendant’s motion to dismiss. S’holder Representative Servs., LLC v. Follett Parent, LP, 2026 WL 1506785 (Del. Super. May 29, 2026). 2

Bowen v. E.I. duPont de Nemours & Co., Inc., 879 A.2d 920, 921 (Del. 2005) (citing Hessler, Inc. v. Farrell, 260 A.2d 701, 702 (Del. 1969)).

Shareholder Represent v. Follett Parent, LP

C.A. No. N25C-12-337 MAA CCLD

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or legal principles, or the Court has misapprehended the law or the facts such as

would have changed the outcome of the underlying decision.’”3 Such motions

“should not be used merely to rehash arguments already decided by the court[.]”4

Defendant’s Motion for Reargument centers around Plaintiff’s allegation that

the Lumen Interest was sold at “four to five times less than [its] fair market value”

(Fair-Market Allegation).5 Defendant contends Plaintiff shifted the factual basis of

the Fair-Market Allegation during the pleadings stage.6 Defendant asserts the

Complaint based the Fair-Market Allegation on an “actual” sale,7 while Plaintiff’s

Counsel later represented in oral argument the Fair-Market Allegation was based on

“independent valuations.”8

Defendant now argues the Court should require Plaintiff to amend the

Complaint to reflect this shift in factual basis.9 Defendant contends the amendment

will appropriately narrow Plaintiff’s scope of discovery, which to date has been

overbroad and overly burdensome.10 Defendant also argues Defendant should be

3

Snipe v. Boulden Servs., LLC, 2024 WL 550095, at *1 (Del. Super. Feb. 8, 2024) (quoting State v. Brinkley, 132 A.3d 839, 842 (Del. Super. 2016)).

4

Blevins v. Metzgar, 2017 WL 2709748, at *1 (Del. Super. June 22, 2017) (citing Woodward v. Farm Family Cas. Ins. Co., 2001 WL 1456865, at *1 (Del. Super. Aug. 24, 2001)). 5

D.I. 1 [“Compl.”] ¶¶ 12, 41, 59, 67, 85; D.I. 46 [“Mot. for Reargument”] ¶ 1. 6

Mot. for Reargument ¶¶ 1, 20.

7

Id. ¶¶ 1, 8-10.

8

Id. ¶¶ 1, 11, 20-24.

9

Id. ¶¶ 5, 28-30.

10

Id. ¶ 4. Defendant argues Plaintiff now relies on its oral allegations to engage in “scorchedearth discovery tactics” amounting to “harassment at the outset of discovery. Id. ¶ 5, 18. Shareholder Represent v. Follett Parent, LP

C.A. No. N25C-12-337 MAA CCLD

Page 3 of 5

given an opportunity to challenge the reasonably conceivable nature of these

“independent valuations,” particularly because the Court relied upon the Fair-Market

Allegation to make a permissive inference for Count I.11

Defendant’s arguments are unconvincing. As Plaintiff highlights in its

opposition to the Motion for Reargument,12 the Court held Plaintiff pled “multiple

facts making it reasonably conceivable [Defendant] did not use reasonable best

efforts to sell the Lumen Interest at all relevant times.”13 Phrased differently, the

permissive inference the Court drew for Count I was not dependent on the FairMarket Allegation.

The Court found Plaintiff had plead at least two additional facts—both

independent from the Fair-Market Allegation—that justified the permissive

inference. First, Plaintiff alleged “[Defendant] had refused, on multiple occasions,

to provide evidence [Defendant] used reasonable best efforts.”14 Second, Plaintiff

alleged “[Defendant] received no offers to purchase the Lumen Interest in the first

thirty months after closing, but then received two offers within about a month

starting in late 2024.”15

11

Id. ¶¶ 5, 12-13, 20, 22. Defendant views the Fair-Market Allegation as “material” to Count I, thus justifying reargument. Id. ¶ 13.

12

D.I. 50 [“Opp. Br.”] at 3.

13

S’holder Representative Servs., 2026 WL 1506785 at *8 (emphasis added).

14

Id.

15

Id.

Shareholder Represent v. Follett Parent, LP

C.A. No. N25C-12-337 MAA CCLD

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Either of these two facts, which Defendant omitted from its Motion for

Reargument, form a sufficient basis to draw the permissive inference Defendant “did

not use reasonable efforts to sell the Lumen Interest at all relevant times.”16 In other

words, even if Plaintiff had not pled the Fair-Market Allegation, the Court would

have reached the same dispositive inference for Count I. Defendant’s Motion for

Reargument must therefore be denied, as Defendant cannot show the outcome of the

Court’s underlying decision would have been different absent reliance on the FairMarket Allegation.17

In denying Defendant’s Motion for Reargument, the Court declines to address

Defendant’s discovery concerns. These concerns are more appropriately addressed

16

Id.

17

Plaintiff has requested, under the bad faith exception to the American Rule, fees and costs incurred through responding to this motion. Opp. Br. at 7. “Delaware follows the general rule that, regardless of the outcome of litigation, each party is responsible for paying his or her own attorneys’ fees.” In re SS & C Techs., Inc. S’holders Litig., 948 A.2d 1140, 1149 (Del. Ch. 2008) (citing Johnston v. Arbitrium (Cayman Islands) Handels AG, 720 A.2d 542, 545 (Del. 1998)). An exception to the American Rule is bad faith. Id. The purpose of the bad faith exception is to “deter abusive litigation in the future, thereby avoiding harassment and protecting the integrity of the judicial process.” Kaung v. Cole Nat. Corp., 884 A.2d 500, 506 (Del. 2005) (internal citations removed) (quoting Brice v. State, 704 A.2d 1176, 1178 (Del. 1998)). “The bad faith exception is not lightly invoked.” Beck v. Atlantic Coast PLC, 868 A.2d 840, 851 (Del. Ch. 2005). “To award fees under the bad faith exception, the party against whom the fee award is sought must be found to have acted in subjective bad faith.” In re SS & C Techs., 948 A.2d at 1150. The party seeking a fee award under the bad faith exception bears a stringent evidentiary burden of producing “clear evidence” of bad-faith conduct. Beck, 868 A.2d at 851. The Court finds Plaintiff has not meet this steep evidentiary burden, nor is there sufficient evidence Defendant has acted in subjective bad faith by filing the motion for reargument. The Court therefore denies Plaintiff’s request for fees and costs under the bad faith exception to the American Rule.

Shareholder Represent v. Follett Parent, LP

C.A. No. N25C-12-337 MAA CCLD

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in specific discovery motions, not on a motion for reargument.18 Separate discovery

motions will provide both Parties with a fair opportunity to fully brief any discovery

disputes between the Parties.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Sincerely,

/s/ Meghan A. Adams

Meghan A. Adams, Judge

cc: All Counsel via File and Serve

MAA/ls

18

It is evident to the Court discovery disputes are underlying, and perhaps have prompted, Defendant’s Motion for Reargument. A motion for reargument is not an appropriate motion to address the scope of discovery or how discovery is being conducted by a party. If a discovery dispute arises, an appropriate motion can be made to ensure discovery is conducted in a fair and reasonable manner. Only at that time can the Court evaluate whether discovery is being conducted appropriately.