Estate of Marvin M. Schwan - Page 14




                                       - 14 -                                         
          2000).  In fact, Minnesota courts are authorized to “grant any              
          equitable relief” deemed just when those in control of a                    
          corporation have acted “in a manner unfairly prejudicial toward             
          one or more shareholders”.  Minn. Stat. Ann. sec.                           
          302A.751(1)(b)(2).  Unfairly prejudicial conduct has also been              
          further defined as “conduct that frustrates the reasonable                  
          expectations of shareholders in their capacity as shareholders or           
          directors of a corporation that is not publicly held or as                  
          officers or employees of a closely held corporation.”  Berreman             
          v. W. Publg. Co., 615 N.W.2d 362, 374 (Minn. Ct. App. 2000).                
               Accordingly, it would appear that the rights of the                    
          Foundation under Minnesota law are intertwined with and could be            
          limited by the reasonable expectations of the minority                      
          shareholders.  Such expectations, in turn, would depend upon all            
          of the circumstances relating to the preparation and carrying out           
          of decedent’s estate plan, including the reasonableness of                  
          potential interpretations of the Redemption Agreement.  As the              
          record is largely devoid of evidence pertaining to relevant                 
          surrounding circumstances, we cannot now rule as a matter of law            
          that the Foundation did or did not have a right to recapitalize             
          SSE.                                                                        
                    B.  Equal Diminishment of Value                                   
               Petitioners further argue that, in the event we disagree               
          with their primary position, we should nevertheless grant summary           






Page:  Previous  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  Next

Last modified: May 25, 2011