UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
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Item 8.01 | Other Events |
On November 16, 2020, Gerald Lovoi (“Plaintiff”) filed a Verified Class Action Complaint (the “Complaint”) in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (the “Court”) against ViacomCBS Inc. (the “Company”) and the members of its Board of Directors (the “Board”) captioned Gerald Lovoi v. ViacomCBS Inc., et al., C.A. No. 2020-0987-SG (the “Action”). In the Action, Plaintiff alleged that a provision of the Company’s bylaws “provide[d] the Company’s directors with the authority to remove other directors, contrary to Delaware law” (the “Removal Provision”). Plaintiff sought a declaratory judgment that the Removal Provision was invalid and sought attorneys’ fees and expenses if the claim was successful.
Although the Removal Provision had never been used to remove directors, and was expressly subject to Delaware law, which would prevent its application to remove directors, to avoid the expense and distraction of litigation, the Company amended and restated its bylaws to eliminate the Removal Provision, rendering the Action moot. Plaintiff agreed that his claim was moot and filed a notice and proposed order to dismiss his claim.
On March 2, 2021, the Court entered a notice and order providing that the Action would be dismissed with prejudice as to Plaintiff (the “Dismissal Order”). On July 26, 2021, Plaintiff and the Company entered into an agreement under which the Company agreed to pay $120,000 in fees and expenses to Plaintiff’s counsel (the “Mootness Fee”). On August 16, 2021, the Court entered a stipulation and order regarding the Mootness Fee (the “Mootness Fee Order” and together with the Dismissal Order, the “Orders”). The Court has not expressed an opinion on the amount of the Mootness Fee. The foregoing description of the Orders is qualified in its entirety by the full text of the Orders, which are attached as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2 hereto.
Plaintiff’s Counsel are Brian P. Murray of Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP, (212) 682-5340, Werner R. Kranenburg of Kranenburg, +44-20-3174-0365, and Blake A. Bennett of Cooch and Taylor, P.A., (302) 984-3800, and the Company’s counsel are Jon E. Abramczyk and Alexandra M. Cumings of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP, (302) 658-9200.
Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits.
Exhibit |
Description of Exhibit | |
99.1 | Dismissal Order. | |
99.2 | Mootness Fee Order. | |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). |
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
VIACOMCBS INC. | ||||
By: | /s/ Christa A. D’Alimonte | |||
Name: |
Christa A. D’Alimonte | |||
Title: |
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary |
Date: August 20, 2021
Exhibit 99.1
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GRANTED | |||||
IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE | ||||||
GERALD LOVOI, |
) | |||
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Plaintiff, |
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) | ||||
v. |
) | |||
) | ||||
VIACOMCBS INC., SHARI E. |
) | |||
REDSTONE, ROBERT M. BAKISH, |
) | |||
CANDACE K. BEINECKE, BARBARA M. |
) | C.A. No. 2020-0987-SG | ||
BYRNE, BRIAN GOLDNER, LINDA M. |
) | |||
GRIEGO, ROBERT N. KLIEGER, JUDITH |
) | |||
A. MCHALE, RONALD L. NELSON, |
) | |||
CHARLES E. PHILLIPS, JR., SUSAN |
) | |||
SCHUMAN, NICOLE SELIGMAN, AND |
) | |||
FREDERICK O. TERRELL, |
) | |||
) | ||||
Defendants. |
) |
NOTICE AND [PROPOSED] ORDER VOLUNTARILY DISMISSING THE
ACTION AS MOOT AND RETAINING JURISDICTION TO DETERMINE
PLAINTIFFS COUNSELS APPLICATION FOR AN AWARD OF
ATTORNEYS FEES & REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that pursuant to Delaware Court of Chancery Rules 41(a), 23(e), and 23.1(c), Plaintiff Gerald Lovoi (Plaintiff) hereby voluntarily dismisses without prejudice all claims as set forth in the above action (the Action), including the claims set forth in Plaintiffs Verified Class Action Complaint, subject to approval of the Court. No compensation in any form has passed directly or indirectly from any of the defendants in the Action to Plaintiff or Plaintiffs attorneys in this Action, and no promise to give any such compensation
has been made. Plaintiff requests that the Court retain jurisdiction of this Action solely for the purpose of adjudicating Plaintiffs counsels anticipated application for an award of attorneys fees and reimbursement of expenses (the Fee and Expense Application) in connection with mooted claims asserted by Plaintiff in the Action.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:
1. The Action is dismissed, and all claims asserted therein are dismissed without prejudice as to Plaintiff and without prejudice as to any actual or potential claims of any other members of the putative class.
2. Because no compensation in any form has passed directly or indirectly to Plaintiff or his attorneys in this Action and no promise to give any such compensation has been made, pursuant to Court of Chancery Rules 23(e) and 23.1(c), class and stockholder notice of this dismissal is not required.
3. The Court retains jurisdiction of this Action solely for the purpose of adjudicating the Fee and Expense Application in connection with mooted claims asserted by Plaintiff in the Action.
4. Plaintiffs counsel will seek to meet and confer with Defendants counsel, and to present the Court with a schedule for briefing on Plaintiffs Fee and Expense Application or inform the Court of any agreement otherwise.
5. This Order is entered without prejudice to any position, claim or defense any party may assert with respect to the Fee and Expense Application or any matter related thereto.
COOCH AND TAYLOR, P.A. |
/s/ Blake A. Bennett |
Blake A. Bennett (#5133) |
The Nemours Building 1007 N. Orange Street, Suite 1120 |
(302) 984-3800 |
Counsel for Plaintiff |
Dated: February 26, 2021
APPROVED AND SO ORDERED this day of , 2021.
|
Vice Chancellor Sam Glasscock |
This document constitutes a ruling of the court and should be treated as such. | ||
Court: | DE Court of Chancery Civil Action | |
Judge: | Sam Glasscock | |
File & Serve | ||
Transaction ID: | 66373095 | |
Current Date: | Mar 02, 2021 | |
Case Number: | 2020-0987-SG | |
/s/ Judge Sam Glasscock |
Exhibit 99.2
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GRANTED |
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IN THE COURT OF CHANCERY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE | ||||||
GERALD LOVOI, |
) | |||
) | ||||
Plaintiff, |
) | |||
) | ||||
v. |
) | |||
) | ||||
VIACOMCBS INC., SHARI E. |
) | C.A. No. 2020-0987-SG | ||
REDSTONE, ROBERT M. BAKISH, |
) | |||
CANDACE K. BEINECKE, BARBARA M. |
) | |||
BYRNE, BRIAN GOLDNER, LINDA M. |
) | |||
GRIEGO, ROBERT N. KLIEGER, JUDITH |
) | |||
A. MCHALE, RONALD L. NELSON, |
) | |||
CHARLES E. PHILLIPS, JR., SUSAN |
) | |||
SCHUMAN, NICOLE SELIGMAN, AND |
) | |||
FREDERICK O. TERRELL, |
) | |||
) | ||||
Defendants. |
) |
STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER
WHEREAS, on November 16, 2020 Plaintiff filed the Verified Class Action Complaint (the Complaint) against ViacomCBS Inc. (the Company) and members of its board of directors, alleging that a provision of the Companys bylaws provide[d] the Companys directors with the authority to remove other directors, contrary to Delaware law. (the Action);
WHEREAS, on February 22, 2021, the Companys board of directors approved an amendment to the bylaws, which mooted this Action;
WHEREAS, on March 2, 2021, the Court granted the Plaintiffs proposed order dismissing the Action and retained jurisdiction solely for the purpose of considering an application by Plaintiffs counsel for an award of a mootness fee if the parties were unable to reach agreement on a mootness fee (Dkt. 15);
WHEREAS, the Parties negotiated at arms length and resolved Plaintiffs claim to entitlement to a mootness fee, with the Company agreeing, in the exercise of business judgment, to pay $120,000 for any and all attorneys fees and expenses (Attorneys Fee) to Plaintiffs counsel, Cooch & Taylor, P.A.; Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP; and Werner Kranenburg (collectively, Plaintiffs Counsel);
WHEREAS, the parties have conferred and agreed to a draft proposed Form 8-K notice, attached hereto as Exhibit A;
WHEREAS, Plaintiffs Counsel, subject to the entry of this Stipulation and Order (Order) and payment of the Attorneys Fee, agree not to seek any fees or expenses in addition to the Attorneys Fee on behalf of any person; and
WHEREAS, the Court has not passed on the amount of the fee;
IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED, pursuant to Rules 23(e) and 41(a) of the Rules of the Court of Chancery, subject to the approval of the Court, that:
1. Following the entry of this Order, the Company shall file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a Form 8-K in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit A informing the Companys stockholders of the Action, its allegations, its resolution, and the fact and amount of agreement on a mootness fee (the Notice).
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2. No later than ten (10) calendar days after the Notice is filed with the SEC, the Company shall file with the Court an affidavit that the Notice has been made (the Affidavit) in accordance with paragraph 1 above.
3. Upon the filing of the Affidavit:
A. The Register in Chancery is directed to close the Action on the docket; and
B. The Court will no longer retain any jurisdiction over the Action.
COOCH AND TAYLOR, P.A. | MORRIS, NICHOLS, ARSHT & TUNNELL LLP | |||
/s/ Blake A. Bennett |
/s/ Jon E. Abramczyk | |||
Blake A. Bennett (#5133) | Jon E. Abramczyk (#2432) | |||
The Nemours Building | Alexandra M. Cumings (#6146) | |||
1007 N. Orange St., Suite 1120 | 1201 N. Market Street | |||
Wilmington, DE 19801 | Wilmington, DE 19801 | |||
(302) 984-3800 | (302) 658-9200 | |||
Attorneys for Plaintiff |
Attorneys for Defendants |
IT IS SO ORDERED this day of , 2021.
|
Vice Chancellor Sam Glasscock III |
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This document constitutes a ruling of the court and should be treated as such. | ||
Court: | DE Court of Chancery Civil Action | |
Judge: | Sam Glasscock | |
File & Serve | ||
Transaction ID: | 66842150 | |
Current Date: | Aug 16, 2021 | |
Case Number: | 2020-0987-SG | |
/s/ Judge Sam Glasscock |