Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware announced a new platform aimed at Delaware Chancery Court practices.
“Delaware has dropped 10 spots to number 11 according to the Chamber of Commerce in its judicial rankings,” said Citizens for Pro-Business Delaware Campaign Manager Chris Coffey. “There is no accountability, no transparency and no electronic media allowed in the courts. Whereas courts all over the country and the federal government use randomized wheel spin to pick judges on a case, Delaware has no process, which begs questions of fairness. Delaware requires no financial disclosures for judges, nor does it have an ethics arm to investigate corruption. They have become more arrogant, not less. We will spend what it takes, likely seven figures, and lead a grassroots and paid media effort to bring the Chancery Court into 2019. Our common-sense platform deserves discussion. It’s time to end the old boys clubhouse culture and allow the sunshine into the First State.”
The platform calls for:
- Establishing an independent Office of Inspector General with a degree of jurisdiction over the Chancery Court.
- Ensuring that appointed members of courts can’t serve on the Court of Judiciary, which has the power of judicial review
- Ensuring that if a chancellor appoints a custodian or a receiver to any firm, corporation, or officer of the court for whom they were previously employed or shared business interests with, this conflict must be disclosed and consented to by both parties.
- Requiring that any custodian or receiver appointed by the Delaware Chancery Court itemize and make public a complete list of costs incurred because of acting in that capacity.
- Allowing a camera in the Chancery Court.
Requiring ‘wheel spin’ in the Chancery Court so that Chancery Court chancellors cannot select cases based on their own self-interest - Requiring financial disclosure by Delaware’s judges so the public can see the income they receive outside their judicial salaries, including investments, business and charitable affiliations and gifts.
The press conference included 100 TransPerfect Employees.
Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware is a group of more than 2,700 members including employees of the global translation services company TransPerfect, as well as Delaware residents, and business executives.
Following a lengthy case in Chancery Court over deadlocked ownership, co-founder Phil Shawe was able to buy out the 50 percent share of the company of Liz Elting, the other co-founder
The group has gone on to target practices of Chancery Court.
