Delaware Code

8 Del. C. § 174 (2026)

Liability of directors for unlawful payment of dividend or unlawful stock purchase or redemption; exoneration from liability; contribution among directors; subrogation

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) In case of any wilful or negligent violation of § 160 or § 173 of this title, the directors under whose administration the same may happen shall be jointly and severally liable, at any time within 6 years after paying such unlawful dividend or after such unlawful stock purchase or redemption, to the corporation, and to its creditors in the event of its dissolution or insolvency, to the full amount of the dividend unlawfully paid, or to the full amount unlawfully paid for the purchase or redemption of the corporation’s stock, with interest from the time such liability accrued. Any director who may have been absent when the same was done, or who may have dissented from the act or resolution by which the same was done, may be exonerated from such liability by causing his or her dissent to be entered on the books containing the minutes of the proceedings of the directors at the time the same was done, or immediately after such director has notice of the same.

(b) Any director against whom a claim is successfully asserted under this section shall be entitled to contribution from the other directors who voted for or concurred in the unlawful dividend, stock purchase or stock redemption.

(c) Any director against whom a claim is successfully asserted under this section shall be entitled, to the extent of the amount paid by such director as a result of such claim, to be subrogated to the rights of the corporation against stockholders who received the dividend on, or assets for the sale or redemption of, their stock with knowledge of facts indicating that such dividend, stock purchase or redemption was unlawful under this chapter, in proportion to the amounts received by such stockholders respectively.

8 Del. C. 1953, §  174;  56 Del. Laws, c. 5059 Del. Laws, c. 106, §  671 Del. Laws, c. 339, §§  26, 27

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 23 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1994–2026 · leading case: Off. Comm. of Unsecured Creditors of Nat'l Forge Co. v. Clark (In Re Nat'l Forge Co.), 344 B.R. 340 (W.D. Pa. 2006).
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Off. Comm. of Unsecured Creditors of Nat'l Forge Co. v. Clark (In Re Nat'l Forge Co.), 344 B.R. 340 (W.D. Pa. 2006). · cites it 3× “Defendants further note that, under 8 Del. C. § 174, liability for violations of §§ 160 or 173 runs only to corporate directors, as opposed to officers.”
Off. Comm. of Unsecured Creditors of Buckhead Am. Corp. v. Reliance Capital Grp., Inc. (In Re Buckhead Am. Corp.), 178 B.R. 956 (D. Del. 1994). · cites it 2× “More recently, the Supreme Court of Delaware addressed the modern statutes governing unlawful dividend payments and stock repurchases: The statute here in question, 8 Del.C. § 174, provides in essence that directors who are guilty of “wilful or negligent violation” of the…”
PHP Liquidating, LLC v. Robbins (In Re PHP Healthcare Corp.), 128 F. App'x 839 (3rd Cir. 2005). “8 Del. C. § 174(c) (emphasis added). On its face, this text does not “provide that anyone, apart from the director, can assert the rights of the corporation.”
Pereira v. Cogan, 294 B.R. 449 (S.D.N.Y. 2003). “8 Del. C. § 174(a); see also EBS Litig., 304 F.”
ProtoComm Corp. v. Novell Advanced Servs., Inc., 171 F. Supp. 2d 459 (E.D. Pa. 2001). · cites it 2× “Wrongful Dividend Claim Plaintiffs bring the wrongful dividend claim under 8 Del. C. § 174, which holds directors, but not shareholders, liable for wilfully or negligently paying dividends in violation of the general corporate law chapter of the Delaware Code.”
Dye v. Commc'ns Ventures III, LP (In re Flashcom, Inc.), 503 B.R. 99 (Bankr. C.D. Cal. 2013). · cites it 2× “The Trustee also contends that appellees were liable under 8 Del. C. § 174. This section, however, is merely a liability provision holding directors jointly and severally liable for a violation of § 160 or § 173 of the Delaware Code.”
Amp'd Mobile, Inc. v. Adderton (In Re Amp'd Mobile, Inc.), 404 B.R. 118 (Bankr. D. Del. 2009). · cites it 6× “Adderton contended that, under 8 Del. C. § 174, he *121 would be entitled to contribution from these directors if Amp’d is ultimately successful in asserting the Delaware Corporate Law Claim against him.”
In re Cendant Corp. Derivative Action Litig., 189 F.R.D. 117 (D.N.J. 1999). “8 Del. C. § 174. Article 11 of Cendant’s certificate of incorporation contains such a limitation of liability and mirrors the language of § 102(b)(7): No director of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach…”
Weinman v. Fid. Capital Appreciation Fund (In Re Integra Realty Resources, Inc.), 198 B.R. 352 (Bankr.D. Colo. 1996). “8 The Trust relies upon 8 Del. C.Ann. § 174(e) and the case of In re Kettle Fried Chicken of America, Inc.”
Decker v. Mitchell (In Re JTS Corp.), 305 B.R. 529 (Bankr. N.D. Cal. 2003). “The director defendants may be required to return any consideration paid for such a purchase pursuant to 8 Del. C. § 174. Additionally, where a stockholder has not paid for stock in full and the assets of the corporation are insufficient to satisfy the claims of the…”
Docutronics, Inc. v. Reitman, 509 S.E.2d 348 (Ga. Ct. App. 1998). · cites it 3× “” 8 Del. C. § 174 (a) (1997), governing among other things unlawful stock purchase or redemption, provides that in case of a wilful or negligent violation of § 160 “the directors under whose administration the same may happen shall be jointly and severally liable .”
Moore ex rel. CD Liquidation Trust v. Paladini (In re CD Liquidation Co., LLC), 462 B.R. 124 (Bankr. D. Del. 2011). “”); 8 Del. C. § 174(b) (“Any director against whom a claim is successfully asserted under this section shall be entitled to contribution from the other directors who voted for or concurred in the unlawful dividend, stock purchase or stock redemption.”
Show all 23 citing cases →
— 8 Del. C. § 174(a) — 9 cases
Off. Comm. of Unsecured Creditors of Nat'l Forge Co. v. Clark (In Re Nat'l Forge Co.), 344 B.R. 340 (W.D. Pa. 2006). “Defendants further note that, under 8 Del. C. § 174, liability for violations of §§ 160 or 173 runs only to corporate directors, as opposed to officers.”
Pereira v. Cogan, 294 B.R. 449 (S.D.N.Y. 2003). “8 Del. C. § 174(a); see also EBS Litig., 304 F.”
Amp'd Mobile, Inc. v. Adderton (In Re Amp'd Mobile, Inc.), 404 B.R. 118 (Bankr. D. Del. 2009). “Adderton contended that, under 8 Del. C. § 174, he *121 would be entitled to contribution from these directors if Amp’d is ultimately successful in asserting the Delaware Corporate Law Claim against him.”
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Claudio Ballard (Del. Ch. 2019).
Keith A. Fotta (Del. Ch. 2016).
— 8 Del. C. § 174(b) — 2 cases
Moore ex rel. CD Liquidation Trust v. Paladini (In re CD Liquidation Co., LLC), 462 B.R. 124 (Bankr. D. Del. 2011). “”); 8 Del. C. § 174(b) (“Any director against whom a claim is successfully asserted under this section shall be entitled to contribution from the other directors who voted for or concurred in the unlawful dividend, stock purchase or stock redemption.”
Amp'd Mobile, Inc. v. Adderton (In Re Amp'd Mobile, Inc.), 404 B.R. 118 (Bankr. D. Del. 2009). “Adderton contended that, under 8 Del. C. § 174, he *121 would be entitled to contribution from these directors if Amp’d is ultimately successful in asserting the Delaware Corporate Law Claim against him.”
— 8 Del. C. § 174(c) — 3 cases
PHP Liquidating, LLC v. Robbins (In Re PHP Healthcare Corp.), 128 F. App'x 839 (3rd Cir. 2005). “8 Del. C. § 174(c) (emphasis added). On its face, this text does not “provide that anyone, apart from the director, can assert the rights of the corporation.”
Off. Comm. of Unsecured Creditors of Nat'l Forge Co. v. Clark (In Re Nat'l Forge Co.), 344 B.R. 340 (W.D. Pa. 2006). “Defendants further note that, under 8 Del. C. § 174, liability for violations of §§ 160 or 173 runs only to corporate directors, as opposed to officers.”
Amp'd Mobile, Inc. v. Adderton (In Re Amp'd Mobile, Inc.), 404 B.R. 118 (Bankr. D. Del. 2009). “Adderton contended that, under 8 Del. C. § 174, he *121 would be entitled to contribution from these directors if Amp’d is ultimately successful in asserting the Delaware Corporate Law Claim against him.”
— 8 Del. C. § 174(e) — 1 case
Weinman v. Fid. Capital Appreciation Fund (In Re Integra Realty Resources, Inc.), 198 B.R. 352 (Bankr.D. Colo. 1996). “8 The Trust relies upon 8 Del. C.Ann. § 174(e) and the case of In re Kettle Fried Chicken of America, Inc.”
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