There were ten new cases designated to the Business Court during October 2009. They include two lawsuits against former officers and directors of Wachovia regarding the collapse of Wachovia (Browne and Harris).

Abraham v. Jauregui (Onslow)(Jolly): fraud claims by 77 plaintiffs involving coastal real estate developments.

Blackburn v. L.E. Wooten & Company (Wake)(Jolly): claims regarding alleged breach of shareholders agreement, failure to pay dividends, frustration of reasonable expectations. The claims are similar to those made in the Kwong case, below.

Browne v. Thompson (Forsyth)(Jolly): claims by holders of Wachovia stock against certain officers and directors of the bank, as well as its auditors, for securities fraud and accounting misstatements relating to the collapse of Wachovia.

Building Union Investment And Local Development Fund Of America Trust v. Bromont Investments, Inc. (Mecklenburg)(Diaz): claims arising from foreclosure of defendants’ membership and management interests in an LLC, and defendants’ alleged refusal to turn over the assets, books, and records of the LLCs involved.

Danius v. India Abroad Publications, Inc. (Mecklenburg)(Diaz): defamation lawsuit against internet news organizations based in India, who allegedly reported without basis that one of the plaintiffs had abused his wife in a dispute over her dowry, and that he had attempted to murder her.

Franklin County Board of Education v. North Carolina Department of Revenue (Wake)(Tennille): petition for judicial review of a final agency decision in a contested tax case. The issue is whether the County Board of Education is entitled to a refund of sales and use paid in connection with construction projects when the actual payment was not made directly by it, but instead by Franklin County. The Administrative Law Judge denied the Board’s refund request, ruling that the Board "cannot claim refunds of taxes which it did not pay."

Harris v. Wachovia (Mecklenburg)(Jolly): claim by Wachovia shareholder that Wachovia and its officers and directors  made incorrect statements of material fact and failed to disclose material information in connection with Wachovia’s acquisition of Golden West Financial Corporation and concerning Wachovia’s financial condition and prospects thereafter.

KLATMW, Inc. v. Electric Systems Protection, Inc. (Wake)(Tennille): allegations of breaches of asset purchase agreement, and dispute between buyer and seller regarding indemnification rights and right to escrowed funds.

Kwong v. L.E. Wooten and Co. (Wake)(Jolly): claims regarding alleged breach of shareholders agreement, failure to pay dividends, frustration of reasonable expectations. The claims are similar to those made in the Blackburn case, above.

McKee v. James (Robeson)(Diaz): minority shareholder lawsuit against persons who allegedly obtained a majority interest in the corporation based on fraudulent misrepresentations. The complaint seeks damages and dissolution of the corporation which manufactures "McKee Craft" boats, which the Complaint says are "unsinkable." That’s what everyone thought about Wachovia, too.