Minority sharehoders did not have a "reasonable expectation" of continued employment after serious issues arose between them and the majority which rendered them unable to work together.

Those same shareholders did have enforceable reasonable expectations that their stock ownership interest would not be diluted, however, and the Court invalidated steps taken by the majority to improperly issue themselves more shares in the company.  

The Court held that the Defendants had been engaged in self-dealing through the transactions which diluted the ownership interest of the Plaintiffs.  It rejected the argument that the Defendants were entitled to the protection of N.C. Gen. Stat. §55-8-31(a), which allows for conflict of interest transactions under certain defined circumstances.

Given the receipt by the directors of a personal financial benefit from the transaction, the Court held that the directors were not entitled to the benefit of the Business Judgment Rule.  And in light of the self-dealing nature of the transaction, the burden of proof fell on the Defendant to prove that the transactions were fair, just, and reasonable. They were unable to carry that burden.

The Court ordered the dissolution of the Company, subject to the right of the Company to purchase the Plaintiffs’ shares at fair value.

Full Opinion