Innes v. Diablo Controls, Inc.

Shareholders of Diablo Controls submitted a written demand to inspect Diablo’s accounting books and records; the minutes of proceedings of shareholders, the board, and committees of the board; and certain other records. The demand requested the inspection take place at Diablo’s California office. The requested records were located in a Diablo office in Illinois. Diablo shipped records to California and made them available for inspection at its counsel’s California office. The shareholder found those records to be incomplete and sought a writ of mandate, claiming violation of Corporations Code section 1601. After the petition was filed, Diablo mailed the shareholders copies of additional records and made other records available for inspection at its counsel’s California office. The shareholders claimed the records were still incomplete. Diablo argued that section 1601 only obligated it to make the records available for inspection at its Illinois office. The trial court agreed and dismissed the action. The court of appeal affirmed; section 1601 requires that the records be made available for inspection at the office where such records are kept, even if the office is out of state. View "Innes v. Diablo Controls, Inc." on Justia Law