Opinion ID: 4561954
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Delaware Supreme Court proceedings

Text: The partnership appealed to us. Recognizing the important role that Delaware partnership law plays here, we certified three questions to the Delaware Supreme Court. The Delaware Supreme Court accepted the certification and assisted us by answering them. First, it agreed with the District Court that Old JKJ and New JKJ were distinct partnerships. United States ex rel. JKJ P’ship 2011 LLP v. Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC, 226 A.3d 1117, 1123 (Del. 2020) (In re Plavix II). Second, it could not answer whether Old JKJ survived long enough to file the complaint now before us. Id. at 1133. But it noted that the second amended complaint named the three partners as Stahl, Evans, and Gurbel, so that complaint must have been filed by New JKJ. Id. Third, it explained that Old JKJ could not keep prosecuting the litigation as part of the winding-up process. Id. at 1135–36. It did not see how liquidation could be “[ ]consistent with continuing with carrying on the business for which the 6 Partnership was established.” Id. at 1135. With these state-law issues addressed, the case is before us again.