The Delaware Supreme Court affirmed a Court of Chancery decision in a corporate dispute involving Fortiline Inc. and Patriot Supply Holdings Inc. against 18 individual defendants, concluding an appeal that had been pending since 2025.
The high court issued a brief order on Feb. 10, 2026, in *Fortiline, Inc. v. McCall* (Del. 2026), stating that "the judgment of the Court of Chancery should be affirmed on the basis of and for the reasons stated in its memorandum opinion dated June 27, 2025." The original Chancery Court decision was reported as *Fortiline, Inc. v. McCall*, 341 A.3d 1027 (Del. Ch. June 27, 2025).
The case, designated as Supreme Court No. 300, 2025, involved an appeal from Court of Chancery case No. 2024-0211. Fortiline Inc. and Patriot Supply Holdings Inc. served as plaintiffs below and appellants in the Supreme Court proceeding. The defendants included 18 individuals: Hayne McCall, Christopher Antos, Bruce Roberts, Jeffrey T. Jenkins, Sidney C. Peterson III, Clifford Spahn, James R. Cook Jr., Timothy L. VanEgmond, Alan Hibbard, David S. Horn, David T. McLean, David W. King, E. Todd O'Tuel, Gregory F. Weingart, Gregory McClelland Jr., Jason A. Weiser, John C. West, Lemuel Maza, and Sean P. Stilley.
The Delaware Supreme Court heard the case en banc, with all five justices participating. Chief Justice Seitz and Justices Valihura, Traynor, LeGrow, and Griffiths constituted the full court. Justice Gary F. Traynor signed the order on behalf of the court.
The Supreme Court's order was notably brief, containing no substantive legal analysis beyond the affirmation language. This type of summary affirmation suggests the high court found no reversible error in the Chancery Court's reasoning and concluded that the lower court's analysis was sufficient to resolve the legal issues presented.
The timeline of the case shows it moved relatively quickly through the Delaware court system. The original Chancery Court case was filed in 2024, with the lower court issuing its decision on June 27, 2025. The Supreme Court appeal was submitted on Jan. 28, 2026, and decided just 13 days later on Feb. 10, 2026.
Delaware's Court of Chancery is widely recognized as the nation's preeminent business court, handling complex corporate disputes involving Delaware-incorporated companies. The court's specialized expertise in corporate law matters makes it a frequent venue for high-stakes business litigation. Appeals from Chancery Court decisions to the Delaware Supreme Court are common, though many result in affirmations of the lower court's rulings.
The involvement of two corporate entities as plaintiffs against 18 individual defendants suggests this case likely involved corporate governance issues, fiduciary duty claims, or other business-related disputes. However, without access to the underlying Chancery Court opinion or case filings, the specific nature of the legal claims and the court's reasoning remain unclear from the Supreme Court's order alone.
The case name suggests Hayne McCall was the primary defendant, as courts typically list the first-named defendant in shortened case citations. The large number of individual defendants indicates this dispute may have involved multiple company officers, directors, or other business stakeholders.
Delaware Supreme Court summary affirmations are not uncommon in corporate cases where the Chancery Court's analysis is deemed thorough and legally sound. The high court's decision to affirm "on the basis of and for the reasons stated" in the lower court's opinion indicates the justices agreed with the Chancery Court's legal reasoning and factual findings.
The brief nature of the Supreme Court's order means the Chancery Court's June 27, 2025 memorandum opinion remains the primary source of legal analysis for this dispute. That opinion, published at 341 A.3d 1027, contains the substantive reasoning that both courts found dispositive of the legal issues.
For practitioners and parties involved in Delaware corporate litigation, this affirmation reinforces the Chancery Court's authority and expertise in resolving complex business disputes. The quick resolution at the Supreme Court level also demonstrates the efficiency of Delaware's appellate process for corporate cases.
The case concludes what appears to have been a multi-year dispute that began with the 2024 Chancery Court filing and ended with the February 2026 Supreme Court affirmation. The resolution provides finality for all parties involved in this corporate litigation.