2016 Delaware Code
Title 8 - Corporations
CHAPTER 5. CORPORATION FRANCHISE TAX
§ 509. Further remedy in Court of Chancery; appointment of receiver or trustee; sale of property.

(a) After any corporation, now existing or hereafter incorporated under Chapter 1 of this title, has failed or neglected for the period of 1 year to pay the franchise taxes imposed by law, and the Secretary of State shall have reported such corporation to the Governor of the State, as provided in § 511 of this title, then the Attorney General of this State may proceed against the corporation in the Court of Chancery of this State for the appointment of a receiver, or otherwise.

(b) The Court of Chancery in the proceeding shall ascertain the amount of the taxes remaining due and unpaid by the corporation to this State, and shall enter a final decree for the amount so ascertained. Thereupon a fieri facias or other process shall issue for the collection of the same as other debts are collected. If no property which may be seized and sold on fieri facias shall be found within this State sufficient to pay the decree, the Court shall further order and decree that the corporation, within 10 days from and after the service of notice of the decree upon any officer of the corporation upon whom service of process may be lawfully made, or such notice as the Court shall direct, shall assign and transfer to the trustee or receiver appointed by the Court, any chose in action, or any patent or patents, or any assignments of or license under any patented invention or inventions owned by, leased or licensed to or controlled in whole or in part by the corporation, to be sold by the receiver or trustee for the satisfaction of the decree. No injunction theretofore issued nor any forfeiture of the charter of any corporation shall be held to exempt the corporation from compliance with the order of the Court.

(c) If the corporation neglects or refuses within 10 days from and after the service of the notice of the decree to assign and transfer the same to the receiver or trustee for sale as aforesaid, the Court shall appoint a trustee to make the assignment of the same, in the name and on behalf of the corporation, to the receiver or trustee appointed to make the sale. The receiver or trustee shall thereupon, after such notice and in such manner as required for the sale under fieri facias of personal property, sell the same to the highest bidder. The receiver or trustee, upon the payment of the purchase money, shall execute and deliver to the purchaser an assignment and transfer of all the patents and interests of the corporation so sold, which assignment or transfer shall vest in the purchaser a valid title to all right, title and interest whatsoever of the corporation therein, and the proceeds of the sale shall be applied to the payment of the unpaid taxes, together with the costs of the proceedings.

21 Del. Laws, c. 166, § 14; 22 Del. Laws, c. 15, § 14; Code 1915, § 115; 36 Del. Laws, c. 6, § 7; Code 1935, § 102; 8 Del. C. 1953, § 509; 55 Del. Laws, c. 90, § 1; 57 Del. Laws, c. 712, § 2.;