Hutton v West Cork Rly Co: CA 1883

Even though a company’s directors may act in good faith for a purpose which is ostensibly within their powers, the court may intervene in exceptional circumstances: ‘Bona fides cannot be the sole test, otherwise you might have a lunatic conducting the affairs of the company, and paying away its money with both hands in a manner perfectly bona fide yet perfectly irrational.’

Judges:

Bowen LJ

Citations:

(1883) 23 ChD 654

Jurisdiction:

England and Wales

Cited by:

CitedUltraframe (UK) Ltd v Fielding and others ChD 27-Jul-2005
The parties had engaged in a bitter 95 day trial in which allegations of forgery, theft, false accounting, blackmail and arson. A company owning patents and other rights had become insolvent, and the real concern was the destination and ownership of . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.

Company

Updated: 11 June 2022; Ref: scu.230277