Brief Fact Summary. Joseph Wilderman (D), president of a family-owned business paid himself large sums without acquiring consent from the company’s only other director, officer and shareholder, his wife, Eleanor (P).
Synopsis of Rule of Law. In the absence of consent from the other executives, an executive may only receive compensation within reasonable expectations of performance of function and duties.
This is so, of course, because of the fiduciary position which directors hold towards their corporation and its stockholders.
View Full Point of LawIssue. In the absence of consent from the other executives, may an executive receive compensation beyond the reasonable expectations of performance of function and duties?
Held. (Marvel, V. Chan.) No. In the absence of consent from the other executives, an executive may only receive compensation within reasonable expectations of performance of function and duties. Joseph’s (D) excessive compensation prior to 1971 may be rescinded. Excessive amounts after that year may be justified by the quantum meruit theory. On the basis of evidence presented, the compensation does not appear reasonable. An expert witness testified that $35,000 maximum annually would have been reasonable. In addition, the Internal Revenue Service allowed the company to deduct only $52,000 of the more than $92,000 Joseph (D) accumulated in 1971. Since Joseph (D) has not produced justification, it is appropriate that any excess over $4500 received in any of the years in question be returned. The corporate pension fund may be modified accordingly, and dividends may be declared on the demands of the directors, or in the event of deadlock, at the custodian’s discretion.
Discussion. Corporate executives usually have fixed salaries incorporated into their employment contract whether orally, or written. All persons who render services have a chance at recovery via the theory of quantum meruit. Rarely is it done by a corporate executive who would have to prove that their services were performed for the corporation but in addition to duties already required in the usual scope of their employment.