Case Citation
Legal Case Name

BANGOR PUNTA OPERATIONS, INC. v. BANGOR & A. R. CO. Case Brief

Supreme Court of United States1974
417 U.S. 703 94 S.Ct. 2578 41 L.Ed.2d 418 Corporations Civil Procedure Securities Regulation

Why Top Law Students (And Those Aspiring to Be) Use LSD+ Briefs

Let's be real, law school is a marathon. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full case system is designed by Harvard Law School and MIT grads to match your pace: Quick summaries when you're slammed, detailed analysis when you need to go deep. Only LSD+ offers this kind of flexibility to genuinely fit your study flow.

Adaptive Case Views

Toggle between Flash, Standard, and Expanded. Get what you need, when you need it.

Exam-Ready IRAC Format

We deliver the precise structure professors look for in exam answers.

Complex Cases, Clarified

We break down dense legal reasoning into something digestible, helping you grasp core concepts.

Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis

General Brief
3 min read

tl;dr: A corporation’s new owner tried to sue the former owner for past mismanagement. The Court blocked the suit, reasoning that any recovery would be an unjust windfall to the new owner, who bought the company’s devalued shares at a fair price.

Legal Significance: Establishes that a corporation cannot sue a former controlling shareholder for past mismanagement if the current controlling shareholder acquired their shares from the alleged wrongdoer, as this would constitute an inequitable windfall recovery. This is often called the Bangor Punta or Home Fire rule.

BANGOR PUNTA OPERATIONS, INC. v. BANGOR & A. R. CO. Law School Study Guide

Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.

Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Bangor Punta Operations, Inc. (“Bangor Punta”) owned 98.3% of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad Co. (“BAR”). During its control, Bangor Punta allegedly engaged in numerous acts of corporate waste and mismanagement that harmed BAR. Subsequently, Bangor Punta sold its entire stake in BAR to Amoskeag Co. for $5 million. Amoskeag, now owning over 99% of BAR, caused BAR to file a lawsuit against Bangor Punta seeking $7 million in damages for the prior misconduct. Amoskeag did not allege that it was defrauded in the purchase of the BAR stock or that the price it paid did not reflect the corporation’s value at the time of the sale, which would have been diminished by the alleged prior mismanagement. The suit was brought directly by the corporation, BAR, not as a shareholder derivative action.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: May a corporation, under the control of a new majority shareholder, recover damages from its former majority shareholder for alleged past mismanagement, when the new shareholder purchased its shares from the former shareholder after the alleged wrongs occurred?

No. The corporation is equitably barred from maintaining the action. A recovery Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis a

Master Every Case Faster

Unlock premium legal analysis that helps you quickly understand complex cases, designed by Harvard Law and MIT graduates. It's about working smarter, not just harder.

Start 14-Day Free Trial

Thousands of students are already saving time and gaining clarity. Why not you?

IRAC Legal Analysis

Premium Feature Unlock

Complete IRAC Analysis for Higher Grades

IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the exact format professors want to see in your exam answers. Our exclusive Flash-to-Full briefs combine holding, analysis, and rule statements formatted to match what A+ students produce in exams. These structured briefs help reinforce the essential legal reasoning patterns expected in law school.

Legal Issue

May a corporation, under the control of a new majority shareholder, recover damages from its former majority shareholder for alleged past mismanagement, when the new shareholder purchased its shares from the former shareholder after the alleged wrongs occurred?

Conclusion

This case solidifies the equitable defense against corporate actions where recovery would Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi u

Legal Rule

A shareholder may not complain of acts of corporate mismanagement if they Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in cul

Legal Analysis

The Court's analysis centered on the equitable principle articulated in *Home Fire Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occ

Flash-to-Full Case Opinions

Flash Summary

  • A shareholder who buys stock from an alleged wrongdoer cannot then
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in volu

Master Every Case Faster

Unlock premium legal analysis that helps you quickly understand complex cases, designed by Harvard Law and MIT graduates. It's about working smarter, not just harder.

Start 14-Day Free Trial

Thousands of students are already saving time and gaining clarity. Why not you?

The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom.

✨ Enjoy an ad-free experience with LSD+