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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Apr. 25, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies
6. Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation

On March 26, 2015, the Plaintiffs in the Abutter Matter filed the Complaint in the Land Court Department of the Trial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts against the Company and Charles McAnsin Associates, A Limited Partnership. The Complaint asserts that pursuant to a Reciprocal Easement Agreement, dated as of November 23, 1998 (the “Easement Agreement”), by and between predecessors-in-title of the Plaintiffs and the Company as owners of certain real property (including, in the case of the Company and its predecessor-in-title, several lots constituting the Tyngsborough Land), the parties thereto agreed to give each other easements for vehicular access over a certain road. The Complaint further asserts that by an amendment to the Easement Agreement, dated as of October 30, 2000, the parties removed all but one lot owned by the Company’s predecessor-in-title from within the purview of the Easement Agreement, and that consequently the Company has the right to the use of only a portion of the road and with respect to the single lot only.

The Complaint states a claim to quiet title, and seeks relief in the form of: (1) a declaration that the Company has the right as appurtenant to the single lot to use the road for access to that lot; (2) a declaration that the Company has no appurtenant right to use the disputed section of the road for any purpose; (3) a declaration that the Company’s only right to use the disputed section of the road is the right appurtenant to the single lot; (4) a declaration that a development proposed on the Tyngsborough Land would not have access over the disputed section of the road; and (5) an award of the Plaintiffs’ costs. On April 16, 2015, the Company filed a special motion to dismiss the Complaint. On May 8, 2015, the Land Court Department of the Trial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts heard oral argument on the motion to dismiss and, after argument, took the matter under advisement. No decision has been rendered in the matter.

Guarantees

The Company’s guarantees requiring disclosure consist of its indemnification obligations for officers and directors and for other claims.

Prior to the Asset Sale and the Dissolution, in the normal course of business, the Company agreed to indemnify other parties, including customers, lessors and parties to other transactions with the Company with respect to certain matters. Historically, payments made by the Company under these agreements had not had a material impact on the Company’s operating results or financial position. Furthermore, most of these obligations were assumed by Buyer in connection with the Asset Sale. Accordingly, the Company has not recorded a liability for these agreements as of April 25, 2015 or July 31, 2014, as the Company believes the exposure for any related payments is not material.

 

We entered into our standard form of indemnification agreement with each of our current and former directors and executive officers, which is in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended. The Plan of Dissolution also provides that we continue to indemnify such directors and executive officers in accordance with such agreements and our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended. The indemnification agreements, among other things, provide for indemnification of such directors and executive officers for a number of expenses, including attorneys’ fees and other related expenses, as well as certain judgments, fines, penalties and settlement amounts incurred by any such person in any action, suit or proceeding, including any action by or in the right of the Company, arising out of such person’s service as a director or executive officer of the Company or any other company or enterprise to which the person provided services at our request. The Company did not incur any expense under these arrangements during the first nine months of fiscal 2015 or fiscal 2014. Due to the Company’s inability to estimate liabilities in connection with these agreements, if and when they might be incurred, the Company has not recorded any liability for these agreements as of April 25, 2015 or July 31, 2014. During the Dissolution period, we intend to continue to indemnify each of our current and former directors and executive officers to the extent permitted under Delaware law, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, and the indemnification agreements. The Company has also continued to maintain directors’ and officers’ insurance coverage since the filing of the Certificate of Dissolution, and intends to maintain such coverage through the end of the Dissolution period.

Other Matters

The Company’s 401(k) plan is currently the subject of a scheduled investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor. The Company has been cooperating with, and is in the process of providing the information requested by, the U.S. Department of Labor.