This Week in Chancery Court: Tesla’s Lawyer Fees Appeal, Masimo

Lawyers for Tesla Inc. and its board of directors, including CEO Elon Musk, return yet again to the Delaware Supreme Court this week.

This time they’re asking the high court to overturn $176 million in legal fees the Delaware Chancery Court awarded to shareholder attorneys who challenged four years of pay for the electric vehicle-maker’s board.

Here’s a look at the calendars for both courts this week:

Wednesday: In re Tesla, Inc. Dir. Comp. S’holder Litig., Del., No. 53,2025, oral arguments 10/29/25.

At issue: The board compensation lawsuit targeted the pay from 2017 to 2020 for Tesla directors including Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison, Musk’s brother Kimbal, and a son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch. The attorney fee award came in a settlement where the board will return stock and options valued up to $735 million and forgo three years of pay allegedly worth $184 million. The legal fees would go to the firms that led the litigation: McCarter & English LLP, Fields Kupka & Shukurov LLP, and Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP.

Court action: The Delaware Supreme Court hears arguments in Dover, Del.

Tesla Appeals $176 Million Legal Payout in Board Comp Case (1)

Wednesday: Cleveland Bakers and Teamsters Pension Fund v. Bezos, Del., No. 127, 2025, oral arguments 10/29/25.

At issue: A pension fund wants to revive its lawsuit claiming that Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos contributed to delays in its space satellite project by relying on his own rocket startup, Blue Origin LLC, instead of Musk’s SpaceX. The Delaware Chancery Court dismissed the case, finding Amazon’s board was free from conflicts of interest when it made the decision to go with Blue Origin.

Court action: The Delaware Supreme Court hears arguments in Dover, Del.

Bezos-Musk Space Rivalry Dispute Goes to Delaware Supreme Court

Thursday: Masimo Corp. v. Kiani, Del. Ch., No. 2024-1086, hearing 10/30/25.

At issue: Ousted Masimo Corp. founder Joe Kiani seeks to disqualify Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP from representing the medical equipment company in a pending Chancery Court lawsuit against him. The firm also represented Kiani in previous litigation involving Politan Capital Management. Kiani left Masimo in September 2024, and a proxy battle has spawned parallel litigation in Delaware, New York, and California.

Court action: The hearing before Vice Chancellor Nathan A. Cook will take place in Wilmington, Del.

Masimo Fails to Disqualify Law Firm on Ousted Founder’s Team (1)