Fidelity & Casualty Co. v. North Carolina Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Co‪.‬

At the outset, it is important to emphasize that Lorm and Marl were closely-held corporations in which all three defendants were shareholders, directors and officers. The two corporations were formed at the same time with the same purpose -- to establish the Port O Call Restaurant. The corporations had interlocking directorates with the three defendants firmly in control of both corporations. Plaintiff sued the three defendants in their capacities as shareholders, directors and officers of both corporations. Because of the multiple relationships shared by the three defendants with the two corporations, references to all of the defendants in the pleadings and testimony are difficult, but not impossible, to keep straight. However inartfully the pleadings are drawn, the complaint does sufficiently allege a claim for relief against the three individual defendants, against Lorm and against Marl.