公司董事对公司债权人之信义义务与注意义务——加拿大最高法院“Peoples Department Stores Inc. (Trustee of) v. Wise”案述评  

作　　者：房绍坤[1] 王洪平[2] 

机构地区：[1]烟台大学 [2]烟台大学法学院

出　　处：《环球法律评论》2005年第4期503-512,共10页Global Law Review

摘　　要：在本案中,初审法院法官支持原告的诉讼主张,认为公司董事在公司濒临破产时,对公司债权人负有信义义务。上诉法院推翻了一审判决,认为公司董事仅对公司负有信义义务,本案被告董事并未违反任何义务。最终,终审法院维持了上诉法院的判决。加拿大最高法院的这一判决澄清了业界所广泛关注的一个问题,即公司董事对公司债权人的义务。不论是与加拿大以前的法律相比,还是与国外其他国家的法律相比,该判决都赋予了公司债权人更加广泛的潜在权利。最为重要的是,该判决未将公司债权人的此等权利与“公司濒临破产”这一要件事实联结在一起。此外,该判决还明确了公司董事对公司债权人总是负有注意义务这一重要公司法规则。In this case, the trial judge granted judgment in favor of the trustee, holding that directors owed a fiduciary duty to creditors when a corporation was in the vicinity of insolvency. However, the Court of Appeal reversed the judgement rendered by the trial court, holding that the directors＇ duties were owed only to the corporation, and that the directors did not breach any duties. The Supreme Court of Canada has now dismissed the trustee＇ s appeal. In doing so, the court has delivered its much hoped - for clarification of the duties of directors toward creditors, and has bestowed potentially broader rights to creditors than have ever previously been recognized anywhere, within or outside Canada. Most importantly, the Court did not tie these rights to a finding that the corporation was operating in the vicinity of insolvency. The Court has also made clear that directors always owe a duty of care toward creditors.

关 键 词：公司董事 公司债权人 信义义务 注意义务 “Peoples Department Stores Inc.(Trustee of)v.Wise”案 合同责任 《公司法》 

分 类 号：D971.1[政治法律—法学]