California Court of Appeals Decides Tribal Corporate Immunity Case

Here is the opinion in American Property Management Corp. v. Superior Court (with concurrence):

Cal. App. Opinion

An excerpt:

In 2003, Sycuan Tribal Development Corporation (STDC), a corporation chartered under Sycuan’s tribal laws, invested in the purchase of the U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego (the hotel) but created several layers of California limited liability companies to stand between it and the entity that took ownership of the hotel.

Specifically, U.S. Grant, LLC — a California limited liability company — purchased the hotel in 2003. U.S. Grant, LLC is wholly owned by its sole member Sycuan Investors – U.S. Grant, LLC (Sycuan Investors, LLC), a California limited liability company. Sycuan Investors, LLC, in turn, is wholly owned by its sole member American Property Investors – U.S. Grant, LLC (American Property Investors, LLC), a California limited liability company. American Property Investors, LLC is wholly owned by its sole member STDC. All three limited liability companies were organized in late 2003 in connection with the transaction to purchase the hotel.