Module IV - Readings Flashcards
What does the doctrine of joint and several liability say?
Plaintiff in an action against an auditor could, until recently, recover potentially all damages from the auditor alone, even though auditor’s report may have only contributed partially to plaintiff’s lost
Define privity.
Parties in a contractual relationship with the auditor
Because auditors have little control over who uses their work product, who may they be liable to?
May be liable to parties who are not in privity
Define proportionate liability.
Defendants liable only for their share of responsibility
To protect auditors from extensive lawsuits, what did the profession help the CEASS to introduce and pass?
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
What is Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995?
Legislation that reduces the “joint and several liability” to “proportionate liability,” except for defendants for knowingly engage in fraud
In civil liability cases against auditors, what four questions underscore the issues at stake?
(1) Under what source of law is the plaintiff suing?
(2) Who is the plaintiff?
(3) What is the auditor’s potential liability?
(4) And which party (plaintiff or defendant) has the burden of proving what?
What sources of law can the plaintiff sue under?
- Common law
- Statutory law
What is common law?
- Written opinions of prior courts within a state (called legal precedent)
- Each state has its own common law
What is common law based in? Expand.
- Based in the doctrine of stare decisis
- Stare decisis: handing down precedent-setting principles of law to succeeding cases
Are lower courts in a state bound by the precedent of the state’s highest court?
- Yes
- Lower courts in state bound by precedent of state’s highest court
Is the highest court in a state bound by its own precedent?
- No
- Highest court not bound by its own prior opinions and may borrow precedent from other states
What does statutory law refer to?
- Refers to written statutes established by Congress at the federal level and by state legislatures at the state level
What are the two most prominent statues affecting an auditor’s legal liability?
- Securities Act of 1933
- Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Who is typically the plaintiff if suing under common law?
- Client
- Third party
If a client is suing under common law, what may the client bring an action against an auditor for?
- For breach of contract
- For tort
Why may clients sue for breach of contract?
- Because clients are parties (they are in privity) to an express or implied contract for audit services
What is a tort?
- A wrongful act, other than breach of contract
- Results in injury injury to another person
What do suits in tort usually allege?
- Negligence
- Gross negligence
- Fraud
Who may be a plaintiff in an action under the Securities Act of 1933?
Securities purchaser
Who may be a plaintiff in an action under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934?
Securities purchaser/seller
In what two states is an auditor liable to foreseeable third parties?
- Mississippi
- Wisconsin
Under either common or statutory law, an auditor may be liable for what three things?
(1) Ordinary negligence
(2) Gross negligence
(3) Fraud
In Ultramares Corp. v. Touche, the NY Court of Appeals noted that gross negligence could be so great as to constitute what? Expand.
- Constructive fraud (not actual fraud)
- Lacks intent, an essential condition in actual fraud, but result of both constructive and actual fraud is identical (another party is deceived, and then injured)
Does the plaintiff or the auditor have the burden of proving/disproving that the plaintiff sustained a damage or loss?
Plaintiff
Does the plaintiff or the auditor have the burden of proving/disproving that the audited F/S were materially misstated?
Plaintiff
Does the plaintiff or the auditor have the burden of proving/disproving that the plaintiff relied on the F/S?
- Under common law & SEA ‘34 = burden on plaintiff
- Under SA’33 = burden on auditor
Does the plaintiff or the auditor have the burden of proving/disproving that the auditor’s conduct was deficient?
- Under common law & SEA ‘34 Sec. 10b = plaintiff
- Under SA ‘33 and SEA ‘34 Sec. 18 = auditor
What is an auditor’s common law liability to clients?
- Ordinary negligence
- Although clients may bring action for gross negligence if they believe auditor departed recklessly from auditing standards
- Or for fraud if they believe auditor intended to deceive and injure
Under common law, what does the client have the burden of proving to recover damages?
- Damage or loss
- Misstated F/S
- Reliance on F/S
- Deficient auditor conduct
Under common law, what is an auditor liable to a primary beneficiaries for?
- Ordinary negligence (lack of reasonable care)
Under common law, what does the primary beneficiary have the burden of proving to recover damages?
- Damage or loss
- Misstated F/S
- Reliance on F/S
- Deficient auditor conduct
In the 2003 USA Today article “Investigation of General Mills’ Accounting Hits Hards,” what was it being investigated for? Why is this such a big risk?
- Investigated for its “sales practices”
- Big risk b/c sales practices often tie to how revenue is booked (which is #1 cause of earnings restatements)
In the 2003 USA Today article “Investigation of General Mills’ Accounting Hits Hards,” what is General Mills relationship with the Dutch supermarket chain Ahold?
- General Mills does business with Ahold
In the 2003 USA Today article “Investigation of General Mills’ Accounting Hits Hards,” what is the problem with Ahold?
- Mired with accounting problems
- Ahold found accounting overstatements of roughly $1bn due to improperly booking incentive payments from vendors
In the 2003 USA Today article “Investigation of General Mills’ Accounting Hits Hards,” what was General Mills response to the SEC investigation?
- Asserts it followed all proper accounting rules
General Mills has received questions about its accounting before, including its treatment of what two things?
- Restructuring charges (SEC questioned its $190m “cereal reconfiguration” charge after its acquisition of Pillsbury)
- Pension plan assumptions (SEC questioned co. assumption its pension plan would earn more than 10% per year which is higher than 9% figure SEC uses as threshold)
“2013 Cornerstone Research, Securities Litigation Settlements”
Boosted by a second-half surge, what type of filings increased in 2013?
- Federal securities fraud class action filings increased in 2013
“2013 Cornerstone Research, Securities Litigation Settlements”
What three sectors accounted for 21 percent of total filings in 2013?
- Healthcare co
- Biotechnology co
- Pharmaceutical co
“2013 Cornerstone Research, Securities Litigation Settlements”
Define filing lag.
- Time b/w the end of a class period and the filing of a securities class action
“2011 PwC, Securities Litigation Study”
The opening of what office is likely to have a significant impact on corporate investigations and SEC enforcement?
- SEC Office of the Whistleblower
“2011 PwC, Securities Litigation Study”
The Supreme Court’s decision in the Morrison case limited what?
- Limited the jurisdiction of US courts to hear cases brought by foreign investors against foreign companies for shares purchased on a foreign exchange
“2011 PwC, Securities Litigation Study”
Who continues to be named in the majority of filings?
- C-suite and senior management
esp. CEO and CFO