EXPLAINER: Twitter, Musk and the Delaware Chancery Court

DOVER, Del. (AP) – Twitter Inc.’s lawsuit to force billionaire Elon Musk to make good on his promise to buy the social media giant will be resolved in a small but powerful Delaware court that specializes in high-stakes business disputes.

Twitter is seeking an order of “specific performance” directing Musk to follow through with the $44 billion acquisition. Specific performance is among the unique remedies available in Delaware’s 230-year-old Court of Chancery.

Chancery typically handles civil cases where a plaintiff is seeking non-monetary relief. Those cases can range from guardianships to disputes over estates, trusts and wills to disagreements involving some of the world’s largest companies.