Shell Games: Business Entity Structuring and Litigation Patterns (2012–2024)

This report offers a procedural and structural analysis of civil litigation patterns involving serial entity formation, dissolution, and judgment enforcement challenges across U.S. jurisdictions between 2012 and 2024. Drawing from verified court dockets, state registration databases, and public records, the study examines how certain business structuring behaviors—particularly in Delaware and Nevada—may impede legal accountability and frustrate civil enforcement efforts.

The research identifies recurring patterns of:

• Strategic LLC creation and rapid dissolution
• Service of process difficulties across state lines
• Unresolved judgments and enforcement obstacles
• Cross-jurisdictional registration maneuvers

Originally compiled as part of a litigation case profile, this report has been preserved for its relevance to ongoing legal research, policy discussions on entity transparency, and behavioral risk studies in entrepreneurial contexts. All data is sourced from public records. No criminal allegations are made or implied.

Keywords: civil litigation, entity structuring, procedural evasion, business registration, judgment enforcement, Delaware LLCs, entity dissolution, service of process, legal accountability, public records research