For many years, asset protection planners have believed and promoted the idea that an out-of-state resident could take advantage of the strong charging order laws in another state by filing their LLC in another state.  Recent cases show that this does not work.

In American Institutional Partners, LLC v. Fairstar Resources, Ltd., 2011 WL 1230074 (D.Del., Mar. 31, 2011), a Utah resident established several Delaware LLCs with the hope that they could take advantage of the better charging order statute in the State of Delaware. When the Utah resident was sued in a state court in Utah, the Utah court stated “that Utah law applies to all execution proceedings in this matter, including the foreclosure of a member’s interest in a limited liability [company], whether such company is domestic or foreign.” In other words, the Utah court used their own law and ignored the law of the state where the LLC was filed.

This means that you shouldn’t believe those who heavily advertise the use of a Wyoming LLC for asset protection purposes, because if you are sued in a state outside of Wyoming, the court will probably use their own law and you won’t get the benefits of a Wyoming LLC.