UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
FORM
8-K
CURRENT
REPORT
Pursuant
to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of
Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): August 25, 2009
CNS
RESPONSE, INC.
(Exact
name of Company as specified in its charter)
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Delaware
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0-26285
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87-0419387
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(State
or other jurisdiction
of
incorporation)
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(Commission
File No.)
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(I.R.S.
Employer
Identification
No.)
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2755
Bristol Street, Suite 285
Costa
Mesa, CA 92626
(Address
of principal executive offices)
(714)
545-3288
(Registrant’s
telephone number, including area code)
Not
Applicable
(Former
name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the
appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously
satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following
provisions:
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o
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Written
communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR
230.425)
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Q
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Soliciting
material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14a-12)
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o
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.14d-2(b))
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o
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Pre-commencement
communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
240.13e-4(c))
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Item
8.01 Other
Events.
CNS
Response, Inc. (the “Company”) is providing certain information for the benefit
of its stockholders regarding the status of litigation involving the Company and
Leonard J. Brandt, a stockholder, current director and former Chief Executive
Officer of the Company.
United States District Court
- - CNS Response, Inc. v. Leonard Brandt, EAC Investment Limited
Partnership and EAC Investment, Inc. (Case No. SACV
09-00756-CJC)
As
previously announced, on July 2, 2009, the Company filed its initial complaint
against Leonard Brandt (“Brandt”), a stockholder, current director and former
Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and EAC Investment Limited Partnership
and EAC Investment, Inc. (collectively, “EAC”), another stockholder of the
Company. In that complaint, the Company alleges that Brandt has
violated sections 14(a) and 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, and related SEC rules and regulations (the “Exchange Act”), in
connection with his ongoing campaign to seize control of the Company by
unseating the incumbent directors (other than Brandt). The Company
alleges that EAC violated Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act. As part
of the suit, the Company is seeking an injunction enjoining the use of proxies
and written consents that Brandt or the other defendants have obtained in
violation of law, an injunction or declaratory judgment declaring all of the
proxies obtained by Brandt to be invalid, an injunction against further unlawful
proxy solicitation by the defendants, an injunction enjoining any further
violations of Section 13(d) and 14(a) under the Exchange Act and ordering that
remedial disclosures be filed, and damages in an amount to be
determined.
Brandt
responded to the Company’s complaint by filing a motion to dismiss on July 27,
2009 pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) of the federal rules of civil procedure, basing
his motion on two primary arguments: (i) that he had filed preliminary proxy
materials, preliminary consent solicitation materials and an amended Schedule
13D with the SEC, and those filings cured any alleged violations and (ii) that
the Company faced no imminent threat of harm from Brandt’s alleged misdeeds and,
therefore, is not entitled to injunctive relief. EAC moved to dismiss
the complaint against it on the basis that the Company had filed the action in
the wrong venue. The Company filed its oppositions to the motions to
dismiss on August 10, 2009. On August 18, 2009, the court denied the
motions to dismiss, finding, among other things, that the Company’s complaint
adequately pled a basis for relief and that whether Brandt’s filings could cure
the alleged violations of sections 14(a) and 13(d) were questions of fact that
cannot be resolved in a motion to dismiss.
On August
17, 2009, Brandt distributed to Company stockholders by email a preliminary
proxy materials and a form of proxy card. On August 21, 2009, the
Company filed a motion for temporary restraining order to enjoin Brandt from
using any invalidly obtained proxies or consents, including any obtained in
response to his preliminary proxy statement distribution. The Company
alleged, among other things, that the delivery of preliminary proxy materials
including a proxy card violates Rule 14a-4(f) under the Exchange Act and that
the disclosure contained in or omitted from those materials violates Rule 14a-9
under the Exchange Act. On August 25, 2009, the court denied the
Company’s motion for the temporary restraining order, citing, among other
things, an affidavit provided by Brandt that he will not solicit proxies until
he has filed a definitive proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
The
Company intends to continue with its action against Brandt and the other
defendants for injunctive and other relief as described above.
Delaware Chancery Court –
CNS Response, Inc. v. Leonard Brandt, MEYERLEN LLC, EAC Investment Limited
Partnership and "John Does 1-20" (Any CNS Stockholder Purporting to be Among
Holders of Shares Constituting 25% Of the Company's Stock As Referenced In the
June 20, 2009 Notice Of Special Meeting) – C.A. No. 4688-CC
On June
26, 2009, the Company commenced an action in the Delaware Court of Chancery
against Leonard Brand and certain other parties in connection with Brandt’s
efforts to seize control of the Company by unseating the incumbent directors
(other than Brandt). In its complaint, the Company alleges that
Brandt’s actions in connection with his purported special meeting notices and
attempts to call and hold a special meeting violate certain provisions of the
Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), and seeks declaratory and
injunctive relief to invalidate a special meeting called by Brandt.
On June
26, 2009, the Company also moved for issuance of a temporary restraining order
against Brandt’s holding a special meeting. Brandt opposed the
motion, and on June 29 the Chancery Court heard and denied the Company’s motion
for a temporary restraining order, on the grounds that the Company could seek
relief from Brandt’s actions after his special meeting occurred.
On August
12, 2009, Brandt and Defendant MeyerLen, LLC filed an answer to the Company’s
June 26, 2009 complaint. In addition, Brand filed a counterclaim and
third-party complaint against the Company, the Company’s other directors,
affiliates of one of the directors, and an investor who is not an employee,
officer or director of the Company. In his answer and the
counterclaims and third party claims, Brandt alleges, among other things, that
the other directors acted without authority in connection with his removal as
the CEO and violated their fiduciary duties in connection with their
consideration and approval of certain financings completed by the Company
subsequent to Brandt’s termination as CEO. Brandt alleges
that certain defendants aided and abetted the directors in their
breaches and wrongful acts. Brandt also asks the court to invalidate
certain bylaw changes adopted by the Company’s board of directors. The Company
believes all of these allegations are without merit and intends to vigorously
defend itself against them.
On August
24, 2009, Brandt filed a motion seeking an injunction against the Company’s
issuance of any shares of its stock to John Pappajohn or Sail Ventures pursuant
to existing agreements between the Company and those investors, and against the
implementation of the Company’s previously-announced bylaw
amendments. The Company intends to oppose this motion.
Delaware Chancery Court –
Leonard J. Brandt v. CNS Response, Inc., C.A. no, 4773-CC
On July
31, 2009, Brandt filed an action under Section 220 of the DGCL asking the
Chancery Court to require the Company to provide him with certain Company books
and records, including stockholder information. On July 31 Brandt
also requested emergency injunctive relief against the Company compelling the
Company to provide the records immediately. The Company opposed the
motion. On August 3, 2009 the Chancery Court heard argument and
denied the requested emergency relief. On August 24, 2009, the
Company answered the complaint and asserted affirmative defenses to
it.
Additional Information and
Where to Find It
The
Company intends to file a proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (“SEC”) in connection with its Annual Meeting.
CNS SECURITYHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY
OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY
BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
Securityholders will be able to receive the proxy statement and other relevant
documents free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or from the Company
at 2755 Bristol Street, Suite 285, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
Participants in
Solicitation
CNS and
its directors (other than Leonard J. Brandt) and executive officer (George
Carpenter, who also serves as a director) may be deemed to be participants in
the solicitation of proxies or consents in respect of the matters to be
considered at the Company’s 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders the purported
special meeting called by Leonard Brandt or any consent solicitation undertaken
by Brandt. Securityholders may obtain information regarding the names,
affiliations and interests of such individuals in CNS’s Form 10-K and Form
10-K/A filings with the SEC on January 13, 2009 and January 28, 2009,
respectively. To the extent holdings of CNS securities of the
participants have changed since the amounts reflected in those filings, such
changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on
Form 4 or Form 5 filed by those persons with the SEC. Additional information
regarding the interests of these persons in these matters will be included in
the Company’s definitive proxy statement.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly
caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.
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CNS
Response, Inc.
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By:
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/s/
George Carpenter
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August 25,
2009
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George
Carpenter
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Chief
Executive Officer
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