A former stockholder in Monster Worldwide Inc. lost standing to inspect corporate books and records, when the job-search service was acquired by a global human resources firm, the Delaware Court of Chancery ruled Monday.

On a matter that “appears to be of first impression,” Vice Chancellor Sam Glasscock III said an investor who loses his stock in a merger cannot then bring a post-closing books-and-records suit under Section 220 of the Delaware General Corporation Law.