What term describes a situation where the courts look beyond the company's formal structure to hold individuals responsible?

The term that describes a situation where the courts look beyond the company's formal structure to hold individuals responsible is known as "veil lifting." This legal doctrine allows courts to disregard the corporate entity's separate legal personality and hold shareholders, directors, or officers personally liable for the company's actions or debts.

Veil lifting typically occurs in circumstances where the corporate form is used to perpetrate fraud, achieve an illegitimate goal, or circumvent the law. The courts may examine the underlying realities of the business operations, such as the level of control exercised by individuals, to determine whether the protection of limited liability should be upheld. This is vital in ensuring that individuals cannot abuse the corporate structure to shield themselves from legal responsibilities or accountability for wrongful actions.

The other options do not accurately reflect this legal principle. "Veil slipping" is not a recognized legal term in this context, "corporate disclosure" refers to the transparency requirements placed on companies, and "liability exemption" typically pertains to situations where an entity or individual is specifically exempt from liability, which is contrary to the idea of holding individuals accountable through veil lifting.