Exhibit 5.1
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10105
March 22, 2024
Churchill Capital Corp IX
640 Fifth Avenue, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10019
| Re: | | Registration Statement of Churchill Capital Corp IX |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as United States counsel to Churchill Capital Corp IX, a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”) in connection with the registration by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of units of the Company, including the underwriters’ over-allotment option (collectively the “Units”), with each Unit consisting of one Class A ordinary share of the Company, $0.0001 par value (the “Ordinary Shares”) and one-quarter of one redeemable warrant of the Company with each whole warrant exercisable to purchase one Ordinary Share at a price of $11.50 per share (the “Warrants”), pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 initially filed by the Company with the Commission on March 22, 2024 (as may be amended, the “Registration Statement”). This opinion is being given in accordance with the Legal Matters section of the Registration Statement, as it pertains to the portions of New York law set forth below.
We have examined such documents and considered such legal matters as we have deemed necessary and relevant as the basis for the opinion set forth below. With respect to such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as reproduced or certified copies, and the authenticity of the originals of those latter documents. As to questions of fact material to this opinion, we have, to the extent deemed appropriate, relied upon certain representations of certain officers and employees of the Company.
Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:
1. Units. When the Registration Statement becomes effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), and when the offering is completed as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Units will be legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms except: (a) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); (b) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; (c) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought; and (d) we express no opinion as to whether a state court outside of the State of New York or a federal court of the United States would give effect to the choice of New York law provided for in the public warrant agreement to be entered into by and between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (“Continental”), as warrant agent, and the Company (the “Public Warrant Agreement”).
2. Warrants. When the Registration Statement becomes effective under the Act and when the Warrants underlying the Units are issued, delivered as part of the Units, as contemplated by the Registration Statement, such Warrants will be legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms except: (a) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles (regardless of whether enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law); (b) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the