Exhibit 5.3
[Letterhead of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A.]
December 18, 2000
Sempra Energy Capital Trust III
c/o Sempra Energy
101 Ash Street
San Diego, California 92101
Re: Sempra Energy Capital Trust III
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Delaware counsel for Sempra Energy, a
California corporation (the "Company"), and Sempra Energy Capital Trust III, a
Delaware business trust (the "Trust"), in connection with the matters set forth
herein. At your request, this opinion is being furnished to you.
For purposes of giving the opinions hereinafter set forth, our
examination of documents has been limited to the examination of originals or
copies of the following:
(a) The Certificate of Trust of the Trust, dated as of April 22, 1999
(the "Certificate"), as filed in the office of the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware (the "Secretary of State") on April 22, 1999;
(b) The Declaration of Trust of the Trust, dated as of April 22,
1999, among the Company and the trustees of the Trust named therein;
(c) A form of Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust of the Trust
(including Exhibit A and Annexes I and II)(the "Declaration"), to be entered
into among the Company, as sponsor, the trustees of the Trust named therein, and
the holders, from time to time, of undivided beneficial interests in the assets
of the Trust, attached as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (as defined
below);
Sempra Energy Capital Trust III
December 18, 2000
Page 2
(d) The Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration
Statement"), including a prospectus (the "Prospectus"), relating to the
Preferred Securities of the Trust representing undivided beneficial interests in
the assets of the Trust (each, a "Preferred Security" and collectively, the
"Preferred Securities"), as proposed to be filed by the Company, the Trust and
others with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about December 18,
2000; and
(e) A Certificate of Good Standing for the Trust, dated December 18,
2000, obtained from the Secretary of State.
Initially capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined are
used as defined in the Declaration.
For purposes of this opinion, we have not reviewed any documents other
than the documents listed in paragraphs (a) through (e) above. In particular, we
have not reviewed any document (other than the documents listed in paragraphs
(a) through (e) above) that is referred to in or incorporated by reference into
the documents reviewed by us. We have assumed that there exists no provision in
any document that we have not reviewed that is inconsistent with the opinions
stated herein. We have conducted no independent factual investigation of our own
but rather have relied solely upon the foregoing documents, the statements and
information set forth therein and the additional matters recited or assumed
herein, all of which we have assumed to be true, complete and accurate in all
material respects.
With respect to all documents examined by us, we have assumed (i) the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as authentic originals, (ii) the
conformity with the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies or
forms, and (iii) the genuineness of all signatures.
For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed (i) that the Declaration
and the Certificate are in full force and effect and have not been amended, (ii)
except to the extent provided in paragraph 1 below, the due creation or due
organization or due formation, as the case may be, and valid existence in good
standing of each party to the documents examined by us under the laws of the
jurisdiction governing its creation, organization or formation, (iii) the legal
capacity of natural persons who are parties to the documents examined by us,
(iv) that each of the parties to the documents examined by us has the power and
authority to execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, such
documents, (v) the due authorization, execution and delivery by all parties
thereto of all documents examined by us, (vi) the receipt by each Person to whom
a Preferred Security is to be issued by the Trust (collectively, the "Preferred
Security Holders") of a preferred security certificate for such Preferred
Security and the payment for the Preferred Security acquired by it, in
accordance with the Declaration and the Registration Statement, and (vii) that
the Preferred Securities are issued and sold to the Preferred Security Holders
in accordance with the Declaration
Sempra Energy Capital Trust III
December 18, 2000
Page 3
and the Registration Statement. We have not participated in the preparation of
the Registration Statement and assume no responsibility for its contents.
This opinion is limited to the laws of the State of Delaware
(excluding the securities laws of the State of Delaware), and we have not
considered and express no opinion on the laws of any other jurisdiction,
including federal laws and rules and regulations relating thereto. Our opinions
are rendered only with respect to Delaware laws and rules, regulations and
orders thereunder that are currently in effect.
Based upon the foregoing, and upon our examination of such questions
of law and statutes of the State of Delaware as we have considered necessary or
appropriate, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications, limitations and
exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
1. The Trust has been duly created and is validly existing in good
standing as a business trust under the Delaware Business Trust Act.
2. The Preferred Securities will represent valid and, subject to the
qualifications set forth in paragraph 3 below, fully paid and nonassessable
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.
3. The Preferred Security Holders, as beneficial owners of the
Trust, will be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to
stockholders of private corporations for profit organized under the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. We note that the Preferred Securities
Holders may be obligated to make payments as set forth in the Declaration.
We consent to the filing of this opinion with the Securities and
Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In addition,
we hereby consent to the use of our name under the heading "Validity of the
Securities and the Guarantees" in the Prospectus. In giving the foregoing
consents, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of Persons
whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
thereunder. Except as stated above, without our prior written consent, this
opinion may not be furnished or quoted to, or relied upon by, any other Person
for any purpose.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Richard, Layton & Finger, P.A.