EXHIBIT 5.2
[Letterhead of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A.]
October 21, 1998
FIDBANK Capital Trust I
c/o Fidelity BancShares (N.C.), Inc.
100 South Main Street
Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina 27526
Re: FIDBANK Capital Trust I
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Delaware counsel for Fidelity BancShares
(N.C.), Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and FIDBANK Capital Trust
I, 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 July 14, 1998 (the
"Certificate"), as filed in the office of the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware (the "Secretary of State") on July 14, 1998;
(b) The Trust Agreement of the Trust, dated as of July 14, 1998 (the
"Original Trust Agreement"), by and between the Company, as depositor, and the
trustee of the Trust named therein;
(c) Amendment No. 1 to the Original Trust Agreement, dated as of
July 21, 1998, by and between the Company, as depositor, and the trustee of the
Trust named therein;
(d) A form of Amended and Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust
(including Exhibits A, C and D thereto) (the "Trust Agreement"), to be entered
into among the Company, as depositor, the trustees of the Trust named therein,
the administrators 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;
(e) Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-1 (the
"Registration Statement"), including a preliminary prospectus (the
"Prospectus"), relating to the ___% Capital Securities of the Trust representing
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust (each, a "Capital
Security" and collectively, the "Capital Securities"), as proposed to be filed
by the Company and the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or
about October 21, 1998; and
(f) A Certificate of Good Standing for the Trust, dated October 21,
1998, obtained from the Secretary of State.
Initially capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined
are used as defined in the Trust Agreement.
For purposes of this opinion, we have not reviewed any documents
other than the documents listed in paragraphs (a) through (f) above. In
particular, we have not reviewed any document (other than the documents listed
in paragraphs (a) through (f) 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 Trust
Agreement constitutes the entire agreement among the parties thereto with
respect to the subject matter thereof, including with respect to the creation,
operation and termination of the Trust, and that the Trust Agreement 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 Capital Security is to be issued by the Trust (collectively, the "Capital
Security Holders") of a Capital Securities Certificate, in accordance with the
Trust Agreement, and as described in the Registration Statement, and (vii) that
the Capital Securities are issued to the Capital Security Holders in accordance
with the Trust Agreement, and as described in 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 Capital 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 Capital 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 Capital Security
Holders may be obligated to make payments as set forth in the Trust Agreement.
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 "Legal Matters" 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.
Very truly yours,
/s/ Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A.