Okay, that's actually very interesting. You seem to know a lot of history that I am not familiar with. I would love to know why OEX options have kind of faded away. I remember when they were the hottest thing out there.
Maybe all this talk about how "owns" or "sponsors" or "licenses" options is distracting from my real question.
Where can I read the formal terms of the option contracts on SPY?
For example... umm, suppose there was some sort of lawsuit associated with an account holding SPY options, maybe a joint account in a divorce case, or a probate case involving a contested will or whatever. So someone needs to introduce evidence in court that explains exactly what these assets listed in the account statements are.
Where can I find something published by an exchange, or by OCC, or some other agency, that clearly sets forth what you are buying and selling when you trade SPY options?
There has to be something out there, but I can't find it.
It probably sounds ridiculous, but it's not that hard for me to imagine a judge that doesn't understand puts and calls telling an attorney or a party, "Okay, you're telling me this thing is a contract, that somehow gives your client the right to buy shares of stock. I want to read the contract."
I get the fact the contracts are held in an electronic form by the broker. I don't expect to find a contract that has my name on it and signatures at the bottom. But there should be something analogous to "contract specifications" page that I linked to in my earlier post.
