On April 30, 2015, we blogged about Hartford Casualty Insurance Company v. J.R. Marketing, LLC , Case No. S211645, then set for oral argument in the California Supreme Court. The Court decided the case on August 10, 2015, [subscribers can access an enhanced... Read More
By Tyler Gerking On July 29, 2014, I spoke on a panel about recent developments in California bad faith law and related trends. My co-presenter was Robert K. Scott of The Law Offices of Robert K. Scott, and we gave the presentation at ACI’s 28th... Read More
Sometimes a coverage case, especially from a trial court, is selected as one of the year’s ten most significant -- but it is not really so. Rather, it is chosen as a representative of a series of similar cases decided that year. In other words,... Read More
By Tyler Gerking On May 5, the California Supreme Court heard argument, [ briefs available to lexis.com subscribers ], in a case that has the potential to profoundly change the relationship between the insurer, its insured and the insured’s... Read More
In American Western Door , the Central District of California granted a CGL carrier’s motion to dismiss an insured’s complaint and held that a carrier has the right to settle covered claims without the participation of the insured. American... Read More
Carrier’s Right to Control the Defense Includes the Right to Appoint Counsel of Its Choosing and to Settle Claims without the Participation of the Insured Travelers Prop. Cas. Co. of Am. v. Kaufman & Broad Monterey Bay, Inc ., 2015 U.S. Dist... Read More
In June, I blogged about County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors v. Superior Court , 235 Cal. App. 4th 1154 (2015), [subscribers can access an enhanced version of this opinion: lexis.com | Lexis Advance ]. In that case, the California Court of Appeal... Read More
It is an issue that has confronted us all and one with no easy answers. An insurer determines that, on account of a defense being provided under a reservation of rights, the insured is entitled to independent counsel, to be paid for by the insurer (or... Read More
St. Paul Fire & Marine Ins. Co. v. Centex Homes , 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 145882 (C.D. Cal. Oct. 7, 2014), [ enhanced version available to lexis.com subscribers ]. In St. Paul Fire , the Central District of California held that it lacked subject... Read More
By Erica Villanueva Recently, the California Court of Appeal decided County of Los Angeles Board of Supervisors v. Superior Court , 235 Cal. App. 4th 1154 (2015), [ enhanced version available to lexis.com subscribers ], a case considering whether... Read More
Insurance companies have the right and obligation to choose counsel to defend its insureds. Counsel retained by an insurer to defend an insured, contrary to the belief of many, is obligated solely to represent the rights, duties, obligation and defenses... Read More