American Casualty Co. of Reading v. Superior Pharmacy, LLC

86 F. Supp. 3d 1307, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20360, 2015 WL 628382
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedJanuary 8, 2015
DocketCase No. 8:13-cv-622-T-27TBM
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 86 F. Supp. 3d 1307 (American Casualty Co. of Reading v. Superior Pharmacy, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
American Casualty Co. of Reading v. Superior Pharmacy, LLC, 86 F. Supp. 3d 1307, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20360, 2015 WL 628382 (M.D. Fla. 2015).

Opinion

[1309]*1309 ORDER

JAMES D. WHITTEMORE, District Judge.

BEFORE THE COURT is Plain-tifRCounter-Defendant American Casualty Company of Reading, Pennsylvania’s Motion for Summary Judgment and Incorporated Memorandum of Law (Dkt. 90), Defendants’ joint response (Dkt. 93), Plaintiffs Reply (Dkt. 95), and Defendants’ joint supplemental response (Dkt. 99).1 Upon consideration, the Motion is GRANTED.

I. BaCkground

American Casualty Company of Reading, Pennsylvania (“American Casualty”) brings this declaratory judgment action seeking a determination of its duty to defend and indemnify Superior Pharmacy, LLC, Hilda Anadiume, Ike Okeke, and Yvonne Okeke (“Defendants”) in an underlying putative class action brought against them by Florida First Financial Group, Inc. (“Florida First”). Defendants filed counterclaims against American Casualty seeking similar declarations (Dkts. 28, 62, 64).

A. The Underlying Lawsuit

In January, 2011, Florida First filed a Class Action Complaint against Defendants alleging violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. § 227 (“TCPA”) (Count I) and conversion (Count II) (Dkt. 1-2). In its complaint, Florida First alleged that “[t]his case challenges Defendants’ practice of faxing unsolicited advertisements in violation of the federal [TCPA] and for sending unsolicited faxes in violation of Florida Common Law” (id., ¶ 1). Florida First alleged that “[o]n or about January 3, 2007, January 10, 2007, January 17, 2007 and January 24, 2007, Defendants transmitted by telephone facsimile machine the same facsimile four (4) times to [Florida First]” (id., ¶ 11). A copy of the fax is attached to the complaint as Exhibit A (id. at CM/ECF p. 16). Defendants allegedly distributed the unsolicited fax to Florida First and the other members of the purported class as “part of Defendants’ work or operations to market Defendants’ goods or services” (id., ¶¶ 12, 13, 14, 16). These allegations are incorporated into Counts I and II of the underlying complaint (id., ¶¶ 27, 37).

In the underlying complaint, Florida First alleged that it brings TCPA and conversion claims on behalf of

All persons who (1) on or after four years prior to the filing of this action, (2) were sent telephone facsimile messages of material advertising the commercial availability of any property, goods, or services by or on behalf of Defendants, (3) with respect to whom Defendants did not have prior express permission or invitation for the sending of such faxes, and (4) with whom Defendants did not have an established business relationship (the “Class”), and (5) which did not display a proper opt out notice.

(Dkt. 1-2, ¶ 19). This paragraph is incorporated into Count I, the TCPA claim, but not Count II, the conversion claim (see id., ¶¶ 27, 37). With respect to the conversion claim, Florida First alleged that it is brought “[i]n accordance with Florida Statute § 365.1657” on behalf of

All persons who on or after a date of four years prior to the filing of this action, were sent telephone facsimile messages by or on behalf of Defendants.

(id., ¶ 38).

On February 21, 2013, American Casualty agreed to defend the Defendants in the [1310]*1310underlying action pursuant to a reservation of rights (Dkt. 1-4). Old Dominion Insurance Company and Maryland Casualty Company also agreed to defend the Defendants subject to a reservation of rights (Dkts. 90-4, 54-1). Thereafter, Maryland Casualty and Old Dominion agreed to jointly defend the Defendants as primary insurers and, American Casualty withdrew its defense effective June 1, 2014, subject to a reservation of rights (Dkt. 90-7).2

B. The Policies

American Casualty issued Policy No. 2090658080 to Superior Pharmacy for consecutive one-year policy periods commencing June 18, 2006 through June 18, 2011 (see Dkts. 1-5, 1-6, 1-7, 1-8, 1-9).3 The Policies contain a “Violation of Statutes” exclusion:

EXCLUSION — VIOLATION OF STATUTES THAT GOVERN E-MAILS, FAX, PHONE CALLS OR OTHER METHODS OF SENDING MATERIAL OR INFORMATION
* * *
A. The following exclusion is added to Paragraph 2., Exclusions of Section I — Coverage A — Bodily Injury And Property Damage Liability:
q. This insurance does not apply to: DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIAL IN VIOLATION OF STATUTES “Bodily injury” or “property damage” arising directly or indirectly out of any action or omission that violates or is alleged to violate:
(1) The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), including any amendment of or addition to such law; or
(2) The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, including any amendment of or addition to such law; or
(3) Any statute, ordinance or regulation, other than the TCPA or CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, that prohibits or limits the sending, transmitting, communicating or distribution of material or information.
B. The following exclusion is added to Paragraph 2., Exclusions of Section I-Coverage B-Personal And Advertising Injury Liability:
(15) This insurance does not apply to: DISTRIBUTION OF MATERIAL IN VIOLATION OF STATUTES “Personal and advertising injury” arising directly or indirectly out of any action or omission that violates or is alleged to violate:
a. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), including any amendment of or addition to such law; or
b. The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, including any amendment of or addition to such law; or
c. Any statute, ordinance or regulation, other than the TCPA or CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, that prohibits or limits the sending, trans[1311]*1311mitting, communicating or distribution of material or information.

(Dkts. 1-5 at 90; 1-6 at 94; 1-7 at 91; 1-8 at 91; 1-9 at 88; 1-11 at 2 (Form No. SB-147078-A (Ed. 01/06))).

II. Standard

Under Rule 56(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, summary judgment should be granted “if the movant shows that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(a); Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986).

III. Discussion

American Casualty seeks a determination that it has no duty to defend or indemnify Defendants for the claims asserted by Florida First. Specifically, in Count II of the Second Amended Complaint, American Casualty seeks summary judgment based on the Violation of Statutes Exclusion (see Dkt. 56, ¶¶ 40-44).

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86 F. Supp. 3d 1307, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20360, 2015 WL 628382, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/american-casualty-co-of-reading-v-superior-pharmacy-llc-flmd-2015.