Camp Richardson Resort, Inc. v. Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance

150 F. Supp. 3d 1186, 2015 WL 8328529, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 165223
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. California
DecidedDecember 9, 2015
DocketNo. 2:15-cv-01101-TLN-AC
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 150 F. Supp. 3d 1186 (Camp Richardson Resort, Inc. v. Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Camp Richardson Resort, Inc. v. Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance, 150 F. Supp. 3d 1186, 2015 WL 8328529, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 165223 (E.D. Cal. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO DISMISS

Troy L. Nunley, United States District Judge

This matter is before the Court pursuant to Defendant Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company’s (“Defendant” or “Philadelphia”) Motion to Dismiss under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). (ECF No. 9.) Plaintiff Camp Richardson Resort (“Plaintiff’ or “CRR”) opposes Defendant’s motion. (ECF No. 12.) The Court has carefully considered the arguments raised by both parties. For the.reasons set forth below, Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED/

Background

On May 5, 20Í5, Plaintiff filed its complaint seeking declaratory relief and damages for breach of contract and breach of the covenant of good faith against Defendant. (ECF No. 2) The complaint arises fi-om a third-party suit against Plaintiff by the JamesQn Beach Property Owners’ Association and other individuals (hereinafter the “third party”), currently pending in this District, 18-cv-01025-MCE-AC.

In summary: “CRR is á year-round resort on the shores of Lake Tahoe, including a marina, hotel ice cream parlor, restaurant, cabins and campground. It is owned by the United States Forest Service (“USFS”) and' operated by CRR under Special Usé Permits. A subdivision of lakeside homes, the Jameson beach Subdivi-sio'h, lies to the east' of CRR. A partially-paved 25-foot strip of land on CRR’s eastern boundary provides access from State Highway 89 to the main Camp facility, the marina, and to the public beach. It is identified as ‘Jameson Beach Road’ [or the “roadway”]. CRR, at the direction of USFS, provides public parking spaces. along Jameson Beach Road and controls the flow of traffic from Highway 89 into the Camp via traffic kiosk. [ J The Jameson Beach subdivision property owners and guests use the roadway for ingress and egress.” (Pl.’s Opp.,'ECF No. 12 at 8.)

In the third-party suit, the “averments against'CRR complain about its operation of the Camp and its use of Jameson Beach Road. The [third party] plaintiffs claim alternatively a fee interest or- a usage interest in the 25-foot strip of land.” (ECF No. 12 at 8-9.)

The third party plaintiffs “allege CRR interfered with their -property interests and their use and enjoyment of the [roadway], The pleadings accuse CRR of cutting [1189]*1189down trees within the [roadway], of negligently erecting and maintaining the traffic control kiosk and chalking parking spaces. The [third party] plaintiffs complain CRR obtained too many alcohol beverage permits and claim damages/injury from ‘drunken patrons, loud music, and open trash cans. [The third party plaintiffs] claim these acts interfere with their property rights.” (ECF No. 12 at 9) (internal citations to the third party pleadings omitted). ■

In pertinent part, the first’ amended complaint in the third party lawsuit brings claims for quiet title, interference with an easement, ejectment, trespass, public nuisance, private nuisance, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and negligence. (ECF No. 10, Ex. C.)

The instant action - arises because. Plaintiff, Camp- Richardson Resort, is insured by Defendant, Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co., under a commercial general liability coverage policy (“CGL Policy”), which contains three relevant provisions: Coverage A, Coverage B, and Liquor Liability Coverage.

Coverage A insures Plaintiff against liability for bodily injury and property damages as a result of an “occurrence.” (ECF No. 2-1 at 159.) An “occurrence” is defined under the CGL Policy as “an accident, including continuous or repeated exposure to substantially the same general harmful conditions.” (ECF No. 2-1 at 172.) The definition of “property damage” includes “loss of use of tangible property that is not physically injured. All such loss of use shall be deemed to occur at the time of the ‘occurrence’ that caused it.” (ECF No. 2-1 at 173.)

Coverage B insures Plaintiff against “personal and advertising liability.” (ECF No. 2-1 at 164-165.) Personal and advertising liability is defined in pertinent part as “injury .., arising out of one or more of the following offenses.... (c) the wrongful eviction from, wrongful entry into, or invasion of. the right, of private, occupancy of a room, dwelling or premises that a person occupies, committed by or on behalf, of its owner, landlord or lessor... (e) oral or written publication, in any .manner, of material that violates a person’s right, of privacy .... ” (ECF, No. 2-1 at 172.)

Under the Liquor Liability Coverage, • Plaintiff is insured against liability for damages because of ‘injury’ . [if] such ‘injury5 is imposed on the insured by reason of the selling,- serving or furnishing of any alcoholic beverage.” (ECF No. 2-1 at 203.)

On July, 17, 2015, Defendant moved to dismiss Plaintiffs complaint for failure to state a claim, arguing that the' facts do not support a duty to defend or indemnify, under the CGL Policy.1(ECF No. 9.) Plaintiff filed an opposition on August 8, 2015. (ECF No. 12.) Defendant filed a reply on September 3, 2015. (ECF No. 13).

A court may consider documents external to the pleadings in a motion to dismiss under the incorporation by reference doctrine, where the contents of the documents are alleged in the complaint and neither party questions the authenticity of the documents. Knievel v. ESPN, 393 F.3d 1068, 1076 (9th Cir.2005). The Court hereby takes judicial, notice of the documents filed as ECF Nos. 2-1, 2-2, and 10. These documents include the insurance policy in question, the third-party complaints, declarations, and communications [1190]*1190between Plaintiff and Defendant regarding the policy and coverage.

STANDARD OP LAW

A motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) tests the legal sufficiency of a complaint. Navarro v. Block, 250 F.3d 729, 732 (9th Cir.2001). Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8(a) requires that a pleading contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” See Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678-79, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009). Under notice pleading in federal court, the complaint must “give the defendant fair notice of what the claim...is and the grounds upon which it rests.” Bell Atlantic v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007) (internal quotations omitted). “This simplified notice pleading standard relies on liberal discovery rules and summary judgment motions to define'disputed facts and issues and to dispose of unmeritórious claims.” Swierkiewicz v. Sorema N.A., 534 U.S. 506, 512, 122 S.Ct. 992, 152 L.Ed.2d 1 (2002).

On a motion to dismiss, the factual allegations of the complaint must be accepted as true. Cruz v. Beto,

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150 F. Supp. 3d 1186, 2015 WL 8328529, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 165223, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/camp-richardson-resort-inc-v-philadelphia-indemnity-insurance-caed-2015.