Capitol Indemnity Corp. v. Wright

341 F. Supp. 2d 1152, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21628, 2004 WL 2377244
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedSeptember 29, 2004
DocketCV-S-1602LRHLRL
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 341 F. Supp. 2d 1152 (Capitol Indemnity Corp. v. Wright) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Capitol Indemnity Corp. v. Wright, 341 F. Supp. 2d 1152, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21628, 2004 WL 2377244 (D. Nev. 2004).

Opinion

ORDER

HICKS, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

This declaratory judgment action involves coverage questions arising out of the defense of a tort action 1 (hereinafter “Underlying Action”) in the state District Court, in Clark County, Nevada. This action was brought by Capitol Indemnity Corporation (“Plaintiff’ or “Insurer”) for a declaration of its liability under a policy of insurance (the “Policy”) issued to the named insured, EQUITY ENTERPRISES d/b/a The OakLeaf, to cover it for certain risks attendant in operating a group home facility.

Pending before the Court is Defendant Joseph Forte’s Motion to Dismiss filed pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), or, in the alternative, Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 7) filed pursuant to Fed. R.Civ.P. 56(c). For the reasons set forth below, the Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 7) will be granted in part.

II.BACKGROUND FACTS

The background facts of this action are disturbing, to say the least. In short, Joseph Forte filed a complaint, by and through the Clark County Public Administrator, for damages in state court against the insured, Equity Enterprises as well as other associated parties. Forte alleges that Equity Enterprises, Inc., owned and operated a group home called “The Oak-leaf’ during all times relevant to the Underlying Action. Joseph Forte was a resident at The Oakleaf. While Joseph Forte resided at The OakLeaf facility, he was in his mid 80s and allegedly suffered from diminished mental faculties, including dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. Equity Enterprises bought a commercial general liability Policy from the Plaintiff Capitol Indemnity Corporation for The OakLeaf facility. Defendant Equity Enterprises retained Senior Connections, LLC to manage The OakLeaf facility for Equity Enterprises. Richard A. Smith was the principal member of Senior Connections.

During Forte’s stay at The OakLeaf, Richard Smith forged Forte’s signature on a document purporting to authorize Nevada State Bank to allow Richard Smith to *1154 be a signatory on all of Mr. Forte’s bank accounts. Richard Smith then withdrew the sum of $452,699.98 from Mr. Forte’s bank accounts. Richard Smith deposited the vast majority of these funds in the bank account of Senior Connections, LLC. Eventually, the conversion of Mr. Forte’s substantial wealth was discovered. Richard Smith executed a written confession admitting to this misappropriation of Forte’s funds, pleaded guilty, and was convicted of Exploitation of the Elderly in violation of Nev.Rev.Stat. 200.5099, in state court in Clark County, Nevada.

Some procedural history might be helpful at this point. A number of the parties in the Underlying Action filed a Motion to Dismiss Forte’s complaint, which the Clark County District Court considered as a Motion for Summary Judgment and granted on November 20, 2001. On November 28, 2001, Forte filed a Motion for Reconsideration, which the court denied on January 4, 2002. On December 17, 2002, Forte appealed the district court’s decision to the Nevada Supreme Court. On June 5, 2003, The Nevada Supreme Court reversed the district court’s granting of summary judgment as to Equity Enterprises and affirmed as to Foster and Wright.

On February 6, 2003, before the Nevada Supreme Court issued its ruling on the granting of summary judgment as to Equity Enterprises, Joseph Forte died. On February 11, 2003, pursuant to Nev. R. Civ. P. 25, Forte, by and through Clark County Public Administrator Kathleen Buchanan, filed a Suggestion of Death upon the record. On April 16, 2003, Forte filed a Notice of Substitution of Real Party in Interest, substituting Clark County Public Administrator Dan Ahlstrom (“Ahlstrom”) for Buchanan, as and for the person and estate of Joseph Forte. On July 2, 2003, Forte, by and through Ahlstrom, filed a Motion to Substitute Representative Parties. It appears from the limited record before this Court, that due to the appeal pending before the Nevada Supreme Court, no further action appears to have been taken.

On December 22, 2003, while Forte’s appeal was pending, Plaintiff Capitol Indemnity Corporation filed the instant action for Declaratory Judgment. Plaintiff properly served the complaint on all named Defendants.

In the instant action, Plaintiff named Joseph Forte, by and through Clark County Public Administrator Kathleen Buchanan, as a Defendant. However, it is apparent that Mr. Forte was deceased at the time Plaintiff filed this action. Nevertheless, acceptance of service of the summons and complaint was acknowledged on behalf of Joseph Forte by the Clark County Public Guardian. It appears that the confusion over who was representing the interests of the late Mr. Forte was brought about by the Underlying Action being stayed while the appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court was pending. The Clark County Public Administrator Dan Ahl-strom, as represented by his counsel of record, Nursing Home Justice Center, is the proper party representing the interests of Joseph Forte’s estate before this Court. The Court hereby substitutes him accordingly.

III. STANDARD OF REVIEW

Defendant Forte has filed a Motion to Dismiss pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), or, in the alternative, Motion for Summary Judgment (Docket No. 7) pursuant to Fed. R.Civ.P. 56(c). A federal district court must convert a 12(b)(6) motion to one for summary judgment under Rule 56 when the parties submit, and the court does not reject, material beyond the pleadings. Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6); Portland Retail Druggists Association v. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, 662 F.2d 641, 645 (9th *1155 Cir.1981); Fernandez v. GE Capital Mortgage Services, Inc., 227 B.R. 174, 180 (9th Cir.BAP 1998). As the Court has relied on the materials submitted beyond the pleadings, the Court will decide the Defendant’s motion as a motion for summary judgment.

A motion for summary judgment is a procedure that terminates, without a trial, actions in which “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(c). A summary judgment motion may be made in reliance on the “pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any.” Id.

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341 F. Supp. 2d 1152, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21628, 2004 WL 2377244, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/capitol-indemnity-corp-v-wright-nvd-2004.