Doron Precision Systems, Inc. v. United States Fidelity & Guarantee Co.

963 P.2d 363, 131 Idaho 680, 1998 Ida. LEXIS 64
CourtIdaho Supreme Court
DecidedJune 4, 1998
Docket23706
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 963 P.2d 363 (Doron Precision Systems, Inc. v. United States Fidelity & Guarantee Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Idaho Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Doron Precision Systems, Inc. v. United States Fidelity & Guarantee Co., 963 P.2d 363, 131 Idaho 680, 1998 Ida. LEXIS 64 (Idaho 1998).

Opinions

WALTERS, Justice.

NATURE OF THE CASE

This is an apperi by Doron Precision Systems, Inc. (Doron) from a summary judgment in favor of United States Fidelity and Guarantee Co. (USF & G). The district court held that USF & G did not owe its policy-holder, Denison’s Inc., a duty to defend against a claim of copyright infringement by Doron. We reverse.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

This dispute arose when Doron filed a complaint against Kevin Denison (Denison) alleging copyright infringement. Denison, who was insured by USF & G, informed USF & G of the claim and requested a defense. USF & G refused to defend Denison on the ground that the insurance policy did not provide coverage for the claims of the lawsuit. The provision of the policy at issue provides coverage for “advertising injury.” Although the policy defined “advertising injury” to include injury from infringement of copyright, USF & G contended that the policy only covered claims of copyright infringement arising in the course of advertising, and asserted that Doron’s complaint simply alleged a claim of copyright infringement without any connection to advertising.

Eventually, Doron and Denison reached a settlement in which Denison admitted to unintentionally infringing upon Doron’s copyrights and agreed to pay Doron $150,250 in damages and $38,011 in costs. Denison also assigned to Doron all of its claims, causes of action and rights, if any, against its insurer, USF & G. USF & G was invited to participate in the settlement negotiations, but declined.

Following the settlement agreement, Doron filed a declaratory judgment action against USF & G seeking a determination that USF & G was liable for the damages and costs that Denison owed Doron pursuant to the settlement agreement. Both Doron and USF & G filed motions for summary judgment. The district court granted USF & G’s motion for summary judgment and awarded attorney fees to USF & G pursuant to Idaho Code § 12-120(3).

On appeal, Doron contends that advertising copyrighted materials constitutes an advertising injury under the policy. USF & G argues that there is no coverage unless the advertising itself constituted a copyright infringement. Doron álso contends that the district court erred in awarding attorney fees to USF & G.

II. DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review.

This Court’s review of a district court’s decision on a motion for summary judgment is the same as that required of the district court when originally ruling on the motion. East Lizard Butte Water Corp. v. Howell, 122 Idaho 679, 681, 837 P.2d 805, 807 (1992). Summary judgment must be granted when “the pleadings, depositions, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show 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.” I.R.C.P. 56(c); Friel v. Boise City Housing Authority, 126 Idaho 484, 485, 887 P.2d 29, 30 (1994). On review, as when the judgment is initially considered by the district court, this Court liberally construes the record in the light most favorable to the party opposing the motion, drawing all reasonable infer[682]*682enees and conclusions in that party’s favor. Friel, 126 Idaho at 485, 887 P.2d at 30 (citing Farm Credit Bank of Spokane v. Stevenson, 125 Idaho 270, 272, 869 P.2d 1365, 1367 (1994); Harris v. Dept. of Health and Welfare, 123 Idaho 295, 298, 847 P.2d 1156, 1159 (1992)). However, if the evidence reveals no disputed issues of material fact, only a question of law remains, and this Court exercises free review. Hines v. Hines, 129 Idaho 847, 850, 934 P.2d 20, 23 (1997).

B. Whether USF & G had a Duty to Defend.

On appeal, Doron argues that the district court erred in holding that USF & G did not owe a duty to defend because Doron’s complaint reveals a potential for liability for advertising injury arising out of infringement of copyright. After reading Doron’s complaint broadly, we conclude that the complaint does present a potential for liability, thus, giving rise to USF & G’s duty to defend.

An insurer’s duty to defend arises upon the filing of a complaint whose allegations, in whole or in part, read broadly, reveal a potential for liability that would be covered by the insured’s policy. Kootenai County v. Western Cas. & Sur., 113 Idaho 908, 910, 750 P.2d 87, 89 (1988) (quoting State of Idaho v. Bunker Hill Co., 647 F.Supp. 1064, 1068 (D.Idaho 1986)) (emphasis in original). Where there is doubt as to whether a theory of recovery within the policy coverage has been pleaded in the underlying complaint, or which may be included in the underlying complaint, the insurer must defend regardless of possible defenses arising under the policy or potential defenses arising under substantive law governing the claim against the insured. Id. An insurer seeking to establish that it has no duty to defend confronts a difficult burden since, at this stage, any doubts as to coverage must be resolved in favor of the insured. Continental Cas. Co. v. Brady, 127 Idaho 830, 833, 907 P.2d 807, 810 (1995).

In the case at hand, the insurance policy states that USF & G will provide commercial liability insui’anee to Denison, which includes coverage for “Advertising Injury.” USF & G will pay those sums that Denison becomes obligated to pay because of advertising injury, to which the coverage part applies. Moreover, USF & G will have the right and duty to defend any suit seeking such advertising injury damages. The policy goes on to define “advertising injury” as injury ai’ising out of “infringement of copyright, title or slogan.”

Doron’s complaint contained the following relevant allegations:

10. Plaintiff Doron is the owner of all rights, title and interest in the following registered copyrighted works: Wave Blaster; Alpine Challenge; Thriller Run II; Motorcycle Madness; Manhattan Magic; Golden Gate Thrills; Dune Buggy Blast; and Crazy Cart Caper.
16. Beginning possibly as early as 1989 and at various times since that time, continuing until the present, Defendants and each of them have infringed, and continue to infringe Doron’s copyrights by copying and placing on the market computer programs and films cox’responding to the aforementioned Doron copyrighted works in violation of the rights of Doron secured by the provisions of 17 U.S.C. § 106 and other provisions of the Copyright Act.
17.

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963 P.2d 363, 131 Idaho 680, 1998 Ida. LEXIS 64, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/doron-precision-systems-inc-v-united-states-fidelity-guarantee-co-idaho-1998.