Drexel Burnham Lambert Group, Inc. v. Vigilant Insurance

157 Misc. 2d 198, 595 N.Y.S.2d 999, 1993 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 106
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedJanuary 22, 1993
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 157 Misc. 2d 198 (Drexel Burnham Lambert Group, Inc. v. Vigilant Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Drexel Burnham Lambert Group, Inc. v. Vigilant Insurance, 157 Misc. 2d 198, 595 N.Y.S.2d 999, 1993 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 106 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1993).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Edward J. Greenfield, J.

The smoke has not yet cleared from the debacle of shattered hopes, lives and dreams caused by the notorious activities of Michael Milken and Dennis Levine, among others, which rocked the financial world at the end of the 1980’s.

Milken and Levine have served time for their convictions of felonies and have been fined substantial sums. Their company, the investment brokerage house of Drexel Burnham Lambert, itself ultimately pleaded guilty to mail and securities fraud for its part in the crimes on September 1, 1989 and agreed to pay $650 million in criminal and civil penalties. It also settled a complaint filed against it by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

On February 13, 1990 the Drexel Burnham Lambert Group, the holding company for Drexel Burnham Lambert Incorporated (hereinafter collectively designated Drexel), filed a petition for reorganization under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code (11 USC § 1101 et seq.), and thereafter the subsidiaries likewise filed chapter 11 petitions. There was a veritable deluge of civil suits and claims in the bankruptcy proceedings which were filed against Drexel and Milken, aggregating well over $25 billion, including suits by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) and the Resolution Trust Corp. (RTC) for $6.8 billion on behalf of failed savings and loan associations that sustained heavy losses in the high yield bond market as a [202]*202result of the conduct of Drexel and its employees. A potential settlement of these claims has been worked out in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, contingent on the recovery of substantial sums by Drexel on its fidelity bonds and other insurance.

Drexel, as debtor-in-possession, commenced this lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court and after an attempt was made to remove it to the Federal court, Drexel moved to have it remanded, and on August 5, 1991 Hon. David Edelstein remanded the case to this court. On September 24, 1991, Drexel served its complaint, claiming against 39 named defendants on 51 bonds covering losses sustained through employee fraud and dishonesty which bonds were issued during the years 1986-1990.

One group of insurers, Vigilant, Federal and Pacific (the Chubb defendants), moved to dismiss the complaint pursuant to CPLR 3211 (a), or alternatively to correct the vague and ambiguous pleading under CPLR 3024. The other defendants all joined in motions seeking dismissal, all of which have been redesignated as cross motions and consolidated for disposition.

THE COMPLAINT

The complaint alleges that by reason of the dishonest activities of Levine, Milken and others, criminal and civil claims were made against Drexel, as a result of which Drexel sustained and is continuing to sustain losses covered under the employee dishonesty coverage provisions of its insurance policies for 1986-1990.

Drexel alleges that on June 26, 1990, it filed an interim proof of loss, supplemented thereafter, detailing over $1 billion that it has already paid in settlement of Federal, State, and private claims, together with millions of dollars in attorneys’ fees, litigation support costs, and public relations, advertising and consulting costs. It is further alleged that the defendants rejected the interim proof of loss and have refused to indemnify Drexel. Further, Drexel contends that it may sustain hundreds of millions of dollars in additional losses presently unliquidated.

Eight causes of action are set forth in the complaint. The first two seek a declaratory judgment that inasmuch as Drexel does not yet know the full scope of losses presently unliquidated and its potential liability in claims against it (a) there should be a declaration that it is not required to file a proof of [203]*203loss until six months after all claims premised on the dishonesty of Levine, Milken and others have been concluded, (b) is not required to sue until two years after the filing of its chapter 11 petition or the settlement agreement in Federal court is concluded; and (c) this action, although commenced by Drexel (ostensibly to safeguard its rights) should be stayed in whole or in part. The third cause of action seeks a declaratory judgment that both its existing and its undetermined and unliquidated losses are covered under one or more of the policies sued on.

The fourth cause of action alleges breach of contractual obligations resulting in unspecified damages on the 1986 policies, the fifth cause of action on the 1987 policies, the seventh cause of action on the 1989 policies, and the eighth cause of action on the 1990 policies.

CLAIMS AGAINST BROKERS AND MANAGERS

Five of the defendants1 seek dismissal under CPLR 3211 (a) (1) on the grounds that documentary evidence demonstrates that each of them are not carriers but brokers, managers or agents for disclosed principals (i.e., other defendants) and as such agents they are subject to no liability under any of the policies. (W. C. Humphreys, Inc. v Zurich Ins. Co., 54 Misc 2d 659; see also, Penick v Frank E. Basil Inc., 579 F Supp 160; Seguros Banvenez v S/S Oliver Drescher, 761 F2d 855; People v Ocean Club, 602 F Supp 489; Janina Travel Bur. v Kalison, 72 AD2d 916.) There is no indication any of them was to be personally bound.

Indeed, 100% participation on all the policies is accounted for by the shares of other defendants eliminating any ambiguities and thereby confirming the agency relationship as reflected in their signatures preceded by the word "per” (see, Restatement [Second] of Agency § 156, comment a). There is no need for discovery. As to these five defendants, the complaint in its entirety must be dismissed. There is absolutely no basis for their inclusion in this lawsuit.

DECLARATORY AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF

A declaratory judgment may be warranted under CPLR [204]*2043001 if it becomes necessary to declare the rights and legal relations of the parties as to a justiciable controversy. It is designated to clarify present or prospective obligations, to resolve uncertainty as to a course of action to be taken. The objective is primarily to still speculation as to an appropriate course of future conduct, without incurring the penalties of a present misstep. Declaratory relief is not necessary when the claim is fully subsumed in an action for breach of contract, and the declaration would add nothing and serve no useful purpose. (James v Alderton Dock Yards, 256 NY 298; Apple Records v Capitol Records, 137 AD2d 50, 54; Young & Co. v Fleischman, 85 AD2d 571.) Although plaintiff seeks a declaration that no proof of loss is yet required, it has already filed what it characterizes as an interim proof of loss under the 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990 policies listing, among its losses, the amounts it paid in settlement of the government’s charges against it, the attorneys’ fees and expenses it incurred, and losses incurred in the settlement of other civil claims aggregating well over a billion dollars. These are well in excess of the total coverage in any given year. There is no need to declare, such proofs of loss having already been filed, that the deferral of filing of proofs for the purpose of permitting quantification of further contingent liabilities will serve any real or practical purpose.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
157 Misc. 2d 198, 595 N.Y.S.2d 999, 1993 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 106, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/drexel-burnham-lambert-group-inc-v-vigilant-insurance-nysupct-1993.