Geovera Specialty Insurance v. Hutchins

831 F. Supp. 2d 1306, 2011 WL 6444609, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148331
CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedDecember 21, 2011
DocketCase No. 8:09-CV-1973-T-17EAJ
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 831 F. Supp. 2d 1306 (Geovera Specialty Insurance v. Hutchins) 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
Geovera Specialty Insurance v. Hutchins, 831 F. Supp. 2d 1306, 2011 WL 6444609, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148331 (M.D. Fla. 2011).

Opinion

ORDER ON CROSS MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

ELIZABETH A. KOVACHEVICH, District Judge.

THIS CAUSE is before this Court on:

Dkt. 36 Amended Complaint

Dkt. 37 Defendants’ Answer and Counterclaim

Dkt. 45 Plaintiffs Response to Counterclaim

Dkt. 32 Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment

[1308]*1308Dkt. 35 Plaintiffs Amended Motion for Summary Judgment

Dkt. 41 Defendants’ Response to Amended Summary Judgment Motion

Dkt. 44 Plaintiffs Response to Summary Judgment Motion

Dkt. 48 Notice of Filing Final Judgment

Dkt. 49 Deposition

Dkt. 52 Notice of Supplemental Authority

Dkt. 61 Motion to Adopt Pleadings

Dkt. 62 Order

In the Amended Complaint (Dkt. 36), Plaintiff GEOYERA SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY f/k/a USF & G SPECIALTY INSURANCE CORPORATION(“Plaintiff’) seeks a declaratory judgment on three counts. Count I seeks a declaratory judgment that Plaintiff has no duty to defend or indemnify based on the allegations of the Complaint; Count II seeks a declaratory judgment that Plaintiff has no duty to indemnify based on actual facts; and Count III seeks a declaratory judgment that there is no coverage for punitive damages awarded in an underlying state action (“Underlying Action”).1 Defendants, ANTHONY FRACCALVIERI and ZULEMA RODRIGUEZ (“Defendants”), assert a counterclaim for a declaratory judgment that Plaintiff has a duty to provide coverage, a duty to defend, and a duty to indemnify.

Defendant Hutchins filed a Chapter 7 Petition in U.S. Bankruptcy Court on August 19, 2011. The Trustee of Defendant’s Bankruptcy Estate, Christine Herendeen, has adopted the Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 32) and the Response in Opposition to Plaintiffs Amended Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 41).

Plaintiff defended its insured under a reservation of rights in Case No. 51-2007-CA-002301-AWS, filed in Pasco County Circuit Court. The trial in the Underlying Action was held in April of 2010. On or about April 15, 2010, a jury returned a verdict in favor of FRACCALVIERI and RODRIGUEZ. The jury awarded damages as follows: $2,000,000.00 for A.F., Jessica Leigh Fraccalvieri’s (“Decedent”) minor child, $1,000,000.00 for Theresa Caperna, Decedent’s mother, $1,025,000.00 for Anthony Fraecalvieri, Decedent’s father, and $500,000.00 in punitive damages assessed against CHRISTOPHER X. HUTCHINS. (Dkt. 32-7).

Both Plaintiff and Defendants have filed a motion for summary judgment. Having considered the parties’ submissions and pertinent law, the Court grants Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment and denies Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment.

I. Preliminary Issue

On 9/27/2010, Plaintiff requested leave to file an Amended Complaint, and attached a proposed amended complaint (Dkt. 27). The Court granted the Motion (Dkt. 28). The Amended Complaint was filed on 10/5/2010 (Dkt. 36). Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment is directed to the Amended Complaint, although the Amended Complaint was not filed until after Defendants’ Motion was filed. Plaintiff filed an Amended Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 35) which is directed to the Amended Complaint.

II. Standard of Review

Summary judgment should be rendered if the pleadings, the discovery and disclosure materials on file, and any affidavits show that there is no genuine issue as to [1309]*1309any material fact and that the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c).

The plain language of Rule 56(c) mandates the entry of summary judgment after adequate time for discovery and upon motion, against a party who fails to make a showing sufficient to establish the existence of an element essential to that party’s case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial.

Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986).

The appropriate substantive law will guide the determination of which facts are material and which facts are ... irrelevant. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986). All reasonable doubts about the facts and all justifiable inferences are resolved in favor of the nonmovant. See Fitzpatrick v. City of Atlanta, 2 F.3d 1112, 1115 (11th Cir.1993). A dispute is genuine “if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the non-moving party.” See Anderson, 477 U.S. at 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505. But, “[i]f the evidence is merely colorable ... or is not significantly probative ... summary judgment may be granted.” Id. at 249-50, 106 S.Ct. 2505.

III. Statement of Facts

1. Plaintiff insured Lizzie Myrick with homeowner’s policy No. GH20028088 (“the Policy”) with an effective date of August 26, 2005, to August 26, 2006. (Dkt. 35-1). Lizzie Myrick is the grandmother of Christopher X. Hutchins (“Hutchins”). (Dkt. 32-2 p. 6:11-16).

2. On February 1, 2006, and continuing into to early morning hours of February 2, 2006, Hutchins shot Decedent Jessica Leigh Fraecalvieri (“JLF”) in the neck, resulting in Decedent’s death. (Dkt. 32-1 p. 1; Dkt. 32-2 p. 17:12, p. 18:17-18; p. 25:10-14).

3. At the time of the shooting, Hutch-ins was living with the insured, his grandmother, Ms. Myrick. (Dkt. 32-2 p. Orille). Neither party contests that Hutchins is an insured.

4. The following provisions of the Policy at issue are relevant(Dkt. 35-1):

SECTION II — LIABILITY COVERAGES
A. Coverage E — Personal Liability
If a claim is made or a suit is brought against an “insured” for damages because of “bodily injury” or “property damage” caused by an “occurrence” to which this coverage applies, we will:
1. Pay up to our limit of liability for the damages for which an “insured” is legally liable. Damages include prejudgment interest awarded against an “insured”; and
2. Provide a defense at our expense by counsel of our choice, even if the suit is groundless, false or fraudulent. We may investigate and settle any claim or suit that we decide is appropriate. Our duty to settle or defend ends when our limit of liability for the “occurrence” has been exhausted by payment of a judgment or settlement.
❖ * ^
THIS ENDORSEMENT CHANGES THE POLICY, PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY.
USF & G SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY SPECIAL PROVISIONS
DEFINITIONS
The definition of “occurrence” is replaced by the following:
[1310]*13108.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
831 F. Supp. 2d 1306, 2011 WL 6444609, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148331, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/geovera-specialty-insurance-v-hutchins-flmd-2011.