Liberty Insurance Underwriters Inc. v. Scudier

53 F. Supp. 3d 1308, 2013 WL 3427902, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 97881
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedJuly 8, 2013
DocketNo. 2:12-CV-1549 JCM (VCF)
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 53 F. Supp. 3d 1308 (Liberty Insurance Underwriters Inc. v. Scudier) 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
Liberty Insurance Underwriters Inc. v. Scudier, 53 F. Supp. 3d 1308, 2013 WL 3427902, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 97881 (D. Nev. 2013).

Opinion

ORDER

JAMES C. MAHAN, District Judge.

Presently before the court is plaintiff Liberty Insurance Underwriters Inc.’s motion for summary judgment. (Doc. # 20).1 Defendant Patrick Dillon responded (doc. #32), and plaintiff replied (doc. # 33).

Also before the court is defendant Dillon’s counter-motion to stay. (Doc. # 34). Plaintiff responded (doc. # 35), defendant Dillon replied (doc. # 36).

Last, before the court is plaintiffs motion for default judgment against defendant William Scudier. (Doc. # 27).2

1. Factual background

This action is an insurance coverage lawsuit seeking a declaration of non-coverage for William Scudier’s (“Scudier”) intentional abuse and molestation of Patrick Dillon (“Dillon”). Scudier was employed as a [1312]*1312maintenance supervisor by Victory Village 2004, LLC (“Victory Village”) and B & R Property Management (“B & R”) (collectively “the association”). Dillon lived in the association and was 13 years old at the time of the abuse.

A. Underlying state action

In state court, Dillon filed a lawsuit against Scudier, Victory Village, and B & R for Scudier’s intentional atiuse and molestation of Dillon.3 Dillon’s second amended complaint asserts the following causes of action: (1) battery against Scudier; (2) assault against Scudier; (3) intentional infliction of emotional distress against Scudier; (4) false imprisonment against Scudier; (5) negligent hiring against Victory Village and B & R; (6) negligent supervision against Victory Village and B & R; (7) negligent retention against Victory Village and B & R; (8) gross negligence against Victory Village and B & R; and (9) respondeat superior against Victory Village and B & R.4 (Doc. # 26, Ex. A).

The underlying complaint contains the following critical factual allegations supporting Dillon’s claims for relief:

¶ 6 In October 2004, Patrick (“Dillon”) along with his mother Joann Dillon, and her boyfriend, Denver Lacey, moved into Apt. 627 at Victory Village.
¶ 7 Patrick was twelve (12) years old at this time.
¶ 14 Patrick began living with Scudier during January 2006.
¶ 16 In late-January 2006, Scudier performed oral sex on Patrick for the first time.
¶ 17 From January 2006 through August 2006, Scudier performed oral and anal sex on Patrick numerous times.
¶ 18 The frequency of the sexual contact varied from once a month to multiple times per week.
¶ 19 Patrick was thirteen (13) years old throughout the duration of the sexual relationship between he and Scudier.
¶ 23 On April 20, 2007, Scudier was charged with twenty-three (23) counts of Sexual Assault with a Minor Under Fourteen Years of Age, and twenty-three (23) counts of Lewdness with a Child Under the Age of 14.
¶ 24 On October 15, 2008, Scudier pled guilty to three counts of felony Coercion, pursuant to NRS §§ 207.190 and 175.547, stemming from his relationship with Patrick.
¶ 42 Scudier restrained Patrick within Scudier’s apartment without legal justification or consent.
¶ 45 At some point in February 2006, Scudier took Patrick to the Fiesta Hotel and Casino in Henderson, Nevada.
¶ 46 At some point in June 2006, Scudier took Patrick to the Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa & Casino in Henderson, Nevada.
¶ 47 At some point in June 2006, Scudier took Patrick to the Longhorn Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
¶ 48 At some point in August 2006, Scu-dier took Patrick on a trip to Zion National Park in Utah.
¶ 50 Patrick could not reasonably have exited or escaped these premises, which were miles form his home.

(Doc. # 26, Ex. A).

B. Insurance policies

Liberty Insurance Underwriters Inc. (“plaintiff’ or “Liberty”) issued two excess [1313]*1313“follow-form” liability policies under which the association claims insured status. (Doc. #24, Ex. A & B). The Liberty policies were specifically excess to underlying commercial general liability policies issued by Discovery Property and Casualty Insurance Company (“Discover”). (Doc. # 24, Ex. C; doc. # 26, Ex. E). The Liberty policies incorporate all policy language from the Discover policies, and thus follow form to the Discover policies, subject to the terms, conditions, exclusions and limitations of the Liberty policies.

The Liberty policies provide, in part:

We will pay on behalf of the Insured “loss” that results from an occurrence during the policy period.” We will pay “loss” in excess of the Underlying Insurance shown in Item 5 of the Declarations, but only up to an amount not exceeding our Limits of Liability as shown in Item 4 of Declarations. Except for any definitions, terms, conditions and exclusions of this policy, the coverage provided by this policy is subject to the terms and conditions of the First Underlying Insurance Policy, as shown in Item 5 of the Declarations.

(Doc. # 24, Exs. A & B, § I).

Seudier contends he is an insured under the Discover policies and thus, by definition, an “insured” under the Liberty policies and therefore is entitled to coverage under the policies for claims in the underlying action. (See discussion infra, I.B.).

C. Instant action

Plaintiff filed the instant action seeking declaratory relief against Seudier and Dillon. (Doc. # 1). Seudier was timely served; however, Seudier failed to answer or otherwise respond. The court enters default judgment against Seudier (see discussion infra, IV). Thus, Dillon is the only relevant defendant for purposes of the summary judgment motion.

Plaintiff seeks a declaration stating that Liberty has no duty to defend or indemnify Seudier in relation to the underlying state action. (Doc. # 1). Plaintiff now moves this court to enter judgment in its favor against Dillon and default judgment against Seudier. (Docs. # 21 & 27). Dillon has filed a counter-motion to stay this action pending resolution of an appeal in the underlying action. (Doc. # 34). The court addresses each motion in turn.

II. Motion for summary judgment (doc. # 20)
A. Legal standard

The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provide for summary adjudication when the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, 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 movant is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a).

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Bluebook (online)
53 F. Supp. 3d 1308, 2013 WL 3427902, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 97881, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/liberty-insurance-underwriters-inc-v-scudier-nvd-2013.