Sphere Drake Ins., PLC v. Shoney's, Inc.

923 F. Supp. 1481, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5973, 1996 WL 224526
District Court, M.D. Alabama·Decided April 18, 1996·No. Civil Action 95-T-786-E·Published·Cited by 13 cases

Opinion

ORDER

MYRON H. THOMPSON, Chief Judge.

Plaintiff Sphere Drake Insurance, P.L.C., brought this lawsuit under the Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C.A. § 2201, seeking a declaration from this court that it has no *1486 duty to defend and indemnify various defendants in three other pending lawsuits. AH of these other lawsuits relate to claims by employees of sexual discrimination and harassment by other employees, supervisors, and managers of a Shoney’s restaurant. Sphere Drake has properly invoked the jurisdiction of the court based on diversity of citizenship, 28 U.S.C.A. § 1332. The court now has before it cross motions for summary judgment. For the reasons that follow, summary judgment will be granted in part and denied in part for each party.

I. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

Rule 56(e) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that summary judgment is appropriate where “there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and ... the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Once the party seeking summary judgment has informed the court of the basis for its motion, the burden shifts to the non-moving party to demonstrate why summary judgment would be inappropriate. Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2553, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986); see also Fitzpatrick v. City of Atlanta, 2 F.3d 1112, 1115-17 (11th Cir.1993) (discussing how the responsibilities on the movant and the nonmovant vary depending on whether the legal issues, as to which the facts in question pertain, are ones on which the movant or nonmovant bears the burden of proof at trial). In making its determination, the court must view all evidence and any factual inferences in the light most favorable to the non-moving party. Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 1356, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). The parties have agreed that there are no contested issues of fact, allowing for final disposition of this lawsuit on the cross motions for summary judgment now before the court.

II. BACKGROUND

The following facts are undisputed. First, this case involves two insurance policies:

First policy: From May 1, 1993, through May 1,1994, Sphere Drake issued an insurance policy to Bobby Garrison doing business as Captain D’s of Auburn, Captain D’s of Shawmut, and Shoney’s of Lanett.
Second policy: From May 1, 1994, through May 1, 1995, Sphere Drake issued another insurance policy, identical in all relevant respects to the first policy, to Garrison and Bob Crowell doing business as Captain D’s of Auburn, Captain D’s of Valley, and Shoney’s of Lanett.

As stated, this case also involves three underlying lawsuits:

Smith case: The first suit, brought by Lurleen Smith, Suzanne Turner, Rebecca Holt, and Chandra Barnes against Crowell, Jeffery Dawson, Ralph Hensley, Derrick Todd, and CD of Auburn in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, alleges sexual harassment, negligent and wanton supervision and retention, assault and battery, invasion of privacy, and outrage. 1
Thomas case: The second lawsuit, brought by Tunitha Thomas against Sho-ney’s, Inc., CD of Auburn, Crowell, and Todd, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, alleges sexual harassment, denial of promotion for refusing sexual advances, retaliation for filing a sex discrimination claim, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, and negligent retention. 2
Hornsby case: The third lawsuit, brought by Kathy Hornsby, Connie Bene-field, and Michelle Ledford against CD of Auburn, Crowell, Todd, Dawson, and Hensley in the Circuit Court of Chambers County, Alabama, alleges negligent and *1487 wanton supervision and retention, assault and battery, invasion of privacy, and outrage. 3

The basis for all three complaints is that male employees, supervisors, and managers at a Shoney’s restaurant subjected female employees to unwelcome, lewd, and sexually-explicit language, unwelcome touching, made sexual advances, and discriminated against the female employees for refusing to engage in sex with them. Sphere Drake was properly notified of all three lawsuits, and the defendants in the underlying lawsuits requested that it defend them. The insurance company has agreed to provide a defense under a reservation of rights. Sphere Drake filed this lawsuit seeking a declaration that it is not required to defend the following defendants in the underlying lawsuits: Shoney’s of Lanett, CD of Auburn, Garrison, Crowell, Dawson, Hensley, and Todd. It claims, for a variety of reasons, that the alleged conduct is not covered by the insurance policies. These defendants respond that, under the insurance policies, Sphere Drake is required to provide a defense to all of the defendants named in the underlying lawsuits. All of these defendants except Hensley and Todd have filed motions for summary judgment. The plaintiffs in the underlying lawsuits have filed their own motion for summary judgment, contending that Sphere Drake is required to defend all of the underlying defendants, including Hensley and Todd. Therefore, although Hensley and Todd have not filed motions for summary judgment in this case, the court has considered Sphere Drake’s obligation, if any, to defend them in the underlying cases.

III. DISCUSSION

A. Basic law

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Sphere Drake Ins., PLC v. Shoney's, Inc., 923 F. Supp. 1481, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5973, 1996 WL 224526 (M.D. Ala. 1996).

923 F. Supp. 1481 (Sphere Drake Ins., PLC v. Shoney's, Inc.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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