Supreme Servs. and Spec. Co. v. Sonny Greer

930 So. 2d 1077, 2006 WL 1154824
CourtLouisiana Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 3, 2006
Docket2004-1400
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 930 So. 2d 1077 (Supreme Servs. and Spec. Co. v. Sonny Greer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Louisiana Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Supreme Servs. and Spec. Co. v. Sonny Greer, 930 So. 2d 1077, 2006 WL 1154824 (La. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

930 So.2d 1077 (2006)

SUPREME SERVICES AND SPECIALTY CO., INC.
v.
SONNY GREER, INC., et al.

No. 2004-1400.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.

May 3, 2006.
Rehearing Denied June 28, 2006.

*1078 Richard D. Chappuis, Jr., Voorhies & Labbe, Lafayette, LA, for Defendant/Appellee, Melvin J. Oubre.

David W. Groner, New Iberia, LA, for Defendants/Appellants, Sonny Greer, Inc. and Bridgette Greer.

James Ryan, III, James Ryan III & Assoc., LLC, New Orleans, LA, for Defendants/Appellees, AXA Global Risk U.S. Insurance Co.

Cynthia J. Thomas, Galloway, Johnson, Tompkins, Burr & Smith, Mandeville, LA, for Defendant/Appellee, Sonny Greer, Inc. d/b/a Sonny Greer Construction Company, Inc.

William Lee Melancon, Melancon & Associates, L.L.C., Lafayette, LA, for Plaintiff/Appellee, Supreme Services and Specialty Co., Inc.

Court composed of ULYSSES GENE THIBODEAUX, Chief Judge, JIMMIE C. PETERS, and J. DAVID PAINTER, Judges.

THIBODEAUX, Chief Judge.

Supreme Services and Specialty Co., Inc. sued Sonny Greer, Inc. to recover for defective work on a construction project. Greer third-partied its commercial general liability provider, AXA Global Risk U.S. Insurance Co., which promptly filed a motion for summary judgment and asserted a lack of coverage. Greer filed its own motion for summary judgment and contended that its insurance policy provided coverage. *1079 The trial court determined that the insurance policy did not cover the damages resulting from the alleged defective work-product of the contractor and its subcontractors.

We reverse the judgments of the trial court and render. The subcontractor exception to the work-product exclusion of the insurance contract renders the exclusion inapplicable. Further, the commercial general liability policy provides coverage under its "products-completed operations hazard" provision.

With regard to the motion to strike filed in this court, we decline to strike the appellee brief of the insurer, but we will disregard any references and arguments pertaining to the unpublished decision discussed in and attached to the insurer's appellee brief.

I.

ISSUES

We must decide whether the policy of insurance at issue herein provides coverage for the work-product damages claimed by the plaintiff.

II.

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Supreme Services and Specialty Company, Inc. (Supreme) contracted with Sonny Greer, Inc., d/b/a Sonny Greer Construction Company, Inc. (Greer) in December 1996, for the construction of a commercial building on a lot owned by Supreme. Several subcontractors were involved in the construction project, and in delivering and pouring the concrete for the slab of the building and for the parking lot. Supreme complained of cracks in the concrete slab and parking lot soon after the concrete was poured. Greer cut out a section of the cracked concrete slab and poured a new slab in that section. Supreme continued to complain of cracks in the concrete and drew up a warranty agreement, which Greer and its agents signed.

According to Greer, Supreme continued to complain about the cracks, and Greer made several additional but unsuccessful attempts to satisfy Supreme. The cracks continued to worsen. After completion of the construction project, Supreme filed suit alleging breach of contract and breach of the warranty agreement. Greer filed an answer and a third party demand against its insurer, AXA Global Risk U.S. Insurance Company (AXA), pursuant to a commercial general liability (CGL) policy issued to Greer.

AXA filed a motion for summary judgment alleging that the policy specifically excluded coverage for damages arising out of Greer's work-product. Greer reconvened against AXA seeking a summary judgment declaration that the AXA policy provided coverage for the claims made by Supreme against Greer. The trial court granted AXA's motion for summary judgment and denied Greer's motion for summary judgment. Greer filed this appeal. Greer also filed a motion to strike the appellee brief of AXA wherein AXA attached and argued an unpublished opinion.

While several decisions have been previously rendered in this case by another panel of this court,[1] the only issues now *1080 before this panel are the trial court's rulings on the motions for summary judgment and our decision on Greer's motion to strike the appellee brief of AXA. For the reasons set forth below, we reverse the trial court's judgments on the summary judgment issues. Additionally, while we decline to strike the appellee brief of AXA, we will disregard any references and arguments pertaining to the unpublished opinion.

III.

LAW AND DISCUSSION

Standard of Review

Appellate courts review grants of summary judgment de novo, using the same criteria that govern the trial court's consideration of whether summary judgment is appropriate, that is, whether there is a genuine issue of material fact and whether the mover is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Ocean Energy, Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish Gov't, 04-66 (La.7/6/04), 880 So.2d 1.

Motion to Strike

Greer contends that AXA has violated Rule 2-16.3 of the Uniform Rules of the Courts of Appeal by arguing and attaching as an exhibit the unpublished decision in Lafayette Consolidated Government v. Taylor Lumber & Treating, Inc., 01-1069 (La.App. 3 Cir. 6/19/02), 825 So.2d 600. Greer alleges that AXA states that the case is attached for informational purposes only and then proceeds to argue the legal theories and conclusions in an attempt to persuade this panel to use the logic and reasoning contained therein. Accordingly, Greer seeks to have AXA's appellee brief stricken or, in the alternative, requests that we strike the portions of the brief which use the logic set forth in the unpublished decision. The pertinent text of the Rules provide:

2-16.3. Publication and Citation
C. Opinions and dispositions marked "Not Designated for Publication" shall not be cited, quoted, or referred to by any counsel, or in any argument, brief, or other materials presented to any court, except in continuing or related litigation. Opinions marked "Not Designated for Publication" shall be filed in the clerk's office as public records.
2-12.13. Non-conforming Briefs; Sanctions
Briefs not in compliance with these Rules may be stricken in whole or in part by the court, and the delinquent party or counsel of record may be ordered to file a new or amended brief.

Pursuant to subpart (C) of Rule 2-16.3 above, unpublished opinions and/or writ grants with orders should not be cited, quoted, or referred to, and therefore will not be considered by this court. See Uniform Rules—Courts of Appeal, Rule 2-16.3; and see State v. Williams, 02-1030 (La.10/15/02), 830 So.2d 984. However, sanctions are within our discretion pursuant to Rule 2-12.13, and we decline to strike the appellee brief of AXA. We have made it a point not to read the decision complained of, Lafayette Consolidated Government v. Taylor Lumber & Treating, Inc., and shall not refer to it in any way. We will also disregard any references or arguments pertaining to the decision in the brief filed by the third party defendant, AXA.

*1081 Rulings of the Trial Court and Language in the AXA Policy

In its reasons for judgment in favor of AXA, the trial court stated as follows:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
930 So. 2d 1077, 2006 WL 1154824, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/supreme-servs-and-spec-co-v-sonny-greer-lactapp-2006.