Munich Re Underwriting Limited v. Markel Insurance Company

Filing 18

ORDER GRANTING 11 MOTION to Change Venue filed by Markel Insurance Company. Signed by Judge Patricia A. Seitz on 11/8/2012. (lbc)

UN I
TED STA TES DI
STRI C OU RT
CT
SOU TH ERN DI
STRJ OF FLORJ A
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D
CA SE N O .1 CV 2- 22069- TZ/ M ON TON
SEl SI
M U N I RE UN D ERW R I N G LI I
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M ARKEL I
NSUM N CE COM PAN Y,
Def nda .
e nt

ORDER GR ANTI M OTI TO TM NSFER VENUE
NG
ON

Thi m at ri bef et Co ton t De e ntsM oton f Tr ns e t t Unie
s te s or he ur
he f nda '
i or a f r o he t d

SttsDititCo r f rt Ce ta Ditit fCaion a( I j fn a ta s rst thi
ae src u t o he nr l src o lfr i DE- 1.De e d n s e t ha t s
i ur ncec r gediput i ve a i ur ncepolc is ed i Calf ni t Calf i
ns a
ove a
s e nvol s n ns a
i y s u n ior a o iom a
i ur dsa t wili vet a iaton ofCa ior al w. Pli ifa s t t tve i
ns e nd hus l nvol he pplc i
lf ni a
a ntf s ers ha nue s

pr ri t sditita t tisc ceofve i e il d t def e
ope n hi src nd ha t hoi
nue s ntte o er nce.Be us ve woul
ca e nue
d
alobepr pe i t Ce r lDititofCa ior a,t i ur econtac i gove ne by
s
o r n he nta src
lf ni he ns anc
r ts
r d
Calf ni l a anypotnta wines e r l va t t e cuton oft contac ar i
ior a aw, nd
e il t s s e e nt o he xe i
he
r t en
Calf ni ,ta f rt t Ce r lDiti ofCalf i i a o i t . Thus De enda ' M oton
ior a r nse o he nta srct
iom a s ppr pra e
, f nts i
i ga e
s r nt d.
B ackground Fact
s

Pl ntf o co c
ai irs ne unt ompl i a lgesa cai f br c ofa i ur nc con r c .
ant le
l m or ea h n ns a e ta t
Pl i ifis d a i ur epolc t St n Roge s t owne oft ves e M /
antf s ue n ns anc
iy o eve
r , he
r he s l Y
W ha c gonnado,t i ur t ve s lagans physca dnma I ea l 2007,
t ha
o ns e he s e
i t
i l
ge. n ry
Roge sc r ctd
r onta e
w ih J m es Cas t a r nge f t delv y of t ves e f o Tor ol B. .. o Por Eve gl de ,
t a
h o ra
or he i el
he s l r m
t a, V I t
t r a s

Fl i . Roge sa s e e edi o a a e m e wih M a i Salng,l whe eb M a i Sa lng
orda
r lo nt r nt n gr e nt t
rna ii nc. r y rna ii

or nie Amei nSalngAsocai (
ga z d
rca ii
s iton ASA)tani cls e f t sude sa r t
ri ng a s s or wo t nt boad he
ves e a e o Ca h,a alc ns A SA ma i c a n,t pr dei tuc i t t
s l nd mpl yed s s ie ed
rne apti o ovi nsr ton o he
sude s On M a 28,2007, h wa a t hel oft ves e ,
t nt .
y
Cas s t he m
he s l conduc i i tuc i ,whe he
tng nsr tons
n
r n t ve s lagr nd ne r St ki I l nd i t Baha as A s a r ul ofCas sneglge e
a he s e
ou
a oc ng s a n he
m .
es t
h'
i nc ,

t ve s ls t i d dnma st ishul. On M a 31 2007 Ca h wasa i att hem
he s e usa ne
ge o t l
y ,
, s
gan he l
i tu i sude swhe he c us d t ve s ' mas t srket brdgeconne tngNas a wih
nsr ctng t nt
n
a e he s els t o ti he i
ci
su t
Pa a s I lnd i t Ba mas Agan,a t r ul ofCas sne i nce t mas s t ne
r die sa n he ha .
i s he es t
h' glge , he
t usai d

da ges Theve s pr e d t Por Eve gldeswhe e r pa r we e done.
ma .
s el oce de o t r a
r e is r
Def nti s a Com m e c a Ge a Li biiy Polc ofI ur nc t A SA i
enda s ued
r i l ner l a lt
i y ns a e o
n

Caiom i The polc lssASA' a es i M a i De Re Caio ni M a i Saii a a
lf a.
i y it
S ddr s n rna l y, lf r a. rna lng, s
me be s hoolofASA,qua i asa i ur d unde Def nda ' polc Ca h,ac rii d ASA
m rc
lled n ns e
r e nts iy. s
e tfe
i tu t ,a s qualfe asani u ed unde De e ntspolc whiei tuctng f a me be
nsr c or lo
ii d
ns r
r f nda ' i y l nsr i or
m r
a a m y o cub.Bot M a i Saii a Cas a er sden sofCa ior a. On ora
c de
r l
h rna lng nd h r e i t
lf ni
boutJ 5,
une

2007,Cas ga Def nda no i eofacli unde t polc ba e on t M a 28and 31 2007
h ve e nt tc
am
r he iy s d
he y
,
i i nt t tdama d t ves el Def nda i ta e an i tgai oft c am .U li a ey,
nc de s ha
ge he s . e nt niit d nvesi ton he l i
tm t l
De e ntde e t c am ba e on a e l i n i ispolc Asar ul,Pl ntf,a Roge s
f nda
ni d he l i s d
n xcuso n t iy.
es t ai if s
r'

i ur r pa d Roge s$71031. f r paist t boa .Pli ift n s d Cas and M a i
ns e , i
r
, 75 or e r o he t antf he ue
h
rna

Saln t r c v risls e .Plitf o tie aj d me t g is Ca h i t a u t f
iig o e o e t o s s an if b an d u g n a an t s n he mo n o
$ 5 ,0 a daj d me t g i t s a dMa iaS i n f $ ,317 .Asars l, an if
2 00 0 n u g n a ans Ca h n rn al g or 710 .5
i
e ut Plitf
i s oga ed t t rght ofCas and M a i Sa lng and brngs t s a ton ag ns D ef nda
s ubr t o he i s
h
rna ii
i hi c i
ai t e nt

f f ii t pa t cai m a on ispolc
or a lng o y he l m de t i y.
2

Pl ntf i af ei c por ton wih isprncpalpl eofbusne si London,
ai if s or gn or a i
t t i i
ac
i s n
Englnd.
a

Pli ifdoesbusnes i Fl rdaa Caio ni De e nti alo af ei co po ai wih is
antf
i s n o i nd lf r a. f nda s s or gn r r ton t t
prncpal a eofbusnes i Vig ni Defnda i a t i e t c
i i pl c
i s n r i a. e nt s u horz d o onduc busnes i Flrda
t i sn oi
a Ca ior a
nd lf ni .
A na ys s
l i

Bot pa tesag e t tve i pr peri t sditi ta t tve wo d alo be pr r
h ri r e ha nue s o n hi src nd ha nue ul s
ope

i t eCe ta Ditito Caio na Til 28o teU. C. 1 0 a p r t adsrc c u t o
n h n rl src f lf r i. te f h S. j 4 4() emis itit o r t

ta se v n eo a a to t a oh rdsrc c u tsl r h c n ne eo p ris wi e ss
rn fr e u f n cin o n te itit o r tto t e o ve inc f ate , t se
l
n
(r i t eitr s o j sie' Dee d n a s rst a ti a to s o l b ta serdt t
o ) n h n ee t f u tc . f n a t se t h t hs cin h ud e r n fre o he
'
Ce ta Ditito Caio nap ru n t s ci n 1 4 a .F co sac u t h l c n i e i
nr l src f lf r i u s a t o e to 40 () a tr o r s oud o sd r n
d cdn wh t rt ta se ac s icu e ()t ec n ne eo t wi s e ; 2 telc to
e iig ehe o r n fr ae n ld : 1 h o ve inc f he t s s ( ) h o ain
ne
ofr e ntdoc nt a t r ai e eofa c st s ur e ofpr ;( t conve enc of
elva
ume s nd he eltve as c es o o c s oof 3) he
ni e
t pate ;( t l usofope ai fcs ( t a ia lt ofpr s t co lt
he ris 4) he oc
r tve a t; 5) he valbiiy oce s o mpe he

atnd n eo u wiln win se ; 6 t rltv me n o t ep ris ( )af r sfmiirt
te a c f n lig te s s ( ) he eaie a s f h a t ; 7 oum' a lai
e
y
wi teg v r iglw; 8 t weg t c o d dapanif c ieo f r m; n ()til
t h o enn a ( ) he ih a c r e li tf s hoc f o u a d 9 ra
h
efce c a dt i trsso j tc , s do t et tlt o t cr u tn e .Ma e v
f in y n he n ee t f usie ba e n h oai f he ic msa c s nu l .
y
Conv r Cor ,430F. 11 11 n. ( 1h Ci.2005) t heet opertvef t
egys p.
3d 32, 35 1 1 t r
. ç r he ai acs
W
unde l ngt ca eofa ton di notocc wihi t f u c e by t Pli if t cho c
ryi he us
ci
d
ur t n he or m hos n he a ntf, he i e
off um i e il d t ls consde a i ' Wi
or s ntte o e s
i r ton. ndmer Cor v Te n onPr
'
e p. . migt
oduc s l . 61 F.
t, nc, 7

Sup 8,1 ( D. a.1 .
p. 0 S. Fl 985)
De e ntar
f nda guest tt ef t swegh i f voroftans e . Spe fc l De enda
ha hes acor i n a
r fr
ciialy, f nt
c endst tCaior a 1w i t go ni l whi aCalf ni co ti i abet rposton
ont
ha lf ni a s he ver ng aw, ch
ior a ur s n
te
ii

t c tue, ha a1oft i ur dsunde t contac a e Ca ior ar sdent a t ta y
o onsr t t 1 he ns e
r he
r t r lf ni e i s, nd ha n
wines e r l tngt t e cuton oft i ur eco r c r sde i t Ce r lDititof
t s s e ai o he xe i
he ns anc nta t e i n he nta src
Caiom i l r s
lf a. n e pons ,Pli ifa g st tisc c off u s ul be g ve de e e ,t t
e antf r ue ha t hoie or m ho d
i n f r nce ha

t sCour i c pa eofa yi Ca iom i lw,a t r a e wines esl a e i Fl i
hi
t s a bl
ppl ng lf a a nd he e r t s oc t d n orda,
s c fcal t ewine s sr a i t t r paroft ve s ,hec am madeunde t
pe ii ly,hos t s e eltng o he e i he s el t l i
r he

i s r n ep lc a dt ea j sigo t cam .Ho ve, an ifas sae t a ti c s
n u a c o iy, n h d u tn f he li
we r Plitf lo tts h t h s a e
i ve a que to of1w a t twines t si ony S snotr quied a al.
nvol s
si n a nd ha t s e tm
t
i
e r t 1'
'
Thea ia ef cor wegh i f
pplc bl a t s i n avorofta f r Fis, c us t ope a i f c s
r nse . r t be a e he r tve a t
unde l ng Pli ifsca eofa ton di no oc i Fl i Pli tf c ceofFl i a a
ryi
a ntf
us
ci
d t cur n orda, a n ips hoi
orda s

f um s d be gi n ls wei .Se ond, hef w ot ra iabl f t r a1weih i f vo of
or houl
ve e s ght c
t e he pplc e ac o s 1 g n a r
ta f r N et pa t diput t tCaior a 1w wila y t t i ur ncec r c . W hie
r ns e . iher ry s es ha lf ni a
l ppl o he ns a
onta t
l,
a Pl i ifa g s t sCour i c pa eofa yi Ca ior a lw , Caior a c ti cla l
s antf r ue ,hi
t s a bl
ppl ng lf ni a a lf ni our s e ry
m o e f m ii rwih Calf ni l w t n t sCour.Addii ly, c et sc s i abou
r a la t
ior a a ha hi
t
tona l be aus hi a e s
t
c ta ti e r t ton,a lkey wine s a et pa te t t contac ,
on r c nt p e ai ny i l t s es r he ri s o he
r t who a el ca e i
r o td n

Ca ior a W hiePl i ifa guest twines est e nt t tocc r d i Fl i a e l a e i
lf ni .
l antf r
ha t s o ve s ha
ure n orda r oc t d n
Fl i , hos eve sa e no r l va t t i e e ai oft t nnsoft i ur eco r c .
orda t e nt r t e e nt o he nt pr tton he e
he ns anc nta t
Pli ifa s a g st tt si an is oflw a wine s swilnotbenec s r Howeve ,i
antf lo r ue ha hi s s ue a nd t s e l
es a y.
rt
i pos i et twines eswilbene s ar i t t r oft i ur ncec r c a eambi uous
s sbl ha t s
l
ce s y f he e ms he ns a
onta t r
g
.

Thus t f w f t st ta epr enti t sc ewei i f vorofta f r i t sm at rt
,he e acor ha r es n hi as
gh n a
r nse rng hi te o
Ca i or a.
lf ni

Ac or ngl i i
c di y, t s

ORDERED t tDefnda ' M oto f Tr nse t t Unie St t DititCo tf
ha
e nts
in or a f r o he t d aes src ur or
4

t eCe ta Ditit fCaio na( I 1i GRANTED.Th Clr i dr ce t ta se t s
h n rl src o lfr i DE- 1 s
e e k s ie td o rn fr hi
c s t t Ce r lDititofCa ior a.
a e o he nta src
lf ni
DONE a ORDERED i M im i Fl i t s
nd
n a , orda, hi

J' dyofNovember,2012.
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UNI
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