MASSACHUSETTS BAY INSURANCE COMPANY v. FORT BENNING FAMILY COMMUNITIES LLC et al
Filing
44
ORDER granting 41 Motion for Reconsideration and granting summary judgment for Plaintiff. Ordered by US DISTRICT JUDGE CLAY D LAND on 5/15/2017 (tlf).
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA
COLUMBUS DIVISION
MASSACHUSETTS BAY INSURANCE
COMPANY,
*
*
Plaintiff,
*
vs.
*
FORT BENNING FAMILY
COMMUNITIES, LLC, JOHN CALE
BROWN, SR., and DARLENA BROWN
CASE NO. 4:15-CV-75-CDL
*
*
Defendants.
*
O R D E R
The outcome of this declaratory judgment action depends on
whether Georgia or Maryland law applies.
Under Georgia law,
Plaintiff Massachusetts Bay Insurance Company has no duty to
provide coverage to Defendant Fort Benning Family Communities
because the claimed injuries fall under the pollution exclusion
in the policies.
426
(Ga.
See Ga. Farm Bureau v. Smith, 784 S.E.2d 422,
2016).
Under
excluded from coverage.
Maryland
law,
the
injuries
are
not
See Sullins v. Allstate Ins. Co., 667
A.2d 617, 624 (Md. 1995).
On September 27, 2016, the Court
denied Massachusetts Bay’s motion for summary judgment based on
Georgia
law,
rejecting
Georgia
courts
would
Massachusetts
apply
determine which law applies.
the
Bay’s
argument
“presumption
of
that
identity”
the
to
Massachusetts
Bay
moves
the
Court
to
reconsider
the
September 27, 2016 Order (ECF No. 41) in light of the Supreme
Court of Georgia’s March 6, 2017 decision in Coon v. The Medical
Center, Inc., 797 S.E.2d 828 (Ga. 2017).
In Coon, the Georgia
Supreme Court expressly embraced the presumption of identity,
finding that in the absence of a foreign statute on point, “at
least with respect to a state where the common law is in force,
a Georgia court will apply the common law as expounded by the
courts
of
Communities
Georgia.”
concedes
summary judgment
Id.
that
at
834.
Massachusetts
(ECF No. 43).
Fort
Bay
Benning
is
Family
entitled
to
Defendants John and Darlena
Brown have not responded to the motion for reconsideration and
the time for doing so has passed.
Based on the parties’ motions and the Coon decision, the
Court grants Massachusetts Bay’s motion for reconsideration (ECF
No. 41) and declares that: (1) Georgia law governs this action;
and (2) under Georgia law, Massachusetts Bay has no duty to
defend
or
underlying
indemnify
Fort
action.
The
Benning
Clerk
is
Family
Communities
instructed
to
in
enter
the
final
judgment in favor of Massachusetts Bay.
IT IS SO ORDERED, this 15th day of May, 2017.
S/Clay D. Land
CLAY D. LAND
CHIEF U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA
2
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
Why Is My Information Online?