HOECHST CELANESE v. NATIONAL UNION


623 A.2d 1099 (1991)

HOECHST CELANESE CORPORATION and Celanese Engineering Resins, Inc., corporations of the State of Delaware, Plaintiffs, v. NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, et al., Defendants. NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, et al., Third-Party Plaintiffs, v. CENTAUR INSURANCE COMPANY, et al., Third-Party Defendants.

Superior Court of Delaware, New Castle County.

Decided: October 10, 1991.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

PRIMARY ARGUING COUNSEL:

Richard E. Poole, and David J. Baldwin of Potter, Anderson & Corroon, Wilmington, for plaintiffs.

Howard M. Berg, Paul Cottrell, and Diane J. Bartels of Berg, Bifferato, Tighe & Cottrell, Wilmington, for defendants.

Donald L. Gouge, Jr., and Gary W. Aber of Heiman, Aber & Goldlust, Wilmington, for defendant Aetna Cas. and Sur. Co.

Kevin G. Healy, and J. Breck Smith of Childerston, Froehlich, Healy & Locke, Newark, for defendants Gibraltar Cas. Co. and Prudential Reinsurance Co.

Richard K. Herrmann, Robert C. O'Hara, and Charlene Davis of Bayard, Handelman & Murdoch, Wilmington, for defendants American Centennial Ins. and Fireman's Fund Ins.

Richard E. Poole, David J. Baldwin, Potter Anderson & Corroon, Wilmington, Joseph D. Tydings, Lorelie S. Masters, Leah D. Allen, Anderson Kill Olick & Oshinsky, Washington, DC, Eugene R. Anderson, Paul E. Breene, Anderson Kill Olick & Oshinsky, New York City, for Hoechst Celanese Corp. Celanese Engineering Resins, Inc.

Donald L. Gouge, Gary W. Aber, Heiman, Aber & Goldlust, Wilmington, James E. Rocap, III, Stephen L. Braga, Miller, Cassidy, Larroca & Lewin, Washington, DC, for Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co.

Howard M. Berg, Paul Cottrell, Diane J. Bartels, Berg, Bifferato, Tighe & Cottrell, P.A., Wilmington, for AIU Ins. Co., Birmingham Fire Ins. Co., Illinois Ins. Exchange defendants, and Lexington Ins. Co. National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, PA.

Marlene Monteleone, Joseph E. Kelly, Michael C. Modansky, Sheila Weinstein, Bivona & Cohen, New York City, for AIU Ins. Co., Birmingham Fire Ins. Co., Lexington Ins. Co. and National Union Fire Ins. Co. of Pittsburgh, PA.

Robert J. Katzenstein, Laurence V. Cronin, Leone L. Ciporin, Lassen, Smith, Katzenstein & Furlow, Wilmington, Nancy J. Gleason, Thomas B. Keegan, Gleason, McGuire & Shreffler, Chicago, IL, for Allstate Ins. Co. and Employers Mut. Cas. Co.

Richard K. Herrmann, Robert C. O'Hara, Charlene Davis, Bayard, Handelman & Murdoch, P.A., Wilmington, for American Centennial Ins., Fireman's Fund Ins., and Government Employees Ins.

Stephen J. Smirti, Jr., Rivkin, Radler, Bayh, Hart & Kremer, Uniondale, NY, for Government Employees Ins. Co.

Timothy N. Carlucci, Rivkin, Radler, Bayh, Hart & Kremer, Washington, DC, for Government Employees Ins. Co.

Norman M. Monhait, Rosenthal, Monhait & Gross, Wilmington, Roger E. Warin, Stephen A. Fennell, Paula M. Gesmundo, Stephen Barber, Steptoe & Johnson, Washington, DC, for American Reinsurance Co., City Ins. Co., Eric Reinsurance Co., Highlands Ins. Co. and Home Ins. Co.

Robert T. Aulgur, Jr., Whittington & Aulgur, Odessa, Mark W. Flory, William D. Garcia, Harrington, Foxx, Dubrow & Canter, Orange, CA, for Associated Intern. Ins. Co.

C. Scott Reese, Cooch & Taylor, Wilmington, Lynn Bregman, Gail A. Robinson, Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering, Washington, DC, for California Union Ins. Co., CIGNA Ins. Co. and Insurance Co of North Am.

Roger D. Akin, Bruce C. Herron, Sawyer & Akin, Wilmington, Daniel M. Bianca, Karen Williams, Mendes & Mount, New York City, for Certain Underwriters at Lloyd's London and London Market Ins. Companies.

John A. Elzufon, Elzufon, Austin & Drexler, Wilmington, for Columbia Cas. Co.

James F. Bailey, Bailey & Wetzel, P.A., Wilmington, Lawrence E. Carr, Bridget Kyle, Carr, Goodson & Lee, Washington, DC, for Continental Ins. Co., Harbor Ins. Co., London Guarantee & Acc. Co. of New York, Pacific Ins. Co. and Underwriters Reinsurance.

Anthony G. Flynn, James F. Maher, Young, Conaway, Stargatt & Taylor, Wilmington, Richard Hagstrom, Zelle & Larson, Minneapolis, MN, for Employers Ins. of Wausau Nat. Cas. Co.

David H. Burt, Burt & Burt, Wilmington, for Federal Ins. Co.

Richard W. Pell, Sherry Ruggiero Fallon, Tybout, Redfearn & Pell, Wilmington, for First State Ins., Hartford Acc. & Ind., New England Ins. Co., New England Reinsurance Co. and Twin City Fire Ins. Co.

Elizabeth B. Sandza, Cynthia T. Andreason, Law Offices of Elizabeth B. Sandza, Wilmington, for Hudson Ins. Co.

James W. Semple, Neal C. Belgam, Morris, James, Hitchens & Williams, Wilmington, Laurence M. McHeffey, Gary Kull, McElroy, Deutsch & Mulvaney, Morristown, NJ, for North River Ins. Co.

Donald E. Evans, Vincent A. Bifferato, Jr., Evans & Bifferato, Wilmington, Louis J. Isaacsohn, Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker, Philadelphia, PA, for Royal Indem. Co.

John G. Mulford, Theisen, Lank, Mulford & Goldberg, P.A., Wilmington, Robert J. Bates, Maryann C. Hayes, Dan J. Hofmeister, Jr., Pope & John, Chicago, IL, for Zurich Ins. Co.

Kevin G. Healy, J. Breck Smith, Childerston, Froehlich, Healy & Locke, P.A., Newark, Michael J. Merlo, Karen L. Douglas, Elizabeth J. Caprini, Pretzel & Stouffer, Chicago, IL, for Gibraltar Cas. Co., Prudential Reinsurance Co.

Robert K. Beste, Jr., Biggs & Battaglia, Wilmington, Judith Fournie Helms, Robert R. Anderson, III, Tressler, Soderstrom, Maloney & Priess, Chicago, IL, for American Motorists Ins. Co (Kemper Group).

Donald M. Ransom, Casarino, Christman & Shalk, Wilmington, for Centaur Ins. Co.

Stephen P. Casarino, Donald M. Ransom, Casarino, Christman & Shalk, Wilmington, Eileen B. Eglin, Maurya Keating, Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman Edelman & Dicker, New York City, for Northwestern Nat. Ins. Co.

Timothy N. Carlucci, Rivkin, Radler, Bayh, Hart & Kremer, Washington, DC, for Progressive American Ins. Co.

James F. Bailey, Bailey & Wetzel, P.A., Wilmington, Michael E. Nannes, Laura B. Feigin, Dickstein, Shapiro & Morin, Washington, DC, for Reliance Ins. Co.

John C. Phillips, Phillips, Goldman, Spence & Nolte, Wilmington, Michael D. Gallagher, Lisa B. Zucker, Vincent J. DiStefano, Jr., Kimberly J. Keiser, German, Gallagher & Murtagh, Philadelphia, PA, for Stonewall Ins. Co.

Robert E. Daley, Daley, Erisman, VanOgtrop & Hudson, Wilmington, Thomas M. Hogan, Mahoney, Hogan, Heffler & Heald, Washington, DC, for Tortuga Cas. Co.

Allen M. Terrell, Jr., Richards, Layton & Finger, Wilmington, James D. Wangelin, Henry T. French, Jr., McCullough, Campbell & Lane, Chicago, IL, for X.L. Ins. Co.


OPINION

GEBELEIN, Judge.

PLAINTIFFS' MOTION TO COMPEL ANSWERS TO INTERROGATORIES AND PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS BY DEFENDANTS

Plaintiffs move this Court for an order compelling the defendant insurance companies to provide full and complete responses to plaintiffs' interrogatories and requests for production of documents.

A. Discovery History

On February 28, 1990, Hoechst...

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