LLOYD'S OF LONDON v. SUPERIOR COURT

No. S084057.

103 Cal.Rptr.2d 672 (2001)

24 Cal.4th 945

16 P.3d 94

CERTAIN UNDERWRITERS AT LLOYD'S OF LONDON et al., Petitioners, v. The SUPERIOR COURT of Los Angeles County, Respondent; Powerine Oil Company, Inc., et al., Real Parties in Interest.

Supreme Court of California.

Rehearing Denied April 18, 2001.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Hancock, Rothert & Bunshoft, Patrick A. Cathcart, Los Angeles, William J. Baron, San Francisco, Jennifer D. McKee, Laura A. Pace, Robert J. Zapf and Jo-Ann Horn Maynard, Los Angeles, for Petitioners.

Sinnott, Dito, Moura & Puebla, Randolph P. Sinnott, Los Angeles; Wiley, Rein & Fielding, Laura A. Foggan, Daniel E. Troy, N. Christopher Hardee, Wash., DC, John Dunfee; Bien & Summers and Elliot L. Bien, San Francisco, for Insurance Environmental Litigation Association as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Petitioners.

Charlston, Revich & Williams, Ira Revich, Los Angeles, and Nicholas R. Andrea for The Home Insurance Company as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Petitioners.

O'Melveny & Myers, Richard B. Goetz and Lawrence M. Hadley for Century Indemnity Company as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Petitioners.

Greines, Martin, Stein & Richland and Irving H. Greines, Beverly Hills, for Truck Insurance Exchange as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Petitioners.

No appearance for Respondent.

Isola, Bowers, David R. Isola and Aaron L. Bowers, Acampo, for Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe, Robert S. Venning, David B. Goodwin and Esta L. Brand, San Francisco, for Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company and for Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Granite Management Corporation as Amici Curiae on behalf of Real Parties in Interest.

Nossaman, Gunther, Knox & Elliott, Scott P. DeVries and Elaine M. O'Neil, San Francisco, for Aerojet-General Corporation and Dover Diversified Industries, Inc., as Amici Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

Zevnik, Horton, Guibord, McGovern, Palmer & Fognani, Mitchel Y. Horton and David S. Cox, Los Angeles, for ITT Industries, Inc., Pneumo Abex Corporation, Sunoco, Inc., and Pepsi Cola General Bottlers, Inc., as Amici Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

Latham & Watkins, David L. Mulliken, Dorn G. Bishop, William C. Tayler, San Diego, and Jill N. Willis for Montrose Chemical Corporation of California, Navistar International Transportation Corp., Fluor Daniel, Inc., AstraZeneca, The Boeing Company, International Truck & Engine Corporation, Masco Tech, Maxwell Technologies, Inc., and Rohr, Inc., doing business as BF Goodrich Aerostructures Group as Amici Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

Bill Lockyer, Attorney General, Richard M. Frank, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Craig C. Thompson, Acting Assistant Attorney General and Timothy R. Patterson, Deputy Attorney General for the People of the State of California ex rel. Attorney General Bill Lockyer as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

Troop Steuber Pasich Reddick & Tobey, Kirk A. Pasich and Catherine L. Rivard, Los Angeles, as Amici Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

David L. Alexander, Oakland; Farella, Braun & Martel, Deborah S. Balati and Pamela H. Davis, San Francisco, for City of Oakland and Board of Port Commissioners as Amici Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, Donald W. Brown, Thomas M. Peterson and Laura J. Remington, San Francisco, for Aydin Corporation, Coltec Industries, Inc., Exxon Mobil Corporation, Fibreboard Corporation, Imperial Oil Limited, McKesson HBOC, Inc., Mascotech, Inc., Shell Oil Company and Tosco Corporation as Amici Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

Adelson, Hess & Kelly, Randy M. Hess, Duane W. Shewaga, Campbell, and Michelle L. Fogliani for California Trustee's Association as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

Anderson Kill & Olick, Edward J. Stein, William G. Passannante and M. Christina Ricarte, New York, N.Y., for The Glidden Company as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

Stanzler Funderburk & Castelllon, Jordan S. Stanzler and Dennis G. Rolstad, San Francisco, for Weir Floway, Inc., as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

Munger, Tolles & Olson, Cary B. Lerman, Los Angeles; Spriggs & Hollingsworth and Marc S. Mayerson, Wash., D.C., for Aventis Cropscience USA, Inc., as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.

Irell & Manella, Los Angeles, and Thomas W. Johnson, Jr., Newport Beach, as Amici Curiae on behalf of Real Party in Interest Powerine Oil Company.


MOSK, J.

We granted review to resolve an important issue arising under the standard comprehensive general liability insurance policy.

In one provision, the standard policy imposes on the insurer a duty to defend the insured—in typical language, it generally states that the insurer has a "duty to defend" the insured "in any suit seeking damages" for harm alleged within coverage.

In another provision, the standard policy imposes on the insurer...

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