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WILSON v. USI INS. SERVICE LLC

No. 20-3124, No. 20-3501, No. 20-3594, No. 21-1038, No. 21-1039, No. 21-1061, No. 21-1106, No. 21-1107, No. 21-1109, No. 21-1175, No. 21-1240, No. 21-1294, No. 21-1315, No. 21-1414.

57 F.4th 131 (2023)

Rhonda H. WILSON; The Law Offices of Rhonda Hill Wilson, P.C., Appellants, v. USI INSURANCE SERVICE LLC; Hartford Casualty Insurance Company Toppers Salon & Health Spa, Inc., Appellant v. Travelers Property Casualty Company of America 4431, Inc.; 4431 Assoc., LP; 3354 Walbert Assoc., LP; 3354 Walbert Avenue Associates, LLC; Blue Grille House and Wine Bar; 4131 Associates Candlelight Inn; 2960 Center Valley Parkway, LLC; 3739 West Chester Pike, LLC; Melt Restaurant Group, LLC; Paxos Restaurants, Inc.; Melt Real Estate Group, LP; Top Cut Steakhouse, Appellants v. Cincinnati Insurance Companies; Cincinnati Insurance Company; Cincinnati Casualty Company; Cincinnati Indemnity Company LH Dining L.L.C., d/b/a River Twice Restaurant, Appellant v. Admiral Indemnity Company Newchops Restaurant Comcast LLC, d/b/a Chops, Appellant v. Admiral Indemnity Company Boulevard Carroll Entertainment Group, Inc., Appellant v. Fireman's Fund Insurance Company Adrian Moody; Robin Jones, d/b/a Moody Jones Gallery, Appellants v. Twin City Fire Insurance Company ATCM Optical, Inc.; Omega Optical, Inc.; Omega Optical at Comcast Center LLC, d/b/a Omega Optical, Appellants v. Twin City Fire Insurance Company 1 S.A.N.T., Inc., Appellant v. National Fire & Marine Insurance Company Independence Restaurant Group, LLC on behalf of itself and all others similarly situated d/b/a Independence Beer Garden, Appellant v. Certain Underwriters at Lloyd's, London Ultimate Hearing Solutions II, LLC; Ultimate Hearing Solutions III, LLC; Ultimate Hearing Solutions IV, LLC; Ultimate Hearing Solutions V, LLC; Ultimate Hearing Solutions VI, LLC, Appellants v. Twin City Fire Insurance Company Whiskey Flats Inc., t/a Out of Wack Jack's Bar & Grill, Appellant v. Axis Insurance Company The Eye Care Center of New Jersey, PA, on behalf of itself and all others similarly situated, Appellant v. Twin City Fire Insurance Company In the Park Savoy Caterers LLC, t/a The Park Savoy; In the Park Chateau Caterers LLC, on behalf of itself and all others similarly situated, Appellants v. Selective Insurance Group Inc.; Selective Casualty Insurance Company.

United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit.

Opinion filed: January 6, 2023.

Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Rhonda H. Wilson , 8 Penn Center, 1628 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Appellants in No. 20-3124.

Daniel J. Dugan [ARGUED], Neal R. Troum , Spector Gadon Rosen & Vinci, 1635 Market Street, 7th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Appellant in No. 20-3501.

Robert A. Freedberg , Christian M. Perrucci [ARGUED], Florio Perrucci Steinhardt Cappelli Tipton & Taylor, 91 Larry Holmes Drive, Suite 200, Easton, PA 18042, Counsel for Appellant in No. 20-3594.

Walter J. Andrews [ARGUED], Hunton Andrews Kurth, 333 Southeast 2 Avenue, Suite 2400, Miami, FL 33131, Scott P. DeVries , Hunton Andrews Kurth, 50 California Street, Suite 1700, San Francisco, CA 94111, Michael S. Levine , Hunton Andrews Kurth, 2200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20037, Elbert Lin , Hunton Andrews Kurth, 951 East Byrd Street, Riverfront Plaza, East Tower, Richmond, VA 23219, John R. Sawyer , Stark & Stark, 993 Lenox Drive, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648, Kevin V. Small , Hunton Andrews Kurth, 200 Park Avenue, 52nd Floor, New York, NY 10166, Counsel for Appellant in No. 21-1061.

Laurence S. Berman , Arnold Levin , Daniel C. Levin , Frederick S. Longer , Levin Sedran & Berman, 510 Walnut Street, Suite 500, Philadelphia, PA 19106, Counsel for Appellants in Nos. 21-1106, 21-1107, 21-1038, 21-1039 & 21-1294.

Kenneth J. Grunfeld , Golomb Spirt Grunfeld, 1835 Market Street, Suite 2900, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Appellants in Nos. 21-1106, 21-1107, 21-1294, 21-1038 & 21-1039.

Richard M. Golomb , Golomb Spirt Grunfeld, 1835 Market Street, Suite 2900, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Appellants in Nos. 21-1038, 21-1039 & 21-1294.

Wilson D. Miles, III , Rachel N. Minder , Beasley Allen Crow Methvin Portis & Miles, 218 Commerce Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, Counsel for Appellant in 21-1294, 21-1106 & 21-1107.

Paul W. Evans , Beasley Allen Crow Methvin Portis & Miles, 218 Commerce Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, Counsel for Appellant in 21-1294.

R. Bruce Carlson , Carlson Brown, 222 Broad Street, P.O. Box 242, Sewickley, PA 15143, Ted A. Hages , Matthew Louik , James C. Martin [ARGUED], Devin M. Misour , George L. Stewart, II , Colin E. Wrabley Reed Smith, 225 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1200, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Kelly K. Iverson , Gary F. Lynch , Lynch Carpenter, 1133 Penn Avenue, 5th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Counsel for Appellant in No. 21-1109.

Alan M. Feldman , Edward S. Goldis , Daniel J. Mann , Andrew K. Mitnick , Bethany R. Nikitenko , Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock & Dodig, 1845 Walnut Street, 21st Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, James A. Francis , David A. Searles , John Soumilas , Francis Mailman Soumilas, 1600 Market Street, Suite 2510, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Appellant in No. 21-1175.

Alan C. Milstein , Sherman Silverstein Kohl Rose & Podolsky, 308 Harper Drive, Suite 200, Eastgate Corporate Center, Moorestown, NJ 08057, Counsel for Appellants in No. 21-1240.

James E. Cecchi , Brian F. O'Toole [ARGUED], Lindsey H. Taylor , Carella Byrne Cecchi Olstein Brody & Agnello, 5 Becker Farm Road, Roseland, NJ 07068, Christopher A. Seeger , Seeger Weiss, 55 Challenger Road, 6th Floor, Ridgefield Park, NJ 07660, Counsel for Appellants in Nos. 21-1414 & 21-1315.

Paul J. Geller , Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, 120 East Palmetto Park Road, Suite 500, Boca Raton, FL 33432, Samuel H. Rudman , Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd, 58 South Service Road, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747, Counsel for Appellant in No. 21-1315.

Bethany Barrese , Saxe Doernberger & Vita, 233 Mount Airy Road, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, Brian J. Clifford , Janie A. Eddy , Saxe Doernberger & Vita, 35 Nutmeg Drive, Suite 140, Trumbull, CT 06611, Gregory D. Podolak , Saxe Doernberger & Vita, 999 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Suite 603, Naples, FL 34108, Counsel for Amicus Appellant Saxe Doernberger & Vita PC.

Gabriel K. Gillett , Jenner & Block, 353 North Clark Street, Suite 4500, Chicago, IL 60654, Counsel for Amici Appellants Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association and Restaurant Law Center in Nos. 20-3124, 21-1038, 21-1039, 21-1106, 21-1107, 21-1109, 21-1175, 21-1240 & 21-1294.

Lisa M. Campisi , Blank Rome, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, Charles A. Fitzpatrick, IV , Blank Rome, 130 North 18th Street, One Logan Square, Philadelphia, PA, 19103, Counsel for Amicus Appellant United Policyholders Nos. 21-1038, 21-1039, 21-1106, 21-1107, 21-1109 & 21-1294.

Nicholas M. Insua , Reed Smith, 599 Lexington Avenue, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, Counsel for Amicus Appellant United Policyholders in No. 21-1061.

Christopher P. Leise , White & Williams, 457 Haddonfield Road, Liberty View, Suite 400, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002, Marc L. Penchansky , White & Williams, 1650 Market Street, One Liberty Place, Suite 1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Appellee USI Insurance Services LLC in No. 20-3124.

Wystan M. Ackerman , J. Tyler Butts , Gregory P. Varga , Robinson & Cole, 280 Trumbull Street, One Commercial Plaza, Hartford, CT 06103, Counsel for Appellee in No. 20-3501.

Richard D. Gable, Jr. , Butler Weihmuller Katz Craig, 1818 Market Street, Suite 2740, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Appellee in Nos. 20-3501, 21-1106, 21-1107 & Appellee Hartford Casualty Insurance Company in No. 20-3124.

Jonathan M. Freiman , David R. Roth [ARGUED], Wiggin & Dana, One Century Tower, 265 Church Street, New Haven, CT 06510, Counsel for Appellee in Nos. 21-1240, 21-1106, 21-1107, 21-1315 & Appellee Hartford Casualty Insurance Company in No. 20-3124.

Sarah D. Gordon , Steptoe & Johnson, 1330 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036, Counsel for Appellee in Nos. 21-1315, No. 21-1240, 21-1106, 21-1107 & Appellee Hartford Casualty Insurance Company in No. 20-3124.

James L. Brochin , Steptoe & Johnson, 1114 Avenue of the Americas, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10036, Ryan M. Chabot , Alan E. Schoenfeld , Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr, 7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007, Counsel for Appellee in No. 21-1315.

John J. Kavanagh , Steptoe & Johnson, 1330 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036, Counsel for Appellee in Nos. 21-1106, 21-1107, 21-1240 & Appellee Hartford Casualty Insurance Company in No. 20-3124.

Caitlin R. Tharp , Steptoe & Johnson, 1330 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036, Counsel for Appellee in No. 21-1240.

Alan I. Becker , Daniel G. Litchfield , Laurence J. W. Tooth , Litchfield Cavo, 303 West Madison Street, Suite 303, Chicago, IL 60606, Counsel for Appellees in No. 20-3594.

Eric A. Fitzgerald , Hillary Ladov , McAngus Goudelock & Courie, P.O. Box 12519, Columbia, SC 29211, Antonia B. Ianniello , John F. O'Connor, Jr. , Steptoe & Johnson, 1330 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036, Counsel for Appellees in Nos. 21-1038 & 21-1039.

Michael D. Hynes , DLA Piper, 1251 Avenue of the Americas, 27th Floor, New York, NY 10020, Brett D. Solberg , DLA Piper, 845 Texas Avenue, Suite 3800, Houston, TX 77002, Counsel for Appellee in No. 21-1061.

Robert L. Byer , Julie S. Greenberg , Duane Morris, 625 Liberty Avenue, Suite 1000, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, Damon Vocke , Duane Morris, 1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, Counsel for Appellee in No. 21-1109.

Fred L. Alvarez , David E. Walker , Walker Wilcox Matousek, One North Franklin Street, Suite 3200, Chicago, IL 60606, Paul L. Fields, Jr. , Fields Howell, 665 8th Street, N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, Marc R. Kamin , Michael J. Smith , Stewart Smith, 300 Conshohocken State Road, 300 Four Falls Corporate Center, Suite 670, West Conshohocken, PA 19428, Gregory L. Mast , Fields Howell, 665 8th Street, N.W., Atlanta, GA 30318, Counsel for Appellee in No. 21-1175.

Michael E. DiFebbo, Jr. , Elizabeth A. Sutton , Kennedys CMK, 1600 Market Street, Suite 1410, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Kristin V. Gallagher , Kennedys CMK, 120 Mountain View Boulevard, P.O. Box 650, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920, Francis X. Simpson, III , Fowler Hirtzel McNulty & Spaulding, 1717 Arch Street, Suite 1310, Philadelphia, PA 19103, Counsel for Appellee in 21-1294.

Laura A. Brady , William T. Corbett, Jr. , Coughlin Midlige & Garland, 350 Mount Kemble Avenue, P.O. Box 1917, Morristown, NJ 07962, Kenneth J. Brown , Amy M. Saharia , Williams & Connolly, 680 Maine Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20024, Counsel for Appellees in 21-1414.

Laura A. Foggan , Crowell & Moring, 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20004, Counsel for Amici Appellees American Property Casualty Insurance Association and National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies.

Before: CHAGARES, Chief Judge, McKEE, and PORTER, Circuit Judges.

OPINION OF THE COURT

The plaintiffs in this consolidated appeal are businesses (collectively, the "businesses") that closed or significantly limited their operations in March 2020 after the governors of the states in which they operate issued orders to curb the spread of the coronavirus and the disease it causes...

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