Strategies, Challenges, and Answers

Movie Mashup! “High Noon” Meets “The Three Amigos”: The Insurance Industry Weighs In On Cumis

Here at the Nevada Law Blogs we have been imaging Nevada’s Cumis dispute as an old west show-down a la “High Noon”.  But now the insurance industry wants its say regarding the dispute.  Three insurance organizations have appeared as friends of the court.  Like “The Three Amigos”, these Three Amici were hired to save the day.  Whether the industry’s arguments prevail is yet to be seen.  But in the meantime, let’s explore and evaluate the industry’s arguments. The Three Amici are the American … [Read more...]

State Farm Argues It Has No Duty To Provide Cumis Counsel In Nevada

In prior blog posts, the Nevada Law Blogs promised its readers regular updates regarding the issue of “Cumis” Counsel that is now before the Nevada Supreme Court. See HERE and HERE. Appellant State Farm recently filed its opening brief in State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Hansen, Nevada Supreme Court Case No. 64484.  You can read the entire brief HERE. In 2003, the local press widely published the facts of this case. Plaintiffs Hansen, LeFevre and Grill were at a party. They decided it was … [Read more...]

One Minute Closer To High Noon

A Nevada Law Blog post recently compared an iconic wild-west film showdown to an upcoming showdown at the Nevada Supreme Court.  The showdown decide whether the Court will impose Cumis-type obligations on Nevada insurance companies where an assigned defense panel counsel faces an irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the insurance company and those of the policyholder.  An order just issued by the U.S. District Court, District of Nevada shows that this high noon showdown about legal … [Read more...]

Is A Nevada Insurance Company Obligated To Provide Its Policyholder With A Conflict-Free Defense? Nevada and Cumis

Like a classic American western, the stage is set for a showdown.  If this were a movie,  the overhead sun would reflect off the lawman’s brightly polished star.  The gunslinger would strap on his belt and tie the holster to his thigh.  You would see mothers rushing their children inside, as the clock ticks closer to noon.  People in the saloon would be placing their bets on who would win this upcoming confrontation.  However this battle isn’t one of gunpowder and bullets.  Instead it is one of … [Read more...]

Nevada Finds That An Assigned Insurance Defense Attorney Has An Attorney-Client Relationship With Both The Insured Defendant And The Insurer Who Assigned The Case

A Las Vegas insurance defense attorney was seeing great success prosecuting plaintiff’s cases.  No surprise that the insurance companies were moving their business to other insurance defense attorneys.  Then came the fateful day as reported in Nevada Yellow Cab Corp. v. Eighth Jud. Dist. Court, 123 Nev. 44, 152 P.3d 737 (2007). The target defendant was insured by a carrier with whom the attorney had previously done business.  The insurance company took exception.  The company filed a motion to … [Read more...]