California Supreme Court Cases (Insurance) Pending as of April 4, 2017
Find Insurance-related Pending California Supreme Court Cases – April 2017
The California Supreme Court website indicates that the following cases, which have some relevance to insurance issues, are currently pending before the court.
View pending cases from April 2017 below. See latest UPDATES 2018 Pending California Supreme Court Cases: Insurance-Related.

Heckart v. A-1 Self Storage, Inc., S232322
Heckart v. A-1 Self Storage, Inc., S232322. (D066831; 243 Cal.App.4th 525; San Diego County Superior Court; 37-2013-00042315-CU-BT-CTL involves the issue of whether a self- storage facility rental agreement, which involved clauses that supposedly meet the definition of “insurance”, (Ins. Code sec. 22, 1758.75) are subject to regulation when the purpose of the agreement was to rent space, not shift or distribute risk.
STATUS
Fully Briefed
Kim v. Toyota Motor Corp., S232754
Kim v. Toyota Motor Corp., S232754. (B247672; 243 Cal.App.4th 1366, mod. 244 Cal.App.4th 643b; Los Angeles County Superior Court; VC059206.) deals with the question of whether evidence of industry custom and practice is admissible in a strict products liability action.
STATUS
Fully Briefed
King v. CompPartners, Inc., S232197
King v. CompPartners, Inc., S232197. (E063527; 243 Cal.App.4th 685). The court indicates “this case presents the following issues: (1) Is a claim by an injured worker for medical malpractice, brought against a workers’ compensation utilization review company, barred by workers’ compensation as the exclusive remedy? (2) Does a workers’ compensation utilization review company, that performs medical utilization reviews on behalf of employers, owe a duty of care to an injured worker? (3) Did the CA err in finding that plaintiffs should be given leave to amend their complaint in this case”?
STATUS
Fully Briefed
Liberty Surplus Ins. Corp. v. Ledesma & Meyers Construction Co., Inc., S236765
Liberty Surplus Ins. Corp. v. Ledesma & Meyers Construction Co., Inc., S236765. (9th Cir. No. 14-56120; __ F.3d __, 2016 WL 4434589; Central District of California; No. 2:12-cv-00900-RGK-SP.) This case is a request by the 9th Circuit that the California Supreme Court answer: “Whether there is an ‘occurrence’ under an employer’s commercial general liability policy when an injured third party brings claims against the employer for the negligent hiring, retention, and supervision of the employee who intentionally injured the third party.”
STATUS
Reply Brief Due
McMillin Albany LLC v. Superior Court, S229762
McMillin Albany LLC v. Superior Court, S229762. (F069370; 239 Cal.App.4th 1132; Kern County Superior Court; CV279141DRL involves the question: “Does the Right to Repair Act (Civ. Code, § 895 et seq.) preclude a homeowner from bringing common law causes of action for defective conditions that resulted in physical damage to the home”?
STATUS
Case is Fully Briefed
Migdal Insurance Co. v. Insurance Co. of the State of Pennsylvania, S236177
Migdal Insurance Co. v. Insurance Co. of the State of Pennsylvania, S236177. (2nd Cir. No. 15-2588-cv; __ Fed.Appx. __, 2016 WL 3639102; Southern District of New York; No. 1:14-cv-00700-JPO-SN.) This case is a request by the United States Court of Appeal 2nd Circuit, under California Rules of Court, rule 8.548, that this court (California Supreme Court) decide questions of California law presented in a matter pending before the 2nd Circuit. “As restated by the court, the questions presented are: (1) When two primary liability insurers agree that their policies cover the same loss, may the primary insurer whose policy contains an “other insurance” clause (stating that its insurance is excess over any “other insurance or . . . self-insurance plan that covers a loss on the same basis”) enforce that clause in an action for equitable contribution brought by the primary insurer who defended and settled the insured’s claim and whose policy does not contain an other-insurance clause? (2) In the same equitable contribution action described in Issue 1, when the amount paid by the primary insurer that settled the claim exceeds the non-settling primary insurer’s liability policy limits, what is the effect, if any, of the non-settling insurer’s “limits reduction” clause (stating that “[a]ll payments made under any local policy issued to [the insured] by us or any other insurance company will reduce the Limits of Insurance of this policy”)?
STATUS
Answer Briefs Due
Parrish v. Latham & Watkins, S228277
Parrish v. Latham & Watkins, S228277. (B244841; 238 Cal.App.4th 81; Los Angeles County Superior Court; BC482394.) The lower court granted a special motion to strike in a civil action. This case presents the following issue: Does the denial of former employees’ motion for summary judgment in an action for misappropriation of trade secrets conclusively establish that their former employer had probable cause to bring the action and thus preclude their subsequent action for malicious prosecution, even if the trial court in the prior action later found that it had been brought in bad faith?
STATUS
Called and Continued
California Supreme Court Cases
This post will be updated periodically as cases are decided. You can review the Decided Cases on our site. To learn more about The AndersonEdge insurance expert witness services and consulting services we provide, please view our areas of expertise on the site or contact us.

Supreme Court of California – Main Courthouse in San Francisco
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