Supreme Court of California

Under the circumstances, when a corporation acquired a business's product line and assumed its liabilities, the acquiring corporation did not also acquire the benefits of policies issued by an insurer to that business, absent the consent of the insurer.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/03/2003
• Published 02/03/2003

Judges

•  KENNARD, J.

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
•  Bergman, Wedner & Dacey, Bergman & Dacey, Gregory M. Bergman and Robert M. Mason III, Los Angeles, for Plaintiff and Appellant., Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison, Thomas M. Peterson and Brett M. Schuman, San Francisco, for Western MacArthur Company as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Plaintiff and Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Mendes & Mount and Charles Carluccio, Los Angeles, for Defendant and Respondent Lloyd's of London., Kelley Drye & Warren, Cynthia S. Papsdorf, Laurie DeYoung, Los Angeles, William C. Heck and Sarah L. Reid, New York City, for Defendant and Respondent Rhone-Poulenc, Inc., Hogan & Hartson, Robert E. Postawko, Los Angeles, and Patrick F. Hofer, Washington, D.C., for Defendant and Respondent Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company., Berman & Aiwasian and Alan S. Berman, Los Angeles, for Defendant and Respondent Century Indemnity Company., Hancock Rothert & Bunshoft, Paul J. Killion, San Francisco, and Mikel A. Glavinovich, Los Angeles, for London Market Insurers as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendants and Respondents., Wiley, Rein & Fielding, Laura A. Foggan, John C. Yang, Washington, D.C.;  Sinnott, Dito, Moura & Puebla and Randy M. Marmor, Oakland, for Insurance Environmental Litigation Association as Amicus Curiae on behalf of Defendant and Respondent Hartford Accident and Insurance Company.