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MT Court: Companies Must Show Prejudice to Avoid Coverage Based on Late Notice
Last month, we discussed the fact that in two recent decisions, the Montana Supreme Court held that an insurance company seeking to deny coverage on the grounds of a policyholder's untimely notice must establish that it was prejudiced by the timing of notice. Atlantic Cas. Ins. Co. v. Greytak, ___ P.3d ___, 2015 WL 3444507, at *2-*4 (Mont. May 29, 2015); Estate of Gleason v. Cent. United Life Ins. Co., __ P.3d __, 2014 WL 8863145, at *4-*7 (Mont. May 20, 2015).
In reaching these results, the court held that Montana's broad anti-forfeiture statutes support this notice-prejudice rule. The court's reliance on these statutes ' which are similar to statutes found in several other states ' may support policyholders in the future seeking to avoid forfeiture of insurance coverage not only for allegedly late notice, but also for alleged breaches of other policy conditions. We conclude this discussion herein with a look at the the possible influence of the Gleason ruling in other states, most particularly California and Georgia.
Other States
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin
With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.
Legal Possession: What Does It Mean?
Possession of real property is a matter of physical fact. Having the right or legal entitlement to possession is not "possession," possession is "the fact of having or holding property in one's power." That power means having physical dominion and control over the property.
The Stranger to the Deed Rule
In 1987, a unanimous Court of Appeals reaffirmed the vitality of the "stranger to the deed" rule, which holds that if a grantor executes a deed to a grantee purporting to create an easement in a third party, the easement is invalid. Daniello v. Wagner, decided by the Second Department on November 29th, makes it clear that not all grantors (or their lawyers) have received the Court of Appeals' message, suggesting that the rule needs re-examination.