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Columbia Cas. Co. v. Westfield Ins. Co.

United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
Jul 25, 2005
416 F.3d 301 (4th Cir. 2005)

Opinion

No. 03-1811.

Argued May 6, 2004.

Decided July 25, 2005.

Appeal from the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, at Elkins. Irene M. Keeley, Chief District Judge. (CA-02-44-2).

ARGUED: Jeffrey Michael Wakefield, Flaherty, Sensabaugh Bonasso, P.L.L.C., Charleston, West Virginia, for Appellant. Brent Karleton Kesner, Kesner, Kesner Bramble, Charleston, West Virginia, for Appellee. ON BRIEF: Michelle Marinacci, Flaherty, Sensabaugh Bonasso, P.L.L.C., Charleston, West Virginia, for Appellant. Ellen R. Archibald, Kesner, Kesner Bramble, Charleston, West Virginia, for Appellee.

Before WIDENER, LUTTIG, and TRAXLER, Circuit Judges.

Vacated and remanded by published PER CURIAM opinion.


OPINION


Upon the appeal of this case, by order of certification filed July 21, 2004, 378 F.3d 424 (4th Cir. 2004), we certified the following question to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia:

Under West Virginia law, were the suicidal deaths of Robinson and Everson, either or both, "occurrences" within the meaning of the Westfield Insurance Company commercial general liability policy at issue in this case?

The court honored our request, and by opinion filed June 10, 2005, 617 S.E.2d 797, 2005 WL 1384080 (W.Va. 2005), answered the certified question "Yes." We adopt that opinion of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia as our own.

The judgment of the district court is accordingly vacated and the case is remanded to the district court for action consistent with this opinion and the opinion of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia just above referred to.

VACATED AND REMANDED.


Summaries of

Columbia Cas. Co. v. Westfield Ins. Co.

United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
Jul 25, 2005
416 F.3d 301 (4th Cir. 2005)
Case details for

Columbia Cas. Co. v. Westfield Ins. Co.

Case Details

Full title:COLUMBIA CASUALTY COMPANY, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. WESTFIELD INSURANCE…

Court:United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit

Date published: Jul 25, 2005

Citations

416 F.3d 301 (4th Cir. 2005)