Title: Henry B. McAlice et al v. Safeco Life Insurance Company

State: rhode-island

Issuer: Rhode Island Supreme Court

Document:

Supreme Court No. 97-356-Appeal. (PC 93-5331) : Safeco Life Insurance Company. : v. : Henry B. McAlice et al. Present: Weisberger, C.J., Lederberg, Bourcier and Flanders, JJ. OPINION PER CURIAM. This case came before us on appeal from a judgment of the Superior Court in favor of the defendant, Safeco Life Insurance Company. The trial justice, sitting without the intervention of a jury, held that the defendant was not liable to the plaintiffs, Henry B. and Elaine McAlice, for the tortious acts of Louis Thacker, a financial planner who had a contractual relationship with the defendant to sell its investment products. The trial justice found that Thacker was not the defendant’s agent and, therefore, the defendant was not vicariously liable for Thacker’s conversion of the plaintiffs’ investment money entrusted to him. Since this Court is evenly divided on the issues raised by this appeal, the judgment of the Superior Court is hereby affirmed. The papers in this case may be remanded to the Superior Court. Justice Goldberg did not participate. -1- COVER SHEET ________________________________________________________________________________ TITLE OF CASE: Henry B. McAlice et al v. Safeco Life Insurance Company ________________________________________________________________________________ DOCKET NO.: 97-356 - A. ________________________________________________________________________________ COURT: Supreme Court ________________________________________________________________________________ DATE OPINION FILED: December 1, 1999 ________________________________________________________________________________ Appeal from County: SOURCE OF APPEAL: Superior Providence ________________________________________________________________________________ JUDGE FROM OTHER COURT: Goldberg, J ________________________________________________________________________________ JUSTICES: Weisberger, C.J., Lederberg, Bourcier, Concurring Flanders, JJ Goldberg, J. Not Participating ________________________________________________________________________________ WRITTEN BY: PER CURIAM ________________________________________________________________________________ ATTORNEYS: Stephen C. Mackie, For Plaintiff ________________________________________________________________________________ ATTORNEYS: Thomas R. Bender, A. Lauriston Parks For Defendant ________________________________________________________________________________