Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-almd-1_12-cv-00307/USCOURTS-almd-1_12-cv-00307-4/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:2201 Declaratory Judgement (Insurance)

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IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE

MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA, SOUTHERN DIVISION

THE TRAVELERS HOME AND, )

MARINE INSURANCE COMPANY )

)

Plaintiff, ) 

) CIVIL ACTION NO.

v. ) 1:12cv307-MHT 

) (WO)

CHARLES E. JONES; et al., )

)

Defendants. )

ORDER

It is ORDERED as follows:

(1) Plaintiff Travelers Home and Marine Insurance

Company should file a brief addressing, first, whether

the company’s remaining no-duty-to-indemnify claim

brought against the defendants remaining in this case

presents a “‘case’ or ‘controversy,’” Auto-Owners Ins.

Co. v. Toole, 947 F. Supp. 1557, 1565-66 (M.D. Ala. 1996)

(Thompson, J.); see also Nationwide Ins. v. Zavalis, 52

F.3d 689, 693 (7th Cir. 1995) (“the duty to indemnify is

not ripe for adjudication until the insured is in fact

held liable in the underlying lawsuit”); and, second,

Case 1:12-cv-00307-MHT-TFM Document 58 Filed 04/29/13 Page 1 of 2
whether, because this lawsuit has been brought under the

Declaratory Judgment Act and because the court has

discretion under that statute to resolve a matter, the

court should exercise its discretion to resolve the

plaintiff’s no-duty-to-indemnify claim even if the case

presents a case or controversy, see Wilton v. Seven Falls

Co., 515 U.S. 277, 288 (1995) (because there is “nothing

automatic or obligatory about the assumption of

‘jurisdiction’ by a federal court to hear a declaratory

judgment action,” a district court is authorized in the

sound exercise of its discretion to stay or dismiss an

action seeking a declaratory judgment before trial)

(citation omitted). The plaintiff should file its brief

addressing these two concerns by May 6, 2013.

(2) The defendants are to file briefs by May 13,

2013.

 DONE, this the 29th day of April, 2013.

 /s/ Myron H. Thompson 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:12-cv-00307-MHT-TFM Document 58 Filed 04/29/13 Page 2 of 2