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Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 

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IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT

No. 13-20360

MCGINNES INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE CORPORATION,

Plaintiff–Appellant,

v.

THE PHOENIX INSURANCE COMPANY; THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY 

COMPANY,

Defendants–Appellees. 

Appeal from the United States District Court

for the Southern District of Texas

USDC No. 4:11-CV-4000

Before BARKSDALE, CLEMENT, and OWEN, Circuit Judges.

PER CURIAM:*

In a prior opinion, we certified to the Supreme Court of Texas the sole 

issue on appeal in this diversity action: whether Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) enforcement actions taken pursuant to CERCLA1 constitute a 

 

* Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this opinion should not be 

published and is not precedent except under the limited circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. 

R. 47.5.4.

1 Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, 42 

U.S.C. §§ 9601-75.

United States Court of Appeals

Fifth Circuit

FILED

February 2, 2016

Lyle W. Cayce

Clerk

 Case: 13-20360 Document: 00513364996 Page: 1 Date Filed: 02/02/2016
No. 13-20360

2

“suit” within the meaning of commercial general liability policies, thereby 

triggering a duty to defend.2 

The Supreme Court of Texas answered the certified question, concluding 

that the term “suit” in the policies “must also include CERCLA enforcement 

proceedings by the EPA”; the court subsequently denied rehearing.3 Because 

the district court granted summary judgment for the defendants on the ground 

that they had no duty to defend,4 we REVERSE the district court’s grant of 

summary judgment and REMAND for further proceedings.

 

2 McGinnes Indus. Maint. Corp. v. Phoenix Ins. Co., 571 F. App’x 329, 333, 335 (5th Cir. 2014)

(per curiam).

3 McGinnes Indus. Maint. Corp. v. Phoenix Ins. Co., No. 14-0465, 2015 WL 4080146, at *3

(Tex. June 26, 2015), reh’g denied (Jan. 22, 2016).

4 McGinnes Indus. Maint. Corp. v. Phoenix Ins. Co., No. 4:11-CV-4000, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 

186670, at *4 (S.D. Tex. Apr. 18, 2013).

 Case: 13-20360 Document: 00513364996 Page: 2 Date Filed: 02/02/2016