Opinion ID: 2423272
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: The Appellate Division

Text: In an unpublished opinion, the Appellate Division affirmed the trial court's order directing [All Cleaning] to pay the defense costs incurred by defendants Best Buy and [AIC]. The appellate panellike the trial courtmistakenly attributed the language in the Best Buy/AIC indemnification agreement to the AIC/All Cleaning agreement. The panel stated that [u]nder the terms of All Cleaning's indemnity agreement, it was obliged, among other conditions, to indemnify [Best Buy and AIC] for all claims, demands, or assert[ions], arising out of or arising from the performance of its cleaning services at the Best Buy stores on AIC's behalf and on behalf of AIC's customers, which would include Best Buy. Having inadvertently ascribed that language to the AIC/All Cleaning indemnification agreement, the panel found no ambiguity in the agreement's wording. According to the panel, [t]he language contained in both indemnity agreements [did] not require a finding of negligence on the part of All Cleaning as a condition precedent to triggering the indemnity provisions. The panel believed that plaintiffs' theory of liabilitythat the failure to properly apply the floor-finish material caused the accidenttriggered the indemnity provisions of All Cleaning's subcontract with AIC. All Cleaning therefore was liable for the legal costs incurred by AIC and its customer, Best Buy. We granted All Cleaning's petition for certification. 203 N.J. 93, 999 A. 2d 462 (2010).