Opinion ID: 2035718
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: deanna wright miller

Text: In June 1989, Miller was involved in a motor vehicle accident. Miller was ultimately represented by Steichen in litigation related to that accident. In January 1999, Miller filed a professional liability action against Steichen. Miller alleged that without consulting her and without her authority, Steichen accepted a settlement offer in the amount of $30,000 which was not adequate to compensate her for her injuries and would have been rejected by her. Miller alleged that Steichen stipulated to the dismissal with prejudice of her lawsuit and that because the statute of limitations had run on her claim, she was barred from any further action. Miller further alleged that without her authority, Steichen signed Miller's name on a release agreement and on the back of a settlement check, endorsing that check. Miller alleged that she had not received any proceeds from the settlement. The district court entered a judgment in favor of Miller in the amount of $325,000, which the court concluded was the fair and reasonable settlement value or jury verdict of Miller's claim had it been prosecuted in the absence of professional negligence. The court explained that Miller alleged that the following acts by Steichen constituted legal malpractice: (1) his failure to communicate to Miller all settlement offers, (2) his acceptance of a settlement offer on Miller's behalf without Miller's approval or consent, (3) his placement of Miller's signature on a release and his endorsement of the settlement check without Miller's consent, (4) his allowance of the dismissal of Miller's lawsuit with prejudice after the statute of limitations had expired, and (5) his breach of professional and fiduciary duties to act in the best interests of his client. After judgment was entered in Miller's favor, Miller instituted garnishment proceedings against Coregis, which issued a professional liability policy that is alleged to provide coverage for Miller's legal malpractice claim against Steichen. Miller served a summons and order of garnishment and interrogatories in aid of execution on Coregis. The summons was sent to Sally Ann Hawk, who was listed in Coregis' 2000 annual statements as the chairperson, president, and chief executive officer. Coregis did not respond, and following a hearing on the matter, the district court entered a default judgment against Coregis. Thereafter, Coregis filed a special appearance, arguing that it did not receive proper and sufficient service of summons, the affidavit and praecipe for summons were improperly issued, and there was no merit to Miller's contention that Coregis was indebted to Steichen under the Policy. The district court overruled Coregis' special appearance. Coregis then filed a motion to vacate the default judgment, which was also overruled by the district court. In Miller v. Steichen, [1] this court reversed the judgment of the district court and remanded the cause with directions to the district court to vacate the default judgment and give Coregis reasonable time in which to file an appropriate responsive pleading.