Opinion ID: 215429
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 20

Heading: Plaintiffs failed to state claims for civil conspiracy

Text: Plaintiffs contend they alleged a claim against the Insurer Defendants under New Mexico common law for civil conspiracy. To the extent Plaintiffs did so, and to the extent such a claim could survive application of the filed rate doctrine, Plaintiffs have failed to state such a claim upon which relief can be granted. To state such a claim, Plaintiffs must allege: (1) that a conspiracy between two or more individuals existed; (2) that specific wrongful acts were carried out by the defendants pursuant to the conspiracy; and (3) that the plaintiff[s] [were] damaged as a result of such acts. Seeds v. Lucero, 137 N.M. 589, 113 P.3d 859, 863 (2005) (internal quotation marks omitted). Unlike a conspiracy in the criminal context, a civil conspiracy by itself is not actionable, nor does it provide an independent basis for liability unless a civil action in damages would lie against one of the conspirators. Id. at 864 (internal quotation marks omitted); see also Armijo v. Nat'l Sur. Corp., 58 N.M. 166, 268 P.2d 339, 346 (1954). Because Plaintiffs have failed to state any claim for damages against the Insurer Defendants, they have also failed to state a claim against them for civil conspiracy.