Court Opinion

ID: 9771592
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 16:48:13.130676+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:33.309970
License: Public Domain

Tom Glaze, Justice, concurring. Whether The Home Indemnity Co. (Home) is required to defend this Voting Rights Act cause is a close issue, but I agree with the majority that Home is obligated to do so. I reach that conclusion primarily because the appellees, as the majority points out, remain potentially exposed to an award of damages until that voting rights litigation is terminated. See Commercial Union Insurance Company of America v. Henshall, 262 Ark. 117, 553 S.W.2d 274 (1977). In addition, Home’s policy language is subject to some doubt or ambiguity in its interpretation concerning the company’s obligation to defend under the circumstances posed here, and that doubt justifiably should be construed against the company issuing the policy. Nevertheless, I cannot agree that Home’s policy — under any construction or interpretation — can be read to mean the company agreed to pay any award of attorney’s fees as damages. The plaintiffs, who brought the voting rights suit against appellees, are requesting not only that their voting rights be enforced, but also they request an award of reasonable attorney’s fees. While the majority, by footnote in its opinion, states it is not deciding whether attorney’s fees are damages within the meaning of Home’s policy, it cites a number of cases in its opinion indicating that attorney’s fees may be recovered as an item of damages. Such a proposition runs contrary to established Arkansas law. See Romer v. Leyner, 224 Ark. 884, 277 S.W.2d 66 (1955). In fact, both Arkansas case law and the other legal authority cited by the majority fail to support such a holding. See, e.g., Doyle v. Allstate Ins. Co., 154 N.Y.S.2d 10 (Ct. of App. of N.Y. 1956), cited by the majority, wherein the New York court concluded it was settled law that the legal expenses necessarily incurred by the plaintiff are not recoverable as general or special damages. Thus, while I agree to affirm the trial court’s decision holding that Home is obligated to defend appellees in the pending federal voting rights case against them, I wish to make my own position clear that I do not believe Home’s policy covers the payment of attorney’s fees as damages. Therefore, I concur.