County of Boise v. Idaho Counties Risk Management Program
151 Idaho 901
Idaho2011Background
- County Boise sued in federal court alleging FHA violations; ICRMP declined to defend under policy terms.
- Policy provides defense for covered claims and errors and omissions coverage with defined 'Wrongful Act' and several exclusions.
- Alamar's complaint alleged planning/zoning actions violated the FHA and sought damages; district court found coverage excluded by land use regulation exclusion.
- District court held no duty to defend due to policy exclusion for land use regulation/planning and zoning activities; found no resurrection via Exclusion Sixteen.
- On appeal, court affirms district court, ruling land use exclusion bars coverage and Exclusion Sixteen does not resurrect coverage.
Issues
| Issue | Plaintiff's Argument | Defendant's Argument | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Does land use regulation/planning and zoning exclusion bar coverage? | Alamar's FHA claims could be covered; exclusion not expressly tied to civil rights. | Exclusion plainly covers land use regulation; claims arise from land use decisions. | Yes, the land use exclusion bars coverage. |
| Does Exclusion Sixteen resurrect coverage for civil rights claims? | Exclusion allows coverage to be revived for tort/civil rights claims. | Exclusion Sixteen does not revive coverage; would nullify other exclusions. | No, Exclusion Sixteen does not resurrect coverage. |
Key Cases Cited
- Hoyle v. Utica Mut. Ins. Co., 137 Idaho 367, 48 P.3d 1256 (2002) (Idaho 2002) (duty to defend depends on potential coverage from complaint)
- Martel v. Bulotti, 138 Idaho 451, 65 P.3d 192 (2003) (Idaho 2003) (summary judgment standard; standard of review for legal rulings)
