Cite as 2015 Ark. 396
SUPREME COURT OF ARKANSAS
No. CV-15-804
COLUMBIA INSURANCE GROUP, Opinion Delivered October 29, 2015
INC., AND COLUMBIA MUTUAL
INSURANCE COMPANY, INC. REQUEST TO CERTIFY
PETITIONERS QUESTIONS OF LAW FROM THE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT
V. COURT FOR THE EASTERN
DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS,
WESTERN DIVISION
CENARK PROJECT MANAGEMENT
SERVICES, INC., ET AL. CERTIFIED QUESTIONS
RESPONDENTS ACCEPTED.
PER CURIAM
In accordance with section 2(D)(3) of Amendment 80 to the Arkansas Constitution
and Rule 6-8 of the Rules of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals of the State of
Arkansas, the Honorable Susan Webber Wright of the United States District Court for the
Eastern District of Arkansas, Western Division, has filed a motion and certification order with
our clerk on September 28, 2015. The certifying court requests that we answer questions of
Arkansas law that may be determinative of a cause now pending in the certifying court,
because it appears to the certifying court that there is no controlling precedent in the decisions
of the Supreme Court of Arkansas.
Having reviewed the certifying court’s explanation of the need for this court to answer
the question of law pending in that court, we accept certification of the following questions:
1. Whether faulty workmanship resulting in property damage to the work or work
Cite as 2015 Ark. 396
product of a third party (as opposed to the work or work product of the insured)
constitutes an “occurrence”; and
2. If such faulty workmanship constitutes an “occurrence,” and an action is brought
in contract for property damage to the work or work product of a third person, does
any exclusion in the policy bar coverage for this property damage?
This per curiam order constitutes notice of our acceptance of the certification of these
questions of law. For purposes of the pending proceeding in this court, the following
requirements are imposed:
A. Time limits will be calculated from the date of this per curiam order accepting
certification. The plaintiffs in the underlying action, Columbia Insurance Group, Inc.,
and Columbia Mutual Insurance Company, Inc., are designated as the moving party
and will be designated as the “Petitioners,” and their brief is due thirty days from the
date of this per curiam. The defendants, Cenark Project Management, et al., shall be
denoted as the “Respondents,” and their brief shall be due thirty days after the filing
of Petitioners’ brief. Petitioners may file a reply brief within fifteen days after
Respondents’ brief has been filed.
B. The briefs shall comply with this court’s rules as in other cases except for the briefs’
content. Only the following items required in Arkansas Supreme Court Rule 4-2(a)
shall be included:
(3) Point on appeal which shall correspond to the certified questions of law to be
answered in the federal district court’s certification order.
(4) Table of authorities.
(6) Statement of the case which shall correspond to the facts relevant to the certified
question of law as stated in the federal district court’s certification order.
(7) Argument.
(8) Addendum.
(9) Cover for briefs.
C. Oral argument will be permitted only if this court concludes that it will be helpful
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for presentation of the issues.
D. Arkansas Supreme Court Rule 4-6 with respect to amicus curiae briefs will apply.
E. This matter will be processed as any case on appeal.
F. Rule XIV of the Rules Governing Admission to the Bar shall apply to the attorneys
for the Petitioners and Respondents.
Pursuant to Arkansas Supreme Court Rule 6-8(d), we request that the parties include
in the addendum the following pleadings: the complaint; the answer, if any; the motions for
summary judgment; and any responses, replies, and briefs in response thereof. The parties
should also include any pleadings that will be useful to our understanding of the legal issues
presented.
Certified questions accepted.
HART and WOOD, JJ., would decline to accept certified questions.
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