Leslie Wilton, Etc., et al. v. Seven Falls Company et al. (515 U.S. 277)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided June 12, 1995 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 515 U.S. 277 · 115 S. Ct. 2137
- Decided
- June 12, 1995
- Term
- October Term 1994
- Vote
- 8–0
- Majority author
- Justice O'Connor
- Issue area
- Judicial Power
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome
- Petitioning party lost
- Ideological direction
- Liberal
Opinion excerpt
Justice O’Connor delivered the opinion of the Court. This case asks whether the discretionary standard set forth in Brillhart v. Excess Ins. Co. of America, 316 U. S. 491 (1942), or the “exceptional circumstances” test developed in Colorado River Water Conservation Dist. v. United States, 424 U. S. 800 (1976), and Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital v. Mercury Constr. Corp., 460 U. S. 1 (1983), governs a district court’s decision to stay a declaratory judgment action during the pendency of parallel state court proceedings, and under what standard of review a court of appeals should evaluate the district court’s decision to do so. I In early 1992, a dispute between respondents (the Hill Group) and other parties over the ownership and operation of oil and gas properties in Winkler County, Texas, appeared likely to culminate in litigation. The Hill Group asked petitioners (London Underwriters) to provide them with coverage under several commercial liability insurance policies. London Underwriters refused to defend or indemnify the Hill Group in a letter dated July 31, 1992. In September 1992, after a 3-week trial, a Winkler County jury entered a verdict in excess of $100 million against the Hill Group on various state law claims. The Hill Group gave London Underwriters notice of the verdict in late November 1992. On December 9,1992, London Underwriters filed suit in the United…
Excerpt of a 22,907-character opinion. The full text and citation network load in the interactive viewer above.