Judge: Collateral Estoppel Applies; Professional Liability Insurer Owes No Defense

Mealey's (March 13, 2018, 1:50 PM EDT) -- FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Applying Alaska’s four elements of collateral estoppel, a federal judge on March 12 found that the court is bound by the Alaska Supreme Court’s finding in an underlying lawsuit that a law firm insured had knowledge of a potential claim prior to a professional liability insurance policy’s effective date (ALPS Property & Casualty Insurance Company v. Merdes & Merdes, et al., No. 14-00002, D. Ala., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 39653)....