No Professional Liability Coverage Owed For Drug Overdose Death, Panel Affirms 

Mealey's (October 23, 2020, 11:14 AM EDT) -- SAN FRANCISCO — The Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on Oct. 21 affirmed a lower federal court’s summary judgment in favor of an insurer in its lawsuit disputing coverage for an underlying wrongful death lawsuit brought against its doctor insured who pleaded guilty to distributing controlled substances in violation of 21 U.S. Code Sections 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C), finding that the professional liability insurance policy “obviously and unambiguously” precludes coverage for willful violations of law (National Fire & Marine Insurance Company v. Scott Hampton, et al., No. 19-17235, 9th Cir., 2020 U.S. App. LEXIS 33215)....