Declaratory Judgment Action Insurance Coverage In Georgia
Description
Form popularity
FAQ
A declaratory judgment gives you clear answers on what your rights are, or what obligations you have. It's a way to get the law straight, so you don't end up making a costly mistake down the road.
Your insurance company client wants to file a declaratory judgment action to determine whether the insurer owes coverage to one of the defendants in a civil lawsuit.
Typically, when filing a declaratory judgment action, insurers seek an adjudication of both their duty to defend and their duty to indemnify, because the duty to defend is broader than the duty to indemnify and, if insurers do not have the former duty, then they typically do not have the latter duty, either.
A declaratory judgment is a binding judgment from a court defining the legal relationship between parties and their rights in a matter before the court. When there is uncertainty as to the legal obligations or rights between two parties, a declaratory judgment offers an immediate means to resolve this uncertainty.
The benefit of a declaratory judgment is that it prevents lawsuits that are likely to be unsuccessful, which saves the courts, and ultimately taxpayers, resources and time. A policyholder that receives an unfavorable declaratory judgment is unlikely to file a lawsuit, as the suit is much more likely to be dismissed.
A declaratory judgment is a legally binding judgment where a court declares the rights and obligations of the parties to a written agreement, such as an insurance policy or other contract.
To bring a claim for declaratory judgment in a situation where a patent dispute may exist or develop, the claimant must establish that an actual controversy exists. If there is a substantial controversy of sufficient immediacy and reality, the court will generally proceed with the declaratory-judgment action.
The Court noted that while an action for a declaratory judgment is generally governed by a six-year statute of limitations (see CPLR 2131), the applicable statute of limitations in a declaratory judgment action is determined by the substantive nature of the claim.
