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Insurance

Aug. 26, 2002

Three-Step Interpretation Process for Contracts Confuses California Courts

Once upon a time, "ambiguity" was king in California with respect to interpreting an insurance policy. But now, "context" is king. The catalyst for this sea change was AIU Insurance Co. v. Superior Court , 51 Cal.3d 807 (1990).

Rex Heeseman

JAMS

555 W 5th St Fl 32
Los Angeles , CA 90013-1055

Phone: (213) 253-9772

Fax: (213) 620-0100

Email: rheeseman@jamsdar.com

Stanford Univ Law School

Rex Heeseman retired from the Los Angeles Count Superior Court bench in 2014. He is at JAMS, Los Angeles. Besides speaking at various MCLE programs, he co-authors The Rutter Group's practice guide on "Insurance Litigation." From 2002 to 2015, he was an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School.

        Focus Column
        
        By Rex Heeseman
        
        Once upon a time, "ambiguity" was king in California with respect to interpreting an insurance policy. But now, "context" is king. The catalyst for this sea change was AIU I...

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