SUSAN C. BUCKLEW, District Judge.
This cause comes before the Court on Plaintiff's Motion for Default Judgment as to Defendants The Artec Group, Inc. and the Louis H. Sanchez Revocable Trust and Motion for Summary Judgment as to Defendant Louis Sanchez.
Summary judgment is appropriate "if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). The Court must draw all inferences from the evidence in the light most favorable to the non-movant and resolve all reasonable doubts in that party's favor.
This is an action for indemnity relating to claims made against three sets of Performance and Payment Bonds issued by Plaintiff North American Specialty Insurance Company, Inc. ("NAS") in favor of Defendant The Artec Group. Inc. ("Artec"). NAS contends that Artec, along with Defendants Louis Sanchez and the Louis H. Sanchez Revocable Trust, agreed to indemnify NAS for all losses and expenses relating to these three sets of bonds.
NAS issued the first set of Performance and Payment Bonds in March of 2016, and the bonds relate to a Pinellas County airport terminal project ("Pinellas Project"). (Doc. No. 1-1). The Bonds list Artec as the principal and a penal sum amount of $8,932,979 (Doc. No. 1-1). The following year, Pinellas County claimed that Artec breached their agreement for the Pinellas Project, and Pinellas County terminated the contract for the Pinellas Project on October 31, 2017. (Doc. No. 20-1, ¶ 8). In December of 2017, Pinellas County made a formal demand on NAS to perform its obligations under the Performance Bond. (Doc. No. 20-1, ¶ 7). Additionally, NAS has received numerous claims against the Payment Bond. (Doc. No. 20-1, ¶ 8).
NAS issued the second set of Performance and Payment Bonds in January of 2016, and the bonds relate to a Volusia County airport improvement project ("Volusia Project"). (Doc. No. 31-1). The Bonds list Artec as the principal and a penal sum amount of $6,190,053 (Doc. No. 31-1). By February of 2018, Artec contacted NAS asking for NAS's assistance in providing funds so that Artec could finish the Volusia Project. (Doc. No. 20-1, ¶ 11). NAS has received numerous claims against the Payment Bond. (Doc. No. 20-1, ¶ 12).
NAS issued the third set of Performance and Payment Bonds in July of 2016, and the bonds relate to a contract that Artec entered into with the U.S. Navy for work to be done in Florida. (Doc. No. 20-1, ¶ 13; Doc. No. 34). The Bonds list Artec as the principal and a penal sum amount of $12,228,057.44. (Doc. No. 34). NAS has received claims against the Payment Bond. (Doc. No. 20-1, ¶ 15).
On May 15, 2015, Defendants Artec and Louis Sanchez signed a General Indemnity Agreement ("GIA"). (Doc. No. 1-4). The GIA states that it "shall cover all Bonds that have been and as may hereafter be applied for or executed on behalf of" Artec and Sanchez ("Indemnitors"). (Doc. No. 1-4). The GIA provides that "[t]he Indemnitors shall exonerate, hold harmless and indemnify [NAS] from and against any and all Loss." (Doc. No. 1-4). Losses under the GIA include any liability, including attorneys' fees, incurred by NAS due to NAS's issuance of surety bonds. (Doc. No. 1-4). The GIA also provides that the Indemnitors' liability is joint and several. (Doc. No. 1-4).
The GIA also addresses the issue of collateral security. The GIA provides that "[u]pon demand of [NAS], the Indemnitors shall immediately deposit with [NAS] a sum of money as collateral security on the Bonds. (Doc. No. 1-4). NAS's right to demand collateral security can be triggered by various events, including NAS receiving a claim against the payment bonds. (Doc. No. 1-4). With regard to the amount of collateral security that NAS may demand, the GIA provides the following:
(Doc. No. 1-4).
The following year, Defendant Louis H. Sanchez Revocable Trust ("the Trust") executed an addendum to the GIA, effective July 22, 2016. (Doc. No. 28-1). The addendum provides that it "is attached to, made part of, and incorporated into the [GIA]." (Doc. No. 28-1). The addendum further provides that the Trust agrees to be bound by the GIA as if it had entered into the GIA as of July 22, 2016. (Doc. No. 28-1).
NAS filed suit against Defendants on April 2, 2018. NAS asserts seven claims in its complaint.
At the hearing, NAS stated that its motion is directed to only two of its claims: (1) specific performance to require Defendants to post collateral — Count I; and (2) contractual indemnification — Count V. As explained below, the Court finds that NAS is entitled to judgment on both claims.
In Count I, NAS asks the Court to order specific performance to require Defendants to post collateral. A decree of specific performance is an equitable remedy that the Court may grant if it believes that justice so requires it and NAS establishes two things: (1) that NAS is clearly entitled to such relief; and (2) that there is no adequate remedy at law.
The Court finds that justice so requires an order of specific performance to require Defendants to post collateral. NAS has shown that the GIA clearly entitles NAS to this relief, as the GIA requires that upon demand of NAS, Defendants shall immediately deposit with NAS a sum of money as collateral security in an amount that NAS deems sufficient. Additionally, NAS has shown that there is no adequate remedy at law, as "courts have found that a surety's loss of its right to collateralization cannot be adequately remedied through monetary damages."
NAS contends that Defendants should be required to post collateral in the amount of $14,419,789 in order to provide adequate security to NAS, which consists of the following amounts: Pinellas Project: $5,369,789; Volusia Project: $1,050,000; and U.S. Navy Project: $8,000,000. NAS has provided an explanation for how these collateral amounts were determined, including the fact that as of August 6, 2018, there was over $1 million in pending claims as to the three projects.
In Count V, NAS asserts a claim for contractual indemnification against all three of the defendants. When evaluating NAS's contractual indemnification claim, the terms of the GIA will determine whether Defendants are obligated to reimburse NAS for the amounts sought.
The GIA provides that "[t]he Indemnitors shall exonerate, hold harmless and indemnify [NAS] from and against any and all Loss." (Doc. No. 1-4). Losses under the GIA include any liability, including attorneys' fees, incurred by NAS due to NAS's issuance of surety bonds. (Doc. No. 1-4). The GIA also provides that the Indemnitors' liability is joint and several. (Doc. No. 1-4).
The GIA clearly provides NAS the right to indemnification for all losses that it has incurred. Additionally, NAS has provided evidence that it has paid $2,217, 219.29 in claims through August 6, 2018 for all three projects: (1) Pinellas Project — $1,102,277.82 paid; (2) Volusia Project — $729,097.20 paid; and (3) U.S. Navy Project — $385,844.27. (Doc. No. 20-1 ¶ 45; Doc. No. 29). NAS has also provided evidence that it has incurred costs and attorneys' fees through June 30, 2018 totaling $67,323.75.
Accordingly, it is ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that: