Jackson Family Wines, Inc. v. Zurich American Insurance Company
Opinion
Trial Court Opinion
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 JACKSON FAMILY WINES, INC., Case No. 22-cv-07842-AMO (DMR)
Plaintiff, ORDER ON DEFENDANT'S MOTION v. FOR A PROTECTIVE ORDER
ZURICH AMERICAN INSURANCE Re: Dkt. No.
COMPANY,
11 Defendant. 12 The parties filed a joint discovery letter in which Defendant Zurich American Insurance Company (“Zurich”) moves for a protective order to bar Plaintiff Jackson Family Wines, Inc. (“JFW”) from deposing its employee, Jimmy Johnson, on the basis that he is a high-level official subject to protection under the apex doctrine. [Docket No. 84.] This matter is suitable for determination without oral argument. Civ. L.R. 7-1(b). For the following reasons, the motion for a protective order is denied. I. BACKGROUND This is a breach of insurance contract and bad faith action. JFW alleges that it purchased three insurance policies from Zurich that together provided $1.1 billion in coverage, and that it “suffered substantial property and other…