Baughman

This appeal involves application of res judicata to an Oregon judgment and California judgment, each of which construed insurance coverage of one policy in connection with an automobile accident occurring in California.

On June 14, 1979, the 1976 Fiat automobile that Leon G. Baughman owned and was driving was involved in an accident in Merced County, California. Riding with Leon Baughman at the time were his daughter, Shari L. Baughman (age 11), and Valerie Baughman’s son, Christopher R. Bryant (age 12). Leon Baughman and the two passengers had been living in Port land, Oregon, for the past four years; the children attended school there, but pursuant to California dissolution decrees, each child visited its noncustodial parent in Southern California during the summers. When the accident occurred, Leon Baughman was on his way to deliver Shari Baughman and Christopher Bryant for their summer visitation periods with their noncustodial parents. After spending most of the summer of 1979 in the hospital, Shari Baughman and Christopher Bryant returned to live with Leon Baughman and Valerie Baughman in the State of Oregon.

Leon Baughman had been insured with State Farm Mutual…