First National Bank v. BP West Coast Products LLC

MEMORANDUM **

1. The district court properly granted summary judgment in favor of Appellees John Hancock Financial Services Group, John Hancock Life Insurance Company, John Hancock Variable Life Insurance Company (John Hancock), and BP West Coast Products LLC (BP West), because no material issue of fact was raised regarding whether an accord and satisfaction resolved the dispute among the parties, and because BP West was a third party beneficiary to the accord. See Frank Culver Elec., Inc. v. Jorgenson, 136 Ariz. 76 , 664 P.2d 226, 228 (Ariz.Ct.App.1983) (holding that an accord and satisfaction may arise from the parties’ conduct); see also Supplies For Industry, Inc. v. Christen sen, 135 Ariz. 107 , 659 P.2d 660, 662 (Ariz. Ct.App.1983) (describing third party beneficiary status); Nahom v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Ariz., Inc., 180 Ariz. 548 , 885 P.2d 1113, 1118 (Ariz.Ct.App.1994) (same).

2. The district court did not abuse its discretion in awarding attorneys’ fees to John Hancock and BP West pursuant to Ariz.Rev.Stat. (A.R.S.) § 12-341.0RA). The Bank’s pleadings established a contractual dispute, and the district court’s order relied on Arizona contract law. The contract…