SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO v. National Union

PRESIDING JUSTICE HALL

delivered the opinion of the court:

On November 19, 1999, Sears, Roebuck & Company (Sears), the insured, filed a three-count complaint for declaratory judgment and other relief seeking a judicial determination as to whether, pursuant to a commercial general liability policy (Policy), its insurer, National Union, had a duty to defend and indemnify it in an underlying lawsuit filed by Crystal D. Bland. In her complaint, Bland alleged that she was assaulted and raped by Arthur V Lanier, who was hired to clean her carpets as an employee of Flagship Cleaning Services…