Hill Brothers Chemical Co. v. Superior Court

Opinion

DOI TODD, J.

Hill Brothers Chemical Company (Hill Brothers), defendant in a wrongful death action, petitions for relief from the trial court’s denial of its motion for summary judgment. The issue before us is whether Hill Brothers, licensed as a private motor carrier under the Vehicle Code, has a nondelegable duty to the public and is therefore liable for the negligent acts of a for-hire motor carrier of property it hired as an independent contractor to transport its goods. We find no such duty and grant the petition for writ of mandate.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Hill Brothers, a…