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1 BERRY V. FEDERAL KEMPER LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY, 2004-NMCA-116, 136 N.M. 454, 99 P.3d 1166 CHARLES BERRY, for himself and all others similarly situated, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. FEDERAL KEMPER LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY, Defendant-Appellant.
Docket No. 23,186 COURT OF APPEALS OF NEW MEXICO 2004-NMCA-116, 136 N.M. 454, 99 P.3d 1166 July 23, 2004, Filed APPEAL FROM THE DISTRICT COURT OF SANTA FE COUNTY, James A. Hall, District Judge Certiorari Denied, No. 28,850, September 17, 2004 COUNSEL Paul G. Bardacke, John M. Eaves, Peter S. Kierst, Kerry C. Kiernan, Karen S. Mendenhall, Eaves, Bardacke, Baugh, Kierst & Larson P.A., Albuquerque, NM, Dennis M. McCary, Floyd D. Wilson, Alan R. Wilson, McCary, Wilson & Pryor, Albuquerque, NM, Alan Konrad, Albuquerque, NM, for Appellee David F. Cunningham, Rubin Katz Law Firm, P.C., Santa Fe, NM, J. Kevin McCall, Clark C. Johnson, Suzanne J. Prysak, Jenner & Block, LLP, Chicago, IL, for Appellant Victoria E. Fimea, American Council of Life Insurers, Washington, D.C., George Ruhlen, Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, Santa Fe, NM, Evan M. Tager, Craig W. Canetti, Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, Washington, D.C., for Amicus Curiae American Council of Life Insurers Betty D. Montgomery, Attorney General, Scott Myers, Lawrence D. Pratt, Assistant Attorney Generals, Columbus, OH, Ann Maloney Conway, Cynthia A. Braun, Huffaker & Conway, P.C., Albuquerque, NM, for Amicus Curiae Lee Covington, II, Superintendent, Ohio Dep't of Insurance Randal W. Roberts, Simone, Roberts & Weiss, P.A., Albuquerque, NM, for Amicus Curiae National Association of Insurance Commissioners JUDGES MICHAEL D. BUSTAMANTE, Judge. WE CONCUR: A. JOSEPH ALARID, Judge, CYNTHIA A. FRY, Judge AUTHOR: MICHAEL D. BUSTAMANTE OPINION

{1} The district court certified a nationwide class action against Federal Kemper Life Assurance Company (Kemper) seeking damages assertedly caused by Kemper's modal premium program for life insurance policies. Kemper appealed from the certification order pursuant to Rule 1-023(F) NMRA 2004. Affirming in part and reversing in part, we address a number of issues of first impression under New Mexico's class action rule, including: (1) standards for consideration of Rule 1-023(A) requirements of numerosity, commonality, typicality, and

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