Day: July 21, 2008

Adams and Reese "lawyering up" for Perdigao

Looks like folks at Adams and Reese are getting ready as there were three pro hac vice motions filed on their behalf by Williams and Connolly attorneys – the “Green Berets of high-stakes litigation,” according to the Legal Times.

Joining Bailey Smith and Stephen Kupperman of the NOLA firm Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman And Sarver are two Williams and Connolly partners – Michael S Sundermeyer and Joseph M Terry along with associate Jason T. Wright.

Sally and NAAS give us your take on what this means.

News Town Hall Meeting Style: Dodd Open to Compromise

Anita Lee of the Sun Herald heard the same thing I did, that Senator Dodd is ready to bargain. More observations tomorrow:

House leaders gathered with U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor Monday afternoon to say they will continue to support his efforts to pass multiple-peril insurance legislation for coastal residents. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated that if the U.S. Senate is unwilling to pass a bill offering wind coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program, a model project including Mississippi might be possible.

They said U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., chairman of the powerful Senate Banking Committee, has indicated he is open to discussing a compromise measure. Continue reading “News Town Hall Meeting Style: Dodd Open to Compromise”

Florida homeowners slabbed by State Farm request for 47.1% average rate increase

On my way out of town Friday, I filled my tank for $62.50 – exactly half of the monthly payment on my first car. I imagine State Farm policyholders in Florida are having similar thoughts about State Farm’s proposed rate increase.

After lowering rates 9 percent this year, State Farm, the state’s second largest home insurer, did an about-face Wednesday when it asked state regulators for permission to raise homeowners’ rates 47.1 percent on average.

The private insurer, with nearly 1 million policies statewide, said it isn’t generating enough cash to cover the claims that could result if a major hurricane strikes next year. In Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, State Farm has nearly 100,000 policyholders.

“Our current rates are inadequate and must change,” said Michael Grimes, a spokesman for State Farm Florida. “We’re making this filing so we can continue to do business in Florida.”

…State Farm Florida Insurance Co. says it needs to increase premiums to have the cash to pay claims if major storms strike.

The planned increase flies in the face of the Legislature’s efforts to curb property insurance prices that doubled or tripled in some cases after hurricanes in 2004 and 2005.

After I returned to my wired world on Sunday and saw Chip Merlin’s post, I realized I’d left town with this story still in draft – sorry – but now you get Chip’s perspective, Snookered Again, plus the news story. Continue reading “Florida homeowners slabbed by State Farm request for 47.1% average rate increase”

The Clarion Ledger Opines on Today's Pelosi Visit

Even if not there officially I may see some Republicans like Comissioner Chaney or perhaps Senator Wicker tonight. In any case today’s event merited mention on the C-L editorial page as the quest for insurance solutions should indeed cut across party lines.

U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is scheduled to visit with a congressional delegation in tow on the Coast today in a repeat of last year, and it might not be pretty.

Pelosi came to a town meeting almost exactly a year ago to meet with victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Despite two years having passed since the storm hit Aug. 29, 2005, people at the Bay St. Louis meeting told story after story of private insurers and government only handing them more hardship.

The subject of insurance reform brought Pelosi and other Democrats then to tour the region and to tout a bill originated by 4th District U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Bay St. Louis. Continue reading “The Clarion Ledger Opines on Today's Pelosi Visit”

Carothers out of Prison. Prosecution Beefing Up the Team in Advance of Trial.

You heard about the government’s request to free star Beef Plant witness Sean Carothers here on Slabbed last week.  H/T to HD at Phunk & Wagnalls for the email and breaking news post. Here is the Patsy Brumfield story.

Sean Carothers, who pleaded guilty to defrauding the Community Bank of Rankin County during construction of the Mississippi Beef Plant, will be out of federal prison soon to help the government in its prosecution of others accused in the scandal.

Carothers has been in a federal prison in Pensacola, Fla., since soon after his March 2007 guilty plea.

His release was ordered today by U.S. District Senior Judge Neal Biggers Jr., who reduced Carothers’ sentence to 12 months and one day, with the rest of be served on house arrest.

Biggers also ordered Carothers to report within two days of his release to the U.S. Probation Service in north Mississippi.