2nd Judge Insured by State Farm Steps Aside in $350M Case
Attorneys for both sides reportedly looked at each other in disbelief this week as a Texas judge hearing a $350 million case against State Farm asked whether it would be a problem that she had her own personal policies with the insurer.
That’s because the same issue arose in September, when Judge Stephen Yelenosky stepped aside from the Travis County case for that very reason, reported the Dallas Morning News (sub. req.) in an article recounted by the Associated Press and Texas Watch.
Customers, including judges, could get refunds of $200 or so if a Texas Department of Insurance order requiring State Farm to reimburse policyholders of alleged overcharges is upheld.
So, when informed of that situation, District Judge Lora Livingston stepped aside too.
“The safest thing to do is find a judge who doesn’t have State Farm,” Yelenosky said in September, as the Dallas Morning News reported at that time.
Said Livingston this week: “What a nightmare. I am so sorry. This is unbelievable. What a waste.”
A third judge has now been assigned to the case.
