It’s Over: A Victory for State Farm

A settlement has been reached in State Farm v. Hood which puts and end to Mississippi AG Jim Hood’s attempt to criminally prosecute State Farm to extort a civil settlement in Katrina cases for the benefit of his tag-team partner Dickie Scruggs. In Natchez today, US District Judge David Bramlette ruled that the January 23, 2007 agreement between State Farm and Hood is “a standalone agreement, unambiguous and enforceable”; that under a settlement agreement to remain under seal, the current case is dismissed with prejudice; and that the court will retain jurisdiction to enforce the settlement (Judge Bramlette’s Order). The referenced January 2007 agreement ended Hood’s original criminal investigation of State Farm in exchange for a civil settlement which benefited Scruggs and his partners as well as Hood’s office.

From David Rossmiller’s report on yesterday’s appearance by Hood, the AG seems to have taken a beating on the stand. He faced the prospect of testimony today by his associate Courtney Schloemer, who has already publicly admitted collusion between the AG’s office and Dickie Scruggs, plus the possibility that Scruggs’ deposition would become public. However he spins it, it’s no wonder he settled.

Best observation of the day, from a commenter at folo: “If you do DNA from the fleas on Scruggs and Hood it would be 100% match.”