Paraphrasing Mark Twain: “It is Better to Keep Your Mouth Closed . . . .”

18 Sunday Nov 2018

Posted by Celia C. Elwell, RP in 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, Appellate Law, Brief Writing, Contract Law, Legal Argument, Legal Writing

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Above the Law (blog), Benchslap, Contract Interpretation, Hyperbole, Joe Patrice, State Farm

Don’t Mock A Legal Argument If You’re Completely Wrong, by Joe Patrice, Above the Law Blog

https://abovethelaw.com/2013/09/dont-make-fun-of-a-legal-argument-if-youre-completely-wrong/

Mark Twain said, “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” It is always awkward when the court benchslaps your legal argument.

There are useful lessons here for all of us, not just State Farm. First, when your client is relying on the terms of a contract, note its details before you say something you will wish you hadn’t. Second, be careful with hyperbole and sarcasm when writing a brief for an appellate court.

I agree with Mr. Patrice. The opening paragraph of the Sixth Circuit Court’s opinion is worth repeating. -CCE

There are good reasons not to call an opponent’s argument ‘ridiculous,’ which is what State Farm calls Barbara Bennett’s principal argument here. The reasons include civility; the near-certainty that overstatement will only push the reader away (especially when, as here, the hyperbole begins on page one of the brief); and that, even where the record supports an extreme modifier, ‘the better practice is usually to lay out the facts and let the court reach its own conclusions.’ But here the biggest reason is more simple: the argument that State Farm derides as ridiculous is instead correct.

When Insurance Is Not Renewed, What Constitutes Legal Notice?

12 Thursday Feb 2015

Posted by Celia C. Elwell, RP in Insurance Coverage, Insurance Law, Nonrenewal

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Barry Zalma, Negligence, Nonrenewal, State Farm, Zalma on Insurance Blog

Mailing is All Needed to Perfect Nonrenewal, by Barry Zalma, Zalma On Insurance Blog

http://zalma.com/blog/mailing-is-all-needed-to-perfect-nonrenewal/

Some cases go on and on with trial decisions reversed, remanded, retried and appealed again. In Collins v. State Farm Ins. Co., ___ So.3d ___, 2015 WL 468970 (La. App. 4 Cir.), 2014-0419 (La. App. 4 Cir. 2/4/15) after eight years of litigation over damages resulting from Hurricane Katrina the insured ended up with nothing. His last attempt at recovery was to sue his agent for negligence because he did not inform the plaintiff that his policy had been non-renewed well before Katrina hit New Orleans.

The insured, Edward Collins, brought this suit against his insurer, State Farm Fire and Casualty Company (‘State Farm’), and his insurance agent, Reggie Glass. From the trial court’s judgment granting Mr. Glass’ motion for summary judgment. Mr. Collins appeals.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

In January 2000, Mr. Collins filed a claim under his homeowner’s policy with State Farm for roof damage to his property located at 7508 Lafourche Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. State Farm adjusted the claim and paid the damages due under the policy. In September 2004, Mr. Collins submitted another claim under his homeowner’s policy. During its investigation of this claim, State Farm discovered that Mr. Collins failed to repair his roof after he was paid for his 2000 claim. State Farm thus decided not to renew Mr. Collins’ homeowner’s policy when it expired on May 30, 2005. . . .

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