RICO Claim Against State Farm, Settled for $250 Million

RICO claim against State Farm, settled for $250 million.

     Mark Hale, Laurie Loger and Todd Shadle, all former State Farm insureds were court

appointed class representatives in Avery vs State Farm which resulted in a $1.181 billion

jury verdict in 1999 in Illinois state court. Therein, the issue was State Farm's designating

aftermarket crash parts for its insured's vehicle repairs rather than using parts made by the original

manufacturer as required by the insurance policy.

     In 2005, the verdict was reversed by the Illinois Supreme Court with the State Farm

sponsored candidate Justice Karmeier casting the vote to break a tie on the Illinois Supreme Court.

At that time, State Farm claimed to have contributed only $300,000.00 to the Karmeier campaign

fund. Karmeier would not recuse himself, even in light of rumors that State Farm had contributed

millions of dollars to his campaign. In that context, the two Supreme Court candidates each spent

about $5 million in this respective campaign..

     In 2009 the Caperton vs Mansey Coal decision was handed down by the United States

Supreme Court involving a similar factual occurrence in the West Virginia Supreme Court

election. Thereupon, Plaintiffs requested the Illinois Supreme Court to recall the mandate and

revisit the Karmeier recusal issue. After being rebuffed again by the Illinois Supreme Court,

plaintiffs, with the evidence developed by two retired FBI agents, filed a lawsuit alleging RICO

violations in connection with State Farm's pleadings previously filed in the Illinois Court and the

United States Supreme Court.

     Plaintiffs sought recovery of $1.2 billion plus legal interest since 1999. A nine person jury

was selected in August 29, 2018 with opening statements scheduled September 4, 2018. The case

settled September 4, 2018 and was preliminarily approved by Judge Herndon on the same day.

The settlement class members consists of the original Avery class.

     Mark Hale, et al. vs State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, etal., No:, 3:12-

cv-00600-DRH-SCW United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

Plaintiffs Counsel: Gordon Ball, Law Office of Gordon Ball, Knoxville, TN; Don Ban-ett of

Barrett Law Group PA, Lexington, MS; Patrick W. Pendley, Nicholas R. Rockforte, Pendley,

Baudin & Coffin, LLP, Plaquemine, LA; Robert Clifford and George S. Bellas, Clifford Law

Offices Chicago, IL; Robert J. Nelson and Elizabeth Cabraser, Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann &

Bernstein LLP,, San Francisco, CA; Brent W. Landau, Hausfeld, LLC, Philadelphia,, PA; Steven

P. Blonder, Much Shelist, PC, Chicago. IL: Richard Taylor and Steven Martino Taylor, Martino,

PC, Mobile, AL; Thomas Thrash of Thrash Law Firm, PA, Little Rock, Arkansas..

Plaintiffs Experts:

T.A. Myers & Co., Amndas Co. Forensic Accountants

Richard Means, Oakpark, Illinois, Campaign & Election La