According to the Chicago Tribune, the Trailer Lawyers say Judge Senter is wrong and that they will likely appeal his ruling. They probably think it’s because he didn’t get to look them in the eyes.
The Tribune states:
A federal judge on Monday disqualified a group of Missouri lawyers, including a former high-ranking prosecutor, from working on a case against State Farm Insurance Cos. over its handling of policyholder claims after Hurricane Katrina.
Senter faulted the lawyers for failing to act after they learned of alleged ethical misconduct by another attorney who was involved in the case, Richard “Dickie” Scruggs.
Senter’s order applies to lawyers from Bartimus, Frickleton, Robertson & Gorny, which has an office in Jefferson City, Mo., and to Bartle, Marcus & Graves, based in Kansas City, Mo.
Todd Graves, who joined the latter firm after serving as a U.S. Attorney in Missouri, is one of the disqualified lawyers. Graves said he couldn’t comment on the ruling because he hadn’t read it yet.
Anthony DeWitt, of the Jefferson City firm, said he and his colleagues are likely to appeal Senter’s ruling.
“The judge is wrong,” he said. “We’re going to exercise every option available to get this judge to recognize the error he’s made.”
Wonder what they think the error is?
Magnolia Tribune
