Hood wants settlement to stay sealed
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Legal Newsline) – Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood is again opposing the unsealing of the settlement in State Farm Insurance’s lawsuit against him.
U.S. District Judge David Bramlette allowed four media organizations to intervene in the case in March, and they moved to unseal the settlement in April. In a response, attorneys for Hood say the seal, which was also placed on in camera testimony, should stay in place.
(T)he court ordered as a material aspect of the settlement that the confidential settlement agreement in this matter be placed and remain under seal,” the response said.
“Now, over two years later, despite the absence of any new considerations or any change in material circumstances, the intervenors ask this court to reverse its prior decisions and to unseal these materials.”
Jackson New Media, WLBT, WDAM and WLOX filed their motion April 20. Jackson New Media owns the political Web site Y’All Politics.
“Defendant Jim Hood is attorney general of the state of Mississippi and New Media has a clear right under both federal and state law to know and report on the facts and details of the circumstances under which Mr. Hood and the State Farm plaintiffs settled this matter,” the motion says.
Legal News Line
5/5/10
