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Fmr. U.S. Sen. Fred D. Thompson and Other Lawyers Allege State Farm Court Fraud in Avery v. State Farm This month a group of lawyers filed a petition accusing State Farm Insurance of defrauding the Illinois Supreme Court by covering up its “extraordinary support of Justice (Lloyd) Karmeier’s campaign and to thwart State Supreme Justice Karmeier’s Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier disqualification” from the Avery v State Farm class-action case originally tried in 1999. Lloyd Karmeier was the successful 2004 Republican candidate in the most expen-
sive state judicial race in U.S. history, which was conducted during the appeal of Avery v State Farm. The petition is based on an investigation by former FBI agent Michael Reece. Reece stated in his affidavit accompanying the petition: “The bottom line of my investigation is that State Farm used the Illinois Civil Justice League to elect Judge Karmeier and Judge Karmeier knew it.” While there are no hard and fast rules as to when a Justice should recuse himself the U.S. Supreme Court said a WV appelate court judge should have recused himself in a case because he reSee Avery Claims Fraud Page 30
State Insurance Divisions Differ From One Another in Terms of Addressing Repairer Concerns Some Success Stories For decades, shops in many states have taken concerns about auto insurer practices to insurance divisions only quite often to be told, in essence, that such regulators are there to address consumer complaints about insurers, not business-to-business issues. But even that mission isn’t being met well in some states. When John Doak took the helm of the Oklahoma Insurance Department earlier this year, he quickly announced he was reorganSee Insurance Commissioners, Page 16
P.O. BOX 1516, CARLSBAD, CA 92018
It’s a common complaint among collision repairers: It’s not worth contacting the state insurance commissioner’s office because they don’t do anything about our complaints. Yet in recent months, some state insurance commissioners have taken actions cheered by some shops, from radically changing their department’s focus, to issuing bulletins reminding insurers of state laws on steering or other shop-related activities. What has led to these changes, and does it mean now is a good time
for shops to reassess their interactions with state insurance regulators?
Change Service Requested
by John Yoswick
VOL. 2 ISSUE 8 OCTOBER 2011
NACE/CARS Receiving Renewed Energy and Enthusiasm from New Florida Venue by Chasidy Rae Sisk
As most observers know by now, for the first time since 2003, the NACE/ CARS expo will be held somewhere other than Las Vegas. From October 5–8, 2011, NACE will take place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. As of July, attendee registration for 2011 had already surpassed double the registration of 2010, a fact largely attributed to the new east-coast location. Kathleen Moyer of Rex’s Body Shop and Garage Inc in Vincennes, IN says she’s excited that NACE is being
held in a new location in 2011 and hopes they continue alternating locations. (See last paragraph this article.) This is exactly what ASRW has announced they intend to do, rotating the expo to different locations around the country in upcoming years in order to attract new attendees. Though he and his wife attend NACE every other year, Shawn H. Moody of Moody’s Collision Centers in Maine is also happy for the change of scenery, pointing out that Orlando is a more family-friendly environment than Las Vegas, and therefore more See NACE Relocation, Page 26
Training Schedule for the NACE/CARS Expo Oct. 5–8 at the Orlando Convention Center The 29th Annual International Autobody Congress & Exposition (NACE) show will take place from October 5 through 8 at the Orange
Weds. October 5
Choose from 28 Training Classes Six Add-On Education Courses ASRW Industry Forum, 4:30 pm
Thurs. October 6
County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. The full schedule consists of 80+ courses/classes, with some repeats. See pages 18–19 and 24.
Fri. October 7
Choose from 25 new Training Classes Muscle Car Network of FL display I-CAR Tech Showcase continues
Sat. October 8
General Session—Chris Brogan, 8:30 Choose from 16 new Training Classes MSO Symposium ASRW Town Hall, Health Care, 3:00 pm Exhibits Open at 10:00 am Exhibits close at 3:00 pm ASRW Welcome Reception See NACE Schedule, Page 18 Choose from 14 new Training Classes
Join Rich Evans, Chip Foose, and Charley Hutton (and many more) at the SEMA and AAPEX shows, November 14 in Las Vegas. Highlights: see page 11.
Presorted Standard US Postage PAID Ontario, Ca. Permit No. 1