HOUSTON COURT OF APPEALS DECLINES TO COMPEL TRIAL JUDGE TO ABATE DISCOVERY IN HURRICANE CASE PENDING APPRAISAL

Last Tuesday, in In re Cypress Texas Lloyds, No. 14-11-00726-CV, 2011 WL 4367140, the Houston 14th Court of Appeals declined to grant Cypress Texas Lloyds’ writ of mandamus which requested the Court compel the trial court judge — the Honorable Mike Miller (presiding judge over all Hurricane Ike pre-trial matters) — to abate the litigation pending appraisal.

TEXAS WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO AFFECT TEXAS INSURERS

According to the Texas Forest Service, since wildfire season began last year, fires have burned almost 3.8 million acres in Texas and destroyed 2,742 homes. ... But, on September 23, 2011, TDI released a bulletin denying a petition for determination of catastrophe regarding the Texas Wildfires.