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Judge orders mediation deadline after partial settlement in Lewis auto case
Summary
Judge Tammy Long Hayward ordered mediation deadlines in the case David Lewis Jr. v. Jasmine Crome v. State Farm Mutual after the carrier settled its portion and the remaining parties failed to reach a resolution.
Judge Tammy Long Hayward ordered the plaintiff and the insurer to complete settlement or mediation after partial settlement in David Lewis Jr. v. Jasmine Crome v. State Farm Mutual on Jan. 15, 2025.
The court set a 30-day deadline for the carrier and plaintiff to reach a settlement and required mediation within 60 days if no settlement is reached; the individual defendant previously settled and was excused from mediation.
Why it matters: the judge’s schedule gives the remaining parties a concrete timeline to resolve remaining claims without further court hearings, and memorializes the carrier’s settlement while preserving the plaintiff’s options against the remaining defendant.
At the hearing, Jenna Huff, appearing for the plaintiff, asked the court to order mediation for the unsatisfied portion of the case after the insurer had already settled its share. Huff said the plaintiff had “just got a new demand this morning.” Ellen Lu appeared for defendant Jasmine Crome; Joanna Hopson represented State Farm Mutual. Hopson told the court State Farm would “go along with whatever the court orders” and said coverage issues that previously delayed settlement had been resolved.
Judge Hayward told counsel she would issue a short order documenting the schedule: settle within 30 days or proceed to mediation within 60. The judge also excused the carrier from mediation if the carrier and plaintiff settle within the 30-day window.
The court clerk said the signed order would be circulated to counsel. No further testimony or evidentiary rulings were taken on the record at the hearing.
Court action: the judge directed the parties to try to settle within 30 days and, if unsuccessful, to mediate within 60 days; the hearing record notes the carrier had already settled its portion of the claim.
What happens next: the court will enter the short order and counsel will either file a notice of settlement or a mediation report within the ordered timeline.
Speakers quoted in this article come from the hearing transcript and are attributed to their courtroom roles.
