JESSICA CLIPPINGER, nka Jessica Pyron, on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated v. STATE FARM AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY - Articles

All Content

JESSICA CLIPPINGER, nka Jessica Pyron, on behalf of herself and all others similarly situated v. STATE FARM AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY

Posted by: Azya Thornton on Oct 9, 2025

Court: 6th Circuit Court (Published Opinions)

Attorneys 1: ARGUED: Eric L. Robertson, WHEELER TRIGG O’DONNELL LLP, Denver, Colorado, for Appellant.

Attorneys 2: Lee Lowther, CARNEY BATES & PULLIAM, PLLC, Little Rock, Arkansas, for Appellee.

Attorneys 3: ON BRIEF: Eric L. Robertson, Daniel N. Nightingale, WHEELER TRIGG O’DONNELL LLP, Denver, Colorado, Peter W. Herzog III, WHEELER TRIGG O’DONNELL LLP, St. Louis, Missouri, Christopher L. Vescovo, LEWIS THOMASON, Memphis, Tennessee, for Appellant.

Attorneys 4: ON BRIEF: Lee Lowther, Hank Bates, CARNEY BATES & PULLIAM, PLLC, Little Rock, Arkansas, Jacob L. Phillips, JACOBSON PHILLIPS PLLC, Altamonte Springs, Florida, for Appellee.

Attorneys 5: ON BRIEF: Adam G. Unikowsky, JENNER & BLOCK LLP, Washington, D.C., for Amici Curiae.

Judge(s): MOORE, GIBBONS, and MURPHY, Circuit Judges

Court Appealed: United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee at Memphis

JULIA SMITH GIBBONS, Circuit Judge. In this case, the district court certified a class of Tennesseans insured by State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (“State Farm”) who, after their cars were totaled, received a payout from State Farm that was calculated utilizing car valuation data generated by another company, Audatex. Named plaintiff-appellee Jessica Clippinger1 argues that the use of a particular cost adjustment as part of this methodology impermissibly reduced those valuations in breach of contract and Tennessee law. The district court certified a class made up of State Farm-insured Tennessee plaintiffs who received an “actual cash value” payout for the total loss of a car, where the payout was calculated by that methodology and decreased by application of the challenged adjustment. State Farm appealed class certification, and we granted review. We now affirm the district court’s certification of the class and remand for further proceedings.

Attachments: