Case Explained: Gloria Celeste Young Plaintiff— v. State Farm Fire and Casualty Company Defendant—

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Filed: 2026-06-17 The fifth-circuit affirmed the district court’s dismissal of Young’s appeal against State Farm Fire and Casualty Company. The court held that Young’s acceptance of the Appraisal Award, which resolved the dispute over the amount of loss for her fire-damaged home, barred her subsequent contract, tort, declaratory, and injunctive relief claims. The court applied the principle that an insurance policy’s appraisal provision is binding on both parties once a written agreement is reached and accepted. The opinion emphasized that Young ratified this agreement by cashing the check issued pursuant to the award and failing to challenge the Appraisal Award in the district court or specifically identifying it for review in her notice of appeal. Under Fifth Circuit precedent, arguments not raised below are waived on appeal. Furthermore, citing Mississippi state law, the court noted that once an appraisal is conducted and payment is made, no genuine issues of fact remain to support a breach of contract claim. The court also determined that Young’s tort claims were duplicative of her contract claims and that she failed to allege bad faith with sufficient specificity to overcome the heavy burden of proving the insurer lacked an arguable basis for its decision. The practical consequence is that the judgment dismissing the action is affirmed, leaving Young without a legal avenue to recover additional damages or challenge the insurer’s use of appraisal software settings, as her acceptance of the settlement amount precludes further litigation on these matters. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.