New case at high court aims to blunt class actions

(AP) The Supreme Court will consider an insurance company's plea to move a class-action lawsuit from state court to a more business-friendly federal court.

The justices on Friday agreed to hear an appeal from The Standard Fire Insurance Co. of Hartford, Conn. The case involves the reach of a 2005 federal law that allows defendants in class-action lawsuits to transfer disputes involving more than $5 million to a federal court from state courts that often favor plaintiffs.

Standard Fire is being sued in Arkansas by a homeowner who complained the company did not pay enough to repair hail damage.

A federal appeals court ruled that the suit could remain in state court because the homeowner is seeking less than $5 million for himself and other Arkansas homeowners insured by Standard Fire.