An Oklahoma City couple is asking a judge to force the release of a state investigation into how State Farm handled denied roof-damage claims — a dispute that could carry implications far beyond one storm-damaged home, according to The Oklahoman.
Here's what to know
Homeowners Craig and Elizabeth Gutierrez of northwest Oklahoma City's Rose Creek neighborhood have asked the court for a writ of mandamus against Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready.
The plaintiffs are seeking disclosure from the Oklahoma Insurance Department of the results of its long-running review of State Farm's wind-and-hail roof claims.
Their dispute with State Farm dates back to a 2024 hailstorm in the metro area that, the petition says, brought 20 minutes of three-inch hail. The company denied their request for a roof replacement.
Mulready said the department was examining how State Farm handled roof claims and initially expected the work to wrap up in early 2026, with any resulting action made public.
The lawsuit also arrives amid a broader insurance battle in Oklahoma, where more than 1,000 suits have been filed against State Farm and other major insurers over claims-handling practices.
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More background
A central argument in the case is that the department has already missed a statutory deadline regarding the promised investigation and subsequent disclosure.
The petition cites Oklahoma law requiring certain steps after an examination is completed, including sending a verified report to the insurer under review and later issuing a formal order.
The plaintiffs say Mulready lacks the authority to indefinitely delay those required steps.
They also claim the report was held back for political reasons, citing a separate statement in which he said regulatory action would wait until after the August 2026 runoff election.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond, a gubernatorial candidate, sharply criticized the delay.
Drummond alleged that "hardworking Oklahomans are paying the price" for the commissioner's failure to carry out his statutory duty.
What's being done?
The immediate legal step is the Gutierrezes' mandamus petition.
That filing asks a court to require a public official to carry out a duty imposed by law, and the Gutierrezes argue no administrative remedy exists to force action on the report.
Mulready has dismissed the case as "frivolous" and says the State Farm examination is still in progress. He said the independent examiner has not yet turned in a final report to the department, according to The Oklahoman.
His office also said a slower pace is necessary to protect the strength of any eventual findings.
"If wrongdoing occurred, consumers deserve findings strong enough to withstand scrutiny, not a rushed report designed to satisfy a press release, campaign calendar or private lawsuit," Mulready stated.
Mulready also objected to court involvement while the review continues.
"Instead of allowing our professional staff and independent examiner to complete their work, trial lawyers have now chosen to expend time and resources asking a court to interfere with an ongoing regulatory examination."
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