The Bad Neighbor, by Freda Moon [State Farm v. Pyorre]

The Bad Neighbor, by Freda Moon [State Farm v. Pyorre]: "The Bad Neighbor

by Freda Moon

Rich Pyorre is hardly the picture of toughness. He's 61, with a round, gently lined face and pale blue eyes the exact shade of his pale blue dress shirt. His Main Street, Fort Bragg, office is decorated with photos of his wife, two sons, and five grandchildren, a few plants and a figurine from the wetlands conservation group, Ducks Unlimited. The large, opal ring he wears on his right hand is the only flair in this otherwise muted scene. But Rich Pyorre, born and raised in Fort Bragg, just like his father before him, has spent the last several years taking on the country's largest insurance company, State Farm, in a case that is now set to go before the California Supreme Court.

Pyorre had been a State Farm agent for 27 years when, in 1999, his contract was abruptly terminated and the business that he had spent the better part of his adult life building was, effectively, trashed. Within a year, Pyorre went back into the insurance business, selling for another company. State Farm promptly sued him, alleging theft of trade secrets. Pyorre countersued, arguing that he had been illegally fired and that his contract had been breached. (For now, Pyorre's still selling insurance.)"