NEW ORLEANS AP-A federal appeals court judge on Wednesday promised a swift ruling in a case pitting New Orleans homeowners against insurance companies for their refusal to cover damage from the failure of levees in Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath.

Rulings by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals often take months, but Judge Carolyn King said “a prompt decision is very important” given that tens of thousands of rebuilding residents could be affected by the levee litigation.