OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska judge has ordered a lawyer to pay $15,000 for filing frivolous motions in a long-running lawsuit dispute over a defunct insurance company’s assets.

The case that dates back to 1998 is far from over because that lawyer, Bill Gast, is appealing the latest ruling against his David Fulkerson’s estate and his former firm, Countrywide Insurance Agency.

Douglas County District Judge Peter Bataillon fined Gast Friday after deciding that several of his motions were frivolous.

Gast didn’t immediately respond to questions about the sanctions over the weekend. Gast has been critical of Bataillon’s past rulings, and he argues in his appeal that the judge didn’t have the legal authority to decide the case this spring.

Florida regulators are trying to recover at least $2.2 million in the case.