Judicial Profile
Judge Huy T. Nguyen, a former public defender, brings humility to family court
ADR Profile
Retired judge Teresa Sanchez-Gordon brings LA vibe to dispute resolution
Firm Profile
Pointer & Buelna is building a next generation civil rights law firm
MCLE
How California's strict AI rules threaten access to justice for public defenders and low income litigants
California's proposed attorney ethics rules requiring law...
By Joe StephensLes Misérables, Aujourd'hui: Trump immigration policies create the 'scofflaws' they condemn
Trump administration immigration policies are not merely ...
By Lizbeth Iniguez, Sergio A. PerezThe United States Space Force: The 6th branch
The Space Force is more than America's newest military br...
By Eileen C. Moore
Today's News
Environmental & Energy
Attorney General sues Trump Administration over greenhouse gas regulations
By Alicia Alvarez
Rob Bonta, along with 19 other states and one city claim the rule will allow industries to continue to use the gases which have a greater global warming imp...
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
Failure to probe alternate juror bias dooms PPP fraud convictions
By Skyler Romero
A unanimous 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a federal judge failed to adequately investigate an alternate juror who expressed apparent bias befo...
Constitutional Law
A divided 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an Oregon school district's ban on an educational specialist displaying children's books about gender iden...
Ethics/Professional Responsibility
Ex-Manhattan Beach lawyer pleads guilty to stealing clients' funds to feed gambling addiction
By Skyler Romero
Sergio Valdovinos Ramirez pleaded guilty to stealing more than $300,000 in client funds to finance a gambling addiction and faces a two-year prison sentence,...
Class Action
Berkeley encampment sweep challenge cleared for class action
By Daniel Schrager
U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen certified two classes of plaintiffs challenging Berkeley's homeless encampment enforcement policies, allowing claims over ...
Constitutional Law
Videogame addiction cases split on arbitration over parental consent
By Devon Belcher
A Los Angeles judge sent claims against Roblox and Microsoft to arbitration but kept claims against Epic Games in court, finding differing evidence about whe...
Columns
Military Law
Upholding fairness in military justice: guarding against unlawful command influence in California
By William M. Paparian
The 2025 federalization of the California National Guard sparked legal questions over military authority while underscoring th...
The legal profession's AI conversation began with fictional cases; its next challenge is defining what responsible use looks l...
Environmental & Energy
With great power comes great responsibility
By Soovya Nagin, Kipp Mueller
California's public utilities must do more than check compliance boxes--they must embrace a culture of prevention and accounta...
Verdicts & Settlements
| Auto v. Bicycle | Leah Hickey v. Rebecca Harr... | $8,472,008 |
| Excessive Force | K'aun Green v. City of San ... | $8,000,000 |
| Product Liability | Elijah Whetzel v. Asmodus, ... | $8,000,000 |
| Wage and Hour | Erich Tran, an individual, ... | $4,000,000 |
| Auto v. Auto | Cornelius Porter III v. Pre... | $1,800,000 |
| Fire | Hailee Erikson, et al. v. C... | $1,500,000 |
| Wage and Hour | Thomas Foster Byler III, in... | $1,327,500 |
| Wage and Hour | Gary E. Foster, an individu... | $1,100,000 |
| Auto v. Pedestrian | John Doe v. Roe Driver, Roe... | $1,000,000 |
| Wage and Hour | David Heath, individually, ... | $950,000 |
On the Move
Sheppard
Alina Litoshyk Adams joined Sheppard as a partner in San Diego.
Details
Sheppard has 1251 attorneys in 16 offices including Century City, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Del Mar and San Diego. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Litigation, employment, trusts & estates, real estate, corporate. The firm’s website is sheppard.com
Featured Content
Insurance defense attorneys have long been on the front lines for their clients. Now they're facing a new threat: the carriers...
Alternative Dispute Resolution
JAMS neutrals examine how evolving PAGA reforms, shifting case law and data-driven claims are reshaping mediation strategies i...
Where process, technology and human impact meet
Community News
ASCDC's 2026 Hall of Fame award recipients: Superior Court Judge Ruth A. Kwan, Robert A. Morgenstern of Morgenstern Law Group APLC and Deborah Chang of Chang | Klein LLP
2nd District Court of Appeal Justice Stephen I. Goorvitch, Los Angeles Supervising Civil Judge Lawrence P. Riff and David M. Axelrad of Horvitz & Levy LLP
Paul R. Fine of Schonbuch Hallissy LLP and Edith R. Matthai of JAMS
ASCDC Vice President Lindy F. Bradley of Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP and Jonathan R. Gerber of Schonbuch Hallissy LLP
(Ret.) Judge Stephen P. Pfahler of ADR Services Inc., Superior Court Judges Jessica C. Kronstadt, Maria Jhai, Daniel M. Crowley, ASCDC’s “Judge of the Year” Ruth A. Kwan, Brian J. Panish of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP and Judge Mary Ann Murphy
(Ret.) Judge Stephen P. Pfahler of ADR Services Inc. and Superior Court Judge Karine M. Mkrtchyan
Superior Court Judges E. Carlos Dominguez, Janet E. Hong, Karine M. Mkrtchyan, ASCDC’s “Judge of the Year” Ruth A. Kwan, Lawrence P. Riff, Jana M. Seng, Wendy Segall and Jessica C. Kronstadt
ADR Services Inc.’s mediator Stacie L. Feldman Hausner and Founder and President Lucie A. Barron; ASCDC’s “Civil Advocate” Deborah Chang of Chang | Klein LLP and mediator Steven M. Sepassi of ADR Services Inc.
Michael J. Franco of Winston Taylor LLP and Celeena B. Pompeo of Wilson Elser
(Ret.) Judge Stephen P. Pfahler of ADR Services Inc., Superior Court Judge Jessica C. Kronstadt, ASCDC’s “Civil Advocate” honoree Deborah Chang of Chang | Klein LLP and ASCDC Vice President Lindy F. Bradley of Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP
Diana Choe of Rockport Healthcare; Stefani Freeburg, Regional Sales Manager at Lexitas and Rick Merrill of Merrill
(Ret.) Judge Zaven V. Sinanian of Signature Resolution, Gary A. Dordick of Dordick Law Corporation, ASCDC’s “Hall of Fame” honoree Robert A. Morgenstern of Morgenstern Law Group APLC and Howard C. Kornberg of Law Offices of Howard Kornberg
Christa H. Ramey of Ramey Law PC, Superior Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy, (Ret.) Judge Gregory Keosian of ADR Services Inc. And Superior Court Judge Randolph M. Hammock
David M. Axelrad of Horvitz & Levy LLP and Kevin C. Mayer of Logan Mayer LLP
Superior Court Judges Linda L. Sun, Elaine Lu and Jessica C. Kronstadt
ASCDC President Alice L. Chen Smith of Yoka Smith LLP with honorees Superior Court Judge Ruth A. Kwan, Robert A. Morgenstern of Morgenstern Law Group APLC and Deborah Chang of Chang | Klein LLP; and Christa H. Ramey of Ramey Law PC
Brian J. Panish of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP and Victor L. George of Law Offices of Victor L. George
Lisa Payne, Business Development Manager of ARC Alternative Resolution Center; mediator/arbitrator Anthony S. Khoury of Westlake Village, Andrew O. Smith of Andrew Smith Mediation and Marjorie Luna, Chief Financial Officer or ARC Alternative Resolution Center
Walter M. Yoka of Yoka | Smith LLP and Drew E. Pomerance of Roxborough Pomerance Nye & Adreani
Amy K. Jensen of Hanover Law Office; Timothy Kidd, Client Executive at Esquire Deposition Solutions LLC and Michelle Williamson, Director of Business Development at Lexitas
(Ret.) Judge Patricia M. Schnegg of Judicate West and Linda B. Hurevitz of Ballard Rosenberg Golper & Savitt LLP
Scott L. Hengesbach of Signature Resolution and Randy K. Jones of JAMS
2nd District Court of Appeal Justice Stephen I. Goorvitch and Superior Court Judge Jessica C. Kronstadt
YA Group’s Case Analyst Victor Rangel and Senior Managing Accident Reconstructionist David Daren
Skane Mills’ Aaron Arellanos, Senior Partners Heather L. Mills and Robin L. Diem
Sevy W. Fisher of The Simon Law Group, Michael N. Schonbuch of Schonbuch Hallissy LLP and Howard C. Kornberg of Law Offices of Howard Kornberg
Kjar McKenna & Stockalper’s Catherine R.T. Schiff, Chaena B. Dade and Patrick E. Stockalper
David M. Samuels of Signature Resolution and Joshua J. Molchan of Dordick Law Group
Dordick Law Corporation’s Mark J. Leonardo, Kacie Huntsman and Danielle S. Dhari
(Ret.) Judge John M. Pacheco of Signature Resolution, Michael N. Schonbuch of Schonbuch Hallissy LLP and Howard C. Kornberg of Law Offices of Howard Kornberg
Stephen C. Grebing of Wingert Grebing Brubaker & Walshok LLP and (Ret.) Judge John M. Pacheco of Signature Resolution
Superior Court Judges Stephanie Story and Upinder Kalra
Superior Court Judges Stephanie Story, ASCDC’s “Judge of the Year” Ruth A. Kwan, Jana M. Seng and Karine M. Mkrtchyan
JAMS' Senior Vice President Brian Parmelee and mediator Donna D. Melby, and Superior Court Judge Mary Ann Murphy
Superior Court Judges Lauren A.R. Lofton and Ian C. Fusselman, and (Ret.) Judge Carlos R. Moreno of JAMS
Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP's summer clerk Mia Sher and ASCDC Vice President Lindy F. Bradley, and Mayra A. Fornos of ADR Services Inc.
Lisa J. McMains of Schonbuch Hallissy LLP, Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP’s summer clerk Mia Sher and Kathryn P. Canale
Brian J. Panish of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP, Michelle Williamson of Lexitas and Kathryn P. Canale of Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead LLP
The Association of Southern California Defense Counsel honored Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ruth A. Kwan, defense attorney Robert A. Morgenstern and trial lawyer Deborah Chang at its 2026 Hall of Fame Awards, recognizing their contributions to California's civil justice system through judicial service, advocacy and professional leadership.
Daily Appellate Report
Torts
Quinn v. Coulton
Trial court properly excluded uphill neighbors' strict liability claim for collapsed retaining wall against downhill neighbors because there were no allegations or evidence of excavation.
Consumer Law
Mata v. Digital Recognition Network, Inc.
Standing for private cause of action under Automated License Plate Recognition statute requires showing an actual harm caused by a violation of the statute, not merely a violation.
Family Law
Marriage of G.E. and I.D.
Family court could not dismiss domestic violence restraining order petition for docket management reasons without reaching the merits.
Employment Law
Seagraves v. Washington State Department of Children Youth and Families
District court properly dismissed former Washington State employees' claims for reinstatement following their dismissal for failure to adhere to the COVID19 vaccination mandate.
Criminal Law and Procedure
U.S. v. Colar
District court's failure to investigate juror's potential bias based upon juror's prejudgment of the defense at voir dire deprived defendant of his Sixth Amendment right to an impartial j...