The plan is part of the court’s phased reopening of operations and now allows for in-court or remote hearings in the Southern ...
Environmental & Energy, California Courts of Appeal
Novel water rights opinion says use it or lose it
By Blaise Scemama
Ruling on a highly complex, decadeslong dispute over access to a Los Angeles water basin, the 5th District Court of Appeal aff...
Real Estate/Development, Land Use, Government
To qualify for the new bonus, at least 15 percent of a development's residential units must be set aside for very low-income h...
Law Practice, Community News
Public Counsel names new CEO and president
By Kamila Knaudt
Mónica Ramírez Almadani succeeds Margaret Morrow on June 1.
Government, Criminal
Deadline looms for change in state juvenile justice system
By Henrik Nilsson
Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed SB 823, which will shut down the state Division of Juvenile Justice and place the responsi...
Data Privacy, Civil Litigation
Anti-abortion group can’t release covert recordings, US judge rules
By Tyler Pialet
Judge William H. Orrick III of the Northern District of California stopped short of enjoining the Center for Medical Progress ...
Judges and Judiciary, Ethics/Professional Responsibility, Criminal
Appeal panel will hear San Luis Obispo DA disqualification case
By Tyler Pialet
Former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra in January appealed Judge Matthew G. Guerrero’s December ruling that Distric...
Technology, Civil Litigation
Advertisers’ suit against Google can proceed with amendments
By Malcolm Maclachlan
The hourlong hearing in San Francisco on Thursday covered the severability of claims and whether other technology giants like ...
Real Estate/Development, Environmental & Energy, Civil Litigation
Judge halts 57K resident Tejon Ranch project
By Blaise Scemama
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff cited environmental concerns such as wildfire risk and additional gr...
Intellectual Property, Entertainment & Sports, Civil Litigation
'Happier' song doesn't infringe, US judge rules
By Henrik Nilsson
A Russian disc jockey alleged that "Happier" infringed on his copyright in the song "I lived" (Arty Remix).
A superior court judge turned back a challenge by several San Diego County cities to regional housing allocations.
Litigation & Arbitration, Government
Bill to halt arbitration stalling unopposed
By Malcolm Maclachlan
SB 762, approved by the state Senate Judiciary Committee, would require that when a plaintiff has met filing requirements, the...
Curtis Briggs of Seville Briggs LLP in San Francisco argues District Attorney Dan Dow lacks standing to bring the gag order mo...
Intellectual Property, Civil Litigation
‘Air taxi’ startup accuses competitor of trade secret theft
By Gina Kim
Wisk Aero LLC accused Archer Aviation Inc. of poaching at least 10 of its engineers in the last two years. Archer denied it an...
Judges and Judiciary, Covid Court Ops
2 Alameda County courthouses set to reopen
By Craig Anderson
The reopening of the George E. McDonald Hall of Justice in Alameda and the Hayward Hall of Justice will be handled cautiously.
Law Practice, Law Office Management
Davis Wright Tremaine opens Silicon Valley office
By Kamila Knaudt
Partner Ulysses S.T. Hui and Bay Area partner Marisa Brutoco, who joined the firm in 2019 from Amazon, will serve as the found...
Judges and Judiciary, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
First California-based 9th Circuit judge to take senior status
By Gina Kim
Marsha S. Berzon of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to take senior status
Legal Education
Bryant Garth returns to UC Irvine School of Law as interim dean
By Henrik Nilsson
He joined UCI law in 2012, and was vice dean when he retired in 2019. But he remained a professor emeritus and co-director of ...
Health Care & Hospital Law
Health care company to pay $97M over inflated claims
By Blaise Scemama
Under a $5 billion contract with Veterans Affairs, Health Net,based in Los Angeles County, was a third-party administrator sec...
Law Practice, Law Office Management, Judges and Judiciary
Former Court of Appeal justice joins Umberg/Zipser
By Kamila Knaudt
“I feel like there’s so much turmoil in society and things that really need to be addressed and I found myself with a lot to s...
Government, Criminal
Ventura DA names chief deputies from inside and outside
By Tyler Pialet
District Attorney Erik named Paul Nuñez, a 25-year veteran of the LA DA’s office, and Rachelle H. Dean, a 20-year Ventura pros...
Labor/Employment, Civil Litigation
Hazard pay ordinance violates National Labor Relations Act, grocers say
By Gina Kim
The California Grocers Association, which represents more than 6,000 food stores and grocery supply companies across the state...
Government, Criminal, Community News
Yolo County DA’s online case data guides his office, informs public
By Tyler Pialet
The website, called “Commons,” hosts a slate of criminal justice data covering the past five years, including diversion rates,...
Civil Litigation
Family sues LAPD, says excessive tasing led to heart attack
By Blaise Scemama
Representing the family, Marina del Rey civil rights attorney V. James DeSimone compared the officers’ use of force to those o...
Real Estate/Development, Government
State eviction defense fund closer to passage
By Malcolm Maclachlan
The proposed fund would distribute money to legal aid groups to provide defense for renters fighting eviction.
Education Law
San Francisco school board backs down, for now, on renaming plans
By Winston Cho
The vote resolves a dispute over the board’s much maligned intention to strip public schools of the names of historical figure...
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
9th Circuit tailors definition of a class
By Jessica Mach
The federal appeals court said it would not establish a bright line rule for how to determine whether “substantially all” memb...
Yuhl Carr co-founder known for zealous advocacy, warm personality
Law Practice, Ethics/Professional Responsibility
Trustee details ‘mess’ of Girardi Keese cases
By Craig Anderson
Elissa D. Miller of SulmeyerKupetz, who is handling the firm’s Chapter 7 bankruptcy, said during a hearing she and other attor...
Environmental & Energy, Criminal
Sonoma DA charges PG&E with dozens of crimes for Kincaid Fire
By Tyler Pialet
DA Jill Ravitch charged PG&E with five felonies, including recklessly causing a fire with great bodily injury, recklessly ...
