GUEST COLUMNS
Thursday, April 24, 2025
Immigration crackdowns post-2025 have made compliance a top business priority, with rising audits, steep fines, and legal risks forcing employers to act fast and stay sharp.
California Senate Bill 832, which proposed stringent "clear and convincing" evidence requirements for childhood sexual abuse survivors, faced significant backlash, leading to its withdrawal after widespread community mobilization and advocacy.
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Amid rising political scrutiny and legal uncertainty, California nonprofits must navigate shifting rules and rising risks around 501(c)(3) and (4) advocacy to protect their tax-exempt status and public trust.
Insurance payments, including those for wildfire-related damages or bad faith claims, can be tax-free under certain conditions, but complexities in the tax code, such as the treatment of settlements and the IRS's evolving interpretations, make it crucial for taxpayers to carefully navigate insurance recoveries to avoid unintended tax liabilities.
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Letitia James, the New York AG who vowed to "get Trump," is now facing a potential federal criminal probe after the FHFA accused
her of falsifying mortgage documents to get better loan terms--allegations strikingly similar to those she used to win a $464M
civil case against Trump.
The illegal deportation and continued imprisonment of Kilmar Abrego García--despite court orders and government admissions of error -has laid bare a full-blown constitutional crisis, as a defiant executive branch ignores the rule of law, punishes truth-tellers, and openly wages war on judicial authority.
Monday, April 21, 2025
As professional salaries in women's sports remain
underwhelming, female college athletes are uniquely positioned to maximize their earnings through NIL deals -- making strategic planning and legal guidance essential for sustaining long-term financial success.
The El Salvador deportations highlight how the Trump Administration may have manufactured foreign entanglements to bypass domestic due process requirements for accused individuals.
Friday, April 18, 2025
In Capito v. San Jose Healthcare, the
California Supreme Court addressed the scope of "unfair" business
practices under section 17200, ruling that hospitals don't need to disclose
emergency service fees beyond what is required by existing regulations, while suggesting
that "unfairness" in consumer cases may be limited by the Cel-Tech
"safe harbor" rule.
Laws have largely failed to prevent AI generated impersonations and technology companies aren't helping.
Thursday, April 17, 2025
President Trump's repeal of a 2024 rule halts mandatory crypto transaction reporting to the IRS, but crypto remains taxable as property, requiring accurate reporting of gains, losses, and income to avoid penalties.
In the aftermath of Los Angeles wildfires, policyholders must navigate complex insurance challenges to secure fair compensation and rebuild their lives - here's what you need to know.
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
A settlement may feel like the end of conflict,
but without careful planning, enforcement mechanisms, and foresight, it can
quickly unravel into renewed hostilities and litigation.
By providing junior associates with hands-on trial experience and meaningful roles in high-stakes business disputes, firms can foster growth, build successful teams, and achieve impactful results, as demonstrated by a recent case that resulted in a $28.5 million jury verdict.
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
As design patents grow in popularity due to their cost-effectiveness and strong remedies, recent court rulings have sharpened the focus on how clearly patent drawings must define an invention, setting new boundaries for what constitutes indefiniteness in design patent law.
As California pursues its 2045 clean electricity goal, local agencies and utilities are navigating legal, technological, and policy challenges to balance grid reliability and decarbonization.
Monday, April 14, 2025
Effective payor-provider mediations require meticulous preparation, including detailed claims spreadsheets, expert input, and clear communication, with careful attention to approaches for claim grouping and productive participation.
Children sexually abused in foster care face barriers to justice when the law shields social workers under discretionary immunity without examining if meaningful discretion was actually exercised.
Friday, April 11, 2025
While technology offers efficiency, in-person
interactions are crucial for building trust and resolving emotionally charged
disputes, particularly in cases involving deeper personal stakes.
Thursday, April 10, 2025
In L & S Framing Inc. v. California
Occupational Safety and Health Appeals Board, the Court of Appeal upheld
the agency's interpretation of its regulations, emphasizing that administrative
agencies' interpretations of their own rules are entitled to significant
deference, even when contested by strong arguments from the opposing party.
President Trump's recent executive order imposing universal tariffs of 10%, with higher rates for certain trading partners, raises significant legal and economic concerns, particularly over its questionable constitutional authority, its potential to harm American consumers, and its broader impact on global trade relations.
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
A recent court ruling raises new questions about the scope of liability for owners and contractors when subcontractor employees are involved in incidents away from the construction site.
Governor Newsom's efforts to shield California companies from foreign retaliatory tariffs by working directly with foreign governments could violate the Logan Act.
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Trump's use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport members of Tren de Aragua without due process is an overreach of executive power, undermining constitutional rights and facing significant legal challenges.
The collision between the ancient practice of legal reasoning and AI algorithms that can simulate it with uncanny precision - but without understanding what the law fundamentally is - raises profound questions about the future of justice itself.
Monday, April 7, 2025
As the interstate abortion legal battle intensifies, a legal expert examines potential scenarios Louisiana might pursue after New York's refusal to extradite a doctor - raising questions about federal power, state sovereignty, and the constitutional limits of enforcing abortion laws across state lines.
The devastating January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles have intensified an already severe construction labor shortage, delaying rebuilding efforts, driving up costs, and creating legal challenges that require careful planning, contract protections, and compliance oversight to navigate successfully.
Friday, April 4, 2025
The use of AI in judicial decision-making raises concerns about transparency, ethical reasoning, and the potential erosion of judicial legitimacy
College sports are changing fast with NIL compensation and Title IX compliance in flux. Schools must navigate shifting federal guidance, including presidential transitions, and ensure equity in funding allocation to avoid legal risks.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
AI's role in authorship raises questions about ownership and copyright protection in both Europe and the U.S.
Successful mediation in intellectual property cases requires IP practitioners to complete five critical tasks: creating a candid list of best and worst facts, sharing these with the client, anticipating tough questions from the mediator, conducting a realistic settlement value analysis, and preparing to listen, learn, and negotiate.
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Rancho Palos Verdes homeowners installing propane tanks in a landslide zone designated as a Very High Fire Severity Zone may face strict liability under the ultrahazardous activity standard, given the significant fire risk, potential for catastrophic harm, and the inappropriateness of propane storage in such a hazardous location.
The Federal Appeals Court decision marks a pivotal moment in secular recognition of religious arbitration.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
The CSLB is tightening enforcement with new laws on "paper" subcontractors, extended criminal statute of limitations, and stricter supervision requirements, making compliance crucial to avoid penalties like license suspension, fines, and criminal charges.
Recent court rulings and proposed bill SB690 are pushing back against CIPA lawsuits targeting website technologies, like IP address collection, potentially reducing future cases.
Monday, March 31, 2025
In City and County of San Francisco v. U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (2025), the U.S. Supreme Court struck down
generic receiving water limitations in Clean Water Act permits, potentially
reducing liability for public agencies but raising concerns about future water
quality enforcement.
California's 2024 PAGA amendments expand employers' ability to cure Labor Code violations but create a complicated early evaluation conference process that may prove more costly than resolving claims through private mediation.
Friday, March 28, 2025
Amid tariff uncertainty and market chaos, thoughtless 'copy and paste' M&A approaches will prove problematic as standard contract terms take on non-ordinary meanings.
Despite California's mandated implicit bias training, little progress has been made in addressing systemic discrimination affecting women and marginalized groups in our courtrooms.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
The Rhode Island case SCLS Realty v. Town of
Johnston brings the issue of "pretext" back into the spotlight,
as property owners challenge the Town's use of eminent domain to block
affordable housing development.
California and Florida's differing responses to the insurance crisis show how crucial oversight and transparency are for protecting policyholders and market stability, as highlighted by a recent Florida investigation.
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
California's new Senate Bill 940, effective January 1, 2025, expands discovery rights in arbitration, aligning them with California court procedures, but raises significant legal questions about its scope, conflicts with federal law, and the burden on arbitrators to manage increased discovery requests.
The EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), starting in 2023, targets carbon-heavy imports like steel and cement, presenting both challenges and opportunities for California exporters as they navigate evolving climate rules and trade tensions.
From left: Alexander Roberts IV of Robertson & Associates LLP and JAMS mediator Vijay “Jay” C. Gandhi at the ruins of the former judge’s Pacific Palisades home. Photo by Antoine Abou-Diwan
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NEWS
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General News
Thursday, April 24, 2025 |
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| Disbarred attorney Paul O. Paradis testifies ex-deputy city attorney James Clark lied about steering a class action lawsuit tied to LA's 2013 water billing scandal. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 24, 2025 |
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| Persuading people to spend money in a time of unpredictable tariffs is proving to be a complicated calculation for the $380 billion American advertising industry. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 24, 2025 |
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| The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the city lacked standing, reaffirming a 1980 precedent barring local governments from suing their states over laws they're required to enforce. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 |
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| It is noteworthy that some of the earliest mentions of "looting" in news reports during this year's deadly fires in Los Angeles County made the point that there actually wasn't much of it. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 |
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| Three of the students say they were arrested but not convicted. The government, which was not granted a hearing, says it has not declared them deportable. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 |
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| An en banc panel reinstated a plaintiff's proposed class action against Shopify, ruling the company's alleged data-mining practices were deliberately aimed at California consumers. The closely watched decision marks a significant development in personal jurisdiction law as it applies to online commerce. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 |
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| A $5 cap on fees for overdrawing your bank account balance is likely to be among the latest consumer protections from Joe Biden's presidency to fall. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 |
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| The delays, attributed by county officials to red tape and staffing shortages, raise concerns that the government may lack the funds to pay, especially in the wake of state legislation that allows previously time-barred claims of sexual abuse. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 |
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| A new Stanford Law School study examining tenant outcomes in Los Angeles eviction courts has drawn sharp criticism from landlord attorneys, who argue it paints an unfair picture of the system and ignores the financial and procedural burdens on property owners. Tenant advocates, however, maintain legal representation is essential to protecting renters' rights--even when eviction is inevitable. | |
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General News
Monday, April 21, 2025 |
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| U.S. District Judge Jesus J. Bernal wrote that the policy violations violates constitutional and federal law, and issued an emergency national injunction. | |
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General News
Monday, April 21, 2025 |
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| Why there is no train to the airport is anybody's guess. | |
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General News
Monday, April 21, 2025 |
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| Orange County Judge Jeffrey M. Ferguson took the stand in his own defense Thursday afternoon, breaking down as he discussed his drinking, the night of the killing, and his claim that the shooting was unintentional. | |
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General News
Friday, April 18, 2025 |
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| MR Technologies, led by Austrian physicist Dieter Suess, sues Toshiba for infringing patents that revolutionized hard disk drive storage. After a $360M win against Western Digital, the company targets Toshiba's devices. | |
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General News
Friday, April 18, 2025 |
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| Disbarred attorney Paul Paradis testifies about chaotic meetings and alleged misconduct by James Clark in a Los Angeles water billing settlement, facing State Bar disciplinary action. | |
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General News
Friday, April 18, 2025 |
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| Clearing through clutter and refocusing on goals can be just as important for your finances as it is for your home. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 17, 2025 |
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| The spiraling cost of housing in California has affected virtually every facet of life. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 17, 2025 |
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| Two online casino companies sue Ben Travis Law and Kind Law, alleging the firms filed hundreds of baseless arbitration claims using a deceptive social media campaign to coerce settlements. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 17, 2025 |
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| A State Bar witness testifies that Los Angeles officials, including former Deputy City Attorney James Clark, orchestrated a collusive settlement in a ratepayer lawsuit, aiming to silence allegations of misconduct raised by a San Diego plaintiffs' attorney. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 |
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| Creating a stronger future for the Salton Sea depends on our unity, especially as we navigate the uncertainties of the lithium industry, and as the state prepares to disburse $10 billion from the climate bond that California voters passed in November. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 |
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| Gucci's alleged failure to pay arbitration fees on time could lead to a class action lawsuit, with claims its website misused cookies, violating user privacy despite opt-out settings. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 |
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| The owners of a mobile home park that straddles two Orange County cities say California lawmakers unconstitutionally targeted them with rent control legislation. After a 9th Circuit revival, their case is being watched for its broader implications in housing and targeting laws. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 |
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| In 1971 California's Supreme Court issued one of its most important and far-reaching decisions, declaring that the state's system of financing public schools -- primarily via locally levied property taxes -- was unconstitutionally unfair. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 |
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| When a tenant missed his eviction deadline after a ceiling collapse, he found himself lost in a legal system stacked against the unrepresented. Now, a sweeping Stanford Law study is driving reform in L.A. County eviction courts, highlighting the access-to-justice gap and offering concrete solutions--many already in motion. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 |
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| U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Dennis Montali has allowed two civil sexual abuse cases to proceed against the Archdiocese of San Francisco, a move expected to pressure the church and its insurers into serious settlement talks. The trials, once halted by the diocese's Chapter 11 filing, are now set to resume in June 2025. | |
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General News
Monday, April 14, 2025 |
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| OpenAI seeks to crush a rival's trademark in Oakland federal court, accusing founder Guy Ravine of fraud. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers faces a high-stakes AI identity battle. | |
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General News
Monday, April 14, 2025 |
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| California defends climate disclosure laws against free speech challenge | |
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General News
Friday, April 11, 2025 |
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| A month from now, Gov. Gavin Newsom must reveal a revised version of the $322.3 billion budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year that he proposed in January. | |
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General News
Friday, April 11, 2025 |
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| A mother sues KSX Enterprise and Golden Star in Los Angeles, claiming a Scorch Torch lighter should have had a lock to keep her toddler from starting a fire that killed his brother. | |
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General News
Friday, April 11, 2025 |
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| Prosecutors said Dr. Karim Arabi concealed his involvement in the company, Abreezio, while serving as vice president of R&D at Qualcomm, violating his employment agreement and defrauding his employer out of tens of millions of dollars. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 10, 2025 |
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| A Superior Court judge has ruled that Huntington Beach can require voter ID in municipal elections, rejecting the state's legal challenge and setting up a high-stakes appeal over the balance of local and state authority in California election law. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 10, 2025 |
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| U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb issued a preliminary injunction Monday allowing Anchor Stone Christian Church to move forward with renovations for worship services at a Santa Ana property it's owned since 2022. The court found the church is likely to prevail on claims under federal law that prohibits discrimination against religious groups in land use decisions. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 10, 2025 |
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| Although the EEOC guidance does not have the effect of law, following its guidelines will help employers continue implementing their DEI programs without incurring legal liability. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 |
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| OHLA USA Inc. sues Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District, claiming inadequate plans and delays in a water treatment project. The company is seeking payment after contract termination in 2025. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 |
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| Paper checks issued for tax refunds, Social Security payments and other government benefits have been dwindling and will soon be eliminated, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of Americans. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 |
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| Ten insurers and a shareholder sue Southern California Edison, alleging its powerlines sparked the Eaton Fire, claiming negligence and mismanagement amid a history of wildfire-related failures. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 |
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| In the charred landscapes left behind by the Los Angeles wildfires, a persistent sign of life has transfixed locals: trees. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 |
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| A new antitrust suit claims Aetna, Cigna and others colluded with Zelis Healthcare to illegally suppress payments to out-of-network providers, sparking a third-class action in a week. | |
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General News
Monday, April 7, 2025 |
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| Life in and around MacArthur Park, a once-venerated Los Angeles center, had gone alarmingly awry. | |
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General News
Monday, April 7, 2025 |
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| A former Grubhub driver's lawsuit, deeming drivers as employees, heads to trial April 9 to set the amount of unpaid wages from 2014-2020, amid disputes over last-minute damage calculations. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 24, 2025 |
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| Ex-judge Vijay Gandhi, a plaintiff and lawyer, sues LA for wildfire that destroyed his and U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson's homes. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 |
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| San Francisco city attorney sues GoShare, alleging illegal driver misclassification under Proposition 22, claiming excessive control and denial of worker benefits, with experts split on the lawsuit's prospects. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 |
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| In a tense moment during cross-examination Friday, Judge Eleanor J. Hunter scolded former Orange County Judge Jeffrey M. Ferguson for attempting to steer courtroom proceedings in his own retrial for the shooting death of his wife. Hunter warned the jury would be excused every time Ferguson grew emotional on the stand, while prosecutors questioned inconsistencies in his version of events. | |
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General News
Monday, April 21, 2025 |
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| The swift order from U.S. District Judge Sunshine S. Sykes of Riverside came days after the government said it had no power to retrieve another accused gangster deported in error to El Salvador. | |
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General News
Friday, April 18, 2025 |
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| A firearms instructor who trained Judge Jeffrey M. Ferguson disputed claims that Ferguson could have fired one-handed--central to allegations he intentionally shot his wife during a domestic dispute. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 17, 2025 |
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| A Los Angeles County jury awarded $48 million to victims of a child predator teacher who they found was allowed to molest children for 15 years despite complaints to the district and principal. The case made new law and saw a motion to disqualify the judge. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 16, 2025 |
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| A former Tesla engineer's defamation battle with Elon Musk isn't over. The 9th Circuit reversed a federal judge's decision to confirm a zero-dollar arbitration award, potentially reopening the door for claims against the automaker and its CEO--and setting new precedent on arbitration enforcement. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 |
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| Federal judge sentences Tom Girardi's form accounting chief for "symbiotic" embezzlement schemes that "hastened the firm's demise." | |
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General News
Monday, April 14, 2025 |
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| Former LA Deputy City Attorney James Clark orchestrated a sham lawsuit to shield the city from a billing fiasco, risking disbarment as testimony unfolds in State Bar court. | |
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General News
Friday, April 11, 2025 |
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| The Douglas Emmett property company battles tenants' bid to dismiss their appeal, arguing a judge's ruling against mass evictions at Barrington Plaza remains contested despite rent collection claims. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 10, 2025 |
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| A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel expressed concern Tuesday over U.S. District Judge David O. Carter's far-reaching order to evict leaseholders from the West LA VA campus and prioritize veterans housing. While the court acknowledged the VA's failings, judges warned the scope of Carter's injunction may have overstepped judicial bounds. | |
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General News
Wednesday, April 9, 2025 |
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| CoStar and a former employee were cleared of trade secrets claims after Move Inc. voluntarily dismissed its lawsuit, ending a year-long legal battle with no settlement. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 |
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| L.A. County's $4 billion settlement with 6,800 abuse survivors from MacLaren Hall and probation facilities marks a historic apology and reform effort, pending approval. | |
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General News
Monday, April 7, 2025 |
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| A Los Angeles judge favored franchisees claiming Floyd Mayweather's fitness brand defrauded them of $8M, sustaining demurrers against his associates, a day after Mayweather won in a separate case. | |