GUEST COLUMNS
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
As the federal government retreats from climate regulation, California steps up with sweeping disclosure laws requiring large companies doing business in the state to report emissions and climate-related financial risks.
Though well-intentioned, the act urgently needs reform to distinguish between viable housing sites and rural parcels like El Dorado's pond where rigid application of the law blocks community-driven efforts to preserve public spaces without advancing affordable housing goals.
Monday, April 28, 2025
How big tech defends algorithmic addiction in the
name of the First Amendment.
AI developments are rapidly reshaping the legal landscape, with key issues like copyright infringement, trademark misuse, defamation, right of publicity, and unfair competition highlighted through the
hypothetical AI-created film
Friday, April 25, 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.
Thursday, April 24, 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.
Wednesday, April 23, 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.
Tuesday, April 22, 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.
Monday, April 21, 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.
Friday, April 18, 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.
Thursday, April 17, 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.
Wednesday, April 16, 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.
Tuesday, April 15, 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.
Monday, April 14, 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.
AI tools like ChatGPT are revolutionizing legal
work by enhancing efficiency, streamlining workflows, and improving client
communication, allowing lawyers to focus on higher-level tasks while
maintaining ethical standards and accuracy in their practice.
Friday, April 11, 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.
Thursday, April 10, 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.
Wednesday, April 9, 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.
Tuesday, April 8, 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.
Monday, April 7, 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.
Friday, April 4, 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.
Thursday, April 3, 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.
Wednesday, April 2, 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.
Tuesday, April 1, 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.
Monday, March 31, 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.
Katie Moran, an associate professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law
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NEWS
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General News
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 |
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| Judge approves $100 million Wells Fargo settlement, including governance reforms and $33.3 million in stock for plaintiffs' counsel. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 |
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| An executive order by President Trump pausing Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement has defense lawyers and companies reassessing their compliance and legal strategies, even as some high-profile prosecutions, including against ex-Smartmatic executives, proceed. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 |
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| Investing in choppy markets, especially with an unpredictable president at the helm, can be distressing. It can be even more so if you are relying on these investments to pay for something as important as your child's college tuition, and you need the money in the foreseeable future. | |
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General News
Monday, April 28, 2025 |
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| Landlord claims Foundery abandoned $11.8M lease, misrepresented finances, and mingled assets, seeking damages for breach and fraud. | |
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General News
Monday, April 28, 2025 |
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| The pharmaceutical company claims the compounded medications lack FDA approval and put patients at risk, while defendants argue Lilly is trying to stifle competition and protect its market dominance. | |
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General News
Monday, April 28, 2025 |
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| The most telling moment of the U.S. antitrust trial against Meta so far came halfway through more than 10 hours of testimony from Mark Zuckerberg, the company's chief executive. | |
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General News
Friday, April 25, 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
Friday, April 25, 2025 |
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| U.S. District Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin on Tuesday rejected claims that a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision nullified her authority and brushing off calls for her recusal based on past immigration advocacy. | |
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General News
Friday, April 25, 2025 |
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| The former Sacramento mayor and California Senate president pro tempore is one of California's most experienced political figures. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 24, 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
Thursday, April 24, 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
Thursday, April 24, 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
Wednesday, April 23, 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
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 |
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| Plaintiffs allege Pfizer and Kaiser Permanente failed to adequately warn of the risk, despite emerging studies and international label updates. Attorneys say the cases deserve to be heard individually. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 |
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| Why there is no train to the airport is anybody's guess. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 |
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| Ahead of a hearing in Santa Clara County on Thursday, a Wilson Sonsini partner called the accusation by Gan Jing World a "conspiracy theory" that is "beneath the dignity of the bar." The underlying case is a copyright infringement dispute between YouTube and the video sharing service that Wilson Sonsini says is "aligned" with a "cult". | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 |
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| Justices have agreed to review a closely watched appellate ruling involving efforts by workers to avoid arbitration in PAGA lawsuits by omitting individual claims. The case could resolve a growing split among state courts over the viability of these so-called "headless" PAGA actions. | |
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General News
Monday, April 21, 2025 |
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| A judge grants a temporary restraining order against Sonoma State University, blocking $6.8 million in academic cuts, citing procedural violations and potential harm to students' education. | |
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General News
Monday, April 21, 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
Monday, April 21, 2025 |
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| More than 100 survivors suing the Archdiocese of San Francisco over alleged sexual abuse now have partial access to internal church records dating back two decades. The newly released documents, ordered by a bankruptcy judge, show church officials kept a list of credibly accused priests as early as 2003--information the archdiocese never made public. | |
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General News
Friday, April 18, 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
Friday, April 18, 2025 |
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| In a heated discovery dispute, plaintiffs' attorneys argue that Twitter is wrongfully withholding 12 incident reports related to a 2021 data breach that allegedly exposed 200 million users' personal information. Twitter denies there is evidence of its users' information being stolen and says the documents being sought are privileged. | |
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General News
Friday, April 18, 2025 |
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| A Christmas Day explosion that leveled a home and restaurant in Capitola Village has triggered a class action against Pacific Gas & Electric, with plaintiffs blaming aging, corroded gas and electric lines. The lawsuit seeks court-ordered repairs, with more claims for injuries and property damage expected. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 17, 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
Thursday, April 17, 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
Thursday, April 17, 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
Wednesday, April 16, 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
Wednesday, April 16, 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
Wednesday, April 16, 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
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 |
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| Santa Clara DA charges 12 Stanford protestors with felony vandalism for allegedly trashing the president's office during a pro-Palestine protest. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 15, 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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| 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
Monday, April 14, 2025 |
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| In response to growing political threats against the judiciary, California legal leaders will join a national virtual event Tuesday to reaffirm the importance of judicial independence and the rule of law. The event begins at 9 a.m. (Pacific). To attend go to speakupforjustice.law. | |
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General News
Monday, April 14, 2025 |
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| Meanwhile, lawmakers, law professors, and applicants push for faster fixes ahead of the July test. | |
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General News
Friday, April 11, 2025 |
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| San Francisco DA Brooke Jenkins faces ethics training after the State Bar probed her for sharing confidential data, amid claims of politically driven complaints from rivals. | |
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General News
Friday, April 11, 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
Friday, April 11, 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
Thursday, April 10, 2025 |
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| A federal judge delayed ruling on Berkeley's ban of algorithmic rent-setting software, with a hearing set for April 16, after the city considers repealing it considering RealPage challenges over its constitutionality. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 10, 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
Thursday, April 10, 2025 |
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| The state Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday in a closely watched case that could determine whether auto manufacturers like Ford can compel arbitration in lemon law disputes--despite not signing the buyer's sales contract. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 |
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| California Supreme Court investigates State Bar's undisclosed AI use in February bar exam questions, sparking transparency and reliability concerns. | |
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General News
Monday, April 28, 2025 |
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| The ACLU vowed to seek en banc review of the ruling that warrantless tracking and searches can be constitutional when court-ordered with consent. | |
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General News
Friday, April 25, 2025 |
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| City workers protest Airbnb's $120M tax refund lawsuit; judge challenges attorney as San Francisco faces $800M deficit. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 24, 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
Wednesday, April 23, 2025 |
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| The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments in May on the scope of injunctive relief, with major implications for presidential authority and judicial reach. The Trump administration appears to be trying to avoid a direct challenge, for now, to the long-standing birthright citizenship precedent set by Wong Kim Ark. | |
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General News
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 |
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| Recent court rulings, including a new injunction in Ohio, and sharp criticism from privacy and First Amendment advocates suggest the legal foundation for such efforts may be eroding. | |
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General News
Monday, April 21, 2025 |
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| California Attorney General Rob Bonta has appealed a federal judge's ruling that blocked the state's Age-Appropriate Design Code Act, a 2022 law requiring tech platforms to assess risks to minors. The challenge is part of a growing legal fight between lawmakers and tech companies over children's online safety -- and the First Amendment. | |
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General News
Friday, April 18, 2025 |
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| A circuit panel on Tuesday upheld a ruling denying arbitration in a class action over automatic subscription fees -- but the authoring judge also called for reversing the precedent he was bound to follow. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 17, 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
Wednesday, April 16, 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
Tuesday, April 15, 2025 |
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| Judge Lawrence J.C. VanDyke accused the Biden administration and liberal 9th Circuit colleagues of stalling President Trump's asylum restrictions through legal maneuvering and collusive delay, in a fiery concurrence that also blasted nationwide injunctions by district courts. | |
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General News
Monday, April 14, 2025 |
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| After a firestorm of criticism, state Sen. Ben Allen has agreed to amend SB 832, a bill designed to ease the financial burden of sex abuse settlements on public agencies. The move came after plaintiffs' attorneys objected to language that would have made it far harder for survivors to prevail in court. | |
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General News
Friday, April 11, 2025 |
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| The Supreme Court halted a judge's order to rehire 16,000 laid-off federal workers, while unions challenge Trump's new executive order against collective bargaining with 15 departments in a separate lawsuit. | |
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General News
Thursday, April 10, 2025 |
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| Judge Claudia Wilken scrutinized a $2.5 billion NCAA settlement on athletes' NIL rights, noting it won't classify athletes as employees, despite objections over fairness and roster limits. | |