Special Reports
Judicial Profile
Judge Esther Ro followed her heart to a Superior Court seat
MCLE
Court of Appeal restores sanity to workers' comp treatment authorizations
A new Second District Court of Appeal decision dismantles...
By Brent Daub, Glenn OlsenAI defamation suits test anti-SLAPP shields and speaker rights
As AI-driven defamation suits emerge, courts must not onl...
By Lan P. VuSEC at the door? Mind your ethics - and your client
When the SEC comes knocking, corporate counsel must call ...
By Alanna G. Clair, Shari L. KlevensToday's News
Intellectual Property
New PTO rules curtail inter partes review, alter patent litigation balance
By Craig Anderson
A steep drop in PTAB institutions under revised PTO procedures has raised questions about the future of inter partes review and revived practices common befo...
Antitrust & Trade Reg.
Antitrust efforts against Meta and Google face setbacks amid technological shifts
By Craig Anderson
Government attempts to break up large Silicon Valley tech giants Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc.-owned Google LLC hit significant hurdles this year, as...
Here is a list of state and federal judges, justices and commissioners in California who were appointed, retired, resigned or died during the past year.
Tax
California billionaire tax proposal draws early constitutional scrutiny
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Legal analysts warn the initiative could face challenges under U.S. and California Constitutions.
California Supreme Court
Newsom pick could shift balance in criminal cases on California Supreme Court
By Craig Anderson
Gov. Gavin Newsom's choice to replace retiring Justice Martin J. Jenkins could determine whether the California Supreme Court maintains its resistance to cha...
Eaton and Palisades wildfire lawsuits involve tens of thousands of plaintiffs, novel immunity defenses, utility liability disputes, and unprecedented strain ...
Columns
Retired but not retreating, I reflect on titles, time, and a judicial legacy that--like the law itself--sometimes loops back c...
Torts/Personal Injury, LA Fires, Civil Procedure
Challenges of proving standing and causation in California wildfire-related death and illness claims
By Michael B. Murphy
In California, recovery for wildfire-related harm requires both proof of standing and a causal link to the defendant's conduct.
Real Estate/Development, Land Use
Huntington Beach housing fight signals stronger state enforcement of planning law
By Mehdi Sinaki
By declining review in Kennedy Commission, the California Supreme Court let stand a ruling that sharpens a pivotal qu...
Verdicts & Settlements
| Dangerous Condition of Public Property | Theodore Pitts, minor daugh... | $24,245,911 |
| Wrongful Termination | DaRon Benson v. Service Cor... | $13,655,263 |
| Auto v. Motorcycle | John Doe v. Roe Corporation... | $4,725,000 |
| Defamation | Douglas J. Roger v. County ... | $4,500,000 |
| Unfair Business Practices | People of the City and Coun... | $3,000,000 |
| Excessive Force | Jane Doe v. City of Claremo... | $3,000,000 |
| Sexual Harassment | Alexandria Smith v. County ... | $1,906,016 |
| Dangerous Condition of Public Property | Patricia Hines, individuall... | $1,850,000 |
| Hostile Work Environment | Andrea Marsh v. City of Los... | $1,500,000 |
| Dangerous Condition of Public Property | Robert Diaz Garcia, a minor... | $1,500,000 |
On the Move
Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP
Kristian Moriarty was promoted to partner of Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP in Irvine. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Jennifer Estrada was promoted to partner of Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Thomas Brown was promoted to partner of Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP in Irvine. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Jeffrey Schmid was promoted to partner of Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP in San Diego.
Derek Lawson was promoted to partner of Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP in Los Angeles. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Sean Paden was promoted to partner of Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP in Irvine. The promotion is effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Details
Haight Brown & Bonesteel LLP has 47 attorneys in 5 offices including Los Angeles, Walnut Creek, Sacramento, Irvine, San Diego . Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Transportation law, Construction law, Product Liability, Workers' Compensation, Fire Litigation . The firm’s website is https://www.hbblaw.com/
Featured Content
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Community News
Community News
LA County's Court Commons exhibit brings education, resources to residents
By Skyler Romero
Los Angeles Superior Court launched Court Commons, a mobile exhibition offering legal education, resources for self-represente...
Podcasts
Davis Wright Tremaine's Vid Prabhakaran joins In the Counsel's Chair to break down three of the biggest challenges facing the ...
Daily Appellate Report
Civil Procedure
SoCal Lien Solutions, LLC v. BDB Properties
Corporations Code section 1702 service on the Secretary of State is complete ten days after delivery, even if the Secretary has not yet forwarded the service documents to defendant.
Fees and Costs
Honchariw v. PMF CA REIT
Neither self-represented attorney nor his non-attorney spouse could not recover attorney fees in litigation involving community property interests.
Anti-SLAPP
Doe v. California Assn. of Directors of Activities
Motivational speaker's tort claims should have been stricken under the anti-SLAPP statute because he failed to show that he could overcome the common interest privilege.
Copyright
Yonay v. Paramount Pictures Corp.
District court properly granted summary judgment for Paramount in copyright action brought by writer of the 1983 magazine article "Top Guns."
Constitutional Law
U.S. v. Vazquez-Ramirez
Prohibition against firearm possession by noncitizens illegally present in the United States did not violate Second Amendment's right to bear arms.