Special Reports
Section 230 turns 30: View our full coverage
Judicial Profile
Judge Safaan Ahmed applies lessons from his parents to help families in crisis
MCLE
Why litigation leaves everyone wrecked and the role of mediators after ABA Opinion 518
ABA Formal Opinion 518 reshapes but does not eliminate th...
By Leonid M. ZilbermanCalifornia enacts law to speed contractor payment disputes on private projects
SB 440 offers broader, more protective change order remed...
By Daniel F. McLennonJudicial diversion fundamentals
Judicial diversion lets courts pause misdemeanor cases, s...
By Michelle M. Ahnn, Holly L. Hancock-Goode
Today's News
Appellate Practice
Duane Morris taps appellate veteran Benjamin Shatz to lead West Coast practice
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
Benjamin G. Shatz, a California-certified appellate specialist with more than two decades at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, bolsters a trial group that the f...
Civil Litigation
$5M malpractice suit dismissed for filing in wrong venue, attorney seeks fees
By James Twomey
A $5 million malpractice suit was dismissed for improper venue, as San Mateo County attorney seeks fees and accuses a former client of unpaid bills and abusi...
Judges and Judiciary
San Francisco judge in dispute with DA now faces election fight
By James Twomey
Former state attorney Anthony Tartaglio is running to unseat San Francisco Superior Court Judge Michelle Tong, citing public criticism of her record as judic...
Immigration
Denaturalization push remains rare despite tough rhetoric
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Justice Department announcements of two new denaturalization petitions underscore how infrequently the government seeks to strip citizenship, immigration law...
Securities
Broker avoids contempt order in EquiAlt Ponzi enforcement case
By James Twomey
A Northern District judge declined to hold insurance broker John Marques in contempt after his lawyer said a serious medical condition prevented compliance w...
Technology
The law that built the internet and continues to test the courts
By David Houston
Saturday marks 30 years since President Clinton signed the Communications Decency Act, creating Section 230's immunity shield for online platforms. Courts ar...
Columns
Civil Procedure, Appellate Practice
The tipsy coachman needs a sober map: AI-fabricated authority as per se reversible error
By James Mixon
AI-generated hallucinations are appearing in California court filings. When a decision rests on cases that don't exist, appell...
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in 2026: A focus on cartels and national security interests
By Ann Kim, Stephanie Yonekura
After a sudden pause and sweeping new guidance, the Trump administration's rebooted FCPA enforcement signals not retreat, but ...
Rewriting the FAIR Plan: How AB 1680 could transform coverage and risk
By Jessica Gopiao
AB 1680 would fundamentally remake the FAIR Plan--expanding it from fire-only coverage into a quasi-homeowners policy and vest...
Verdicts & Settlements
| In re: Durable Power of Att... | $47,000,000 | |
| Auto v. Truck | John Doe v. Roe Driver | $30,305,000 |
| Wage and Hour | Lisa Lundsgaard, individual... | $9,900,000 |
| Malpractice | Jane Doe, a minor v. Roe Ho... | $8,000,000 |
| Excessive Force | Slade Douglas III v. City o... | $6,789,000 |
| Elder Abuse | Tommy O. Johnson, by and th... | $5,845,000 |
| Auto v. Auto | Daniel Chavez v. Simon Jiho... | $5,729,080 |
| Race Discrimination | Vernon Goodwin, Mary Mathis... | $5,700,000 |
| Auto v. Pedestrian | Lillian Barlie v. Rosemarie... | $5,175,000 |
| Excessive Force | Devonte Stephenson, et al. ... | $5,000,000 |
On the Move
Donahue Fitzgerald LLP
Mark Epstein joined Donahue Fitzgerald LLP as a partner in Oakland. The move was Feb. 3, 2026.
Details
Donahue Fitzgerald LLP has 50 attorneys in Oakland. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are business and corporate law, employment, intellectual property, real estate and construction, and tax. The firm’s website is https://donahue.com/
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Community News
Community News
Krishnan sworn in as U.S. magistrate judge for Northern District
By Ricardo Pineda
Ajay Krishnan joins the bench after a 20-year litigation career at Keker Van Nest & Peters, including 15 years as a partner.
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
Evidence
Esparza v. Superior Court (People)
Under Evidence Code section 701, trial courts may not presume a witness is incompetent to testify based solely on a prior Lanterman-Petris-Short Act grave-disability finding.
Consumer Law
Bartholomew v. Parking Concepts, Inc.
Collection and use of license plate information without publishing statutorily required privacy policy regarding such collection and use constituted harm sufficient to sue under the statute.
Conservatorship
Conservatorship of A.B.
Where substantial evidence supported that conservatee--even on medication--lacked basic insight that he could not presently care for his basic needs without medication, renewal of conserv...
Securities
Construction Laborers Pension Trust of Greater St. Louis v. Funko Inc.
Funko's purportedly "forward-looking" statements about potential excess inventory risks were not entitled to PSLRA safe-harbor, where they implied that Funko was not already experiencing ...
Criminal Law and Procedure
U.S. v. Engstrom
Because defendant failed to provide a complete debrief to the government as required for safety-valve relief, district court erred in imposing a sentence below the statutory minimum.