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Judges and Judiciary,
Class Action,
California Supreme Court

Oct. 29, 2024

Judicial bias motions can't be strategically delayed, high court says

Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, writing for a unanimous court, expressed concern that litigants could use postponed bias motions strategically, preserving options to raise accusations of judicial bias even if they wait more than a year to raise them so they might get another chance before a different judge.

Reversing an appellate court panel, the state Supreme Court ruled Monday that parties seeking to disqualify a trial judge must do so "at the earliest practicable opportunity" and that the defendant in a wage-and-hour class action against a title company failed to do so.

Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero, writing for a unanimous court, expressed concern that litigants could use postponed bias motions strategically, preserving options to raise accusations of judicial bias e...

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