This is the property of the Daily Journal Corporation and fully protected by copyright. It is made available only to Daily Journal subscribers for personal or collaborative purposes and may not be distributed, reproduced, modified, stored or transferred without written permission. Please click "Reprint" to order presentation-ready copies to distribute to clients or use in commercial marketing materials or for permission to post on a website. and copyright (showing year of publication) at the bottom.
Subscribe to the Daily Journal for access to Daily Appellate Reports, Verdicts, Judicial Profiles and more...

Construction

May 11, 2026

The Privette Doctrine and its exceptions: Court of appeal grapples with the easy and the not-so-easy

Court of appeal holds Privette applies without a written contract and bars claims despite alleged "no permits" directive, while dissent warns the decision lets owners avoid liability by controlling illegal and unsafe work conditions.

Garret D. Murai

Partner
Nomos LLP

Email: gmurai@nomosllp.com

Garret is the editor of the California Construction Law Blog at www.calconstructionlawblog.com.

See more...

The <i>Privette</i> Doctrine and its exceptions: Court of appeal grapples with the easy and the not-so-easy
Shutterstock

In CBRE v. Superior Court, 102 Cal.App.5th 639 (2024), the 4th District Court of Appeal grappled with a couple of issues, one thorny and one not-so-thorny, involving injured parties under the Privette Doctrine.

The less thorny issue was...

To continue reading, please subscribe.
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$895, but save $100 when you subscribe today… Just $795 for the first year!

Or access this article for $45
(Purchase provides 7-day access to this article. Printing, posting or downloading is not allowed.)

Already a subscriber?

Enewsletter Sign-up