Judges and Judiciary
Judge, Attorney Exchange Angry Words
By Pamela Mac Lean
SAN FRANCISCO - A major cocaine trafficking trial dissolved into acrimony Thursday when defense lawyer Maureen Kallins claime...
Criminal
Fire at Lawyers Home Spurs Probe
By Pat Alston
Arson investigators continue to probe the circumstances surrounding a fire that destroyed the luxury La Habra Heights hillsid...
Criminal
Despite Vast Evidence, Court Is Considering Sirhan's Plea
By Philip Carrizosa
SAN FRANCISCO - A little over four months ago, the California Supreme Court all but conclusively declared that Sirhan Sirhan w...
State Bar & Bar Associations
State Bar Pursues Referral Group That Hired O.J. as Spokesman
By Don De Benedictis
The State Bar of California wants to know just what sort of business O.J. Simpson has hooked himself up with. Numerous news s...
Public Interest
Memorial Service Planned for Floyd J. Silliman
By E Freudenthal
A memorial service will be held Sunday in Carmel Valley for Floyd J. Silliman, a California trial attorney who was a member o...
Government Contracts
State Bar Is Given Authority to Discipline Attorneys Serving as Pro Tems, Arbitrators
By Jean Guccione
The State Bar now has authority to discipline lawyers for judicial ethics violations that occur while they are serving as tem...
Insurance
Sanctions Doubtful in Holocaust-Era Insurance Case
By Denise Levin
Expressing regret that her hands may be tied by state law, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge indicated Thursday she probably...
Government
New Breed
By John Roemer
OAKLAND - Crime in Washington, D.C.'s violent Fifth Ward was nearly out of control in 1994 when then-U.S. Attorney Eric H. Ho...
Government
Prosecutor Avoids Campaign Solicitation Charges
By Michael Harris
The Los Angeles city attorney's office Thursday declined to file misdemeanor charges against a deputy district attorney for s...
Law Practice
A Legal Chance
By Amy Bourne
SAN FRANCISCO - A year ago, Loretta Hickman was back on welfare with her second child, and she was still a teen-ager. Hickman...
Government
Antonovich Seeks Foster Care Probe
By Cheryl Romo
Following a story in Monday's Daily Journal about a child who was tortured and raped in foster care, county Supervisor Michae...
Large Firms
Bava Will Step Down as Head of Manatt Phelps
By Pearl Piatt
Gordon M. Bava is stepping down from his position as the managing partner of Los Angeles' Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. Alth...
Judges and Judiciary
One Is the Loneliest Number
By Jason Armstrong & Sean Windle
RIVERSIDE - They share the same restrooms, ride up and down the same elevators, and eat in the same cafeterias. But for U.S. ...
Civil Rights
ACLU Takes on Venice Hip-Hop Riot Defense
By Lauren Blau
Claiming Los Angeles police overreacted, the ACLU of Southern California announced Wednesday it is representing the organizer...
Entertainment & Sports
Justices Will Review Use of Celebrity Likenesses
By Philip Carrizosa
SAN FRANCISCO - Even as the state Legislature moves to strengthen the publicity rights of deceased celebrities, the Californi...
Criminal
Prosecutors Actions Anger S.F. Judge
By Laura Impellizzeri
SAN FRANCISCO - Saying he was offended by the prosecution's "extremely disingenuous" handling of a drug and weapons indictmen...
State Bar & Bar Associations
State Bar Funds JNE Commission
By Jean Guccione
State Bar leaders have agreed to fund the commission that evaluates the governor's judicial nominees, a year after the bar's ...
Labor/Employment
Former Legal Secretary Claims Discrimination
By Denise Levin
A former secretary at the Los Angeles office of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy has sued the law firm for race and age di...
Criminal
LAPD Officer Guilty of Bank Robbery
By Martin Bergn
Despite his defense lawyer's contention that his client is an innocent victim of mistaken identity, a veteran Los Angeles pol...
Government
Last of the Independents
By Daniel Shaw
WASHINGTON - Attorney General Janet Reno on Wednesday urged Congress to let the Independent Counsel Act expire at the end of ...
Discipline
Court Reporters Who Overcharge Their Clients Are Not Disciplined, Says Auditor
By Peter Blumberg
SACRAMENTO - Court reporters who illegally overcharge their clients for trial transcripts are not disciplined by the agency t...
Litigation
Ex-Clients Lawsuit Claims Attorney Disclosed Confidential Information
By Denise Levin
A former client of a Los Angeles sole practitioner has accused her in a lawsuit of breach of fiduciary duty for withdrawing fr...
Zoning, Planning and Use
Attorneys Finally Get Fees in Decade-Old Case
By Lauren Blau
The final chapter in a lawsuit that is more than a decade old was written Tuesday when the Los Angeles City Council approved ...
Ethics/Professional Responsibility
'Going Rate' Dispute Spurs a Lawsuit
By Denise Levin
The Los Angeles law firm of Doniger & Fetter has sued its professional liability insurance carrier for breach of contract...
Litigation
Attorney: Tobacco Verdict Proof of Misconduct
By Patricia Jocobus
SAN FRANCISCO - The huge $51.5 million verdict against Philip Morris last month is proof that San Francisco jurors were unabl...
Judges and Judiciary
Justice Stepping Down to Run M&A Business
By Jean Guccione
Unlike the many jurists who retire to become private judges, Court of Appeal Justice Sheila Prell Sonenshine of Santa Ana sai...
Judges and Judiciary
Jury Anonymity Is Put to Rest
By Peter Blumberg
SACRAMENTO - A legislative proposal to make all criminal juries anonymous so that jurors feel safer died Tuesday amid critici...
Government
Public-Private Partnership Drew Democrats to L.A.
By Martin Bergn
Los Angeles had a slightly different idea when it came to hosting the Democratic Party presidential convention next year. The...
Personal Injury & Torts
Suit Against Rabbi Can Proceed
By Mathew Heller
RIVERSIDE - A Riverside County woman suing a rabbi for allegedly engaging her in a sexual relationship while counseling her f...
Government
Suit Accuses CIA of Ignoring Crack Cocaine Sales
By Martin Bergn
Lawyers filed a class-action lawsuit in Los Angeles Monday, alleging government officials knew about crack cocaine traffickin...