Judges and Judiciary
Judge Chides Overcautious Counsel
By Dick Goldberg
SAN DIEGO - Judge William C. Pate of the San Diego County Superior Court, a former Marine Corps combat veteran, believes lawye...
Litigation
Los Angeles Embraces New Jury System
By Denise Levin
The Los Angeles Superior Court announced Tuesday it will begin phasing in the one-day, one-trial juror program in May 1999, de...
Government
Experts Expect Bush Retreat on Antitrust Issues
By Daniel Shaw
WASHINGTON - New presidents always inherit thorns left in their political side by the outgoing commander in chief, and for Ge...
Large Firms
Christensen Trial Has Attorneys in A Family Way
By Denise Levin
The lawyer-defendants at Christensen, Miller, Fink, Jacobs, Glaser, Weil & Shapiro should know better than the average emp...
International
Some U.S. Firms Thrive, While Others Fade, in European Community Capital
By Wendy B. Schatzman
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Globalization of business means the rules for law firms have changed. Firms that are serious about establ...
Government
Second Amendment Foundation Warns S.F. of Possible Suit
By John Roemer
SAN FRANCISCO - A litigious pro-gun lobby with a successful courtroom track record is threatening to counterattack if San Fra...
Family
Family Support Plan Gets Mixed Reviews
By Michael Harris
Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti's wide-ranging plan to improve his beleaguered family support division garn...
Large Firms
Latham Partner Leaves Firm for Venture Fund
By Leslie Gordon
SAN FRANCISCO - Allen L. Morgan, a partner at Latham & Watkins in Menlo Park, announced Monday that he is leaving the fir...
Intellectual Property
Company Sends Unhappy Words Microsoft's Way
By Craiq Anderson
SAN JOSE - In a Santa Clara County Superior Court complaint that echoes the federal antitrust case against Microsoft, a small...
Public Interest
S.F. Defender Anoints His Heir-Apparent
By Laura Impellizzeri
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Brown has anointed a young deputy renown for his trial skills as his secon...
Criminal
Strike Three
By Tom Dresslar
SACRAMENTO - As Gov. Pete Wilson ends his eight-year tenure and considers another run for the White House in 2000, he leaves b...
Juvenile
Minors Must Go Before a Judge Under New Law
By Michael Harris
In a rare display of mutual support for a new law that has changed the legal culture of Juvenile Court, Los Angeles County Di...
Criminal
Supreme Court Rebukes Circuit In Death Case
By David Pike
WASHINGTON - Splitting 5-4, the Supreme Court on Monday summarily reversed a decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals...
Criminal
Rejection of Case Casts Shadow on Use of Informants
By Denise Levin
Convicted felons should not testify for prosecutors in criminal trials. According to plaintiffs' attorney Daniel Rodriguez, th...
Criminal
Truck Driver Convicted of Missing Girl's Murder
By Mathew Heller
RIVERSIDE - A former truck driver described by prosecutors as a sexual deviant has been convicted of murdering a 7-year-old g...
Ethics/Professional Responsibility
Lawyer Fights Claim He Flubbed Toxic Tort Case
By Denise Levin
When Edward Masry was sued last year for legal malpractice he vowed he would file his own lawsuit for malicious prosecution a...
Judges and Judiciary
Wilson Moves Swiftly to Elevate Justice, Judge to Vacant Seats
By Philip Carrizosa
SAN FRANCISCO - Moving quickly to take advantage of a last-minute vacancy, Gov. Pete Wilson on Thursday named Associate Justi...
Labor/Employment
Fired Nurse Sues Hospital Over Hot Line Termination
By Jason Armstrong & Sean Windle
SAN BERNARDINO - Linda Reno says she was just trying to do her job in May when she fielded a call from a distraught man seeki...
Labor/Employment
Court Orders Sheriff's Internal Probe Released
By Tori Richards
SANTA ANA - The 4th District Court of Appeal has ordered a trial court judge to delve into the personnel file of a retired ass...
Appellate Practice
New Wave
By Anna Marie Stolley
For decades, appellate lawyers have endured a certain reputation for -- how shall we say this? - being a bit dweeby. "Yes, th...
Criminal
Samaritan Law Nice, But Legally Suspect
By Peter Blumberg
SACRAMENTO - Bystanders would become criminals if they observe but fail to report violent crimes under a newly proposed "Good...
Government
Judge Ratifies State's Portion Of Tobacco Pact
By Marty Graham
SAN DIEGO - A San Diego Superior Court judge Wednesday signed the final judgment that commits the state of California, its ci...
Judges and Judiciary
San Bernardino Looks at Building Outlying Courts
By Jason Armstrong & Sean Windle
SAN BERNARDINO - Building a new San Bernardino County courthouse and converting the old building into office space are among ...
Civil Rights
Pasadena Attorney Denies Client-Rape Allegations
By Anne La Jeunesse
A Pasadena attorney testified Wednesday that he had sexual relations with a client and former law school student at various t...
Government
Clinton Lawyers Fail to Persuade Panel As Impeachment Articles Are Prepared
By Daniel Shaw
WASHINGTON - President Clinton did not lie under oath in the Monica Lewinsky matter, White House counsel Charles F.C. Ruff to...
Litigation
Drug Maker Sued for Diabetes-Related Claims
By Denise Levin
The maker of Rezulin, a drug said to correct the cause of diabetes, has been sued in Los Angeles Superior Court for unfair co...
Litigation
L.A. Will Pay Teens $1M for Assaults by Officer
By Lauren Blau
The Los Angeles City Council approved spending more than $1 million Wednesday to settle lawsuits filed by four teen-agers who...
Criminal
New Presiding Judge Sends a Shock Wave to the Defense Bar
By Michael Harris
The incoming Los Angeles Superior Court supervising judge has previewed how he will administer the criminal courts for the ne...
Civil Rights
Justices Gang Up on Anti-Gang Law
By David Pike
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed deep skepticism about the constitutionality of a unique Chicago ordinan...
Public Interest
Giving Hope a Chance
By Stephanie Francis Cahill
As the child of Israeli intellectuals working in Ethiopia, Daniel Grunfeld lived a fairly privileged life. Still, his parents,...