California Supreme Court
Bill would change rules of evidence in parole hearings
By L.J. Williamson
Taking a suggestion from the state Supreme Court, the Legislature is poised to pass a bill that seeks to avoid "revictimizing"...
Two California law school deans are among the leading critics of a proposal to tighten the bar exam passage rule American Bar ...
Transactions
Wal-Mart picks up e-commerce startup Jet.com for $3 billion
By Banks Albachn
New Jersey-based Jet.com Inc., an e-commerce company focused on home goods, leaned on a Fenwick & West LLP team in Mountai...
International
Plaintiffs in Ecuadorian pollution case can't collect $8.6 billion judgment from Chevron
By Justin Kloczko
Ecuadorian plaintiffs cannot collect an $8.65 billion pollution judgment against Chevron Corp. in the U.S., a federal appeals ...
State Bar & Bar Associations
ABA passes model rule barring sexual harassment, discrimination
By Logan Noblin
The ABA House of Delegates overwhelmingly approved an amendment to the Model Rules of Professional Responsibility that, for th...
Litigation
Fired staff attorney accuses state agency of cover-up in suit
By Malcolm Maclachlan
The lawyer representing a staff attorney fired in 2010 by Commission on Teacher Credentialing accused the agency of a "kill th...
State Bar & Bar Associations
Law students must be paid even if they get course credit, ABA votes
By Logan Noblin
The American Bar Association has shifted a substantial financial burden from the backs of law students onto the shoulders of l...
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit
9th Circuit keeps convicted murderer behind bars despite plea deal
By Saul Sugarman
A convicted murderer who has spent more than three decades in a Madera County prison cannot be released despite originally mak...
Criminal
Argument rebuffed in challenge to judge's involvement with defense fee approval
By America Hernandez
Criminal defendants named in mega-cases should not be granted dismissal by claiming early on that their indigent defense budge...
The assistant Orange County public defender leading the charge in the ongoing jail informant controversy is requesting a trove...
Constitutional Law
Gun rights group challenges privacy statute for public officials
By Joshua Seboldn
A guns rights group has filed a lawsuit in an effort to overturn a California statute that bars websites from publishing the a...
California Supreme Court
State high court expands anti-SLAPP law to city council votes
By Kevin Lee
Votes from three from Montebello city officials are protected by California's anti-SLAPP statute, the state Supreme Court rule...
Labor/Employment
$3.65 million proposed settlement announced in Ulta misclassification suit
By Phil Johnson
A putative class action alleging Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. routinely requires salaried managers to do the wor...
In-House Legal Counsel Ak-Chin Indian Community (Maricopa, Arizona) ...
A roundup of recent transactions and the California lawyers involved.
Judges and Judiciary
4th District concerned about child abuse advocates video for jurors
By Meghann M. Cuniff
Justices deny writ over mootness but issue not over. ...
Government
Bill would offer post-conviction relief in deportation cases
By Malcolm Maclachlan
A bill now in the state Senate would provide relief for people who want to challenge the validity of their convictions — years...
Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca was indicted Friday on federal charges alleging that he conspired to obstruct justi...
Legal employment in California surged in June to the highest level since 2008, with almost 3,000 jobs added from the prior mon...
New 9th Circuit opinion published after oral arguments proved decisive. ...
The state of California argued in superior court Friday that the city of L.A. should pay more than $4 million for a 2013 fire ...
California Courts of Appeal
4th District declines to review OC judge disqualification ruling
By Meghann M. Cuniff
OC DA had requested changes to favorable 2-1 opinion ...
New 9th Circuit opinion published after oral arguments proved decisive. ...
Superior Court Judge Sacramento County (Sacramento) ...
Labor/Employment
Los Angeles judge denies certification of McDonald's meal, rest break class
By Matthew Blake
McDonald's Corp. dodged a bullet when a judge denied certification to a class of about 18,000 California employees who allege ...
Criminal
Orange County defenders fight juror video on child abuse program
By Meghann M. Cuniff
Recruitment video for child abuse advocates shown in assembly room is prejudicial, public defenders argue. ...
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday affirmed the convictions of seven members of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Departm...
Litigation
Lawsuit seeks to stop aquifer from becoming oil company dumping ground
By Justin Kloczko
A lawsuit by an environmental nonprofit says an application by the state's oil regulator asking for an aquifer to be exempt fr...
The department made changes of its own that performance rights organizations consider "insult to injury." ...
California Supreme Court
State high court upholds probation restriction for shoplifter
By Kevin Lee
The state Supreme Court upheld Thursday a probation condition that barred a shoplifter from entering any Home Depot Inc. facil...