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Who decides when a smoke-contaminated home is safe? Right now, it's the insurance company.


America's abominable attorney general

Feb. 13, 2026
By William Rothbard

In a constitutional republic, the attorney general must enforce the law with independence and integrity, and the Trump-Bondi r...


Liability laundering and the 'not our driver' defense

Feb. 13, 2026
By Yosi Yahoudai, Parham Nikfarjam

In California courtrooms, companies that tightly control branded delivery operations increasingly deny responsibility after se...


AI hype boosted markets, but "AI washing" -- exaggerated or false claims about artificial intelligence -- is now triggering SE...


Cases stall not from law, but from silence. A quick call or mediated chat can clear confusion, build trust and move settlement...


Why good mediation briefs matter

Feb. 13, 2026
By Scott Hengesbach

A strong mediation brief isn't just paperwork--it sharpens your case, informs the mediator, impresses clients and opposing cou...


Legal malpractice suits are costly and stressful, but clear engagement letters, insurance, procedural checks, and defenses lik...


America's success has long depended on strong courts enforcing contracts, but crushing backlogs, overburdened judges and costl...


New reporting rules change how California lawyers work

Feb. 12, 2026
By Jason E. Fellner, Nina Langley

Starting with the 2026 licensing cycle, California attorneys face expanded annual reporting and compliance obligations--includ...


Letters

St. Thomas More: silent, principled and law-abiding, he withdrew without betrayal--exemplifying California lawyers' profession...


Labor/Employment

California's 2026 employment law updates impose new operational obligations affecting records, pay data, leave coordination an...


Tax

Can defamation damages be taxed as capital gain?

Feb. 12, 2026
By Robert W. Wood

Although the IRS generally presumes litigation recoveries are ordinary income, damages in some defamation cases--particularly ...


Constitutional Law, Civil Rights

As damages remedies against federal officials wither, constitutional violations are increasingly recognized but left without a...


Alternative Dispute Resolution

Mediators and attorneys serve different roles -- neutral and advocate -- but share a common aim: guiding people through high-s...


Labor/Employment

California employers are facing a sweeping new set of employment law changes in 2026 that expand employee rights around wages,...


Turning to military JAGs to prosecute civilians isn't a staffing fix, it's a stress test. If DOJ can't retain career prosecuto...


The IRS issued Notice 2025‑69 to guide taxpayers on claiming the new OBBBA deductions for qualified tips and qualified overtim...


Technology, Ethics/Professional Responsibility

California's Senate passed SB 574, a bill establishing AI guardrails for lawyers and arbitrators that codifies confidentiality...


Constitutional Law

Amid rising misinformation, recent journalist arrests and broader Trump-era actions are framed as escalating threats to press ...


Torts/Personal Injury, Evidence

As genomic testing becomes more accessible, defense counsel in mesothelioma cases are increasingly leveraging BAP1 and other g...


Torts/Personal Injury

Last week, a 92-year-old driver may have mistaken the gas for the brake and crashed into Westwood's 99 Ranch Market, killing t...


Ethics/Professional Responsibility

Because trial work brings both victory and loss, lawyers are wise to anticipate the emotional toll of an unfavorable verdict a...


Family

For immigrant families, divorce is not just the end of a marriage but a confrontation between two systems of value--where atto...


Torts/Personal Injury, Technology

Advanced vehicle technology and data are reshaping accident investigations, forcing personal injury attorneys to track system ...


Insurance, Administrative/Regulatory

AB 1680 would fundamentally remake the FAIR Plan--expanding it from fire-only coverage into a quasi-homeowners policy and vest...


Tax, Government

A proposed California ballot initiative imposing a one-time 5% excise tax on billionaires' net worth has gained traction amid ...


After a sudden pause and sweeping new guidance, the Trump administration's rebooted FCPA enforcement signals not retreat, but ...


Technology, Constitutional Law

Weakening Section 230 would chill online speech

Feb. 6, 2026
By David A. Greene

Enacted 30 years ago through careful legislative deliberation, Section 230 remains the internet's strongest bulwark for free e...


Civil Procedure, Appellate Practice

AI-generated hallucinations are appearing in California court filings. When a decision rests on cases that don't exist, appell...


Torts/Personal Injury, Constitutional Law

For 30 years, Section 230 insulated platforms from liability, but generative AI is forcing courts to ask a new question: When ...