Constitutional Law
Public access to civil courts is a constitutional mandate, not a courtesy
By Kelli L. Sager
Despite longstanding precedent affirming the public's right to access civil court proceedings, recent actions in Los Angeles c...
Federal courts are increasingly pushing back against former President Trump's expansive claims of executive power, striking do...
Cannabis, Administrative/Regulatory
The cannabis laws of the 2025 California legislative session
By Shay Aaron Gilmore
The 2025 California Legislative Session enacted major reforms to the state's cannabis and hemp laws -- including new hemp regu...
Wills, Estates & Trusts, Probate
When heirs span borders mistakes can cost executors dearly
By Charlotte Ito
California personal representatives must conduct diligent, country-specific searches to identify heirs abroad, since failure ...
Wills, Estates & Trusts, Probate
Piecing it together: Why heirs share homes, not rent obligations
By Kirsten A. Brown
Wills, Estates & Trusts, Probate
California narrows Medi-Cal estate recovery but questions remain
By Linda M. Varga
Wills, Estates & Trusts, Probate
The common interest doctrine: preventing waiver in the trust and estate context
By Michael S. Brophy, Garen L. Kirakosian
Wills, Estates & Trusts, Probate
Estate of Martino: Rethinking stepchild inheritance under intestacy
By Monica C. Yun
Wills, Estates & Trusts, Probate
California fixes its digital asset blind spot
By Scott P. Schomer
Wills, Estates & Trusts, Probate
The digital treasure hunt: crypto discovery and valuation in estate litigation
By Scott E. Rahn
Wills, Estates & Trusts, Probate
Making property changes stick in probate
By Casey A. Reagan
Civil Rights
The Supreme Court case that could rewrite civil rights law
By Erwin Chemerinsky
On Wed., Oct. 15, the Supreme Court will hear Louisiana v. Callais, a potentially landmark case that could strike down...
Wills, Estates & Trusts
Capacity standards in California trust litigation: Why the distinction matters
By Holly Gilani
In California trust litigation, determining whether a settlor's mental ability meets the lower testamentary standard or the hi...
Class actions in California are high-stakes, complex and slow -- demanding strategy, persistence, and careful management to de...
Civil Procedure, Civil Litigation
Avoiding unintended attorney fee exposure in Section 998 offers: Lessons from the 9th Circuit
By Peter R. Boutin, Stacey M. Garrett
A recent 9th Circuit decision underscores the need for precise drafting in section 998 offers to avoid unintended fee exposure...
Civil Procedure
California OKs electronic service for elusive defendants
By William Slomanson
California's new law allowing service of summons via email or electronic media, effective January 2026, modernizes civil proce...
Administrative/Regulatory
Rethinking subsidies for California farms
By Roberto Escobar
California's diverse, high-value specialty crops are poorly served by federal farm subsidy programs designed for bulk row crop...
The law in AI's hands: Who controls what it knows?
By Owen Seitel
The pending 3rd Circuit appeal in Thomson Reuters v. ROSS Intelligence could set a landmark precedent on whether usin...
How to set up a useful moot court: Part 2
By Myron Moskovitz
Traditional moot courts, whether for students or practicing lawyers, often fall short of preparing attorneys to win real appea...
Sabotage: FTC sues Ticketmaster and Live Nation over deceptive pricing, scalping and bot practices
By Arash Homampour
The FTC, joined by seven state attorneys general, has sued Ticketmaster and Live Nation for deceptive pricing, bot-enabled sca...
Government Claims Act does not apply to actions solely seeking declaratory relief
By Garret D. Murai
Under the Government Claims Act, a claimant need not file a pre-suit claim with a public entity when seeking purely declarator...
Immigration
Turning soldiers into police threatens the balance our founders fought for
By John H. Minan
Trump's bid to use the National Guard as a political tool has sparked lawsuits claiming he overstepped his authority and threa...
CCPA finalizes ADMT rules, reshaping privacy compliance: Part 1
By Sarah L. Bruno, Grace D. Wiley
Finalized CCPA regulations impose new obligations on businesses using automated decision-making technology, requiring clarity ...
Technology, Ethics/Professional Responsibility, Data Privacy
[VIDEO included] The horrors of Generative AI: A nightmare in the making
By Kris Rossfeld
AI can terrify or transform: it spreads misinformation and mimics humans, but with vigilance and responsible use, it drives in...
Mental health and client service are critical for legal professionals
By Courtney Mayster
High-quality client service and a culture of wellbeing can -- and must -- coexist in law firms. Small, daily practices make it...
Legal History / Judicial History
The Red Sandstone Courthouse: How LA's lost landmark built the city's civic legacy
By Michael L. Stern
Opened in 1891, Los Angeles' Red Sandstone Courthouse symbolized the city's civic pride, growth and legal development, and tho...
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Mediating hard cases: Managing human elements in commercial disputes
By David L. Carden
Effective commercial mediation requires recognizing and managing the human elements -- emotions, histories, biases and interpe...
State Bar & Bar Associations, Ethics/Professional Responsibility
Preparing for C-TAPP Phase 2: What California lawyers need to know
By Edward P. Dudensing, Connor James
California attorneys should brace for Phase 2 of the State Bar's Client Trust Account Protection Program (C-TAPP), which will ...
Torts/Personal Injury
Field trip or school-sponsored liability? Court limits immunity for overnight camp
By Michael E. Rubinstein
School injury cases can be complex and fact specific -- Doe v. Mount Pleasant Elementary School District serves as a pr...
Labor/Employment, Civil Litigation
Bronshteyn upholds big FEHA fees, highlights trial court discretion
By Nidya Gutierrez
Bronshteyn serves as a reminder of the broad discretion trial courts hold in awarding attorney's fees to prevailing p...
