Case # | Name | Category | Court | Judge | Published |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
C081345
|
Potocki v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Plaintiffs stated a claim under Homeowner Bill of Rights Section 2923.6(f) because Wells Fargo's explanation for denying Home Affordable Modification Program modification was insufficient to sustain a demurrer. |
Torts |
|
W. Murray | Aug. 9, 2019 |
B289003
|
Sheen v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Lenders owe no common law duty to offer, consider, or approve loan modifications, so plaintiff's negligence claim was properly dismissed. |
Torts |
|
J. Wiley | Aug. 6, 2019 |
B282946
|
Modification: Baker-Smith v. Skolnick
An excuse jury instruction under theory of negligence per se is improper unless special circumstances exist; legal error warranted reversal of judgment. |
Torts |
|
J. Wiley | Jul. 31, 2019 |
E070213
|
Huckey v. City of Temecula
Under the trivial defect doctrine, a defect in a sidewalk is trivial as a matter of law when the defect is slight and creates no risk of serious injury. |
Torts |
|
R. Fields | Jul. 29, 2019 |
B285586
|
Adhav v. Midway Rent A Car, Inc.
Defendants engaged in no illegal or fraudulent conduct in their dealings with plaintiffs who purchased optional insurance coverage for rental vehicles, so plaintiffs' Unfair Competition Law claims failed. |
Torts |
|
G. Weingart | Jul. 26, 2019 |
B287614
|
Potter v. Alliance United Ins. Co.
Trial court improperly sustained defendant's demurrer because plaintiff stated a proper fraudulent conveyance claim under California's Uniform Voidable Transactions Act. |
Torts |
|
L. Baker | Jul. 25, 2019 |
B276699
|
Doe v. Dept. of Children & Family Services
Nonsuit was proper because plaintiff's evidence failed to establish private defendants had duty to protect plaintiff from third-parties' crimes, and county defendants' breaches of mandatory duties were not proximate cause of harm. |
Torts |
|
T. Bigelow | Jul. 19, 2019 |
H043218
|
Williams v. Fremont Corners, Inc.
Under California law, landowners are required to maintain land in their possession and control in a reasonably safe condition, but they have no duty to protect from third party conduct. |
Torts |
|
E. Premo | Jul. 19, 2019 |
B282946
|
Baker-Smith v. Skolnick
An excuse jury instruction under theory of negligence per se is improper unless special circumstances exist; legal error warranted reversal of judgment. |
Torts |
|
J. Wiley | Jul. 12, 2019 |
B286283
|
Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder Cases
Substantial evidence supported jury's finding that defendant breached duty to warn of risks of ovarian cancer from genital talc use; thus, judgment notwithstanding the verdict partially reversed. |
Torts |
|
R. Adams | Jul. 12, 2019 |
B281161
|
Hernandez v. First Student, Inc.
Evidence of a parent's drug use, and how it relates to her relationship with her child, was relevant in determining the damages awarded in wrongful death cause of action. |
Torts |
|
M. Stratton | Jul. 12, 2019 |
A152703
|
Hernandez v. Enterprise Rent-A-Car Co. of S.F.
No triable issue regarding defendant's liability as a successor in interest of rental car company, because rental car company's asset sale did not destroy plaintiff's remedies against it. |
Torts |
|
A. Tucher | Jul. 10, 2019 |
17-55435
|
Amended Opinion: Doe v. Nestle
Presumption against extraterritoriality applies to claims under the Alien Tort Statute, though alleged domestic contacts in form of 'kickbacks' outside typical business contract may suffice to rebut presumption. |
Torts |
|
Jul. 8, 2019 | |
B290128
|
Lewis v. Ukran
When requesting reduction of award of future damages to present value, defendant bears the burden of providing evidence of valid lowered amount. |
Torts |
|
B. Currey | Jun. 28, 2019 |
A151536
|
Pneuma International, Inc. v. Cho
Trial court did not err in declining to base California's Unfair Competition Law cause of action on common-law tort of trespass to chattel; thus, judgment was affirmed. |
Torts |
|
J. Humes | Jun. 26, 2019 |
17-55719
|
DaVinci Aircraft v. U.S.
Property was not seized from plaintiff solely for forfeiture, so sovereign immunity was not rewaived; thus, dismissal of 'Bivens' claims against the United States for lack of subject matter jurisdiction was proper. |
Torts |
|
R. Paez | Jun. 13, 2019 |
F075173
|
Veiseh v. Stapp
Failure to comply with provisions of the California Uniform Transfers to Minors Act does not render grantor's continued possession and control of real property unlawful for purposes of trespass to realty. |
Torts |
|
D. Franson | Jun. 10, 2019 |
B287831
|
LAOSD Asbestos Cases
Trial court properly instructed in specific terms under CACI Nos. 1220, 1221, and 1222, relating to plaintiffs' negligence theory supported by the evidence, rather than general terms. |
Torts |
|
T. Willhite | Jun. 7, 2019 |
A150629
|
Berger v. Varum
The Uniform Voidable Transactions Act supplements, not replaces, common law fraudulent transfer, and plaintiff adequately pled common law fraudulent transfer by alleging specific financial damages resulting from defendants' conduct. |
Torts |
|
S. Margulies | Jun. 5, 2019 |
S246669
|
Southern Cal. Gas Leak Cases
Plaintiffs' negligence claims for lost earnings stemming from massive gas leak rejected; purely economic losses suffered from mere proximity to industrial accident create intractable line-drawing problems for courts. |
Torts |
|
M. Cuéllar | May 31, 2019 |
G054545
|
Taulbee v. EJ Distribution Corp.
Trial court properly declined to give proposed negligence per se instruction with respect to defendant's driving into gore point because that particular violation of Vehicle Code Section 21651 did not proximately cause collision. |
Torts |
|
R. Aronson | May 22, 2019 |
B286084
|
Harry v. Ring the Alarm, LLC
Plaintiff was not expressly hired to manage the hazardous condition that injured him; thus, the firefighter's rule does not apply where the risk of injury was not inherent to the plaintiff's occupation. |
Torts |
|
A. Collins | Apr. 29, 2019 |
17-16963
|
Redlin v. U.S.
If a second claim is deemed to be an amendment, it is untimely if it was mailed after an agency's final decision; thus the district court did not err in dismissing the action. |
Torts |
|
S. Ikuta | Apr. 24, 2019 |
A151633
|
Burch v. CertainTeed Corp.
Substantial evidence supported jury's finding that defendant intentionally concealed health hazards of asbestos from plaintiff; thus, trial court properly denied defendant's motion for judgment notwithstanding verdict. |
Torts |
|
T. Brown | Apr. 17, 2019 |
B283956
|
Grossman v. Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School Dist.
Under Education Code Section 38134(i)(1), school district is not liable for injuries resulting from the negligence of a booster group using school facilities without school district's supervision or input. |
Torts |
|
G. Feuer | Mar. 28, 2019 |
B289766
|
Barenborg v. Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity
The special relationship exception for duty of care does not apply for a negligence cause of action between a national fraternity and its local chapters |
Torts |
|
N. Manella | Mar. 21, 2019 |
D072724
|
Ryan v. Real Estate of the Pacific
Expert opinion is required in professional malpractice claims except when the negligence is obvious to laymen; thus, realtor's failure to disclose information he knew about neighbor's extensive remodeling plans required no expert. |
Torts |
|
R. Huffman | Feb. 28, 2019 |
D072328
|
Dogan v. Comanche Hills Apartments
'Jameson v. Desta' applies retroactively to cases not final on appeal; requires reversal and new trial in tort action where indigent litigant was denied court reporter fee waiver. |
Torts |
|
W. Dato | Jan. 23, 2019 |
15-35964
|
Cox v. State of Washington DSHS
Material issues of fact remained as to whether Department of Social and Health Services breached its duty of care when facilitating a social worker-supervised visit where father murdered two young boys. |
Torts |
|
L. Kobayashi | Jan. 11, 2019 |
F075822
|
Moreno v. Visser Ranch, Inc.
Because driver was 'on call' and could respond to maintenance calls immediately, jury could reasonably find driver's use of company truck for personal travel after work benefitted employer under respondeat superior. |
Torts |
|
D. Franson | Dec. 24, 2018 |