| Case # | Name | Category | Court | Judge | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
15-35707
|
Montanore Minerals Corp. v. Bakie
District court abuses discretion in failing to stay federal case in deference to pending state court proceedings. |
Civil Procedure |
|
M. Smith | Aug. 17, 2017 |
|
C079180
|
Ponte v. County of Calaveras
Promissory estoppel theory may only succeed in contract action against public entity in special instance where ‘justice clearly requires.’ |
Contracts |
|
E. Duarte | Aug. 17, 2017 |
|
F073691
|
In re Trever P.
Mother’s surreptitious recording of her minor son and his abuser properly admitted under exception from Penal Code Section 633.5. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
M. Smith | Aug. 16, 2017 |
|
B267885
|
People v. Pineda
Section 4 of the Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016 applies retroactively to juvenile defendants convicted of murder. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
L. Baker | Aug. 16, 2017 |
|
16-1316
|
Anderson v. Rainsdon (In re Anderson)
Debtors’ contingent right to real estate sales commission constitutes estate property under Bankruptcy Code regardless of any distinction in state law. |
Bankruptcy |
|
M. Jury | Aug. 16, 2017 |
|
15-56394
|
Williby v. Aetna Life Insurance Co.
In ERISA action, review of plan administrator’s denial of short-term disability benefits to Boeing’s employee under wrong standard warrants remand. |
Civil Procedure |
|
G. Feinerman | Aug. 16, 2017 |
|
G053375
|
County of Orange v. Cole
Sperm donor who held child out as his own unable to duck child support and designation as presumed father. |
Family Law |
|
R. Fybel | Aug. 16, 2017 |
|
D071527
|
Sakumar v. City of San Diego
Plaintiff erroneously denied attorney fees under Public Records Act where substantial evidence supported that timing of City’s additional disclosure was triggered by court-ordered depositions. |
Public Records Act |
|
G. Nares | Aug. 16, 2017 |
|
D069785
|
Sviridov v. City of San Diego
In wrongful termination action, city-employer properly awarded costs where plaintiff rejects multiple settlement offers and fails to obtain more favorable result. |
Civil Procedure |
|
J. McConnell | Aug. 16, 2017 |
|
12-60068
|
Frealy v. Reynolds
Where trust pays entirely from principal, bankruptcy trustee may reach up to full amount of any distributions 'currently' payable to a beneficiary or may reach up to 25 percent of future payments made to beneficiary. |
Bankruptcy |
|
A. Kozinski | Aug. 16, 2017 |
|
11-56843
|
Robins v. Spokeo Inc.
Concrete injury sufficiently alleged where plaintiff shows defendant violated federal statute that protects ‘concrete interests’ and that violation caused risk of ‘real harm.’ |
Constitutional Law |
|
D. O'Scannlain | Aug. 16, 2017 |
|
F072789
|
Hovannisian v. First American Title Insurance Co.
Purchasers of foreclosed property who later discover first deed of trust on property unsuccessful in challenging favorable ruling in title insurance company’s favor. |
Insurance |
|
G. Gomes | Aug. 15, 2017 |
|
B2777832
|
Jacobs v. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Co.
Seller defeats potential buyer’s negligence claim on summary judgment where plaintiff failed to properly plead additional theory of liability. |
Torts |
|
S. Perren | Aug. 15, 2017 |
|
B269387
|
Modification: Towery v. State
State not liable to former inmate for contracting valley fever while incarcerated in Kern Valley State Prison. |
Immunity |
|
Aug. 15, 2017 | |
|
A145568
|
People v. Financial Casualty & Surety Inc.
Surety entitled to relief from bond forfeiture where defendant was placed in custody within 185-day appearance period and surety took reasonable steps to seek relief. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
P. Siggins | Aug. 14, 2017 |
|
C078620
|
People v. Brown
Defendant unsuccessful in challenging conviction for human trafficking, where Proposition 35 does not prohibit treating victim as uncharged coconspirator under coconspirator exception to hearsay rule. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
E. Duarte | Aug. 14, 2017 |
|
16-492
|
PEM Entities LLC v. Levin
Order |
|
Aug. 14, 2017 | ||
|
A140656
|
Energy Ins. Mutual Ltd. v. Ace American Ins. Co.
Insured covered for ‘ordinary acts of negligence resulting in bodily injuries’ unless a professional liability exclusion ‘conspicuously, plainly and clearly’ provides that ‘acts of professional negligence will not be covered.’ |
Insurance |
|
T. Reardon | Aug. 14, 2017 |
|
S230104
|
Modification: Scher v. Burke
Civil Code Section 1009 preclude both recreational and non-recreational public use of non-coastal property from ripening into an implied dedication of a public road. |
Real Property |
|
Aug. 11, 2017 | |
|
E064270
|
PGA West Residential Association Inc. v. Hulven International Inc.
Demurrer improperly overruled, where allegedly fraudulent acts are governed by Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act’s seven year statute of repose. |
Civil Procedure |
|
A. McKinster | Aug. 11, 2017 |
|
S242474
|
People v. Calavano
Order |
|
Aug. 11, 2017 | ||
|
S242250
|
Quigley v. Garden Valley Fire Protection District
Order |
|
Aug. 11, 2017 | ||
|
A148623
|
Cross v. Facebook
Plaintiff must show that defendant used plaintiff’s identity in order to prevail under a common law right of publicity claim. |
Anti-SLAPP |
|
J. Richman | Aug. 11, 2017 |
|
16-10160
|
U.S. v. Smith
Relators’ motion to intervene in criminal action properly denied, where False Claim Act’s ‘alternate remedy’ provisions do not permit intervention. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
S. Thomas | Aug. 11, 2017 |
|
14-35723
|
Asarco LLC v. Atlantic Richfield Co.
Ninth Circuit provides clarity to CERCLA contribution action by addressing three issues of first impression and reverses dismissal of contribution action involving East Helena Superfund Site. |
Environmental Law |
|
C. Callahan | Aug. 11, 2017 |
|
B269387
|
Towery v. State
State not liable to former inmate for contracting valley fever while incarcerated in Kern Valley State Prison. |
Immunity |
|
E. Lui | Aug. 11, 2017 |
|
A144268
|
Surfrider Foundation v. Martins Beach 1 LLC
In action challenging closure of public access to beach, landowners unsuccessful in challenging adverse rulings. |
Environmental Law |
|
M. Simons | Aug. 11, 2017 |
|
G052764
|
Curci Investments v. Baldwin
Reverse veil piercing relief sought by judgment creditor to hold LLC liable as judgment debtor erroneously denied based on improper application of ‘Postal Instant.’ |
Corporations |
|
D. Thompson | Aug. 11, 2017 |
|
S228277
|
Parrish v. Latham & Watkins
Probable cause is established where a trial court rules in favor of the plaintiff in the underlying action, even if a subsequent ruling overturns the initial ruling. |
Anti-SLAPP |
|
L. Kruger | Aug. 11, 2017 |
|
D070361
|
Light v. California Dept. of Parks and Recreation
Employee may maintain emotional distress and retaliation claims against state department despite workers’ compensation scheme’s exclusivity provisions. |
Employment Law |
|
J. McConnell | Aug. 10, 2017 |
