1st District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Tax (non-estate)
2nd District Court of Appeal, Labor & Employment Law, Litigation
Vela v. Harbor Rail Services — Court of Appeal Affirms Arbitration of Railcar Repairman’s Wage Claims, Including Class Waiver
4th District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Family Law
Marriage of Nishida & Kamoda — Court of Appeal Revives Wife’s Fraud Suit Over Post-Divorce Property Stipulation
California Supreme Court, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law
People v. Stayner — California Supreme Court Affirms Death Sentence for Yosemite Cedar Lodge Murders
4th District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Family Law
In re Marriage of Nishida & Kamoda — Civil Lawsuit Alleging Fraud in Marital Stipulation Was Timely and Should Not Have Been Dismissed After Transfer to Family Law Court
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Litigation
Hogan v. Bean — Ninth Circuit denies en banc rehearing in death-penalty habeas case, leaving in place panel’s broad reading of Martinez v. Ryan despite forceful nine-judge dissent
California Supreme Court, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law
In re Kowalczyk — California Supreme Court Reaffirms Constitutional Right to Bail, Limits When Pretrial Detention May Be Imposed
California Supreme Court, Criminal Law
People v. Lopez — California Supreme Court Clarifies Senate Bill 1437 Resentencing for Aiders and Abettors of Gang-Related Killings
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Immigration
Sanchez Gonzalez v. U.S. Department of State — Ninth Circuit affirms visa denial of California spouse, holding that even after Muñoz a U.S. citizen’s First Amendment right to hear a noncitizen still triggers limited Mandel review
1st District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law, Litigation
People v. Hsiung — Animal Rights Activist’s Trespass Convictions Partially Reversed for Erroneous Limitation on Mistake of Law Defense
1st District Court of Appeal, Environmental Law, Litigation
Raptors Are the Solution v. CropLife America — Pesticide Trade Associations That Intervened to Defend Agency Decisions Are Jointly and Severally Liable for Private Attorney General Fees
2nd District Court of Appeal, Administrative Law, Criminal Law
Garner v. California Victim Compensation Board — Vacatur Under Section 1172.6 Resentencing Statute Does Not Establish “Erroneous Conviction” Required for Compensation Under Section 4900
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Litigation
Scott v. Broomfield — Ninth Circuit reverses habeas relief in California death-penalty case, holding the state court reasonably rejected the ineffective-assistance-of-counsel claims under AEDPA’s deferential standard
2nd District Court of Appeal, Environmental Law, Litigation
The Chemical Toxin Working Group v. Kroger — Proposition 65 Pre-Suit Notice Substantially Complies When Outside Counsel Contact Is Provided
6th District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law, Litigation
People v. Mohammed — Trial Courts Lack Inherent Jurisdiction to Correct Unauthorized Sentences After Judgment Becomes Final
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Litigation
Roe v. Johnston — Ninth Circuit stays Arizona injunction that had struck the word ‘operation’ from state birth-certificate-amendment law for transgender residents
2nd District Court of Appeal, Litigation, Personal Injury & Tort
Chang v. Southern California Permanente Medical Group — Going and Coming Rule Bars Vicarious Liability for Employee’s Commute Even Where Employee Sometimes Worked from Home
2nd District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Litigation
Detrick v. Shimada — Declaration in English From Witness Who Cannot Read English Is Not Competent Evidence Without Interpreter Attestation
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Litigation
Public Interest Legal Foundation v. Nago — Ninth Circuit holds the NVRA’s public inspection provision does not require states to disclose statewide voter lists, only records of voter list maintenance activities
4th District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law, Litigation
People v. The North River Insurance Co. — Defendant’s Counsel Appearance Under Section 977 Triggers Bail Bond Exoneration; Court Retains Jurisdiction to Award Extradition Costs
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Intellectual Property
Doe 1 v. Meta Platforms — Ninth Circuit holds Section 230 bars Rohingya plaintiffs’ claims that Facebook incited Myanmar violence, with two judges urging the court to reconsider the breadth of platform immunity
4th District Court of Appeal, Construction Law, Litigation
AVL Test Systems v. Hensel Phelps Construction — Whether Equipment Becomes “Fixed Part of the Structure” for Contractor Licensing Exemption Is a Question of Fact
3rd District Court of Appeal, Environmental Law, Litigation
People ex rel. Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District v. Defty — Cross-Complaint Challenging Validity of Underlying Agency Policy Does Not Arise From Protected Activity for Anti-SLAPP Purposes
California Supreme Court, Family Law
In re Z.G. — Juvenile Court Cannot Terminate Parental Rights Based Solely on Adoptability, and Mother’s Lawyer Was Ineffective for Failing to Demand Required Reunification Services
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Litigation
Dickinson v. Trump — Ninth Circuit stays Portland injunction restricting federal crowd-control tactics, faulting overbroad class relief and uniform-redesign order in protest-retaliation case
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Immigration
Hanan v. USCIS — Ninth Circuit holds the marriage fraud bar applies even when the noncitizen never applied for benefits based on the sham marriage, and that USCIS need not produce the ex-spouse for cross-examination
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Litigation
Reach Community Development v. USDHS — Ninth Circuit stays Portland injunction barring tear gas at ICE protests, holding bystanders likely have no substantive-due-process right against incidental chemical exposure
1st District Court of Appeal, Environmental Law, Real Estate Law
Citizens Against Marketplace Apartment/Condo Development v. City of San Ramon — Approval of Mixed-Use Infill Housing Project Was Consistent With City General Plan and Zoning
1st District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law, Litigation
People v. Emrick — Probation Condition Allowing Probation Department to Jail Defendant Without Hearing Improperly Delegates Judicial Authority
2nd District Court of Appeal, Labor & Employment Law, Litigation