3rd District Court of Appeal, Environmental Law, Litigation

City of Vallejo v. City of American Canyon — Industrial Project EIR’s Water-Supply Analysis Survives CEQA Challenge

automatic / January 14, 2026

Third District affirms denial of Vallejo's CEQA writ challenge to American Canyon's certification of an EIR for a 2.6-million-square-foot warehouse complex, holding the EIR's water-supply analysis adequately addressed reasonably foreseeable demand under CEQA and the Water Code.

4th District Court of Appeal, Labor & Employment Law, Litigation

The Merchant of Tennis, Inc. v. Superior Court — Curative Notice to Class Members Who Revoke Settlements Must Reflect California Rescission Statutes

automatic / January 14, 2026

Fourth District grants writ relief, holding that a curative class-action notice informing putative class members they may revoke individual settlement agreements must also tell them California rescission statutes require return of the settlement payment.

1st District Court of Appeal, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law

People v. McCowan — Inventory Search of Towed Vehicle Upheld; Bruen Does Not Invalidate California’s Assault-Weapon and Magazine Bans

automatic / January 13, 2026

First District affirms convictions for possessing an assault weapon and a large-capacity magazine, holding the inventory search of the defendant's vehicle was lawful and that California's assault-weapon and magazine bans survive Bruen.

1st District Court of Appeal, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law

In re Thai — Indeterminate-Life Inmates Not Constitutionally Entitled to Same Conduct Credits Toward Youth-Parole Eligibility as Toward Standard Parole

automatic / January 13, 2026

First District denies habeas relief, holding that CDCR may constitutionally permit only educational merit credits — and not other prison conduct credits — to advance an inmate's youth-parole eligibility date under Penal Code section 3051.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law

People v. Washington — Inmate Released on Parole Before Resentencing Still Eligible for Section 1172.75 Relief

automatic / January 13, 2026

Second District holds an inmate identified by CDCR as eligible for resentencing under Penal Code section 1172.75 does not lose that eligibility by being released on parole before the resentencing hearing occurs.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Labor & Employment Law, Litigation

Tuufuli v. West Coast Dental Administrative Services — Federal Arbitration Act Governs When the Parties Said It Does

automatic / January 13, 2026

Second District affirms an order compelling arbitration of an employee's individual wage claims and dismissing her class claims, holding the parties' arbitration agreement is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act because they expressly said so.

5th District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law

People v. Jimenez — Felony Vandalism Conviction Reversed Where More Specific Jail-Damage Statute Applies

automatic / January 12, 2026

Fifth District holds Penal Code section 4600's specific statute on damaging jail or prison property displaces the general felony vandalism statute, requiring reversal of an inmate's vandalism conviction and remand for resentencing.

1st District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law, Litigation

People v. Cagle — Court Affirms Mentally Disordered Offender Recommitment Despite No Actuarial Risk Tool

automatic / January 8, 2026

First District affirms a one-year extension of a mentally disordered offender's commitment at Coalinga State Hospital, holding the patient forfeited his due-process and equal-protection challenges to the lack of an actuarial risk-assessment tool, and that any instructional error was harmless.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Business Transactions, Litigation

Chong v. Mardirossian Akaragian LLP — Client’s Ratification of Unauthorized Settlement Triggers Full Contingency Fee

automatic / January 8, 2026

Second District holds that a personal-injury client who ratifies an unauthorized settlement after firing his lawyer must pay the agreed contingency fee, not just quantum meruit, because his ratification was truly voluntary.

4th District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Litigation

Barbanell v. Lodge — Petitioner Who Wins a Court Order Appointing a New Arbitrator Is a ‘Prevailing Party’ Entitled to Fees

automatic / January 8, 2026

Fourth District holds that a party who wins a discrete court petition to appoint a new arbitrator is the prevailing party in that proceeding and is entitled to attorney fees under the underlying contract, even though the parties' substantive disputes remained pending in arbitration and a parallel lawsuit.

1st District Court of Appeal, Administrative Law, Real Estate Law

Mendocino Railway v. Meyer — Skunk Train Operator Qualifies as a Public Utility With Eminent-Domain Authority

automatic / January 7, 2026

First District reverses a trial-court ruling that the Mendocino Railway (operator of the Skunk Train) was not a public utility, holding that the railroad's federal common-carrier status and demonstrated freight and passenger service make it a public utility entitled to exercise eminent domain.

1st District Court of Appeal, Labor & Employment Law, Litigation

Spilman v. The Salvation Army — Trial Court Used Wrong Test to Decide Whether Rehab Program Participants Were Volunteers or Employees

automatic / January 6, 2026

First District reverses summary judgment for the Salvation Army in a wage suit by adult-rehabilitation 'work therapy' participants, holding that the trial court applied the wrong legal standard for distinguishing a volunteer from an employee under California wage law.

3rd District Court of Appeal, Labor & Employment Law, Litigation

Sierra Pacific Industries Wage and Hour Cases — Defendant Waived Right to Compel Arbitration by Litigating for Years and Hiding Agreements

automatic / January 6, 2026

Third District affirms denial of Sierra Pacific's motion to compel arbitration in coordinated wage-and-hour class actions, finding the company waived arbitration rights by litigating for years and refusing to produce signed arbitration agreements until after class certification.

3rd District Court of Appeal, Litigation, Real Estate Law

Ruffier v. Volcano Hills Road Maintenance Association — HOA Board Could Not Quintuple Annual Assessment Without Required Member Vote

automatic / January 6, 2026

Third District holds a small road-maintenance HOA's board exceeded its authority when it raised parcel assessments fivefold without obtaining the majority-of-a-quorum member vote required by the Davis-Stirling Act and the association's governing documents.

4th District Court of Appeal, Insurance Law, Litigation

People ex rel. Henggeler v. Dauod — Insurance-Fraud Qui Tam Suit Survives Public-Disclosure Bar Even When Based on Trial Testimony

automatic / January 6, 2026

Fourth District holds the public-disclosure bar in California's Insurance Frauds Prevention Act stops a qui tam plaintiff only when the suit is based on publicly disclosed allegations or transactions of fraud — not when it merely uses publicly available information.

1st District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Environmental Law, Litigation

In re Fuel Industry Climate Cases — California Has Specific Personal Jurisdiction Over Out-of-State Oil Company in Climate-Damages Suit

automatic / January 5, 2026

First District holds California courts may exercise specific personal jurisdiction over Citgo Petroleum in coordinated climate-damages litigation brought by California cities and counties, based on Citgo's longstanding gasoline supply contracts with California retailers.

4th District Court of Appeal, Administrative Law, Litigation

American Medical Response of Inland Empire v. County of San Bernardino — County Had Discretion to Pick a Different EMS Bidder Even When AMR Scored Highest

automatic / January 5, 2026

Fourth District reverses a preliminary injunction that had blocked San Bernardino County from awarding its exclusive EMS contract to a fire-services bidder over incumbent AMR, holding the County retained discretion to weigh proposals and was not required to advance only the highest-scoring bid.

4th District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law, Litigation

People v. Aguilar — Conviction Reversed Where Prosecutor Struck Latina Juror Without Substantial Evidence of Confusion

automatic / January 2, 2026

Fourth District reverses a multi-count conviction because the trial court accepted, without substantial supporting evidence, the prosecution's stated reason for striking the only Latina juror under amended Code of Civil Procedure section 231.7.