Judicial Profile
Judge Erin E. Guy Castillo has been a champion for her Central Valley community
MCLE
Workaholic and worn out: Don't let work stress lead you astray
Lawyers are among the professions most vulnerable to alco...
By Alanna G. Clair, Shari L. KlevensInformal discovery conferences in California courts
The sunsetting of California's informal discovery confere...
By Stuart M. RiceTax triage for LA fire victims
Navigating the tax implications of insurance proceeds aft...
By Alex Z. Brown, Robert W. WoodSpecial Coverage
Immigration
San Francisco, Santa Clara County say they will sue Trump over immigration
By James Twomey
San Francisco and Santa Clara County sue President Trump over an executive order targeting sanctuary cities, alleging federal ...
Special Reports
Leading Commercial Litigators 2025
The annual supplement honoring the top performing bet-the-company litigators across the country.
Today's News
Government, Immigration
Newsom signs budget bills with sharp message on immigration legal aid
By Malcolm Maclachlan
The verbiage addresses an ongoing debate Democrats had as they debated the bill.
Land Use, Civil Rights
Church sues Santa Ana over permit denial
By Devon Belcher
Anchor Stone Christian Church sued Santa Ana, claiming the city misled them into buying property and then denied a permit for religious use, violating their ...
Intellectual Property
Court allows company claims to proceed in OpenAI v Ravine
By Wisdom Howell
A judge dismissed personal trademark claims against OpenAI's CEO and president but allowed the lawsuit against the company to move forward in a dispute with...
Civil Litigation, LA Fires
Attorneys push back on Edison's Eaton fire claims
By Skyler Romero
Lawyers representing Altadena residents challenge Southern California Edison's claims of evidence that throws into doubt suggestions their equipment didn't s...
Government
Elon Musk's secretive task force faces the same legal firestorm that engulfed Hillary Clinton
By John Roemer
Open government advocates argue that Elon Musk's unelected influence mirrors the closed-door decision-making that doomed Hillary Clinton's health care change...
Judges and Judiciary, Civil Litigation
Attorney re-added to vexatious litigant list after brief respite
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Attorney Graham E. Berry was briefly removed from California's vexatious litigant list after 24 years by one Los Angeles judge, but another reinstated him du...
Columns
Insurance
Shining light on Proposition 103 by the California Department of Insurance
By Michael Rosenfield
California's Bulletin 2024-14 clarifies Proposition 103, outlining insurers' duties on lowest premiums, rate filings, credit c...
Family
What to know about children's health insurance during a divorce
By Emily Faye Robinson
In California divorces involving minor children, courts require parents to address health insurance coverage, ensuring continu...
Alternative Dispute Resolution
A mediator's perspective on standard of care
By Gary N. Stern
In health care negligence cases, the "standard of care" is rarely disputed in mediation. Expert testimony usually aligns, so t...
Verdicts & Settlements
Bad Faith | Passport 420, LLC; Spring C... | $21,581,371 |
Consumer Protection | Ralph Milan and Elizabeth A... | $12,000,000 |
Consumers Legal Remedies Act | Anne Moulton, individually ... | $3,000,000 |
Wage and Hour | Tiffany Soliman, on behalf ... | $2,425,000 |
Wage and Hour | Lucas Andrews and Lauren An... | $2,026,613 |
Disability Discrimination | Joann Sakurada v. Keyes Com... | $1,514,000 |
Wage and Hour | Michelle Mason v. Eastwestp... | $1,200,000 |
Wage and Hour | Daija Walker and Adam Joy, ... | $1,104,807 |
Wage and Hour | Jason Beinbrech, individual... | $1,100,000 |
Malpractice | Doe Minor v. Roe Physician | $990,000 |
On the Move
Judicate West

Michael Strauss joined Judicate West as a neutral in Los Angeles. The move was Feb. 6, 2025.
Details
Judicate West has 88 attorneys in 6 offices including Downtown LA, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, Santa Ana, West LA/Century City. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are alternative dispute resolution. The firm’s website is https://www.judicatewest.com/
Featured Content
Eight key factors that make early mediation a valuable tool in civil cases
JAMS neutral reflects on her career, what inspires her and what brought her back to JAMS after 20 years on the bench
Alternative Dispute Resolution
Community News
Slideshow, Community News
OCBA held its Judges' Night and Annual Meeting
By Ricardo Pineda
Mei Tsang of Umberg/Zipser was sworn in as OCBA president, along with the 2025 board of directors.
Attorney Profiles
Estate Planning and Probate Directory
A comprehensive directory of estate planning and probate attorneys throughout California.
Podcasts
In this compelling season premiere of In the Public Interest, three distinguished WilmerHale experts dive into the comp...
Daily Appellate Report
Torts
I.C. v. Compton Unified School District
Substantial evidence supported defense verdict on school district's liability after plaintiff suffered an injury as a result of a teacher's attempt to break up a fight.
Torts
Hay v. Marinkovich
Although prevailing defendants in civil actions under Penal Code Section 502 may be awarded their reasonable attorney's fees, they may not recover where the plaintiff's claim was not friv...
Civil Procedure
Elmi v. Related Management Co., L.P.
Code of Civil Procedure Section 998 limits only prejudgment costs and fees--not costs and fees incurred to enforce a judgment.
Insurance, Contracts
Gharibian v. Wawanesa General Insurance Company
Debris from a nearby wildfire falling onto an insured property did not constitute physical loss.
Criminal Law and Procedure
Stubblefield v. Superior Court (People)
Following a reversed and vacated conviction, a petitioner was entitled to file a motion for release prior to the remittur being issued.