Rebuilding LA:
The Daily Journal's fire coverage portal
Judicial Profile
Judge Steve Cochran balances his LA court with discipline, wit, human touch
MCLE
Uninsured drivers beware, the law isn't on your side
California raised its minimum auto insurance limits in J...
By Reza Torkzadeh, Allen P. WilkinsonWhat you do after hours can cost you your license
Attorneys' ethical obligations extend beyond the courtroo...
By Alanna G. Clair, Shari L. KlevensAI wins in court as book training deemed fair use
In a matter of days, two federal courts allowed the use o...
By Edward D. Lanquist, Dominic Rota
Today's News
A fourth trial is set in MGA's trade dress dispute with OMG Girlz after a judge reduced a $71.5M award to $18M, citing insufficient evidence of willfulness b...
Legal Education
Plan to fold Lincoln Law into San Jose State revised amid money troubles
By Malcolm Maclachlan
SB 550 would create a six-year pilot offering legal coursework and a shared law degree, with hopes of expanding public access to the legal profession.
Civil Litigation
4 counties' silicosis cases likely to have one LA judge
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
One Los Angeles County judge is likely to oversee coordinated silicosis lawsuits from four California counties, following the asbestos model, despite defense...
Intellectual Property, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
9th Circuit weighs tattoo copyright dispute between Kat Von D and photographer
By Craig Anderson
Photographer Jeffrey Sedlik argues that Katherine Von Drachenberg, known as Kat Von D, copied the photo of jazz musician Miles Davis without getting a license
Mark Geragos' attorneys in malpractice trial accuse opposing counsel of bullying while judge pleads for less repetitive questioning.
Ethics/Professional Responsibility, Civil Litigation
$6M in fees awarded in homeowner dispute, judge says defense lied
By James Twomey
A Santa Clara judge awarded $6 million in attorney fees to plaintiffs in a six-year HOA dispute, citing deception by defendants. The case led to a State Bar ...
Columns
Technology
The AI thirst trap: scrutiny builds around water-hungry data centers
By Lori Anne Dolqueist
AI promises to revolutionize water management -- but the data centers powering it may drain the very resources it aims to cons...
Alternative Dispute Resolution
The hidden power of mediating early
By Michael A. Jacobs
Mediation timing is about more than readiness -- it's a strategic balance of opportunity and risk that today's practitioners m...
Technology
Is brainless use of AI turning attorney's brains to mush?
By Anita Taff-Rice
An MIT study shows that reliance on AI alone reduces cognitive function, but AI plus brainpower yields superior results
Verdicts & Settlements
| Clean Air Act | California Air Resources Bo... | $82,000,000 |
| Auto v. Tractor-Trailer | Juanita Cerrato, by and thr... | $18,574,222 |
| Dangerous Condition of Public Property | Jan Svallingson, individual... | $6,735,102 |
| Malpractice | Pediatric Hospitalist v. Ro... | $4,875,000 |
| Premises Liability | Denise Wood v. St. Mary Med... | $3,370,250 |
| Negligence | Krystal Slocum v. Anaheim U... | $1,987,500 |
| Breach of Contract | Ken Houang, et al. v. Roche... | $1,861,380 |
| Wage and Hour | Michael Pearson, individual... | $1,350,000 |
| Deprivation of Rights | Christina Astorga v. City o... | $1,250,000 |
| Clean Air Act | Bay Area Air Quality Manage... | $575,000 |
On the Move
Orrick
Jade Turner-Bond joined Orrick as a partner in Los Angeles. The move was Jul. 2, 2025.
Details
Orrick has 994 attorneys in 25 offices including Sacramento, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Orange County.. Among the law firm’s key practice areas are Technology & Innovation, Energy & Infrastructure, Finance, Life Sciences & Healthtech.. The firm’s website is https://www.orrick.com/
Featured Content
There is a time and place for everything--including a time to mediate an insurance coverage or bad faith claim.
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
Community News
Slideshow, Community News
Brian Panish honored at Consumer Watchdog's $2M Rage for Justice gala
By Ricardo Pineda
Daily Appellate Report
Criminal Law and Procedure
Modification: People v. Munoz
Despite not requiring unanimity amongst jurors as to which specific overt act was required for conspiracy to commit murder, jury instructions did not violate Sixth Amendment.
Criminal Law and Procedure
People v. Valle
Statute criminalizing possession of "sharp instruments" by prisoners was not unconstitutionally vague as applied to defendant who hid a sharpened piece of plastic in his mattress.
Criminal Law and Procedure
U.S. v. Petrushkin
Mere possession of a firearm was insufficient to trigger the application of U.S. Sentencing Guideline section 2K2.1(c)(1), for possession in connection with the commission of another offe...
Criminal Law and Procedure
People v. Brinson
Because Penal Code section 1171 did not override Penal Code section 1172.1(c), trial court's decision not to act on recall and resentencing request was nonappealable.
Civil Procedure
CFP BDA, LLC v. Superior Court (Bedford)
Timely motion for summary judgment must be heard regardless of local court rules or calendaring issues.