Starbuzz International Inc. has been trying to recoup $2.8 million in tobacco taxes for over eight years. Anti-tax groups see ...
Litigation & Arbitration
2023 saw biggest drop in patent cases in a decade, study finds
By Sunidhi Sridhar
The recent decrease in filings is likely caused, at least in part, by the drop in cases filed by high-volume plaintiffs, accor...
Civil Litigation
Civil appeals mediation program debuts in 4th District
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
“People should have free access to mediating their case rather than going into a high-conflict situation. Instead of litigatio...
U.S. Supreme Court
Coinbase’s fight over arbitration returns to Supreme Court
By Craig Anderson
The dispute involves two different contracts, and Coinbase argues that it is covered by the same user agreement under the Fede...
Wills, Estates & Trusts, Ethics/Professional Responsibility
2 top firms accused of helping lawyer steal from 28 trusts
By Skyler Romero
The lawsuit says attorneys from the firms knew their client was misappropriating money from the trusts he was responsible for ...
“We saw that the Privette doctrine could be a possible defense. It’s a really positive policy for defendants and the Supreme C...
Real Estate/Development, Contracts
Trial in longrunning dispute between brothers nears close
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
It may be the oldest running lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court and billions of dollars are at stake.
"Consumers have been misled, induced, and defrauded into spending money and thus harmed by defendants' fraudulent misrepresent...
Ethics/Professional Responsibility
Judge asked to reconsider sanctions motion against USF lawyer
By Wisdom Howell
Community Initiatives accused the University of San Francisco’s attorney, Allen Gomes of Anderies & Gomes LLP, of “abusing...
Criminal
Newsom sends state attorneys to Oakland to aid in prosecutions of emergency CHP operations
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
A preliminary annual report shows violent crime in Oakland rose 21%, robbery increased 38%, and vehicle theft increased 45% in...
Attorney Herman Franck said the four plaintiffs are involved in a political movement whose goal is to create a “Hmong homeland...
Environmental & Energy
Inverse condemnation action to proceed against utility
By Skyler Romero
“In a bizarre reversal of the California Takings Clause’s command that ‘private property may be taken or damaged for a public ...
Real Estate/Development, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
Judge to decide on pausing housing suit
By Sunidhi Sridhar
Accused of enacting unconstitutional ordinances restricting homeless camps, the San Francisco city attorney’s office insisted ...
Criminal
Democratic mayors support DAs’ initiative to reverse part of Prop 47
By Craig Anderson
The endorsements for a reversal of some of the provisions — by San Francisco Mayor London Breed and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan ...
Civil Litigation
Judge: Attorney 'recklessly' raised settlement talks before jury
By Devon Belcher
“As an experienced attorney, Mr. Forman should have known better than to make reference to settlement when the opposing party ...
Government
Legislators with law degrees to head several key Senate committees
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Among the most important changes was Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who will head the Senate Budget Committee as the stat...
Real Estate/Development
Brother accused of taking family's wealth in final arguments
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
According to his lawsuit, Shashikant Jogani used loans from his brothers to purchase and rehabilitate hundreds of apartment un...
Law Practice
Former AUSA joins Greenberg Traurig white-collar defense practice
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
Ivy A. Wang joined the firm as a shareholder, reunited with Thomas P. O'Brien, the former U.S. attorney in Los Angeles.
Neutral Joseph Lovretovich draws on 40 years in employment law to connect with parties.
Real Estate/Development
Brother never intended to honor verbal agreement, jury told
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Shashi Jogani used loans from his four brothers to purchase and rehabilitate hundreds of apartment units on their behalf, expe...
Torts/Personal Injury
DoorDash faces punitive damages for accident that killed Chinese tourist
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
Driver testified in a deposition that he was distracted by the DoorDash navigation app on his phone when he slammed into a Chi...
Government
San Francisco judge is asked to reconsider motion for sanctions
By Wisdom Howell
"Who would like to tell me why I am wrong?" the judge said, opening a hearing on his tentative ruling. The moving attorney spo...
Insurance
William Shernoff marks 50 years as father of bad faith insurance law
By Laurinda Keys
“It’s a living, breathing new tort that is not so new anymore,” William Shernoff said of bad faith insurance, which was born w...
Family, Community News
Buhai Center family law nonprofit names new leader
By David Houston
The nonprofit said Stacy Horth-Neubert’s background in pro bono legal service and equal justice advocacy positions her well to...
Antitrust & Trade Reg.
Apple prevails in antitrust suit over heart rate app
By Sunidhi Sridhar
AliveCor’s lawsuit challenged Apple’s ability to improve important capabilities of the Apple Watch that consumers and develope...
Law Practice, Judges and Judiciary
Retired Napa County judge joins ADR Services Inc.’s panel of neutrals
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
“Clients seem to really appreciate the simplicity and transparency of ADR Services’ business model,” retired Judge Victoria Wo...
Government, Administrative/Regulatory
Fired Oakland police chief sues city for ousting him
By Wisdom Howell
LeRonne Armstrong’s attorneys accused the mayor of firing him after he publicly criticized an investigation led by federal mon...
Labor/Employment
Musk gets nothing for funding lawsuit against Disney, lawyer says
By Devon Belcher
“They’re not taking a percentage of the recovery and they’re, you know, not demanding that the legal expenses that they devote...
Government
Biden nominates Sacramento County judge for seat on Eastern District
By Craig Anderson
Judge Dena Coggins, who is presiding judge of juvenile court in Sacramento County, was picked to fill the position being vacat...
Judges and Judiciary
Humboldt County judge accused of groping, anti-Semitic comments
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Judge Gregory J. Elvine-Kreis has denied the Commission on Judicial Performance accusations. His attorney said most of them da...