California

  • January 30, 2026

    9th Circ. Says DOJ Can Withhold VW Grand Jury Records

    The Ninth Circuit on Friday held that the U.S. Department of Justice couldn't be forced to hand over about 6 million Volkswagen documents that were part of a Jones Day investigation into the automaker's 2015 emissions-cheating scandal, as the government obtained them through a grand jury subpoena.

  • January 30, 2026

    Impossible Foods' CLO, 2 Execs To Lead As CEO Steps Down

    Impossible Foods CEO Peter McGuinness has stepped down from his role and the company's operations will now be run by its three-person executive leadership team comprising chief legal and operating officer Jason Gao, its chief demand officer and its chief supply officer, the company announced on Friday.

  • January 30, 2026

    CBD Cos. Say They're Wrong Defendants In Kratom Suit

    Shaman Botanicals LLC and CBD American Shaman LLC are urging a California federal judge to throw out claims that they mislead consumers by failing to warn them that Soma Kratom products are dangerous and addictive, saying they're not affiliated with Soma Kratom in the first place.

  • January 30, 2026

    Startup Founder Ran $37M 'Ponzi-Like' Scheme, SEC Says

    A Silicon Valley software startup owner faces U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission claims he defrauded at least 100 would-be investors as he raised $37 million, using their money to cover his and his company's expenses in a Ponzi-like scheme.

  • January 30, 2026

    Google Says Publishers Shouldn't 'Hijack' AI Copyright Suit

    Google told a California federal judge that publishers Hachette Book Group and Cengage Learning can file their own case if they want to allege copyright infringement, but should not be allowed to "hijack" an ongoing class action over Google's alleged use of copyrighted material to train artificial intelligence.

  • January 30, 2026

    Drugmakers Ask To Appeal Overarching Conspiracy Claim

    A group of pharmaceutical companies that failed to secure a pretrial win on an overarching conspiracy claim in a sprawling generic-drug antitrust enforcement action is asking a Connecticut federal judge to let them seek Second Circuit review, saying the ruling raises a novel legal issue.

  • January 30, 2026

    9th Circ. Bars Coast Guard Suit Over Conception Boat Fire

    A split panel of the Ninth Circuit Friday affirmed a California federal judge's decision to dismiss wrongful death litigation that the families of 34 people killed by a fire on the dive boat MV Conception had brought against the government.

  • January 30, 2026

    9th Circ. Allows Nevada Inmate's COVID Yard Restriction Case

    A Nevada prison inmate who says he was denied almost all access to the outdoors for over a year during the COVID-19 pandemic in violation of his constitutional rights may continue his case against the warden who he claims kept his protective segregation unit indoors unlawfully, the Ninth Circuit has affirmed.

  • January 30, 2026

    Bill Regulating Attorney AI Use Passes California Senate

    A proposed California law that would regulate attorneys and arbitrators' use of generative artificial intelligence statewide has headed to the Assembly after the state Senate unanimously approved the measure.

  • January 30, 2026

    Paramount Taps DC Lobbyist To Lead US Policy Operations

    Paramount Skydance Corp. has picked a Washington, D.C., lobbyist and former staffer to several Republican senators to lead its U.S. policy operations.

  • January 30, 2026

    Feds Say Alleged $100K H-1B Fee Harm Only Speculative

    The Trump administration asked a California federal judge to dismiss a suit challenging President Donald Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee, arguing it rests upon multiple what-ifs that deprive the groups that challenged the fee of standing.

  • January 30, 2026

    1st Circ. Upholds Atty's 7-Year Sentence In Email Fraud Case

    A panel of the First Circuit has affirmed a more than seven-year prison term and $2 million restitution order for an Illinois lawyer convicted of collecting proceeds from a romance and real estate email fraud scheme.

  • January 30, 2026

    DOJ Requires Divestitures For Reddy Ice-Arctic Glacier Tie-Up

    The U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division is forcing Reddy Ice to divest assets in five geographic areas in order to win approval for a $126 million acquisition of competitor Arctic Glacier.

  • January 30, 2026

    Amazon Says Shoppers' Labeling Suit Is Corrupted By AI Errors

    In customers' latest filing in their proposed class action accusing Amazon of failing to make required disclosures on dietary supplement product pages, the e-commerce giant alleges that the plaintiffs have submitted a document riddled with errors derived from the use of generative text.

  • January 30, 2026

    Blackstone-Backed Liftoff Mobile Joins Growing IPO Pipeline

    Private equity-backed technology firm Liftoff Mobile has launched plans to raise an estimated $711 million in its initial public offering, joining a crowded pipeline of IPO prospects that are slated to go public during the first week of February.

  • January 30, 2026

    Singer Sues Over 'Furious 7' Song Royalties In Calif.

    A musician who says he provided vocals on the song "See You Again" used in the film "Furious 7" as a send off to actor Paul Walker and his character Brian O'Conner has filed a lawsuit in California federal court claiming he wasn't properly compensated for his work.

  • January 30, 2026

    Tribe's Cannabis Raid Claims Largely Survive Dismissal

    A California federal judge has denied the bulk of two motions to dismiss a suit from the Round Valley Indian Tribes and three of its members alleging that their properties were illegally raided for growing cannabis, dismissing only the claims that law enforcement officers didn't have jurisdiction over the properties.

  • January 29, 2026

    Fitness App Must Face Trimmed Suit Over Tracking Cookies

    A California federal judge cut several wiretap and fraud claims from a proposed class action accusing MyFitnessPal of allowing third parties to track the browsing activities of website visitors who rejected the use of tracking cookies while allowing the plaintiffs to proceed with invasion of privacy and two other allegations.

  • January 29, 2026

    Boies Schiller Hits Meta With Arbitration Bids Over Addiction

    Boies Schiller Flexner LLP on Thursday filed nine arbitration demands against Meta Platforms Inc. on behalf of young Instagram users, claiming that the social media company's products are harmful and intentionally designed to hook young people.

  • January 29, 2026

    OppFi Says It's Not Pulling Calif. 'Dummy Lender' Scheme

    An attorney for Opportunity Financial LLC urged a Los Angeles state judge Thursday to toss a California regulator's claims that it uses a Utah bank partner to dodge state regulations, saying it's not part of a "dummy lender" scheme and the court has all the information it needs to end the case.

  • January 29, 2026

    Costco Sued Over 'No Preservatives' Roast Chicken Ads

    A pair of Golden State consumers have hit Washington-based Costco Wholesale Corp. with a proposed class action in California federal court, accusing the company of falsely advertising its popular $4.99 rotisserie chicken as preservative free despite containing two chemicals — sodium phosphate and carrageenan — which allegedly function like preservatives.

  • January 29, 2026

    Apple Dodges Users' Deposition In Google Antitrust Case

    A California federal judge has quashed a Christmas Eve deposition subpoena that sought information from Apple Inc. concerning dealings with Google LLC, saying users who accused Google of suppressing rival search engines through anticompetitive deals had no valid reason for the subpoena.

  • January 29, 2026

    3 Fed. Circ. Clashes To Watch In February

    The Federal Circuit's argument calendar for next month includes the latest round of the patent slugfest between VLSI Technology and Intel Corp. as well as a patent owner's bid to escape a ruling that it must pay $4 million in attorney fees for a "baseless" suit against EMC Corp.

  • January 29, 2026

    Apple Aims To Boot Anti-Moonlighting Suit To Arbitration

    Apple Inc. urged a Seattle federal judge to throw out a former employee's proposed class action accusing the company of unlawfully barring lower-wage workers from taking second jobs, arguing that plaintiff Gabriel Fisher gave up his right to sue when he signed an arbitration agreement included in his job offer.

  • January 29, 2026

    ITC Judge Clears Innoscience's Redesigned Semiconductor

    The U.S. International Trade Commission's 2025 decision that Innoscience's semiconductor imports infringe one of Infineon Technologies' patents was made public Thursday, revealing Innoscience has a path to avoid any upcoming ban.

Expert Analysis

  • How A 9th Circ. False Ad Ruling Could Shift Class Certification

    Author Photo

    The Ninth Circuit's July decision in Noohi v. Johnson & Johnson, holding that unexecuted damages models may suffice for purposes of class certification, has the potential to create judicial inefficiencies and crippling uncertainties for class action defendants, say attorneys at Alston & Bird.

  • What To Know About Interim Licenses In Global FRAND Cases

    Author Photo

    Recent U.K. court decisions have shaped a framework for interim licenses in global standard-essential patent disputes, under which parties can benefit from operating on temporary terms while a court determines the final fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms — but the future of this developing remedy is in doubt, say attorneys at Fish & Richardson.

  • 5 Crisis Lawyering Skills For An Age Of Uncertainty

    Author Photo

    As attorneys increasingly face unprecedented and pervasive situations — from prosecutions of law enforcement officials to executive orders targeting law firms — they must develop several essential competencies of effective crisis lawyering, says Ray Brescia at Albany Law School.

  • Compliance Tips Amid Rising FTC Scrutiny Of Minors' Privacy

    Author Photo

    The Federal Trade Commission has recently rolled out multiple enforcement actions related to children's privacy, highlighting a renewed focus on federal regulation of minors' personal information and the evolving challenges of establishing effective, privacy-protective age assurance solutions, say attorneys at Nelson Mullins.

  • Insights From Recent Cases On Navigating Snap Removal

    Author Photo

    Snap removal, which allows defendants to transfer state court cases to federal court before a forum defendant is properly joined and served, is viewed differently across federal circuits — but keys to making it work can be drawn from recent decisions critiquing the practice, say attorneys at Perkins Coie.

  • Opinion

    It's Time For The Judiciary To Fix Its Cybersecurity Problem

    Author Photo

    After recent reports that hackers have once again infiltrated federal courts’ electronic case management systems, the judiciary should strengthen its cybersecurity practices in line with executive branch standards, outlining clear roles and responsibilities for execution, says Ilona Cohen at HackerOne.

  • Workday Case Shows Auditing AI Hiring Tools Is Crucial

    Author Photo

    Following a California federal court's recent decisions in Mobley v. Workday signaling that both employers and vendors could be held liable for discriminatory outcomes from artificial intelligence hiring tools, companies should consider two rigorous auditing methods to detect and mitigate bias, says Hossein Borhani at Charles River Associates.

  • Tips For Cos. Crafting Enforceable Online Arbitration Clauses

    Author Photo

    Recent rulings from the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California indicate that courts are carefully examining the enforceability of online arbitration clauses, so businesses should review the design of their websites and consider specific language next to the "purchase" button, say attorneys at DTO Law.

  • 7 Lessons From The Tractor Supply CCPA Enforcement Action

    Author Photo

    The California Privacy Protection Agency's recent enforcement action targeting Tractor Supply for alleged violations of the California Consumer Privacy Act provides critical insights into the compliance areas that remain a priority for the California regulator, including businesses with significant consumer interactions, say attorneys at Troutman.

  • Parody Defendants Are Finding Success Post-Jack Daniel's

    Author Photo

    Recent decisions demonstrate that, although the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Jack Daniel's v. VIP Products did benefit trademark plaintiffs by significantly limiting the First Amendment expressive use defense, courts also now appear to be less likely to find a parodic work likely to cause confusion, says Andrew Michaels at University of Houston Law Center.

  • Series

    Writing Novels Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Writing my debut novel taught me to appreciate the value of critique and to never give up, no matter how long or tedious the journey, providing me with valuable skills that I now emphasize in my practice, says Daniel Buzzetta at BakerHostetler.

  • Trader Joe's Ruling Highlights Trademark Infringement Trends

    Author Photo

    The Ninth Circuit's recent decision in Trader Joe's Co. v. Trader Joe's United explores the legal boundaries between a union's right to advocate for workers and the protection of a brand's intellectual property, and illustrates a growing trend of courts disfavoring early dismissal of trademark infringement claims in the context of expressive speech, say attorneys at Mitchell Silberberg.

  • SDNY OpenAI Order Clarifies Preservation Standards For AI

    Author Photo

    The Southern District of New York’s recent order in the OpenAI copyright infringement litigation, denying discovery of The New York Times' artificial intelligence technology use, clarifies that traditional preservation benchmarks apply to AI content, relieving organizations from using a “keep everything” approach, says Philip Favro at Favro Law.

  • What 9th Circ.'s Rosenwald Ruling Means For Class Actions

    Author Photo

    The Ninth Circuit's recent decision in Rosenwald v. Kimberly-Clark has important implications around the Class Action Fairness Act and traditional diversity jurisdiction — both for plaintiff-side and defense-side class action litigators — and deepens the circuit split concerning the use of judicial notice to establish diversity, says Grace Schmidt at DTO Law.

  • Compliance Steps To Take As FCRA Enforcement Widens

    Author Photo

    As the Fair Credit Reporting Act receives renewed focus from both federal and state enforcers, regulatory and litigation risk is most acute in several core areas, which companies can address by implementing purpose processes and quick remediation of consumer complaints, among other steps, say attorneys at Wiley.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the California archive.