California

  • June 13, 2025

    Judge Blocks Trump Voting Order Requiring Citizenship Proof

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Friday blocked enforcement of what she called a likely unconstitutional Trump administration executive order requiring physical proof of citizenship to vote and invalidating ballots received after Election Day, saying the president lacks authority to override existing voting laws.

  • June 12, 2025

    Calif. Insurance Chief Probes State Farm's Wildfire Coverage

    California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced Thursday that he is launching an investigation into State Farm's handling of thousands of claims from the devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires, as complaints continue to grow.

  • June 12, 2025

    Kate Beckinsale Sues Over 'Dangerous' 'Canary Black' Set

    Kate Beckinsale has sued the producers of action-thriller film "Canary Black" over allegedly "unsafe and dangerous conditions" during filming that left her with "severe and debilitating injuries," according to an amended complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

  • June 12, 2025

    Ex-UPS Workers Urge 9th Circ. To Revive State Law Claims

    An attorney for some former United Parcel Service workers urged a Ninth Circuit panel Thursday to undo a decision barring them from proceeding with some state employment claims because the workers memorialized them on union grievance forms, telling the panel the claims aren't preempted by federal law.

  • June 12, 2025

    Google Again Asks To Trim Yelp's Antitrust Suit

    Google is once again asking a California federal judge to trim Yelp's case accusing it of monopolizing the local search market, arguing that the reworked complaint doesn't fix deficiencies the court pointed out in a dismissal order earlier this year.

  • June 12, 2025

    'I Want Names': YouTube Attys' MDL Redactions Face Scrutiny

    A California federal magistrate judge ordered YouTube on Thursday to provide him with unredacted versions of documents it produced in sprawling multidistrict litigation over claims social media is addictive, and demanded that YouTube identify counsel who made its relevance-redaction determinations, saying. "I want names and I want teams."

  • June 12, 2025

    Holmes Seeks 2 Year Cut, Commits To Criminal Justice Work

    Elizabeth Holmes has asked a California federal judge to knock two years off her 11-year prison sentence, arguing she's eligible for the adjustment under sentencing guidelines and has spent her time behind bars tutoring and advocating for her fellow prisoners.

  • June 12, 2025

    Trump's Deployment Of National Guard Illegal, Judge Says

    A California federal judge on Thursday granted California's request for a temporary restraining order blocking President Donald Trump's order sending the National Guard into Los Angeles, calling the president's actions "illegal" and unconstitutional, but the decision was quickly paused by the Ninth Circuit.

  • June 12, 2025

    USPTO Tells Fed. Circ. Not To Review Ruling In Xencor Case

    The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has found that the full Federal Circuit doesn't need to review a decision rejecting Xencor Inc.'s application for an antibody patent, saying that a panel of the appellate court applied the right standard.

  • June 12, 2025

    'My Big Coin' Operators To Pay $26M To End CFTC Claims

    The Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced that the alleged orchestrators of the My Big Coin digital asset fraud scheme that swindled over $6 million from 28 investors will hand over $25.7 million to end claims against them.

  • June 12, 2025

    Ohio Law Bars Cities' Negligence Claims Against Hyundai, Kia

    A California federal court sided with Hyundai and Kia by finding that an Ohio products liability law bars negligence claims from five Ohio cities in sprawling multidistrict litigation alleging the automakers knowingly sold vehicles with design flaws that resulted in a car theft crime spree.

  • June 12, 2025

    Calif. Sues Trump Over 'Wildly Partisan' EV Waiver Repeal

    The California attorney general and 10 other states sued the Trump administration in federal court Thursday, minutes after President Donald Trump signed resolutions repealing California's Clean Air Act waiver that allowed the state to establish its own vehicle emissions standards, slamming the resolutions as unconstitutional, irrational and "wildly partisan."

  • June 12, 2025

    Stranded Asylum-Seekers Sue Trump Over Border Closure

    A proposed class of asylum-seekers stranded in Mexico has sued the Trump administration, arguing there is no legal basis to shut down the southern U.S. border to people who are entitled under U.S. law to apply for asylum when they arrive in the U.S. or at the border.

  • June 12, 2025

    9th Circ. Says Brazilian Didn't Get Fair Shake In Asylum Request

    The Ninth Circuit has revived a Brazilian woman's asylum claim, saying neither the Board of Immigration Appeals nor an immigration judge appropriately considered how the danger she faced in her home country stopped her from practicing her religion freely.

  • June 12, 2025

    Athletes Revive Title IX Objections In NIL Settlement Appeal

    Eight female former and current college athletes who previously objected to the Title IX implications of the $2.78 billion settlement between the NCAA and a class of former athletes seeking past name, image and likeness pay have appealed the final approval of the settlement, granted just last Friday, to the Ninth Circuit.

  • June 12, 2025

    Avenatti Sheds 3 Years After 9th Circ. Orders Resentencing

    A California federal judge on Thursday resentenced disbarred attorney Michael Avenatti to just over 11 years in federal prison for filching millions of dollars from his clients' settlement funds, reducing a 14-year sentence overturned by the Ninth Circuit and leaving Avenatti with about eight years left after time served.

  • June 12, 2025

    Calif. Casinos Seek Coverage For Tribes' Gambling Suits

    California casino operators said they are entitled to defense coverage for suits brought by several tribes over their gambling operations, telling a federal court that their insurer has denied coverage based on policy exclusions that do not apply and has failed to conduct a proper investigation of their claims.

  • June 12, 2025

    Weinstein Sex Abuse Trial Ends After Mixed, Partial Verdict

    Harvey Weinstein's sexual abuse retrial ended Thursday with a Manhattan jury failing to reach a verdict on a count alleging the movie mogul raped an actress, one day after he was convicted of forcing sex on a production assistant and cleared on a third charge.

  • June 11, 2025

    Ex-Google Engineer Loses Bid To Toss AI Espionage Counts

    A California federal judge has refused to toss economic espionage charges against an ex-Google engineer accused of stealing artificial intelligence trade secrets to help startups in China, adding that prosecutors' assertion that the man was trying to benefit the People's Republic of China "as opposed to benefiting himself ... seems dubious."

  • June 11, 2025

    Judge Unlikely To Add Migrant Orgs. To Sanctuary Cities Suit

    A California federal judge Wednesday said he wasn't inclined to allow three Los Angeles-based immigrant organizations to intervene in a lawsuit brought by U.S. cities and counties challenging the Trump administration's targeting of sanctuary jurisdictions, saying it could "impede and complicate the case without any real benefit."

  • June 11, 2025

    9th Circ. Doubts Kleenex Ad Fight Belongs In District Court

    Two judges on a Ninth Circuit panel doubted Wednesday that they have jurisdictional authority to revive a putative class action alleging Kimberly-Clark Corp.'s Kleenex Wet Wipes Germ Removal products mislead consumers about its ability to kill germs, saying repeatedly that the consumers' complaint has not met their burden to establish jurisdiction.

  • June 11, 2025

    Micron's National Security Arguments Fall Flat At PTAB

    The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has said it will consider patent validity challenges that Micron Technology Inc. and Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. brought against each other, overriding the competing semiconductor companies' efforts to escape scrutiny, including Micron's national security arguments.

  • June 11, 2025

    Acura Drivers' Attys Get $8.5M In Bluetooth Device Settlement

    A California federal judge has granted final approval to a deal between a class of Acura drivers and American Honda Motor Co., settling claims over alleged defects in vehicles' Bluetooth hands-free systems and awarding class counsel $8.56 million in attorney fees — an amount reduced from the attorneys' original $10.9 million request.

  • June 11, 2025

    9th Circ. Backs Reddit Win In WallStreetBets Creator's TM Suit

    The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday refused to revive WallStreetBets subreddit founder Jaime Rogozinski's lawsuit accusing Reddit Inc. of hijacking his creation and infringing his right to trademark the brand, saying in an unpublished opinion that Rogozinski failed to adequately plead ownership over the brand mark.

  • June 11, 2025

    PTAB Issues Mixed Group Of Discretionary Denial Decisions

    The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has invoked its discretion to free Nike Inc. and Cleveland Medical Devices from having their patents scrutinized, but refused to do so for Vermeer Manufacturing Co.

Expert Analysis

  • As Failure-To-Warn Preemption Wanes, Justices May Weigh In

    Author Photo

    Federal preemption of state failure-to-warn claims has long been a powerful defense in strict liability tort cases, but is now under attack in litigation over the weedkiller Roundup and other products — so the scope and application of preemption may require clarification by the U.S. Supreme Court, says Michael Sena at Segal McCambridge.

  • How Design Thinking Can Help Lawyers Find Purpose In Work

    Author Photo

    Lawyers everywhere are feeling overwhelmed amid mass government layoffs, increasing political instability and a justice system stretched to its limits — but a design-thinking framework can help attorneys navigate this uncertainty and find meaning in their work, say law professors at the University of Michigan.

  • Biden-Era M&A Data Shows Continuity, Not Revolution

    Author Photo

    While the federal antitrust agencies under former President Joe Biden made broad claims about increasing merger enforcement activity, the data tells a different story, with key claims under Biden coming in at the lowest levels in decades, say attorneys at Covington.

  • Navigating Mortgage Insurance Provisions After LA Fires

    Author Photo

    As homeowners affected by the Los Angeles wildfires consider rebuilding, mortgage lenders and servicers must negotiate the complex intersection between the standard deed of trust and property insurance, says Heather Wright at Buchalter.

  • 4 Do's And Don'ts For Trial Lawyers Using Generative AI

    Author Photo

    Trial attorneys who use artificial intelligence tools should review a few key reminders, from the likelihood that prompts are discoverable to the rapid evolution of court rules, to safeguard against embarrassing missteps, says Nate Sabri at Perkins Coie.

  • Series

    Competitive Weightlifting Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    The parallels between the core principles required for competitive weightlifting and practicing law have helped me to excel in both endeavors, with each holding important lessons about discipline, dedication, drive and failure, says Damien Bielli at VF Law.

  • How Southern Calif. Fires Can Affect National, Local Pricing

    Author Photo

    The fire-related California state of emergency declared last month in Los Angeles and Ventura counties triggered laws around price-gouging and pricing restrictions that affect not just individuals and businesses in the state, but also nationwide, meaning sellers should be mindful of how price changes are discussed and rolled out, say attorneys at Proskauer.

  • The Case For Compliance During The Trump Administration

    Author Photo

    Given the Trump administration’s shifting white collar enforcement priorities, C-suite executives may have the natural instinct to pare back compliance initiatives, but there are several good reasons for companies to at least stay the course on their compliance programs, if not enhance them, say attorneys at Riley Safer.

  • Employer Tips For Wise Use Of Workers' Biometrics And Tech

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
    Author Photo

    Employers that collect employee biometric data and operate bring-your-own-device policies, which respectively offer better corporate security and more flexibility for workers, should prioritize certain best practices to protect the privacy and rights of employees and safeguard sensitive internal information, says Douglas Yang at Sheppard Mullin.

  • CFPB Small Biz Study Brings Fair Lending Considerations

    Author Photo

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's recent report highlighting potential racial discrimination in small business lending may not result in more aggressive enforcement under the Trump administration — but lenders can expect state regulators, private plaintiffs and advocacy groups to step up their own efforts, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

  • Expect To Feel Aftershocks Of Chopra's CFPB Shake-Up

    Author Photo

    Publications released by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau personnel in the last days of the Biden administration outline former Director Rohit Chopra's long-term vision for aggressive state-level enforcement of federal consumer financial laws, opening the doors for states to launch investigations and pursue actions, say attorneys at Hudson Cook.

  • The Rising Need For The Selective Prosecution Defense

    Author Photo

    In a political climate where criminal and civil prosecution on the basis of political affiliation, constitutionally protected speech or other arbitrary classification is increasingly likely, existing precedent shows why judges should be more open to allowing a selective prosecution defense, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • Opinion

    Inconsistent Injury-In-Fact Rules Hinder Federal Practice

    Author Photo

    A recent Third Circuit decision, contradicting a previous ruling about whether consumers of contaminated products have suffered an injury in fact, illustrates the deep confusion this U.S. Supreme Court standard creates among federal judges and practitioners, who deserve a simpler method of determining which cases have federal standing, says Eric Dwoskin at Dwoskin Wasdin.

  • What Financial Intermediaries Can Expect From New Admin

    Author Photo

    Understanding the current regulatory landscape of consumer financial services — and anticipating how it might evolve under Trump 2.0 — is essential for brokers, lead generators and digital platforms, and they should consider strategies for managing regulatory uncertainty, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

  • Virginia AI Bills Could Serve As Nationwide Model

    Author Photo

    If signed into law, two Virginia bills focused on regulating the use of high-risk AI systems in the private and public sectors have the potential to influence similar legislation in other states, as well as the compliance strategies of companies operating in the commonwealth and across the U.S., say attorneys at Woods Rogers.

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.