• Too Busy To Keep Up With the New CA Civil Case Law?
• Need to Know the Important New Civil Case Decisions in Your Practice Areas?

 Evidence

A question that can arise during trial is whether a party can use a discovery deposition, taken in an earlier action, under the hearsay exception in Evidence Code section 1291(a)(2). Last month, the California Supreme Court published a new decision addressing this issue. In the video above I briefly discuss this new case. Below is my summary of the case.

New Evidence Decision 

Berroteran v. Superior Court (2022) _ Cal.5th _ , 2022 WL 664719: The California...

• Too Busy To Keep Up With the New CA Civil Case Law?
• Should You Know the Important New Civil Case Decisions in Your Practice Areas?

 Torts

There are many immunities that can derail a plaintiff's tort case, and the recreational immunity is one of them. Last month, the Second District Court of Appeal published a new decision addressing whether a jogger who was training for a half-marathon was engaged in a recreational purpose. In the video above I briefly discuss this new case. Below is my summary of the case.

New Tort Decision 

Rucker v. WINCAL, LLC (2022) _ Cal.App.5th _ , 2022 WL 336718: The Court of Appeal...

• Too Busy To Keep Up With the New CA Civil Case Law?
• Should You Know the Important New Civil Case Decisions in Your Practice Areas?

 Probate

In probate actions a common issue facing the courts is whether an amendment to a revocable trust was valid. Last month, the First District Court of Appeal published a new decision addressing whether an amendment to a revocable trust was valid when it was not acknowledged by a notary public. In the video above I briefly discuss this new case. Below is my summary of this new case.

New Probate Decision 

Balistreri v. Balistreri (2022) _ Cal.App.5th _ , 2022 WL 557745: The...

• Too Busy To Keep Up With the New CA Civil Case Law?
• Should You Know the Important New Civil Case Decisions in Your Practice Areas?

 Employment

Actions under the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA; Labor Code, section 2698) are regularly addressed in the new published civil cases. Last month, the Second District Court of Appeal published a new decision addressing whether a party bringing a PAGA claim is entitled to a jury trial. In the video above I briefly discuss this new case. Below is my summary of this new case.

New Employment Decision 

LaFace v. Ralphs Grocery Co. (2022) _ Cal.App.5th _ , 2022 WL 498847:...

• Are You Too Busy To Keep Up With the New CA Civil Case Law?
• Do You Need to Know the Important New Civil Case Decisions in Your Practice Areas?

Arbitration

Arbitration, and whether it can be compelled, is constantly addressed in the new published case law. Last month, the Fifth District Court of Appeal published a new decision addressing this issue. In the video above I briefly discuss this new case. Below is my summary of this new case.

New Arbitration Decision 

Eminence Healthcare, Inc. v. Centuri Health Ventures, LLC (2022) _ Cal.App.5th _ , 2022 WL 321011: The Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court's order partially denying...

The Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act, commonly known as MICRA, has been on the books in California since 1975. One of its provisions limits non-economic damage awards to a maximum of $250,000. You'd think that California courts would have determined all of the possible MICRA issues, but that's not the case. Just last month, the California Supreme Court issued a new decision regarding MICRA that I discuss in the video above.

California courts are constantly publishing new civil case decisions. Last year in 2021, the California Supreme Court published 22 new civil or family law decisions and the Court of Appeal published 483 new civil or family law decisions, for a total of 505 new civil or family law cases!

While you don't need to read new case decisions outside of your civil practice area, it's clear that there are lots of new case decisions each year that you need to know about to keep current in your practice areas.  

 I help California lawyers easily keep up...

I help California lawyers easily keep up with the new case law in their practice areas by publishing California Case Summaries™. 

Below is a free sample of a new case summary from the newly published issue of my publication California Case Summaries Monthly™, with summaries of the 43 new California civil and family law cases published in January of 2022. 

California Supreme Court
Employment

Lawson v. PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc. (2022) _ Cal.5th _ , 2022 WL 244731: The California Supreme Court, answering a question posed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, determined the proper method for presenting and evaluating a claim of whistleblower retaliation under Labor Code section 1102.5. Once an employee-whistleblower establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that retaliation was a contributing factor in the employee’s termination, demotion, or other adverse action, the employer then bears the burden of...

Below is a free sample of a new case summary from the newly published issue of my publication California Case Summaries Monthly™, with summaries of the 48 new California civil and family law cases published in December of 2021. 

California Courts of Appeal
Settlement

CSAA Insurance Exchange v. Hodroj (2021) _ Cal.App.5th _ , 2021 WL 5631492: The Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court's order granting plaintiff's motion for summary judgment in an action by plaintiff carrier against defendant for breaching his agreement to settle a personal injury claim for the policy limit of $100,000. When parties agree on the material terms of a contract with the intention to later reduce it to a formal writing, failure to complete the formal writing does not negate the existence of the initial contract. The Court of Appeal concluded that the communications between defendant's lawyer and plaintiff reflected a settlement which would be later memorialized in...

California Case Summaries Monthly™
Look Smart. Save Time & Money. Grow Your Practice™

Below is a free sample of a new case summary from the newly published issue of California Case Summaries Monthly™, with summaries of the 32 new California civil and family law cases published in November of 2021.

California Courts of Appeal

Torts

Doe v. Lawndale Elementary School Dist. (2021) _ Cal.App.5th _ , 2021 WL 5578329: The Court of Appeal reversed in part, and affirmed in part, the trial court’s order granting defendants’ motion for summary judgment in an action for sexual assault of a minor student by a music teacher. The Court of Appeal concluded that school administrators have a duty to protect students from sexual abuse by school employees, even if the school does not have actual knowledge of a particular employee’s history of committing, or propensity to commit, such abuse. Therefore, it reversed the trial court’s order...

California Case Summaries Monthly™
Look Smart. Save Time & Money. Grow Your Practice™

Below is a free sample of a new case summary from the newly published issue of California Case Summaries Monthly™, with summaries of the 42 new California civil and family law cases published in October of 2021.

California Courts of Appeal

Torts

Doe v. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Los Angeles (2021) _ Cal.App.5th _ , 2021 WL 4891312: The Court of Appeal reversed the trial court's order granting defendant's motion for summary judgment in plaintiff's action for sexual abuse by a priest while plaintiff was a boy attending catechism classes at church. The priest was not plaintiff's catechism teacher. The trial court held the church did not owe a duty to protect plaintiff. The Court of Appeal disagreed, ruling that a church has a duty to protect children from sexual abuse by clergy while the children are attending religious school or participating in other church-sponsored...