GUEST COLUMNS
Tuesday, January 6, 2026
Monday, January 5, 2026
Alford and Pena expose a
split over emergency takings: One court says the Fifth Amendment always
requires compensation, the other leans on history, leaving the Supreme Court to
resolve the clash.
As states wage an escalating redistricting arms race, the only way to stop politicians from handpicking their voters is a national ban on partisan gerrymandering that puts independent mapmakers -- not self-interested lawmakers--in charge.
Friday, January 2, 2026
Witnesses tell your client's story but mishandling them can write them out of your case entirely. From who you can contact to what documents you can accept, here's what California lawyers need to know about witness communication ethics.
Enlarging the House by 150 members and the Senate by 21 could make Congress more representative, reduce district distortion and restore closer connections between lawmakers and constituents.
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Constructive receipt determines when income is considered taxable, focusing on whether you have an unrestricted right to payment, even if you don't actually receive it.
Understanding the neutral's perspective can help practitioners achieve better outcomes.
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Combat veterans carry invisible battlefields of trauma; while the justice system once punished their symptoms, veteran treatment courts now prioritize healing, restore dignity, reduce recidivism and offer paths to redemption.
To counterbalance a federal judiciary dominated by former executive branch lawyers who defer to presidential power, the Senate should require that for every judge nominated with senior executive experience, another must have substantive legislative branch experience.
Monday, December 29, 2025
In 2025, NIL rights transformed college sports, boosting athlete pay, fueling school revenue and reshaping recruitment--benefiting all divisions while normalizing a market worth more than $2 billion.
As the Supreme Court moves to expand presidential power by subordinating independent agencies to executive prerogatives, a proposed statute would restore congressional authority by creating expert advisory agencies that develop bipartisan legislation for fast-track congressional votes.
Friday, December 26, 2025
President Trump's executive order is not legalization, but a procedural step that underscores just how far federal cannabis policy remains from meaningful reform.
Trump's new "Gold Card" immigration program offers wealthy foreign nationals an expedited green card in exchange for a $1 million non-refundable payment to the U.S. government, igniting controversy over wealth-based access to residency.
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Two recent federal actions--one administrative, one judicial--highlight the sharp limits of executive and court-based cannabis reform, reinforcing that only Congress can resolve the deep constitutional conflicts at play.
A new Second District Court of Appeal decision dismantles the Patterson exception, easing the burden on defendants and restoring common sense to the workers' comp treatment authorization process.
Monday, December 22, 2025
California's housing crisis has become a tale of two cities--with San Francisco charging ahead and Los Angeles backpedaling--offering a stark look at how local leaders navigate state pressure and housing need.
California has long flirted with a wealth tax, but a new ballot measure targeting the state's billionaires could finally break through where past efforts have failed.
Friday, December 19, 2025
The Supreme Court's IEEPA tariff cases put a sharp question front and center: Can Congress really give the president a blank check to tax imports? Several swing justices seem doubtful.
A constitutional challenge in Fresno raises an issue faced by cities across the country: Whether municipalities can lawfully criminalize homelessness in the absence of viable alternatives to outdoor living.
Thursday, December 18, 2025
Government coercion of private platforms to suppress apps like ICEBlock exemplifies "censorship by proxy," raising urgent First Amendment concerns about protecting speech, transparency and public safety against overreach.
When powerful interests redefine accountability through public narratives, perception can begin to outweigh evidence in shaping the law.
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
A $303 million settlement over the NCAA's 31-year ban on compensating volunteer coaches signals that coordinated wage-fixing among employers -- even in college athletics -- will face increasingly stringent antitrust scrutiny.
From fake case citations in court briefs to deepfake audio in custody battles, AI is already reshaping California litigation -- and most judges still don't know when they're relying on an algorithm's judgment instead of a human's.
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
California's 2026 laws turn slow payments and oversized retentions into legal risks for construction contracts.
From grade school lessons on immigrants of every language, faith and skin color forming a "melting pot," to today's U.S. as a global economic and cultural powerhouse, it's clear that diversity and immigration have driven American innovation -- even as some political rhetoric now frames newcomers as a threat.
Monday, December 15, 2025
Holiday rituals and hard-won lessons in war and peace remind us of what it means to come home.
California's Senate Bill 440 takes effect Jan. 1, imposing new non-waivable dispute resolution rules on private construction contracts, including mandatory timelines for owner responses and the right to stop work for non-compliance.
Friday, December 12, 2025
California's infrastructure boom is delivering new bike lanes and roadways at record speed -- but oversight hasn't kept pace. When facilities open with unlit sections, unmarked hazards, or unclear design changes, a troubling question emerges: Who's actually responsible?
When the SEC comes knocking, corporate counsel must call in reinforcements, guard confidences, spot conflicts and tread carefully to protect both the company and themselves.
Thursday, December 11, 2025
Liability insurers' use of catch-all language in Intellectual Property and Habitability exclusions -- designed to eliminate coverage for entire mixed lawsuits -- may conflict with California Insurance Code section 530.
From Halloween to New Year's, America's four major holidays form a deliberate cultural scaffold that lifts a diverse nation from welcoming strangers to honoring survival, strengthening intimate bonds, and finally embracing future possibility.
Wednesday, December 10, 2025
A $10,000 sanctions case revealed how deeply generative AI unsettles the legal system. The passion it inspires isn't new. Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics wrestled with the same anxieties about imitation, untrained power, and institutional fragility. Their wisdom offers a roadmap.
President Trump's pardon of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted of trafficking over 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S., has drawn widespread criticism as contradictory to his simultaneous military escalation against drug traffickers.
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
Business cases turn on getting documents into evidence, so trial lawyers must beat hearsay objections by knowing what counts as operative documents, party admissions, or admissible business records -- and laying the foundation early.
California's legal market presents complex risks, and some firms explore international insurers, such as Lloyd's of London, as an alternative to domestic coverage.
Monday, December 8, 2025
Military bases previously renamed to remove Confederate associations have been renamed again to their original surnames, now honoring different individuals with the same last names who served in various American conflicts.
The IRS has launched electronic filing for § 83(b) elections via Form 15620, allowing founders and service providers to submit online while keeping the 30-day deadline and employer-copy requirement, though filers should be mindful of technical quirks, save PDF confirmations, and coordinate with their companies to ensure accuracy.
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NEWS
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General News
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 |
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| Elon Musk's xAI sued the state of California, arguing AB 2013 forces disclosure of proprietary AI training data, violating trade secret protections, free speech rights and the Fifth Amendment. | |
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General News
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 |
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| Legal analysts warn the initiative could face challenges under U.S. and California Constitutions. | |
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General News
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 |
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| Millions of borrowers have fallen behind on their federal student loans, and the government is preparing to take aggressive steps to collect in 2026. | |
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General News
Monday, January 5, 2026 |
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| Few life milestones are as emotionally and financially transformative as becoming a parent. While this chapter is often filled with deep joy, it can also bring new worries as each stage of parenthood can present fresh challenges. | |
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General News
Monday, January 5, 2026 |
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| Courts in 2025 advanced AI copyright law, backing fair use for training models while leaving market harm, licensing and authorship questions unresolved as lawsuits, settlements and appeals continue nationwide broadly. | |
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General News
Monday, January 5, 2026 |
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| Consumer Attorneys of California urged a federal court to reject Uber's injunction bid, arguing a campaign ad about alleged driver assaults is protected political speech amid a heated fight over a 2026 ballot initiative. | |
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General News
Friday, January 2, 2026 |
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| The artificial intelligence boom has turned high-profile billionaires into even richer billionaires. | |
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General News
Friday, January 2, 2026 |
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| Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass staked her political future on a promise: As a candidate in 2022, she vowed to make homelessness her top priority and to make dramatic reductions in the city's population of unhoused people. | |
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General News
Friday, January 2, 2026 |
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| Decades after evidence emerged that Alameda County prosecutors systematically excluded Black and Jewish jurors from capital cases, a new appeal challenges a 1989 murder conviction and raises questions about judicial impartiality and ongoing resistance to changes. | |
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General News
Wednesday, December 31, 2025 |
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| America is closing its doors to the world, sealing the border, squeezing the legal avenues to entry and sending new arrivals and longtime residents to the exits. | |
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General News
Wednesday, December 31, 2025 |
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| Gov. Gavin Newsom's choice to replace retiring Justice Martin J. Jenkins could determine whether the California Supreme Court maintains its resistance to challenges of convictions and sentences or strengthens a dissenting bloc pushing for greater scrutiny under the Racial Justice Act and death penalty jurisprudence. | |
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General News
Wednesday, December 31, 2025 |
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| The California High-Speed Rail Authority has dropped its lawsuit against the Trump administration over the termination of $4 billion in federal grants for the state's high-speed rail project, opting instead to pursue private investment. | |
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General News
Tuesday, December 30, 2025 |
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| Jury sides with former behavioral health medical director who was fired after reporting alleged misconduct. | |
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General News
Tuesday, December 30, 2025 |
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| The United States routinely tops the list of foreign travelers' dream destinations. | |
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General News
Tuesday, December 30, 2025 |
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| Eaton and Palisades wildfire lawsuits involve tens of thousands of plaintiffs, novel immunity defenses, utility liability disputes, and unprecedented strain on California courts and coordinated litigation systems. | |
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General News
Monday, December 29, 2025 |
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| Bipartisan lawmakers cite the Zachary Scrivner case as evidence the 2018 statute needs tighter limits. | |
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General News
Monday, December 29, 2025 |
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| It's natural for parents to want to lend a hand as their children make the sometimes-bumpy transition to adulthood, especially for those whose educational or early-career trajectories were disrupted by the pandemic. | |
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General News
Monday, December 29, 2025 |
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| Once a flowing river through Bakersfield, the Kern now runs dry for most of the year. A case now before the California Supreme Court asks whether state law requires it to flow again--and what that answer could mean for water users statewide. | |
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General News
Friday, December 26, 2025 |
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| A Los Angeles judge fast-tracked and consolidated UCLA's arbitration and discovery motions regarding Pasadena's lawsuit seeking to block any early move of Bruins football games from the Rose Bowl Stadium. | |
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General News
Friday, December 26, 2025 |
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| A former Instacart executive aide alleges she was fired for running for Congress and her policy views, while Instacart contends conflicts of interest made her job incompatible with a federal campaign. | |
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General News
Friday, December 26, 2025 |
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| So much of what is wrong with the college application process comes down to this: You often don't know what a school will ask you to pay until you get in. | |
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General News
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 |
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| A decade-long patent fight against GoPro faces uncertainty after an inconsistent jury verdict, prompting both sides to seek judgment or a new trial before a federal judge. | |
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General News
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 |
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| A tech entrepreneur countersued his mansion manager, claiming he seized control of AGI House in San Francisco, stole trademarks and domains, and froze him out, while the manager claims abandonment and infringement occurred. | |
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General News
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 |
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| Freeway expansion isn't just a transportation issue; it's one of the most overlooked drivers of California's housing crisis. | |
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General News
Monday, December 22, 2025 |
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| Two appellate cases could shape how far cities may go to approve development without environmental review, as Vallejo challenges American Canyon's water supply disclosures and voter-backed Measure K. | |
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General News
Monday, December 22, 2025 |
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| A $5 billion class action alleges Google secretly used AI to monitor Verizon customer service calls in Arizona, violating state privacy law and prompting removal to federal court in California. | |
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General News
Monday, December 22, 2025 |
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| The year is already rapidly coming to a close, making it peak season for assessing (and, in many cases, reassessing) contribution options related to retirement savings accounts. | |
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General News
Friday, December 19, 2025 |
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| A federal judge tossed most OnlyFans class claims and imposed $13,000 sanctions after lawyers filed AI-generated briefs with false citations, while granting plaintiffs leave to amend jurisdictional and substantive allegations. | |
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General News
Friday, December 19, 2025 |
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| Kia and Hyundai agreed to pay $9 million to settle multistate claims they failed to install industry-standard anti-theft technology, providing restitution, investigative costs, and security upgrades without admitting further liability. | |
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General News
Friday, December 19, 2025 |
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| At first the plan for the property a block from UC Berkeley was modest: build a two-unit accessory dwelling behind a pair of small apartment buildings. Since then, Berkeley's zoning board has approved a dramatically different vision for the site: a 20-story tower with 169 apartments. | |
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General News
Thursday, December 18, 2025 |
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| As Gavin Newsom ramps up his almost certain campaign for president, and polls put him in contention for the Democratic Party's nomination in 2028, he has become a favorite target of right-leaning commentators on network television and in YouTube videos and social media. | |
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General News
Thursday, December 18, 2025 |
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| A federal judge denied Lost International's injunction bid, ruling trademark law does not apply to Lady Gaga's "Mayhem" album promotion, finding the use artistically relevant and not explicitly misleading. | |
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General News
Thursday, December 18, 2025 |
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| Beagle Labs alleges AppFolio violated antitrust law by blocking platform access to favor an in-house service, calling security justifications pretextual and seeking an injunction and damages in federal court relief. | |
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General News
Tuesday, January 6, 2026 |
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| A steep drop in PTAB institutions under revised PTO procedures has raised questions about the future of inter partes review and revived practices common before the America Invents Act. | |
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General News
Monday, January 5, 2026 |
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| For decades, residents in the rural north have longed for a political earthquake that would cleave their region out of California and allow them to create their own fabled "State of Jefferson" with conservatives in Southern Oregon. | |
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General News
Friday, January 2, 2026 |
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| Government attempts to break up large Silicon Valley tech giants Meta Platforms Inc. and Alphabet Inc.-owned Google LLC hit significant hurdles this year, as one lawsuit was defeated and a request for a major divestiture was blocked in another. | |
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General News
Wednesday, December 31, 2025 |
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| Despite a landmark Supreme Court ruling limiting cash bail, Civil Rights Corps' efforts to enforce individualized bail hearings face resistance from judges and prosecutors, leaving many indigent defendants jailed pretrial. | |
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General News
Tuesday, December 30, 2025 |
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| Attorneys say Tesla's aggressive litigation tactics, intense discovery disputes and frequent counsel changes strain Alameda County courts, while the court disputes overload claims as major employment, injury and discrimination cases against the automaker continue. | |
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General News
Monday, December 29, 2025 |
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| Housing discrimination is on the rise in the United States, according to a new report, but fair housing advocates say the figures understate the scope of the problem. | |
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General News
Friday, December 26, 2025 |
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| A pilot program assigning discovery and other law and motion matters in unlimited civil cases to a single courtroom is showing dramatic reductions in delays, early resolutions, and a culture shift toward cooperation. Judges hope the model will soon expand across Orange County's entire civil bench. | |
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General News
Tuesday, December 23, 2025 |
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| The move follows a broader influx of private equity and other investors into legal services. The investment is expected to help Signature expand its geographic footprint. | |
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General News
Monday, December 22, 2025 |
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| Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Y. Illston said she would grant a union's request to void reductions-in-force imposed during the government shutdown, ordering agencies to rehire affected workers. | |
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General News
Friday, December 19, 2025 |
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| The former high-ranking Los Angeles County deputy district attorney, is no stranger to celebrity cases. He defended Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey and prosecuted Phil Spector. | |
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General News
Thursday, December 18, 2025 |
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| The California Supreme Court ruled that a single act of vehicular manslaughter that killed two people cannot be counted as two prior strikes under the Three Strikes law, rejecting a decade-old appellate precedent and ordering resentencing in a DUI case. | |