Smartphone Use While Driving: The Next Frontier in California Punitive Damages Law?
It is hard to think of any public safety issue that has received more attention over the last few years than the use of smartphones while driving... Read More
The ‘rescue doctrine’ in California: whose fault counts?
As common law doctrines evolve, sometimes their rationale, and proper application, can get lost; that can be because of just one “less than thoughtful” reported appellate decision. One example... Read More
Seeking punitive damages in California drunk driving accident cases
In motor vehicle personal injury or wrongful death cases where the responsible driver was allegedly intoxicated, the injured plaintiff may want to consider seeking an award of punitive (or... Read More
Public access to court records vs. litigant privacy: leveling the playing field
Pursuant to Rule of Court 2.550(c) and its predecessor, California court records have long been “presumed to be open” to the public, absent exceptions for confidentiality required by law.... Read More
Is traffic violence sufficiently prosecuted?
A year ago, 17 year old Hanren Chang was hit and killed by a drunk driver while crossing Sloat Boulevard in San Francisco. Hanren, a student at Lowell High... Read More
Georgia lawmakers backpedal on bill requiring cyclists to register bikes and obtain license
A recent piece of legislation proposed by Georgia Representative Carl Rogers requiring cyclists to register their bike with the state (and obtain a license) managed to inspire enough vitriol... Read More
California Spousal Privilege and Related Concerns
Assume the following factual scenario: a serious car accident occurs, injuring the plaintiff. Just after the accident, the insured defendant called her husband and discussed, in detail, the now... Read More
Stadium death sparks civil suit against New England Patriots
Nobody said running a multi-million dollar professional sports franchise would be easy. On top of issues surrounding players’ criminal activities, and their alleged drug use improprieties, have come ex-player... Read More
Medical cannabis creating uncertainty in state DUI laws
Two states have legalized cannabis and 17 states (18 including Washington, D.C.) have legalized medical cannabis. As the nation slowly shifts towards decriminalization, numerous questions arise on how to... Read More
And the unhappiest job in America is…
After compiling over 65,000 company reviews during 2012 and evaluating multiple factors that influence an employee’s job satisfaction, CareerBliss released their list of the happiest and unhappiest jobs in... Read More
National Law Journal releases annual list of “go-to law schools”
The National Law Journal released its annual list of the Top 50 Go-To Law Schools, with the University of Pennsylvania topping the list for the second consecutive year. Using... Read More
Mother of five gets harsher sentence for involving children in multiple staged car crashes
Committing insurance fraud is already bad enough, but when you endanger your children in the process it reaches a whole new level of scuminess. For mother of five, Ana... Read More
Indiana Tech rolls dice, opens new law school amid massive law school crisis
It’s no secret that law school attendance is in serious decline. That’s what makes the decision to open a new law school in “the middle of history’s worst law... Read More
Unsafe driving leads to unusual punishment for ‘idiot’ motorist
It may seem like a punishment right out of a sitcom, but a Cleveland Municipal court judge has sentenced a Cleveland woman to wear a sign that says, “Only... Read More
Is there an impending crisis for major law firms?
In a recent segment from Bloomberg Law, law firm consultant Bruce MacEwen has charged that the legal industry is currently facing an “excess capacity.” As a result, MacEwen contends... Read More
San Francisco Legal Paper The Recorder Boosts Online Presence
One of the hallmarks of Bay Area legal news has announced a significant forum switch. Following the trend among nationwide newspapers and magazines, The Recorder, formerly a San Francisco... Read More