In Romero v. County of Kern, published December 15, 2025, the Fifth District Court of Appeal reversed judgment on the pleadings granted to the defendant county. The plaintiff, a captain in the county fire department complained to the battalion chief and the deputy chief that the fire extinguishers on the county’s fire engines were being…
In Egleston v. State Personnel Board (Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation), published July 15, 2025, the Second District Court of Appeal, Division 6 affirmed the trial court's denial of a petition for a writ of mandate. The plaintiff worked for the Department of Corrections as a youth correctional officer. The rules and duties governing his conduct…
In Williams v. Reed, published February 21, 2025, a divided U.S. Supreme Court reversed a state supreme court decision affirming dismissal of a lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. section 1983. A group of unemployed workers alleged that the state unlawfully delayed processing their state unemployment benefit claims. State law provided that state courts could not entertain appeals…
In Bakos v. Roach, published January 29, 2025, the Third District Court of Appeal reversed in part and affirmed in part the trial court's grant of summary judgment. Acting on a tip, level 2 humane officers of the Humane Society obtained a search warrant under Penal Code section 597.1, searched the plaintiff's pheasant hunting club, and…
In Bedard v. City of Los Angeles, published October 31, 2024, the Second District Court of Appeal, Division 3 affirmed a trial court decision denying in part and granting in part a petition for administrative mandate. In 2021, the defendant city passed an ordinance that required that all city employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 or request…
In JCCrandell, LLC v. County of Santa Barbara, published October 29, 2024, the Second District Court of Appeal, Division 6 reversed a trial court decision denying a petition for administrative mandate. A company applied to the respondent county for a conditional use permit to cultivate cannabis. The holder of the land on which cultivation would take…
In Campbell v. Los Angeles Unified School Dist., ordered published May 22, 2024, the Second District Court of Appeal affirmed a trial court decision denying a petition for a writ of administrative mandate challenging her dismissal. (A decision in another lawsuit between the parties was published May 21, 2024.) The plaintiff worked as a resource specialist…
In Sheetz v. County of El Dorado, California, published April 12, 2024, the United States Supreme Court reversed the decision of a California Court of Appeal. The plaintiff wanted to build a small prefabricated home on his residential parcel of land for his grandson to live in. The General Plan that the county board of supervisors…
In Jamgotchian v. Ferraro, published February 26, 2024, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the district court's dismissal of the plaintiff's complaint under 42 U.S.C. section 1983. The plaintiff wished to race a thoroughbred racehorse. California law requires that all thoroughbreds racing in the state be registered with a private organization, the Jockey Club of…
In Shah v. Department of Resources, published June 15, 2023, the 3rd District Court of Appeal affirmed a trial court decision sustained a demurrer without leave to amend and dismissing the action as barred by the statute of limitations. California's Employee Suggestion Program awarded employees cash awards for suggestions that saved the state money. The…