Posts

For some reason, Chow felt it necessary to make it known that the tie he wore to court Monday was bought by his girlfriend at Goodwill for $3. An FBI Story Worthy of “The Departed” Chow was ensnared in a operation that involved an undercover FBI agent who befriended Chow over the course of five years – mole style, eventually gaining his trust. The aim was to prove that Chow and even now ex-Senator Leland Yee were involved in a massive racketeering empire as solicitation to murder Allen Leung....

Two teens broke into CNN’s newsroom in Atlanta for a simple purpose: to check Facebook. The culprits were both young. Francis Mutemwa is 17. Aldayne Fearon is 18. The break-in occurred early in the morning. The duo allegedly snuck in by climbing a ledge from a nearby hotel. That granted them access to the CNN Newsroom and to its computers. Police arrived only to find the two checking their Facebook pages....

Petition by writ of mandate seeking to vacate an order disqualifying plaintiff from serving as attorneys for any party in the probate action pending before the trial court is granted where the court erred in finding that the law firm had a conflict of interest in representing both the executor and the beneficiary under the circumstances presented. Read Baker Manock & Jensen v. Superior Court of Fresno County, No. F056973 in PDF...

6:00 p.m. In twelve hours, you’ll know. Until then, you wait. But no big deal, right? It’s only a test … a big, expensive, three-day-long nightmare of a test with a just-over-half passage rate. Like we said, no big deal. Here’s what you need to know, once the results go live tonight on the California Bar’s website. If You Passed This is the beginning of your legal career. Cue the epic music:...

The California Supreme Court has refused to stop gay marriage for a second time this week. “Once more, with feeling” is the name of a musical episode of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Coincidentally, it also describes the California Supreme Court’s position on Proposition 8, otherwise known as the bane of the court’s existence the 2008 ballot measure that banned gay marriage. The court “slayed” (or is it slew?) a request by San Diego County Clerk Ernest J....

Peeping Tom Trevor Harwell was arrested on Wednesday after nearly a year-long investigation into allegations that the computer technician was spying on dozens of women after gaining remote access to their webcams. Charged with 12 felony counts of computer access and fraud, police have recovered hundreds of thousands of images and videos stored on a remote server and Harwell’s computer. Most depict women in various stages of undress. Police were tipped off to peeping tom Trevor Harwell when a man’s daughter began to receive error messages on her computer....

In County of San Diego v. Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Bd., No.D055745, the Fourth District dealt with a county’s petition for a writ of review, challenging the assignment of an ALJ by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to conduct an administrative hearing on their protests against a liquor license application by a resort and casino establishment. The concluded that the Department did not proceed in a manner contrary to law or in excess of its jurisdiction when it directed the ALJ, who is not a judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings, to hear and decide the protests at issue because Bus....

John Kelley, chief legal officer at Equifax, probably saw it coming. We’re not talking about the data breach that compromised financial information of more than 145 million Americans. Who could have known that, except perhaps the people hacking into the company’s system? But Kelley probably foresaw the backlash from the data debacle – especially since he approved $1.8 million in stock sales by Equifax executives just before the company disclosed the breach....

The California State Bar has filed disciplinary charges against a former Los Angeles City Attorney for allegedly hiding evidence in a death penalty case in 1985. Carmen A. Trutanich, 65, was a county prosecutor at the time. The disciplinary action comes after a federal judge overturned the defendant’s murder conviction last year. Judge David O. Carter said Trutanich’s actions in the case were “deeply troubling,” including his failure to correct false testimony by a key witness....

When it comes to judicial clerkships, none are so coveted as those at the United States Supreme Court. According to a recent report on Above the Law, all the new 2018 fall term SCOTUS clerks have been hired. Although there are some names missing from the unofficial list, it’s only a matter of time before it is updated to include all the new hires (assuming the rumors are true). In addition to the 2018 term clerks being all-but-decided, it looks like Justices Ginsberg, Roberts, Breyer, and Gorsuch have selected some clerks through 2019 as well....

In plaintiff’s wrongful termination suit arising from his discharge as a law librarian for sending a scathing e-mail criticizing his superiors, summary judgment as to the state law causes of action in favor of defendants is affirmed where defendant could not establish that: 1) a violation of the state Constitution’s free speech clause; 2) a violation of the CFCA’s whistleblower protections, as his conduct was not protected under the CFCA; 3) a violation of Business and Professions Code section 6345; and 4) a violation of the Brown Act....

A Chicago lawyer’s, shall we say, ballsy Craigslist help-wanted ad has led to an unwanted result: a one-year minimum suspension of his law license. Attorney Samir Zia Chowhan posted the ad in the “Adult Gigs” section of Craigslist, seeking a legal secretary with benefits – and we’re not talking medical, dental, and a 401(k). The Illinois attorney disciplinary board’s report reveals Chowhan sought an “energetic woman” for his immigration law firm....

Unfortunately the NFL season is still in limbo. This past Wednesday, Judge Susan Nelson failed to rule on an injunction that would end the NFL lockout, instead requesting a few weeks to more closely consider the issues. Despite the delay, both the players and owners have expressed their desire to get back to mediation. It may have something to do with Judge Nelson and her reputation. On Wednesday, Judge Susan Nelson told both parties that she requires some time to consider whether she has initial jurisdiction over the case (as opposed to the National Labor Relations Board), as well as whether the NFL lockout is legal....

Since she took office in March 2010, Oak Hill, Florida’s Mayor Mary Lee Cook has been part of a heated battle with officials at the local police department. In what she calls the newest manifestation of the dispute, narcotics officers with the Volusia Country Sheriff’s Office have found 10 potted marijuana plants growing in the 84-year-old’s yard. She claims someone planted the potted pot plants on her property to “ruin her reputation....

Recently, a newlywed has hired a New York personal injury lawyer to represent her in a case involving risqué pictures that were taken before her wedding reports the NY Daily News. Apparently, her photographer snapped some shots of the bride in her undies getting into her dress then posted them on her website. The bride even told the photographer not to take pictures while she was putting on the gown, but as the suits says, “Monstra took photographs of plaintiff’s person in her underwear and in various stages of undress anyway” (NY Daily News)....

Move over David Bowie, there’s a new sci-fi style icon in town. Ladies and gents, meet the Silver Spandex Burglar. A Michigan man passed on the passé ski mask regalia and opted for a bolder burglar look: a head-to-toe silver spandex bodysuit. Who knows, maybe he’s a tragic hipster and got his criminal start by stealing the silver spandex bodysuit from American Apparel? Or better yet, maybe he’s a thief from the future!...

A common knock on law school is that it doesn’t prepare students for the law business. And it’s generally true, especially if you don’t take any business classes or practical clinics. But there is something to be learned in every class that can help the business-minded student. It’s about turning that legal training into business skills. After all, as every successful lawyer knows, the law is a business. Legal Knowledge If you can’t see the business value in law classes such as contracts, corporations, property, and torts, go back to college and think about a different graduate degree....

In a patent and trademark infringement case involving a method of preventing formation of an air pocket around the blades of a consumer blender, summary judgment in favor of defendant is vacated and remanded in part, and affirmed in part where: 1) district court’s judgment of no direct infringement is vacated and remanded with instruction to apply the correct claim construction; 2) findings of no invalidity for anticipation, obviousness, or lack of enablement is vacated and remanded with instructions to apply the correct claim construction; 3) district court’s judgments of no inducement, no contributory infringement, and no trademark infringement is affirmed; and 4) district court’s judgment of no inequitable conduct and no laches is affirmed....

Here Lounge in West Hollywood is on the hook for $5.4 million in damages to a woman who was sexually assaulted in the club’s bathroom, despite the club’s policy of posting guards outside of the bathrooms. This number is an affirmation of the lower court’s decision back in 2014. Bathroom Assault Here Lounge is a West Hollywood club that features DJs, dancers, and raunchy entertainment. Bartenders frequently only wear their undergarments....

Greyhound Bus Lines, historically a strong supporter of civil rights dating as far back as the 1960’s Freedom Riders, is now the defendant in a state consumer protection lawsuit by a California customer over racial profiling and warrantless searches of its buses by border agents. Plaintiffs are seeking class-action status for all California residents, monetary damages for delays caused by the searches, and a court order to bar this practice in the future....