Author Archives: Mark A. Mellor, Esq.

California Supreme Court Rules Employers Not Obligated To Police Meal Breaks

On April 12, 2012, the California Supreme Court finally issued a long awaited decision in the seminal case of Brinker Restaurant v. Sup. Ct. (Hohnbaum), (Cal. Sup. Ct., April 12, 2012) (Case No. S166350) 2012 Cal. LEXIS 3149 and ruled … Continue reading

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Congress Takes Up Attempt To Speed Up The Short Sale Process

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) has introduced legislation to address the lengthy process of completing real estate short sales. The process of short sales continues to frustrate all parties involved and frequently results in offers being withdrawn and sales falling through. … Continue reading

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Construction Litigation and City Zoning Restrictions News in California

For my second discussion in this series about recent cases dealing with real estate law in California decided by the California Court of Appeal I wanted to mention these two decisions from the Fourth District, Division Three, and Fifth District … Continue reading

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California Real Estate Law News

Recently, at the conclusion of last year, 2011, California courts issued a number of important rulings in the area of real estate litigation.  Let me briefly mention the first two here and next week I will provide a synopsis of … Continue reading

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New Real Estate Laws That Protect California Homeowners, Buyers and Tenants in 2012

Condo Rentals Starting January 1, owners of units in a common-interest development, usually a condominium, must be allowed to rent or lease their units unless it was restricted before they took ownership. Senate Bill 150 was designed to counter new … Continue reading

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How to Know if You Have a Sexual Harassment Claim

Recently, two Courts of Appeal in California weighed in on the issue of sexual harassment—the Fourth District, Division Three and Second Division, Division Four—both deciding differently on the issue.  With a divided court, in the Fourth District matter, (Brennan v. … Continue reading

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TWO DEEDS OF TRUST; NEITHER WAS RECORDED FIRST—A PRIMER IN THE LAW OF PRIORITIES, OR CALIFORNIA’S “RACE-NOTICE” STATUTES.

Who is First In Right when two deeds of trust that secured the same real property, were simultaneously time-stamped for recording, but, indexed at different times?  In First Bank v. East West Bank   (October 17, 2011) 199 Cal.App.4th 1309, the … Continue reading

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Health Care Reform—More Colloquially Known As “ObamaCare.”*

The Court granted review in three of the petitions that are currently pending before it to review the litigation over the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) – also known more simply as “health care reform,” … Continue reading

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Riverside Family Law Attorney – New Website

Whether you need a Divorce Attorney in Riverside or Child Custody Lawyer in San Bernardino, the Mellor Law Firm has attorneys that have a combined 40 plus years of experience to help you get the results you searching for. With … Continue reading

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California Real Estate Law – New Homebuyer Tax Credit

In an effort to stimulate the economy, California is offering first-time homebuyers up to $10,000 in state tax credits. Two different types of homebuyer credit are available: credits for first-time homebuyers and credits for homebuyers opting for new homes. The … Continue reading

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