Plaintiff wrote a statement shortly after an accident involving a co-worker, in which plaintiff said the other worker slipped and fell on a concrete floor soaked in oil and grease, but he did not say he witnessed the fall. About an hour later, someone in management asked him to write another witness statement. In the second, […]
A Judgment Debtor Uncooperative? How Unusual.
A judgment debtor doesn’t answer most of the questions and won’t produce the requesteddocuments. Sound familiar? The trial court ordered compliance and the judgment debtor appealed. The creditor convinced the trial court the order was not appealable under Code of Civil Procedure section 904.1, and the trial court set an order to show cause re […]
No Saving Barry Bonds.
The first few paragraphs of the Ninth Circuit’s opinion explain the setting: “Barry Bonds was a celebrity child who grew up in baseball locker rooms as he watched his father Bobby Bonds and his godfather, the legendary Willie Mays, compete in the Major Leagues. Barry Bonds was a phenomenal baseball player in his own right. Early […]
Names Of Police Officers Involved In Pepper Spraying Incident Ordered Released.
A labor union representing University of California police officers filed a petition for writ of mandate from a trial court order requiring the release of unredacted reports containing the names of UC police officers under the California Public Records Act [CPRA; Government Code section 6250], to the Los Angeles Times and Sacramento Bee. The reports concern […]
Geographic Information System (GIS)-Formatted Databases Are Public Records & Must Be Produced Upon Request At The Actual Cost Of Duplication.
The California Supreme Court’s opinion’s first paragraph speaks for itself: “Like many counties in California, Orange County (the County) maintains a large database of information about land parcels in a geographic information system (GIS) file format. With this database, called the OC Landbase, a user with appropriate software can create a layered digital map containing information […]
Sanctions Reversed & Vince Lombardi Approach To Litigation Rejected.
This is the first paragraph of the opinion: “Sanctions are a judge’s last resort. At bottom, they are an admission of failure. When judges resort to sanctions, it means we have failed to adequately communicate to counsel what we believe the law requires, failed to impress counsel with the seriousness of our requirements, and failed even […]
Plaintiff’s Counsel Should Not Have Been Disqualified Because Of The Expert Witness He Hired.
Plaintiff informed defendant he hired an expert who had previously testified on behalf of the defendant. Defendant claimed the expert possessed confidential attorney-client and work product information, and the trial court disqualified plaintiff’s counsel. The appellate court stated that even if attorney client work product conveyed to a consulting expert remains subject to work product protection, […]
Use Of Declaration In Limited Jurisdiction Court Abuse Of Discretion.
The only evidence admitted by plaintiff bank in a limited jurisdiction action for breach of contract and common counts was a declaration admitted pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 98. Judgment of $7,788.30 was entered for plaintiff. The declaration included a statement that the declarant was available for 20 days prior to trial for service […]
Seeking Lower Rates From A Court Reporter Must Be Done In Original, Not A New, Action.
In a construction defect action, the plaintiff added a defendant to the action after 57 depositions had been taken. The new defendant requested copies of those 57 depositions, and the court reporter quoted $2 per page, or $16,000. The new defendant offered to pay $30 flat rate in exchange for a computer disc containing uncertified copies […]
Attorney-Client Privilege May Be Passed On To A Bankrupt Corporation’s Insurer.
A bankrupt corporation which purportedly only existed as a shell through which personal injury claims were passed on to its insurer for resolution was sued for personal injury. Pursuant to its reorganization plan, the action was submitted to its insurers, who provided a defense. When discovery was propounded to the corporation, the corporation’s attorney (who had […]