California

Lawyer for ‘Judge Alex’ Faces Tough Time in Supreme Court

The lawyer for a TV judge “seemed stunned and weary” after a tough U.S. Supreme Court argument yesterday, his seventh appearance before the court, Legal Times reports. Eric Brunstad Jr. has developed an impressive Supreme Court practice from his offices at Bingham McCutchen in Hartford, Conn., but the justices “hammered…

Jan 15, 2008 4:40 PM CST

Investments Stop Calif. High Court From Hearing Lockheed Case

Because four of seven justices on the California Supreme Court own stock in Lockheed Martin or companies that provided related materials, they can’t hear an appeal involving several dozen workers who say they were injured by chemical exposure. The case is the talk of the state appellate bar, but Chief…

Jan 15, 2008 12:51 AM CST

Big Brother is Watching ... in the Barnyard

Seeking to help prevent widespread outbreaks of animal illness that can affect humans, such as avian flu and mad cow disease, federal officials are in the fledgling stages of implementing a national identification program. Eventually, it will require many farmers to register and microchip individual animals among their livestock, and…

Jan 14, 2008 5:33 PM CST

The Case of Judge Alex and the Preston-Change-O Arbitration Contract

The case of the TV judge billed as “tall, dark and judgmental” heads to the U.S. Supreme Court today for a ruling on whether his dispute with a former manager should go to a private arbitrator. “Judge Alex” as Alex Ferrer is known, contends California law requires initial issues in…

Jan 14, 2008 1:41 PM CST

Losing Lockstep: Luce Forward Bases Associate Pay on Practice Area, Hours

Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps has ditched lockstep pay for associates in favor a 14-level compensation system based on practice area and hours worked. Under the system, first-year associates can earn from $145,000 for 1,950 hours to $165,000 for 2,100 hours, the Recorder reports. The flexibility means that a third-year…

Jan 14, 2008 11:35 AM CST

New Counselor at DA’s Office is Friendly, Furry, Wags Tail a Lot

When children who have been sex crime victims come to the Yolo County, Calif., district attorney’s office, they are often frightened and hesitant to trust adults. So the office chose someone they thought would especially appeal to children when selecting the newest addition to its staff of child abuse counselors—a…

Jan 12, 2008 12:15 AM CST

Calif. Court Strikes Down San Francisco Handgun Ban

A California appeals court has ruled that local governments have no authority to ban handguns. Yesterday the court struck down a handgun ban adopted in San Francisco in a 2005 ballot measure, holding that state laws regulating gun sales pre-empt local attempts to ban the possession and sale of handguns.…

Jan 10, 2008 4:20 PM CST

Folsom Prison Cancels Johnny Cash Tribute Concert

A 40-year anniversary tribute to the Jan. 13, 1968 concert that made both Johnny Cash and Folsom State Prison in California famous has been canceled. The event was to have taken place Sunday in the same prison cafeteria as his 2 million-selling Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison live album, and…

Jan 9, 2008 8:00 PM CST

DA Probes ‘Sadly Predictable’ Murder; Victim Never Warned of Spouse’s Release

New details have emerged in the case of a California woman murdered last week by her increasingly abusive husband, and the district attorney’s office in Los Angeles County reportedly is investigating why the prosecution not only didn’t oppose but actually recommended his release on his own recognizance as part of…

Jan 9, 2008 6:26 PM CST

Will Qualcomm Sue Its Lawyers?

When a federal magistrate sanctioned six lawyers Monday for discovery violations in their representation of Qualcomm Inc., she wrote a footnote that suggested their law firms could face a malpractice suit. U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Major referred the lawyers to the State Bar of California for possible discipline and even…

Jan 9, 2008 11:38 AM CST

3 More Partners Exit Heller Ehrman

After a disappointing financial year in 2007 and the departure of several well-known colleagues, three more partners of Heller Ehrman are exiting the firm to pursue opportunities elsewhere. Margaret Mann has left her position as head of the San Francisco-based firm’s bankruptcy practice to join Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton…

Jan 8, 2008 6:53 PM CST

‘Sadly Predictable’ Murder By Released Prisoner in Calif. Domestic Case

It’s a sad story that’s been told before, but California prosecutors are trying to figure out how to keep it from happening again: Accused of twice taking his estranged wife to isolated locations and restraining her during November 2007—once by handcuffing her to furniture in a hotel room and another…

Jan 8, 2008 5:54 PM CST

One-Minute Delay Costs MoFo $1M in Attorney Fees

Missing a deadline for an attorney fee request by one minute has apparently cost a Morrison & Foerster client $1 million, the Wall Street Journal Law Blog reports. MoFo contended it was late because a hired courier got stuck in traffic on his motorcycle. The courier arrived at the courthouse…

Jan 8, 2008 3:50 PM CST

Six Lawyers Referred to Calif. Bar for Qualcomm Discovery Abuse

A federal magistrate has referred six lawyers to the State Bar of California for possible discipline because of discovery violations in their representation of Qualcomm Inc. in a patent infringement dispute. Five of the lawyers are from Day Casebeer Madrid & Batchelder, and one is from Heller Ehrman, the Recorder…

Jan 8, 2008 12:38 PM CST

Fired US Atty Ryan Takes Pay Cut to Work For San Fran’s Mayor

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has hired former U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan to lead the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice. Ryan was among at least eight U.S. attorneys fired last year by the Bush Administration. This is his second post, after taking a job in April with the 200-lawyer Allen…

Jan 4, 2008 11:10 PM CST