1st District Court of Appeal

1st District Court of Appeal, Business Transactions, Civil Procedure, Litigation

Bogguess v. Uber Technologies, Inc. — Court affirms denial of arbitration because deceptive-pricing injunction is public relief and ambiguous severance language is construed against Uber

automatic / November 4, 2026

The Court of Appeal affirmed the denial of Uber's motion to compel arbitration, holding that the requested injunction against allegedly deceptive pricing is public injunctive relief and that ambiguous severance language must be construed against Uber under California contract law without FAA preemption.

1st District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law

People v. Savoy — Gun-enhancement racial impact must meet the Racial Justice Act’s two-part disparity test to earn great weight at resentencing

automatic / November 3, 2026

The Court of Appeal affirmed a 77-years-to-life resentence, holding that the mitigating circumstance in Penal Code section 1385(c)(2)(A) requires the same showing needed to prove a disparate-sentencing violation under the Racial Justice Act, and that statewide statistics without individual comparators did not meet it.

1st District Court of Appeal, Banking & Finance, Business Transactions, Civil Procedure

Edson v. Airbnb Payments, Inc. — Airbnb’s payment arm is not an escrow holder on the facts pleaded, so the UCL claims fail

automatic / November 3, 2026

The Court of Appeal affirmed the dismissal of Unfair Competition Law claims against Airbnb and its payment subsidiary because the complaint alleged no facts showing they act as escrow holders under California's Escrow Law.

1st District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Litigation

Alameda County Taxpayers’ Assn. v. City of Oakland — Electronic Service Adds Two Court Days to 30-Day Fee Motion Deadline in Validation Action, and Fee and Cost Awards Are Affirmed

automatic / October 28, 2026

The First District, Division Four, affirmed a $27,625 section 1021.5 fee award to a real party in interest and cost awards in a Measure Y validation action, holding in the published part that electronic service of notice of entry of judgment adds two court days to the 30-day fee motion deadline.

1st District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Criminal Law

People v. Northington — premature juror excusal requires a new trial and assault acquittal

automatic / October 28, 2026

People v. Northington: premature juror excusal requires a new trial and assault acquittal.

1st District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Family Law, Litigation

In re Marriage of A.O. and Vologodskaya — Attorney Fee Request Under Family Code Section 6344 Filed 14 Months After Stipulated Restraining Order Was Untimely

automatic / October 28, 2026

The Court of Appeal reversed a $39,000 attorney fee award under Family Code section 6344 because the fee motion was filed 14 months after a stipulated domestic violence restraining order, well beyond the deadline in California Rules of Court, rule 3.1702.

1st District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law

People v. Landaeta — First Degree Murder Verdict Made Omitted Provocation Instructions Harmless

automatic / October 26, 2026

The court affirmed. The jury was instructed that first degree murder required a deliberate decision to kill—careful weighing of considerations and a knowing choice—not a rash, impulsive decision made without careful thought. By returning that verdict, the jury necessarily rejected the state of mind that would support heat of passion: intense emotion obscuring reason and causing action without due deliberation and reflection.

1st District Court of Appeal, Administrative Law, Personal Injury & Tort

K.S. v. County of Alameda — Foster-Care Negligence Claims Not Barred by Discretionary Immunity on the Pleadings

automatic / October 26, 2026

The First District reversed. Section 820.2 protects a public employee’s qualifying discretionary policy decisions, but it does not confer blanket immunity on every act connected to a program that involves judgment. Immunity requires a considered exercise of discretion at the policy level. Routine implementation, investigation, supervision, and response duties may include ministerial conduct outside that protection.

1st District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Labor & Employment Law, Litigation

San Diego-Tomas v. Aspire Bakeries — FEHA Defendants Need an Express Frivolousness Finding to Recover Costs

automatic / October 23, 2026

A prevailing FEHA defendant cannot recover ordinary litigation costs without a proper motion and an express finding that the employee’s case was frivolous, unreasonable, or groundless.

1st District Court of Appeal, Business Transactions, Litigation, Real Estate Law

USPA City Center v. Estavillo — Landlord Properly Recovered Future Rent After Tenant Default

automatic / October 19, 2026

The First District upheld a $1.2 million future-rent award because it compensated actual lease loss and the tenant did not prove greater mitigation.

1st District Court of Appeal, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law

Jordan v. Superior Court — No Full Evidentiary Hearing Required to Revoke Outpatient Competency Treatment

automatic / October 1, 2026

The First District Court of Appeal holds that due process does not require a full evidentiary hearing before a court revokes a mentally incompetent defendant's outpatient competency-restoration status under Penal Code section 1608.

1st District Court of Appeal, Litigation

Nelson v. Nelson — Obsolete paper-contest exception cannot defeat trust no-contest statute

automatic / September 30, 2026

The Court of Appeal reversed. It held that the judicially created paper-contest exception does not apply to a trust governed by California’s current statutory scheme for no-contest clauses.

1st District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law

In re X.G. — Juvenile courts may reduce restitution for compelling reasons

automatic / September 30, 2026

The Court of Appeal reversed and remanded. It held that section 730.6 gives juvenile courts discretion to award less than full economic loss when compelling and extraordinary reasons support a reduction. A minor’s responsibility and fault are relevant, though the statute does not make ability to pay the controlling consideration.

1st District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law

In re J.G. — Juvenile Restitution Must Account for All Responsible Participants

automatic / September 29, 2026

A juvenile court must consider the fault of all potentially responsible participants when allocating restitution, even if only one minor was charged.

1st District Court of Appeal, Constitutional Law, Litigation

Blackman v. Substack — First Amendment Bars Claims Over Truthful Reporting from Lawfully Obtained Arrest Record

automatic / September 29, 2026

The First Amendment barred publication-based claims over truthful reporting drawn from a sealed arrest report that the journalist lawfully obtained.

1st District Court of Appeal, Litigation, Personal Injury & Tort

Osaze v. Gee — Expert Evidence Created a Triable Issue About Fatal Fall

automatic / September 29, 2026

Expert and circumstantial evidence created a jury question about whether an unsecured dog and raised threshold caused a fatal fall.

1st District Court of Appeal, Labor & Employment Law, Litigation

Chaudhry v. State of California — Whistleblower Claims May Proceed Against the Employer, Not Individual Supervisors

automatic / September 28, 2026

A published California decision holds that section 1102.5 claims may reach later retaliation described as ongoing, but individual supervisors are not personally liable.

1st District Court of Appeal, Estate Planning, Probate and Tax Law, Family Law

Seiwald v. Irias — Marvin Agreement Can Create Ownership in Premarital Public Pension Benefits

automatic / September 28, 2026

A Marvin agreement can give an unmarried partner an ownership share in public pension benefits earned during cohabitation despite statutory anti-assignment protection.

1st District Court of Appeal, Antitrust, Healthcare Law, Litigation

VHS Liquidating Trust v. MultiPlan Corp. — Out-of-network reimbursements may support Cartwright Act price-fixing claims

automatic / September 21, 2026

California's Cartwright Act can reach alleged coordination of out-of-network healthcare reimbursements through a shared pricing platform.

1st District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law

People v. Centeno — Aggravated kidnapping does not require proof that a demand was wrongful

automatic / September 21, 2026

Aggravated kidnapping to exact money or value does not require proof that the demand was wrongful or that the defendant believed nothing was owed.

1st District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Family Law

Irvine v. Irvine — A pending criminal case did not automatically require delaying a domestic-violence restraining-order hearing

automatic / September 18, 2026

A DVRO respondent facing related criminal charges is not automatically entitled to a continuance; courts must balance self-incrimination concerns against safety, delay, and statutory objectives.

1st District Court of Appeal, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law

People v. Adam — Witness travel and unexplained courtroom unavailability did not justify missing the misdemeanor speedy-trial deadline

automatic / September 18, 2026

The court reversed a misdemeanor conviction because witness travel ending before the last day and unexplained courtroom unavailability did not establish good cause to exceed section 1382’s deadline.

1st District Court of Appeal, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law

In re Haney — Racial Justice Act claim fails under Hazlett’s defendant-focused standard

automatic / September 16, 2026

The First District denied a Racial Justice Act jury-selection claim because the evidence did not meet Hazlett’s requirement of bias directed toward the defendant.

1st District Court of Appeal, Administrative Law, Civil Procedure

Sakach v. County of Marin — Clerk’s Improper Rejection Did Not Make Administrative Appeal Late

automatic / September 14, 2026

A clerk’s unsupported rejection of a timely administrative appeal did not make the appeal late; the notice was deemed filed when first submitted.

1st District Court of Appeal, Business Transactions, Litigation, Personal Injury & Tort

Caltrans v. Herc Rentals — Cargo Shipper May Share Fault for Unsafe Loading

automatic / September 14, 2026

A cargo shipper may share negligence liability when its own loading choices create an unsafe load, despite duties imposed on the carrier and driver.