2nd District Court of Appeal

2nd District Court of Appeal, Family Law, Litigation

R.R. v. C.R. — Trial Court Erred by Applying Wrong Abuse Standard in Denying Domestic Violence Restraining Order Against Stalking Ex-Spouse

automatic / January 20, 2026

Second District reverses denial of a domestic violence restraining order, holding the trial court applied the wrong legal standard in evaluating whether the petitioner's ex-wife's conduct — repeated stalking, threats, and unwanted entries — constituted abuse under the Domestic Violence Prevention Act.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Business Transactions, Litigation

Barrios v. Chraghchian — Defeating an Early Bond Motion in a Derivative Suit Does Not Insulate the Plaintiff From Costs After Loss on the Merits

automatic / January 20, 2026

Second District holds that a plaintiff who defeats an early bond motion under Corporations Code section 17709.02 is still subject to the ordinary cost-shifting rules if he ultimately loses the derivative suit on the merits.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Family Law, Litigation

In re Bella L. — DCFS’s Inquiry of Parents and Seven Paternal Relatives Was Substantively Adequate Under ICWA Even Without Asking the Paternal Grandfather

automatic / January 20, 2026

Second District applies In re Dezi C.'s substantial-evidence review and holds that DCFS's failure to interview the paternal grandfather did not undermine an ICWA inquiry that included both parents and seven other paternal relatives.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Business Transactions, Litigation

Towns v. Hyundai Motor America — Only the Buyer Has Song-Beverly Standing, but Insurance Payouts Don’t Reduce Restitution

automatic / January 16, 2026

Second District holds that under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, only the actual buyer has standing to sue for restitution, but a manufacturer cannot reduce its restitution by the amount of a third-party insurance payout the buyer received after the car was wrecked.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Litigation, Personal Injury & Tort

Hu v. XPO Logistics, LLC — Freight Broker Owes No Duty of Care to Carrier’s Employee Injured in Truck Crash

automatic / January 16, 2026

Second District affirms summary judgment for freight broker XPO Logistics in a personal-injury suit by an injured trucker employed by the carrier XPO had hired, holding the broker did not actually exercise control over the transportation and thus owed no duty of care to the carrier's employee.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law

People v. Rodriguez — Trial Court May Consider Preliminary-Hearing Hearsay at Section 1172.6 Prima Facie Stage; Petitioner Gets Chance to Amend

automatic / January 15, 2026

Second District affirms denial of a section 1172.6 murder-resentencing petition based in part on preliminary-hearing hearsay, but remands to give the petitioner 30 days to file an amended petition.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law

People v. Craig — Trial Court Used Wrong Standard When Denying Discretionary Resentencing Petition Under Section 1172.1

automatic / January 15, 2026

Second District holds an order denying a Penal Code section 1172.1 recall-and-resentencing petition is appealable, and reverses where the superior court applied an incorrect legal standard in deciding whether to resentence the petitioner.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Litigation

Microsoft Corp. v. Superior Court — Nondisclosure Order Barring Notice to USC Survives CalECPA and First Amendment Challenge

automatic / January 14, 2026

Second District denies Microsoft's writ petition challenging a court-issued nondisclosure order that barred Microsoft from notifying its enterprise customer, USC, that the LAPD had served a search warrant on a USC graduate student's email account.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Criminal Law

People v. Washington — Inmate Released on Parole Before Resentencing Still Eligible for Section 1172.75 Relief

automatic / January 13, 2026

Second District holds an inmate identified by CDCR as eligible for resentencing under Penal Code section 1172.75 does not lose that eligibility by being released on parole before the resentencing hearing occurs.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Labor & Employment Law, Litigation

Tuufuli v. West Coast Dental Administrative Services — Federal Arbitration Act Governs When the Parties Said It Does

automatic / January 13, 2026

Second District affirms an order compelling arbitration of an employee's individual wage claims and dismissing her class claims, holding the parties' arbitration agreement is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act because they expressly said so.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Business Transactions, Litigation

Chong v. Mardirossian Akaragian LLP — Client’s Ratification of Unauthorized Settlement Triggers Full Contingency Fee

automatic / January 8, 2026

Second District holds that a personal-injury client who ratifies an unauthorized settlement after firing his lawyer must pay the agreed contingency fee, not just quantum meruit, because his ratification was truly voluntary.