Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Business Transactions, Intellectual Property, Litigation

Multiple Energy Technologies v. Casden — Corporate officer keeps interference immunity despite self-interest

automatic / July 30, 2026

A corporate officer does not lose California agent immunity merely because actions benefiting the company also advance the officer’s own financial interests.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Immigration, Litigation

Rodriguez Vazquez v. Bostock — Interior Immigration Arrests Do Not Trigger Mandatory Detention

automatic / July 30, 2026

The Ninth Circuit held that noncitizens arrested in the interior after entering without inspection are not automatically subject to mandatory detention and may seek bond consideration.

California Supreme Court, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law

People v. Sanmiguel — Courts must scrutinize demeanor-based reasons for juror strikes

automatic / July 30, 2026

California’s high court clarified how judges must evaluate demeanor-based explanations for peremptory juror strikes under section 231.7.

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

Saberin v. Alation, Inc. — California arrest-record protections did not cover a Utah remote worker

automatic / July 30, 2026

California employment laws restricting use of arrest records did not apply to a Utah employee whose arrest and termination decision occurred outside California.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Administrative Law, Environmental Law, Real Estate Law

New Commune DTLA v. Redondo Beach — Builder’s remedy did not override a certified coastal plan

automatic / July 30, 2026

A proposed housing project in Redondo Beach’s coastal zone could be denied because it conflicted with the city’s Coastal Commission-certified local coastal program.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Business Transactions, Constitutional Law, Litigation

Arterberry v. Peet’s Coffee — Yelp Law Penalties Require Enforcement or Retaliation

automatic / July 29, 2026

California consumers cannot recover Yelp-law penalties merely because unlawful non-disparagement language appears in website terms; they must allege enforcement, a threat, or retaliation.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Business Transactions, Litigation, Personal Injury & Tort

Serenity Investments v. Sun Hung Kai — Conversion Defendants May Seek Equitable Indemnity

automatic / July 29, 2026

The Ninth Circuit predicts that California treats conversion as strict liability, allowing a conversion defendant to seek equitable indemnity from negligent joint tortfeasors.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Criminal Law, Litigation

United States v. Yates — Prosecutors Retain Broad Control Over Third Acceptance Point

automatic / July 29, 2026

Prosecutors may withhold the third acceptance-of-responsibility point after a stipulated trial, and federal judges must exercise discretion when classifying uncharged California wobbler conduct.

3rd District Court of Appeal, Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Election Law

Ehrenreich v. Weber — California’s presidential write-in elector requirements are facially constitutional

automatic / July 28, 2026

California may require presidential write-in candidates to file a complete slate of elector declarations before votes cast for them will be counted.

4th District Court of Appeal, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Litigation

People v. Carrillo — gang expert’s race-related testimony did not violate the Racial Justice Act

automatic / July 28, 2026

Race-related gang testimony tied to the evidence did not itself violate the Racial Justice Act, though counsel must timely preserve an RJA claim.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Criminal Law, Family Law

United States v. Lopez — California domestic-violence convictions are not categorical crimes of violence

automatic / July 28, 2026

The Ninth Circuit held that Penal Code section 273.5 does not categorically require the mental state needed for a federal crime-of-violence enhancement.

California Supreme Court, Insurance Law, Litigation

Fox Paine & Company, LLC v. Twin City Fire Insurance Company — Excess Insureds May Sue Before Underlying Coverage Is Exhausted

automatic / July 27, 2026

California's high court held that insureds may pursue declaratory relief, and in limited circumstances bad-faith claims, against excess insurers before underlying coverage is fully exhausted.

California Supreme Court, Administrative Law, Labor & Employment Law

Ventura County Employees’ Retirement Association v. Criminal Justice Attorneys Association — PEPRA Caps Leave Cash-Outs Used in Pension Calculations

automatic / July 27, 2026

The California Supreme Court held that crossing calendar years does not allow public employees to count more than one annual leave cash-out limit in a 12-month pension calculation period.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Family Law

In re X.A. — Extensive ICWA Follow-Up Supported Termination of Parental Rights

automatic / July 27, 2026

A documented, extensive inquiry of maternal relatives satisfied California's ICWA duties despite inconsistent ancestry claims and limited family cooperation.

4th District Court of Appeal, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law

People v. Vasquez — Sealed Informant Affidavit and Pre-Search Detention Did Not Require Suppression

automatic / July 27, 2026

The Court of Appeal upheld a firearm search because sealed review supported the warrant and the evidence derived independently from any disputed pre-search detention.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law

United States v. Anten — Federal Threat Statute Requires Objective Threat and Subjective Fault

automatic / July 27, 2026

The Ninth Circuit held that the federal interstate-threat statute requires both an objectively threatening communication and a culpable subjective mental state.

1st District Court of Appeal, Administrative Law, Constitutional Law, Litigation

Toy v. City and County of San Francisco — Water-Rate Challenges Must Follow California’s Validation Procedure

automatic / July 24, 2026

A challenge to San Francisco water rates failed because California's mandatory reverse-validation procedure could not be waived by the city or replaced with refund and declaratory-relief claims.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Administrative Law, Election Law, Tax (non-estate)

Osborne v. Logan — School Bond Ballots Must State Tax Rates Per $100,000 of Assessed Value

automatic / July 24, 2026

A California Court of Appeal held that school bond ballot questions must express property-tax rates per $100,000 of assessed value, matching the format required in voter information materials.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Healthcare Law, Labor & Employment Law

Weiss v. Permanente Medical Group, Inc. — Religious-Objection Notice Was Sufficient at the Pleading Stage

automatic / July 24, 2026

The Ninth Circuit revived a medical employee's religious-accommodation claims, holding that her allegations plausibly gave the employer notice of a conflict between her faith and its COVID-19 vaccination policy.

California Supreme Court, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Healthcare Law

Conservatorship of E.A. — A Nearly Year-Long Delay in an LPS Trial Violated Due Process

automatic / July 23, 2026

The California Supreme Court held that an almost year-long delay in an LPS conservatorship trial violated due process, though the error was harmless on this record.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Criminal Law, Immigration

Diaz-Boyzo v. Blanche — Assaulting a Spouse in Front of Children Is a Removable Child-Abuse Offense

automatic / July 23, 2026

The Ninth Circuit held that Oregon felony assault committed in front of a household child categorically qualifies as a removable child-abuse offense.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law

United States v. Pereda — GPS and On-Scene Facts Supported Parole Searches of a Trailer and Truck

automatic / July 23, 2026

The Ninth Circuit held that GPS history and on-scene facts gave officers probable cause to search a supervisee’s trailer and pickup under his warrantless-search condition.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Collections & Creditor Rights, Litigation, Real Estate Law

8451 Melrose Property, LLC v. Akhtarzad — Undisclosed Partners Added to an Eight-Figure Lease Judgment

automatic / July 23, 2026

A Court of Appeal upheld adding members of an undisclosed family partnership and its leasing corporation to a commercial landlord's eight-figure judgment under Code of Civil Procedure section 187.

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

Aud v. RRT Enterprises, LP — MICRA Cap Does Not Cover Nursing-Home Custodial Neglect

automatic / July 23, 2026

A nursing-home resident's neglect claims arose from custodial care rather than professional medical services, so MICRA's noneconomic-damages cap did not reduce the jury's award.

2nd District Court of Appeal, Business Transactions, Litigation

Law Firm of Fox & Fox v. Arteaga — A Retainer Cannot Override the Bar on Fees for Self-Represented Lawyers

automatic / July 23, 2026

A law firm that represented itself in a fee dispute could not recover contractual attorney fees by inserting a purported waiver of California's Trope rule into its retainer agreement.