The Public Blawg

This blawg covers court decisions and other news relevant to the practice of public law. It also provides information about law conferences and links to recently issued government documents.

Author: Ben Reyes and Claudia Gorham are partners at Meyers Nave in Oakland, Calif., and Brian Crossman, Jesse Lad and Eugenia Amador are associates.

Blawg Related Categories: Administrative Law • Law Firms • States • California • Associate • Partner • Legal Information

Recent Posts from The Public Blawg

Changes to the Brown Act Effective July 1, 2008
Effective July 1, 2008, the Ralph M. Brown Act (“Brown Act”), imposes additional requirements on local agencies concerning regular meeting agendas and documents prepared by the agency for regular meetings. (See Government Code Section 54957.5.)
Proposition 99 Passes; Proposition 98 Fails
With 62.5% of the vote, Proposition 99 was passed by California voters. Proposition 99 was a state initiative to limit the use of eminent domain by local governments, including redevelopment agencies. A competing state initiative,…
Law Enforcement Agencies Must Disclose the Names of Peace Officers Involved In a Critical Incident
On May 19, 2008, California Attorney General Jerry Brown issued an opinion (No. 07-208) determining that the names of peace officers involved in a critical incident are generally subject to disclosure under the California Public…
Superior Court Finds City's EIR for Downtown Precise Plan Improperly Mitigated Impacts to Historical Resources and Excluded Required Shadow Analysis
The San Mateo County Superior court granted a petition for writ of mandate, setting aside Redwood City’s certification of a final environmental impact report for its Downtown Precise Plan on the grounds that the EIR…
A Claim for Severance Damages Based on a Temporary Construction Easement Must be Supported By Evidence that TCE Interfered with Owner's Actual Intended Use of the Property
Severance Damages for a temporary construction easement were not allowed by the California Court of Appeal in its recent City of Fremont v. Fisher case (February 28, 2008) 160 Cal.App.4th 666. The Court's ruling was…
California Supreme Court Clarifies POBRA Provision Regarding Notification of Discipline
The California Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act ("POBRA") provides a limitations period specifying that punitive action may not be taken against a public safety officer unless the public agency completes its investigation…
Court Holds Prop 59 Does Not Abrogate the Common Law Mental Processes Principle
In Sutter's Place v. Superior Court of Santa Clara County, the Court of Appeals for the Sixth District upheld a trial court discovery order protecting specified documents from disclosure on the ground that discovery would…
A Bill to Save Trees and Energy
Senate Bill 1399 was recently introduced in the California State Senate to strike a balance between the installation of solar collectors on a building and the preservation of existing trees and shrubs. Current state law…
Ninth Circuit Holds Pre-employment Drug-Test Requirement for Part-time Library Employee Invalid
In Lanier v. City of Woodburn, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals was faced with the issue of whether the City of Woodburn could require an applicant for a part-time library page to pass a…
LAO's Budget Proposal Would Shift Tax Revenue From Special Districts to Counties
The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) has proposed an alternative budget package that includes shifting responsibility for supervision of approximately 71,000 low-level parolees from the State to the counties. This parole realignment would be financed in…