California

Court Stays Jail Sentence for Overscheduled Lawyer

Overscheduled California lawyer Tim Pori won’t have to report to jail this morning, thanks to a state appeals court. The Court of Appeals stayed Pori’s five-day sentence to allow more time to consider arguments in the case, according to the Vacaville Reporter, KTVU.com and the San Francisco Chronicle. The sentence…

Apr 20, 2012 12:47 PM CDT

Judge Denied Protective Order for Woman Later Shot Outside Lawyer’s Office in Murder-Suicide

A California woman had sought an emergency restraining order against her estranged husband a week before he shot her in a murder-suicide on Sunday outside a divorce lawyer’s office in Petaluma. A Petaluma police officer had telephoned a judge on April 9 with an emergency request for a protective order…

Apr 19, 2012 3:52 PM CDT

Federal Judge in Oracle-Google Fight Displays Irritation for Coughing and Clacking

The San Francisco federal judge overseeing Oracle’s infringement claim against Google likes a quiet courtroom. Coughing lawyers and typing reporters beware. U.S. District Judge William Alsup interrupted voir dire on Monday when someone at Google’s counsel table started coughing, the Recorder blog Legal Pad reports. “Who is hacking and coughing?”…

Apr 18, 2012 11:38 AM CDT

9th Circuit Says Privilege Waived re Superman Comic Docs Stolen From Lawyer and Sent to Warner Bros.

Attorney Marc Toberoff cooperated with prosecutors after he said privileged documents concerning his efforts to help survivors of the creators of Superman gain rights to the famous comic character were stolen by another lawyer then working for him. But because of that he has lost his legal battle to prevent…

Apr 17, 2012 11:31 PM CDT

Lawyer with Murder Hearings in 2 Counties Misses One, Is Held in Contempt and Given 5-Day Jail Term

What’s a California lawyer with two murder cases on the verge of trial in two different counties to do? Tim Pori chose to attend one of the two hearings, in Solano County, on Monday, apparently sending another lawyer, former Solano County Bar Association president Daniel Russo, to appear in his…

Apr 17, 2012 3:46 PM CDT

Judge Releases Alleged Rape Victim Who Was Detained to Ensure Her Testimony

A California judge on Monday ordered the release of a 17-year-old girl who was detained to ensure that she testified against her accused rapist. Judge Lawrence Brown of Sacramento apologized to the teen, report the Sacramento Bee’s Sacto 9-1-1 blog, the Associated Press and News10ABC. He previously ordered her held…

Apr 17, 2012 12:23 PM CDT

As Another Dewey & LeBoeuf Partner Exits, Total 2012 Departure Tally Tops 50

Updated: Los Angeles partner David Smith has exited Dewey & LeBoeuf for a 100-attorney California-based law firm, Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth. That puts the latest tally of Dewey partner departures to join competing law firms in 2012 at 52, the Am Law Daily reports. Other partners have reportedly retired…

Apr 13, 2012 4:34 PM CDT

Los Angeles to House Transgendered Inmates Separately at City Jail, Offer Hormone Treatments

In what may be the country’s first such set-up, the Los Angeles Police Department says it expects to have a separate section for transgendered inmates by the end of the month. The new section, announced by Capt. Dave Lindsay at a Thursday night meeting in Hollywood for transgendered individuals, will…

Apr 13, 2012 1:17 PM CDT

Software Engineer Convicted of Murdering Attorney Who Pursued Wrongful Death Suit Against Him

Jason Cai had beaten the rap twice before when tried for murder. A jury acquitted him of murder and deadlocked on a manslaughter charge in 2006, when he was tried in the death of his second wife, Ying Deng, resulting in a decision by California prosecutors to dismiss the case.…

Apr 12, 2012 1:30 PM CDT

Admittedly Very Dangerous, Charles Manson, Architect of ‘Helter Skelter’ Slayings, Is Denied Parole

In what could be his last parole hearing, notorious serial killer Charles Manson, who recently told a California prison psychologist that he is a very dangerous man, was denied release Wednesday for the 12th consecutive time. Now 77, Manson will next get another parole hearing when he is 92 years…

Apr 11, 2012 10:07 PM CDT

Disbarment Urged for Estate Planning Lawyer Who Married Elderly Client and Kept His Money

Linda Nell Lowney was 54 in 2005 when she became romantically involved with an estate planning client, at least several years after she had begun representing him. She married Thor Tollefsen, who was thirty years older, suffering from emphysema and terminal cancer and using a walker, early in 2006, under…

Apr 10, 2012 7:56 PM CDT

Defendant in Civil Wrongful Death Case Denies Murdering Attorney Who Pursued Suit Against Him

Testifying in his own defense at trial for the 2008 murder of a California attorney who was representing his former wife’s family in a civil wrongful death case, a San Jose software engineer on Tuesday denied that he had anything to do with the crime. Jason Cai loudly denied that…

Apr 4, 2012 10:45 PM CDT

Stanford Law Dean to Step Down; School Attained No. 2 Ranking

Stanford law dean Larry Kramer will be resigning on Aug. 31 to lead the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, a philanthropic organization focused on social and environmental problems. Stanford announced the resignation on Wednesday at Stanford University News. The San Jose Mercury News and Above the Law have stories. Kramer…

Mar 29, 2012 11:24 AM CDT

Reports: Ex-Bulls Star Dennis Rodman Can’t Pay $800K Child-Support Bill, Could Face Jail Time

An attorney representing the third wife of Dennis Rodman says in court documents filed in California that the former Chicago Bulls basketball star is $800,000 behind on support for the two children he had with her and owes his ex another $50,000 or so. His lawyer, Linnea Willis, says in…

Mar 27, 2012 10:27 PM CDT

2 Lawyers Targeted in Nev. Homeowner Association Fraud Probe Are Found Dead Within a Week

Two Nevada lawyers who were targeted in a federal investigation of claimed widespread corruption among Las Vegas area homeowner associations have been found dead within a week of each other. The body of David Amesbury, 57, who pleaded guilty in October to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to…

Mar 27, 2012 4:05 PM CDT