California

Arnold & Porter to Acquire San Francisco’s 80-Attorney Howard Rice

Arnold & Porter will be adding 80 lawyers and a San Francisco office to its letterhead Jan. 1 with the acquisition of Howard Rice Nemerovski Canady Falk & Rabkin. The two firms announced today that they have agreed to a merger, the Daily Journal (sub. req.) reports. Arnold & Porter…

Dec 6, 2011 9:16 PM CST

New Smartphone Suit re Data-Sharing Software Targets Apple, Wireless Cos., Device Makers, Carrier IQ

In at least the third would-be class action filed since technology blogger Trevor Eckhart last month reported that smartphones are providing carriers with private information about individual users, eight major defendants are accused in a federal lawsuit (PDF) filed Dec. 2 in Delaware of violating wiretap law via their common…

Dec 6, 2011 1:44 AM CST

Marijuana Dispensaries Near Schools Sued by Los Angeles City Attorney

In Los Angeles’ continuing struggle with medical marijuana dispensaries, the city attorney’s office recently filed actions against those located within 600 feet of a school, which is a violation of state law. So far nine business have been sued for the violation, the Los Angeles Times reports. The city attorney’s…

Dec 2, 2011 5:10 PM CST

Conrad Murray Gets 4-Year Max in Death of Michael Jackson; Judge Cites ‘Cycle of Horrible Medicine’

Citing “a cycle of horrible medicine” by Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Conrad Murray, a judge in Los Angeles today sentenced him to the four-year maximum after his involuntary manslaughter conviction in the famous pop singer’s death. The defense had sought probation. Testimony at trial revealed that Murray had given Jackson…

Nov 29, 2011 7:19 PM CST

Lawyers for Sirhan Sirhan Appeal, Argue Convicted Assassin Didn’t Kill RFK, Bullet Was Switched

Lawyers for Sirhan Sirhan, who is serving time for the 1968 slaying of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, have filed court papers in Los Angeles challenging his conviction. They claim a bullet was switched at Sirhan’s trial to conceal the fact that his gun didn’t fire the fatal shot. They also…

Nov 29, 2011 12:11 AM CST

Shopping Malls Put Hold On Plan to Monitor Cellphones After Lawmaker Asks Questions

A plan by two shopping malls to track shoppers’ movements via their turned-on cellphones has been put on hold, after a lawmaker asked questions. The survey, by malls in California and Virginia, began on Black Friday, as scheduled. But after someone called over the weekend on behalf of Sen. Charles…

Nov 28, 2011 7:40 PM CST

Big Brother May Not Be Watching You, But Some Shopping Malls Know Where You Are at All Times

In an example of how cutting-edge technology apparently may be far ahead of lawmakers, PC Magazine is reporting that at least two U.S. shopping malls, in California and Virginia, will be tracking customers through their cellphones this holiday season. The Footpath system, which tracks shoppers anonymously, according to those who…

Nov 23, 2011 5:56 PM CST

California Supremes to Decide if Disgraced Journalist Stephen Glass Can Get a Law License

The California Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether a journalist who fabricated facts for his articles is fit to practice law. The last time the court agreed to decide a moral character case was 11 years ago, the Recorder reports. The court will review a decision by the Review…

Nov 21, 2011 1:18 PM CST

Calif. AG Subpoenas Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in Wide-Ranging Lending and Foreclosure Probe

California’s attorney general has subpoenaed mortgage titans Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in a wide-ranging probe of their lending, foreclosure and property management practices concerning the thousands of properties for which they now serve as landlords, reports the Los Angeles Times, citing an unidentified source. Representatives of the two government-controlled…

Nov 17, 2011 7:52 PM CST

Top Calif. Court Backs Prop 8 Supporters, Says They Have Standing to Pursue Same-Sex Marriage Ban

In a ruling today that is expected to help propel the case to the nation’s top court, the California Supreme Court held that supporters of Proposition 8 do have standing to defend the constitutionality of the same-sex marriage ban voters enacted in 2008. The standing ruling was rendered by California’s…

Nov 17, 2011 7:22 PM CST

Chicago ‘Fathers’ Rights’ Attorney Is Representing Mom in Paternity Claim Against Justin Bieber

A Chicago lawyer well-known locally for his “fathers’ rights” advertising has taken on a celebrity case … for a mom who says teen singer Justin Bieber is the father of her baby boy. Although Mariah Yeater has dismissed without prejudice her San Diego Superior Court suit against Bieber, it could…

Nov 16, 2011 9:01 PM CST

Former BigLaw IP Partner Gets 1 Year in $389K Billing Fraud re Autistic Son’s Expenses

A former life sciences practice leader at Morrison & Foerster has been sentenced to one year in a $389,000 billing fraud concerning medical and educational expenses for his autistic son. The county jail sentence for Jonathan Dickstein, 44, who agreed to pay $260,000 in restitution, disappointed prosecutors, reports the Bay…

Nov 16, 2011 1:23 AM CST

Judge Issues Bench Warrant for Lawyer in Contempt Case re Michael Jackson Manslaughter Trial

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge issued a bench warrant today for a lawyer who left a phone message saying he could not attend a contempt hearing because he was in trial in another state. Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said he wants details in writing from attorney Matt Alford,…

Nov 15, 2011 9:40 PM CST

Judge Nixes Plea Deal as Too Harsh for Litigator Who Admitted Illegal Contributions to Edwards

A Los Angeles litigator known for his celebrity clients was willing to serve six months in prison after pleading guilty to making illegal campaign contributions to John Edwards. But the lawyer, Pierce O’Donnell, won’t be serving any time—at least not right away—because a federal judge rejected the deal as too…

Nov 15, 2011 2:22 PM CST

Sex-Crimes Unit Portrayed as ‘Freewheeling Fraternity’ in Rape Case Against Prosecutor

A sex-crimes unit in suburban San Francisco is portrayed in an unflattering light in a case against one of its prosecutors. The California Attorney General’s office brought the prosecution against Contra Costa County Deputy District Attorney Michael Gressett, who was accused of raping a fellow prosecutor during their lunch hour.…

Nov 15, 2011 1:48 PM CST