California Case Commentaries

California Supreme Court Narrows Interpretation of Penal Code §647(a) to Prevent Vagueness

Date: Sep 8, 1979

California Supreme Court Narrows Interpretation of Penal Code §647(a) to Prevent Vagueness Introduction In the landmark case Don Barry Pryor, Petitioner, v. The Municipal Court for the Los Angeles...

Brigham v. People: Upholding the Right to Oral Argument on Appeal and Refining Jury Instructions on Reasonable Doubt

Date: Sep 8, 1979

Brigham v. People: Upholding the Right to Oral Argument on Appeal and Refining Jury Instructions on Reasonable Doubt Introduction Brigham v. People (25 Cal.3d 283, 1979) is a landmark decision by the...

Procedural Due Process in Civil Commitment: People v. Ramirez

Date: Sep 8, 1979

Procedural Due Process in Civil Commitment: People v. Ramirez Introduction People v. Lawrence J. Ramirez (25 Cal.3d 260, 1979) is a landmark case decided by the Supreme Court of California that...

People v. Frierson: Establishing Criteria for Ineffective Counsel in Capital Cases and Upholding the 1977 Death Penalty Statute

Date: Sep 1, 1979

People v. Frierson: Establishing Criteria for Ineffective Counsel in Capital Cases and Upholding the 1977 Death Penalty Statute Introduction People v. Frierson is a landmark decision by the Supreme...

Subordinate Judicial Duties of Juvenile Traffic Hearing Officers: In re Kathy P.

Date: Aug 31, 1979

Subordinate Judicial Duties of Juvenile Traffic Hearing Officers: In re Kathy P. Introduction In re Kathy P. is a significant case decided by the Supreme Court of California on August 30, 1979. The...

Vested Rights to Overtime Compensation: Longshore v. County of Ventura

Date: Aug 23, 1979

Vested Rights to Overtime Compensation: Longshore v. County of Ventura Introduction Woodrow G. Longshore et al. v. County of Ventura et al. (25 Cal.3d 14, 1979) is a landmark case adjudicated by the...

Conscious Disregard as Basis for Punitive Damages in Drunk Driving Cases

Date: Aug 22, 1979

Conscious Disregard as Basis for Punitive Damages in Drunk Driving Cases Introduction In Cameron Charles Taylor v. The Superior Court of Los Angeles County (24 Cal.3d 890), the Supreme Court of...

Admissibility of Suppressed Evidence at Sentencing Hearings: Analysis of People v. Belleci

Date: Aug 21, 1979

Admissibility of Suppressed Evidence at Sentencing Hearings: Analysis of People v. Belleci Introduction People v. Belleci is a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of California, rendered on August...

Pro Rata Refunds for Supplier Rebates: Establishing Compliance with Public Utilities Code Section 453.5

Date: Aug 16, 1979

Pro Rata Refunds for Supplier Rebates: Establishing Compliance with Public Utilities Code Section 453.5 Introduction In California Manufacturers Association et al., v. Public Utilities Commission et...

Egan v. Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company: Expanding the Duty of Good Faith in Insurance Contracts

Date: Aug 15, 1979

Egan v. Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company: Expanding the Duty of Good Faith in Insurance Contracts Introduction Egan v. Mutual of Omaha Insurance Company is a landmark decision by the Supreme Court...

Establishing Rigorous Standards for Statements of Basis: An Analysis of CALIFORNIA HOTEL AND MOTEL ASSOCIATION v. INDUSTRIAL WELFARE COMMISSION

Date: Aug 14, 1979

Establishing Rigorous Standards for Statements of Basis: An Analysis of CALIFORNIA HOTEL AND MOTEL ASSOCIATION v. INDUSTRIAL WELFARE COMMISSION Introduction California Hotel and Motel Association et...

Contractor's Duty of Care to Lessees: Expanding Tort Liability in J'Aire Corporation v. Craig Gregory

Date: Aug 14, 1979

Contractor's Duty of Care to Lessees: Expanding Tort Liability in J'Aire Corporation v. Craig Gregory Introduction J'Aire Corporation v. Craig Gregory (24 Cal.3d 799, 1979) is a landmark decision by...

Affirming Civil Conspiracy and Fiduciary Duty Breach in Mortgage Brokerage: Wyatt v. Union Mortgage Company

Date: Aug 11, 1979

Affirming Civil Conspiracy and Fiduciary Duty Breach in Mortgage Brokerage: Wyatt v. Union Mortgage Company Introduction The case of Joseph R. Wyatt et al. v. Union Mortgage Company et al. (24 Cal.3d...

Custody Determinations and Physical Disability: Insights from In re the Marriage of Ellen J. and William T. Carney

Date: Aug 8, 1979

Custody Determinations and Physical Disability: Insights from In re the Marriage of Ellen J. and William T. Carney Introduction The case of In re the Marriage of Ellen J. and William T. Carney (24...

Limits on Adverse Inferences from Defendant's Silence: Insights from People v. Saddler

Date: Jul 26, 1979

Limits on Adverse Inferences from Defendant's Silence: Insights from People v. Saddler Introduction People v. Saddler (24 Cal.3d 671, 1979) is a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of California...

Racial Profiling and Reasonable Suspicion: The People v. Jack Lee Bower

Date: Jul 18, 1979

Racial Profiling and Reasonable Suspicion: The People v. Jack Lee Bower Introduction The People v. Jack Lee Bower is a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of California, rendered on July 17, 1979....

Horn v. County of Ventura: Subdivision Approvals as Adjudicatory Acts Requiring Due Process

Date: Jul 10, 1979

Horn v. County of Ventura: Subdivision Approvals as Adjudicatory Acts Requiring Due Process Introduction Horn v. County of Ventura is a landmark Supreme Court of California decision rendered on July...

Clarifying the Scope of Arrest Authority: Peace Officers vs. Private Citizens in Cervantez v. J.C. Penney Co.

Date: Jun 16, 1979

Clarifying the Scope of Arrest Authority: Peace Officers vs. Private Citizens in Cervantez v. J.C. Penney Co. Introduction Fidel Cervantez, the plaintiff and appellant, initiated a lawsuit against...

Balancing Mandatory Sentencing and Judicial Discretion: Insights from People v. Tanner

Date: Jun 15, 1979

Balancing Mandatory Sentencing and Judicial Discretion: Insights from People v. Tanner Introduction In the landmark case People v. Harold Emory Tanner (24 Cal.3d 514, 1979), the Supreme Court of...

Public Utility Employment Discrimination: Landmark California Ruling on Homosexual Rights

Date: Jun 1, 1979

Public Utility Employment Discrimination: Landmark California Ruling on Homosexual Rights Introduction The case of Gay Law Students Association et al. v. Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company et...