California Appellate Tracker

Group boycotts are per se antitrust violations only if the boycott cuts off access to a supply, facility, or market necessary to enable the boycotted firm to compete, the group possesses a dominant position in the market, and the boycott is not justified by a plausible argument that it is intended to enhance overall efficiency and make markets more competitive. … Read More

A commercial lease is exempt from the rule against perpetuities, but still subject to Civ. Code 718 which provides that no lease for longer than 99 years is valid.  This decision holds that a lease with a longer term is valid for 99 years but void insofar as it purports to extend the lease term beyond 99 years.  Possible exceptions… Read More

An online supplier of stock images, plaintiff tried but failed to allege a viable Sherman Act section 2 monopolization claim against Google.  It tried to allege only a monopolization of the online search advertising market in which it did not compete rather than the online search market in which it did compete.  To state a section 2 claim, the plaintiff… Read More

Under the Domestic Violence Prevention Act (Family Code 6300 et seq.) a spouse may be restrained from committing violence on the other spouse.  Section 6305 requires special findings if the court issues a mutual restraining order.  Following n Melissa G. v. Raymond M. (2018) 27 Cal.App.5th 360 and disagreeing with Conness v. Satram (2004) 122 Cal.App.4th 197, this decision holds… Read More

This decision holds that at least in NLRB cases, the NLRB's showing of a likelihood of success on the merits does not give rise to a presumption of irreparable harm.  However, facts sufficient to establish the probability of success may give rise to a non-mandatory inference of irreparable harm depending on the nature of the unfair labor practice involved. Read More

This case discusses the  disputes are "capable of repetition, yet evading review" exception to the rule normally requiring dismissal of moot cases.  To fall within the exception, the action or appeal must be of inherently limited duration and there is a reasonable expectation that the appellant will be subjected to the same type of order in the future.  This case… Read More

This decision holds that Viking River Cruises, Inc. v. Moriana (2022) 142 S.Ct. 1906 overrules the cases that followed Iskanian v. CLS Transportation Los Angeles, LLC (2014) 59 Cal.4th 348 in holding that pre-dispute arbitration clauses were unenforceable to compel arbitration of the individual PAGA claim(s) of the plaintiff employee.  Viking River held that the individual plaintiff acts in part… Read More

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (47 USC 230) immunized YouTube from liability for exercising editorial functions in restricting the availability of or advertising in connection with videos posted to its website.  Therefore, the trial court correctly sustained YouTube's demurrer to tort claims by a poster of videos that YouTube had restricted access to or barred from bearing ads… Read More

Under FRCivP 24(a), a would-be intervenor must show that it has a significant protectable interest as to the property or transaction involved in the dispute which may be impaired by resolution of the case as well as that the motion to intervene was timely and the existing parties don't or can't protect the intervenor's interest.  Here, the plaintiff sought a… Read More

Plaintiffs entered into arbitration agreements with Pacific as part of their agreements for Pacific's cryogenic preservation of their sperm or eggs.  One of the cryogenic tanks in which the specimens were to be preserved failed.  This decision holds that the manufacturer and distributor of the failed tank could not compel arbitration under the plaintiffs' agreements with Pacific to which the… Read More

This decision affirms a judgment on demurrer in a UCL suit by a consumer contending that Tootsie Roll committed unlawful and unfair business practices in the period between 2010 and 2016 by including partially hydrogenated oils in its candy bars.  The FDA considered the issue eventually deciding to ban PHOs, but only from 2018 onward in order to give food… Read More

Under In re On-Line DVD Rental Antitrust Litig. (Frank v. Netflix, Inc.) (9th Cir. 2015) 779 F.3d 934), a court considers three factors to decide if a class settlement is a "coupon settlement subject to CAFA's (28 USC 1712's) restriction on attorney fee awards. First, do class members receive only a discount on services and must pay more out of… Read More

Following Malin v. Singer (2013) 217 Cal.App.4th 1283, this decision holds that an attorney's letter responding to plaintiff's lawyer's demand letter was protected speech under CCP 425.16(e) and not illegal extortion as a matter of law so as to invoke the Flatley v. Mauro (2006) 39 Cal.4th 299 exception.  The letter mentioned that plaintiff should consider the consequences of suing,… Read More

Following Bertero v. National General Corp. (1974) 13 Cal.3d 43, this decision holds that a cross-complaint, counterclaim or third part complaint commences a separate "litigation" which counts toward the five unsuccessful litigations needed to deem a pro per litigant vexatious under CCP 391. Read More

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's regulation interpreting 49 U.S.C. § 31141(c) is given retroactive effect so that federal law preempts even meal and rest break claims that the trucker plaintiffs filed before the regulation was adopted.  The preemption regulation was intended to and does apply regardless of when the alleged meal and rest break violation occurred. Read More

Defendant employer failed to pay the arbitrator's fees within 30 days.  Accordingly, the trial court correctly granted plaintiff's motion for reconsideration of the order compelling arbitration.  CCP 1287.98 allows a party to avoid arbitration under an employment or consumer contract if the party that drafted the arbitration agreement and moved to compel arbitration does not pay arbitration fees within 30… Read More

The trial court is not required to consider grounds for summary judgment that the movant's papers do not identify, but the court may, in its discretion, consider an additional ground if an evidentiary basis for the additional ground appears in the summary judgment record, and (2) the opponent has notice of and an opportunity to respond to the additional ground. … Read More

Neither a doctor nor his medical practice were "debt collectors" within the meaning of the Rosenthal FDCPA, as the doctor and medical practice did not regularly engage in the business of debt collection but instead hire third party billing services to bill and collect for their medical services.  To be regularly engaged in the business of debt collection, a person… Read More

In a county that no longer uses a judgment book, judgment is "entered" for purposes of post-trial motions and appeal time when a copy of the judgment in filed by the clerk.  The clerk's entry in the register of actions that judgment has been entered is neither required nor sufficient.  Instead, it is the filing of the judgment document that… Read More

Employer filed an untimely appeal from a Labor Commissioner ruling ordering the employer to pay a substantial sum to the plaintiff employee.  After the untimely appeal was dismissed, the trial court properly ordered the bond forfeited to the employee and entered judgment in the bond amount against the employer.  Though filing a bond is a prerequisite to the trial court's… Read More