Jonathan Bilyk News
Encinitas school can't force religious fifth graders to participate in pro-trans activities, judge rules
A San Diego federal judge said Encinitas public schools violated students' First Amendment rights by forcing fifth graders to read a pro-transgender children's book to kindergarteners and other related activities as part of a so-called "buddy program" without notifying parents or giving the chance to opt out
San Diego stage actor says county, library shut down her show because she is white
A San Diego actor has sued the San Diego County Library, claiming officials illegally shut down her stage show, in which she portrayed historical figures, saying they were 'uncomfortable' with the white actor portraying two prominent black American women
Judge: No scientific evidence to allow Tylenol maker to be sued over alleged autism link in CA
An Alameda County Superior Court judge granted a win to Tylenol-maker Kenvue, saying the scientific evidence and federal rules don't allow the company to be sued by a woman who claims taking acetaminophin while pregnant caused her son's autism
Waivers don't shield Oakland, other cities from lawsuits from cyclists hurt in road races: CA Sup Ct
The California Supreme Court said the city of Oakland can't use a liability waiver to defeat a lawsuit brought by a cyclist who says he was injured while riding a course for a charity bicycle race on Oakland streets
Appeals court: Workers can't waive meal break rights, then sue employer for missed meal breaks
A state appeals court has tossed a class action lawsuit against animal hospital chain VCA, finding ex-VCA employees can't sue the company for requiring them to work through meal breaks when they had voluntarily signed agreements waiving their rights to meal breaks when their shifts were six hours or less
Judge: Carano should get access to pay info for Disney+ Star Wars series actors
Actor Gina Carano hailed a ruling from a federal judge requiring Disney to turn over contracts and other info concerning pay for lead and supporting actors in its Star Wars TV series. Carano has sued Disney for firing her from "The Mandalorian" over her political speech
Huntington Beach OK to require voter ID in city elections, judge says
An Orange County judge rejected a petition from California Attorney General Rob Bonta seeking a court order declaring Huntington Beach's city charter rights under California's constitution don't supersede state election law, which forbids voter ID. Bonta said he will appeal
Environmentalists can block San Diego Co. from easing 'vehicle-miles-travelled' rules to boost housing
A state appeals court agreed San Diego County didn't present enough evidence to support its decisions to exempt certain 'infill' or 'small' housing developments from onerous, costly 'climate change' driven transportation studies when building new homes
'Middle finger to SCOTUS': Appeals court says ammo magazines aren't 'arms,' so CA ban stands
The liberal majority on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said California's ban on "large capacity magazines" used in semiautomatic weapons doesn't violate the Second Amendment, because the magazines are just "boxes." Other judges said the decision "butchered" the 2A and defied the Supreme Court
'Not Election Week:' CA law giving mail ballots a week after Election Day to arrive is illegal, lawsuit says
San Diego U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa has joined with Judicial Watch to challenge California's election law, which requires election officials to count all ballots received by mail up to a week after Election Day. He argues it violates constitutional rights of candidates and voters and violates federal law which establishes an official Election Day
Judge enters another order blocking CA from enforcing law over young user online privacy
A group advocating for tech companies said the ruling represents a victory for free online speech, as the law would essentially force social media and other online companies to serve as "censors," enforcing the state's content standards online
More lawsuits target hair care product makers, now claiming hair dye caused cancer
The lawsuits have been filed vs. L'Oreal, Clairol, Henken and others on behalf of hair stylists, claiming chemicals in hair dyes caused bladder cancer. Hair care product makers have also been targeted by thousands of suits over cancers allegedly caused by hair relaxers
Appeals court: ClassPass can't use arbitration to escape class action; Dissent: Ruling leaves online biz 'guessing'
The Ninth Circuit rejected an attempt by online gym access pass seller ClassPass to beat a class action through arbitration because its user terms and conditions weren't good enough to show users agreed. A dissenting judge said the decision defies earlier rulings and fosters uncertainty
Lawsuit: Fresno schools run academic help programs that discriminate vs non-black students
The lawsuit from the Californians for Equal Rights Foundation is the latest challenging alleged racially discriminatory government programs in the state. The lawsuit asserts Fresno Unified School District is spending $12M per year to operate academic programs open only to black students
Judge says CA's, enviros' plastics recycling 'deception' lawsuit belongs in state court
A federal judge said ExxonMobil failed to show why the lawsuits launched by California's Democratic attorney general and his environmentalist activist allies should avoid a date in California's plaintiff-friendly state courts. ExxonMobil has claimed the lawsuits are motivated by nothing more than politics and "ambition"
Lawyers for Chino Valley schools 'declare victory' in fight vs state over parents' rights to know
CA Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta did not appeal by deadline a San Bernardino County judge's ruling letting the Chino Valley Unified School District enforce policies requiring schools to tell parents when students' records are changed, including for gender change or pronouns
Maybe 'not act of defiance,' but Norwalk can't escape Newsom's lawsuit over homeless shelter moratorium
A judge said Gov. Newsom can continue bid to use lawsuit to punish city of Norwalk for attempting to slow down construction of shelters and resettlement of homeless in their community
Federal law shields Grindr from lawsuit over underaged rapes arranged on app, appeals court says
A federal appeals panel says Section 230 - a legal provision protecting social media companies from many lawsuits - protects gay dating and sex hookup app Grindr from a lawsuit from a man who claims he was raped four times by men using the app when he was 15, because Grindr didn't verify his age
'Hey, Siri:' $95M Apple Siri class action settlement gets initial OK from judge; Lawyers could get $28.5M
Under the settlement, eligible claimants could get $20 for each Siri-equipped Apple devices they may have owned since 2014, up to five devices. The lawsuit asserted Apple devices wrongly recorded user conversations and other interactions, even when Siri was not summoned
Lawsuits: CA law banning certain workplace meetings unconstitutional, tramples free speech rights
Two lawsuits - one from the California Chamber of Commerce and other business advocates, the other from the California Policy Center - assert Democrat-supported SB399 would violate the constitutional rights of business owners and others by subjecting them to lawsuits and fines for sharing their views with workers