Michael Carroll News
U.S. attorney: Guilty verdict means L.A. personal-injury lawyer’s ‘game is up’
A former Los Angeles plaintiff attorney whose involvement in a groundwater-contamination lawsuit in the 1990s inspired the movie “Erin Brockovich” has been found guilty of embezzling tens of millions of dollars from his clients.
California attorney general joins federal lawsuit accusing software firm of fixing rental-housing prices
California has joined seven other states and the U.S. Department of Justice in a lawsuit that accuses a Texas-based revenue-management software company of keeping rental prices in Orange County, San Diego and other regions artificially high.
Plaintiffs' petition: Santa Ana school district covered up 'antisemitic' ethnic studies program
Plaintiffs who have accused Santa Ana Unified School District officials of approving ethnic studies courses tainted by antisemitism have filed a petition in Orange County Superior Court that argues the district also violated state open-meeting laws.
Legal scholar: Cherry-picking evidence can lead to downfall of Zantac cases
The Wisner Baum law firm in Los Angeles is scheduled next month to bring the first state court lawsuit alleging that the heartburn drug Zantac can cause cancer – a contention that is at the heart of tens of thousands of similar lawsuits filed nationwide.
DOJ official: Southern California law firm misused coronavirus relief funds
A Southern California law firm founded by the daughter of women’s rights attorney Gloria Allred has agreed to pay a settlement of more than $200,000 after providing false information to obtain coronavirus hardship funds from the federal government.
Los Angeles D.A. ethics official still being paid despite multiple felony changes
An assistant district attorney and top ethics official for Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón has continued to draw her $320,000 annual salary after being ordered to stand trial on multiple felony counts for accessing confidential data without permission.
'Lemon law' lawsuits soar in California amid proposals for reform
California tort reform supporters have been raising the alarm about a recent 52% spike in lawsuits involving the state’s “lemon law” – the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act – leading to the filing of 22,655 such auto-defect lawsuits in 2023.
Kern Community College District agrees to $2.4 million settlement with professor in retaliation case
A former social sciences professor at Bakersfield College has agreed to a $2.4 million settlement to resolve his litigation against the Kern Community College District (KCCD) alleging administrative misconduct and retaliation.
Economics professor: EV targets based on questionable science have ‘far-reaching’ economic downsides
Energy companies and industry associations have challenged California's EV targets in the Supreme Court, saying they have illegally extended their standards nationwide. But new research says EV sales targets and subsidies, such as those in place in California, could lead to the destruction of the automobile industry.
Science court advocate: A less adversarial system could improve outcomes in civil litigation
A decades-old idea of convening “science courts” to make informed judgments on controversies such as federal funding for nuclear power or the safety of a pharmaceutical drug is now being promoted as a way to bolster public confidence in the scientific method.
Cocoa Puffs class action: Cereal's lead content a threat to consumers' health
The lawsuit is based on California's controversial Prop 65 labeling law, which food makers have blasted as an unscientific standard used to justify lawsuits, but not actually protect consumers
Orange County Superior Court judge pleads not guilty to murdering his wife
An Orange County Superior Court judge has pleaded not guilty to murdering his 65-year-old wife with a firearm last year in their Anaheim Hills home.
California high court finds plaintiffs in PAGA actions can't to intervene in overlapping claims
Employers are applauding the California Supreme Court for recently diminishing the scope of the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), which allows workers to bring civil suits against companies for violations of the state Labor Code.
Judge: Former State Bar executive director culpable for lying about funding of Mongolia trip
A former California State Bar executive director should be placed on one year of probation for allegedly misleading the State Bar’s Board of Trustees by falsely saying that no State Bar funds would be used for a 2014 trip to Mongolia, a judge has decided.
Critics of 'carbon offsets': Corporations' 'green' investment claims mislead consumers
Investments in “carbon offsets” by Delta Air Lines and other corporations aim to present more environmentally friendly images, but they now face strong headwinds, both in the courtroom and in independent reports.
Kern County judge questions legality of California farmworker unionization bill
A new California law streamlining the unionization process for farmworkers is likely unconstitutional and defective, depriving agricultural employers of property and due process rights, a Kern County Superior Court judge concluded last month.
Medical clinic lawsuit: Bonta attacking women's right to obtain abortion pill reversal
A Southern California Catholic medical clinic has filed a countersuit against the state’s attorney general, accusing Rob Bonta of unlawfully prohibiting advocacy groups from informing women about a procedure called abortion pill reversal (APR).
J&J attorney: Judge was right to call for re-examination of 'junk science' in talc litigation
Johnson and Johnson remains hopeful that a recently amended rule on expert testimony and new scientific approaches will lead to a weakening of plaintiff attorneys’ argument that the use of J&J’s talc powder increases cancer risks.
California high court: Prop 22 gig-worker measure doesn't conflict with state Constitution
California’s high court has upheld Prop 22, a voter-approved initiative that allows certain gig workers to remain independent contractors rather than become traditional employees. Unions sought to overturn Prop 22, in part, because it blunts their ability to force rideshare companies to unionize
State Bar's chief trial counsel: Tustin attorney's misappropriation of client funds 'stunning'
A Tustin attorney is facing 27 ethics charges and possible disbarment as a result of an investigation by the state’s Office of Chief Trial Counsel (OCTC) that found him liable for misappropriating $282 million belonging to as many as 60,000 clients.