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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RECORD

Monday, March 18, 2024

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Lawsuits cost U.S. consumers $500 billion per year, hurting low-income Americans most

By R. B. Pepalis |
David Williams, president of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA), recently addressed the economic implications of mass tort litigation on Federal Newswire’s Business of America podcast. He argued that excessive lawsuits are a financial burden to taxpayers, with a significant portion of the funds being allocated to legal fees.

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Low-income drivers hurt by rising car insurance costs

By A. I. Benavidez |
In 2023, vehicle owners experienced a surge in their expenses due to escalating insurance costs. This price hike has been particularly burdensome for low-income drivers who are already grappling with the cost of basic necessities.

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AdvaMed CEO: Plaintiff attorneys ‘use misleading advertisements’ to generate business, make money at consumers’ expense

By A. A. Sanchez |
Scott Whitaker, the President and CEO of AdvaMed, a medical trade association, has voiced concerns about the impact of misleading advertisements on patients' health. In a commentary piece, he stated that trial attorneys are luring plaintiffs to join lawsuits through deceptive ads. Reports have found that this excessive litigation is imposing financial burdens on consumers, particularly affecting low-income Californians.

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Judge upholds Temecula Valley schools policies blocking classroom CRT, requiring parental notification for gender changes

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A Riverside County judge sided with Temecula Valley Unified School District in a dispute with activists and the local teachers union over school board policies that block teachers from telling students that white people are inherently racist and require educators to notify parents if their children change gender ID

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California’s legal climate contributes to sky-high cost of living

By J. D. Suayan |
California's cost of living surpasses the national average by 42%, with significant expenses in areas such as car insurance, housing, and utilities. Recent analyses point to the proliferation of tort lawsuits in the state as a contributing factor to this high cost of living.

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Biden administration, left-wing allies 'colluding' to shove court fight over immigration past November, judge says

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A federal appeals court judge in San Francisco blasted the Biden administration and his fellow judges for allowing left-wing activists to help the president quietly tuck from public view a court fight over the politically fraught crisis at the southern border

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AG Rob Bonta: ‘The FTC and Congress must act to ensure fulsome regulation of PBMs nationwide’

By Southern California Record |
State Attorney General Rob Bonta (D-Calif.) sent a letter to U.S. Congressional leadership this week saying Congress should “act to ensure fulsome regulation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

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Lawsuit abuse drives inflation for Los Angeles consumers

By A. I. Benavidez |
The rise in the number of lawsuits filed in the Los Angeles area is contributing to heightened inflation and an increase in insurance costs. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI), which was released on Feb. 13, prices in the Los Angeles area rose by 1% in January and 2.5% over the 12-month period ending in January 2024. A recent report identified a major contributor to California's CPI as the surge in tort filings and insurance-related lawsuits.

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California can't enforce minor gun ad ban law while court case plays out over speech restrictions

By Jonathan Bilyk |
The full U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said it won't grant the Attorney General's request for a review of a three-judge panel's decision to slap an injunction on AB2571, which they said amounted to an unconstitutional 'muzzling of speech'

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Mass tort litigation is hurting Californians' wallets

By R. B. Pepalis |
Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CASE), a nonprofit organization advocating for consumer interests, has declared that all Americans are shouldering the costs of mass tort litigation while attorneys reap the benefits. In California, millions of residents, particularly those in low-income households, are grappling with affording basic necessities.

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Report: Legal system abuses causing increase in uninsured California drivers

By E. F. Cullerton |
Escalating costs, partially attributed to abuses within the legal system, have led some drivers to abandon their insurance coverage in California, potentially raising costs for all consumers.

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Low-income, nonwhite Californians hit hardest by rising costs

By Southern California Record |
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the rate of inflation for January was 0.3%, establishing the rate of inflation for the 12-month period ending in January at 3.4%. Studies have determined that low-income and nonwhite households in California are more severely impacted by inflation than wealthier and white households.

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California employers hammered by record number of PAGA lawsuit filings in 2023, analysis finds

By Sarah Downey |
It was a record-breaking year for California’s PAGA (Private Attorneys General Act) in 2023, with nearly 8,000 notices filed, even after a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling found PAGA is subject to terms of the Federal Arbitration Act.

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Carano sues Disney over firing from 'Mandalorian,' says retaliated against her over politics

By Jonathan Bilyk |
TV and film star Gina Carano says Disney illegally attempted to blast her career from orbit over conservative online speech, costing her untold millions of dollars in future career opportunities built on her popular recurring character on Star Wars series, 'The Mandalorian'

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A question of limits: CA lawmakers want to ban youth football, but court challenges would inevitably follow

By Sarah Downey |
Under veto threat, state lawmakers appear to have throttled down efforts to ban youth tackle football statewide. But it doesn't mean they can't try again in the future, setting the stage for potential lawsuits over their constitutional ability to interfere with parents' rights to raise their kids, says a prominent sports lawyer

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Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP warns of potentially meritless serial lawsuits from Pacific Trial Attorneys

By Southern California Record |
Law firm Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell LLP (JMBM) has issued a warning about Pacific Trial Attorneys, a Newport Beach-based law firm. According to JMBM, Pacific Trial Attorneys has filed hundreds of lawsuits on behalf of serial plaintiffs. These lawsuits often target businesses' websites and may lack substantial merit.

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CA emissions reporting rules illegal try to let CA regulate emissions worldwide, lawsuit says

By Jonathan Bilyk |
A new lawsuit from the U.S. and California chambers of commerce and other business advocates says new California laws forcing businesses to report "climate" emissions violates both the First Amendment and Clean Air Act.

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Driving violations could bring 90% insurance premium hike for California motorists

By Southern California Record |
NHC Insurance Services, a San Pedro-based independent insurance agency, has revealed that a driving violation in California could lead to an insurance premium increase of over 90% this year. The agency warns that while drivers across the country can anticipate harsher penalties for violations such as DUIs, it is the motorists in California who will face the most significant financial consequences nationwide.