In Bustos v. Global P.E.T. (2018) 19 CA5 th 558 an employee who proved discrimination as a motivating factor due to his disability (carpal tunnel syndrome vs. employer who said it was an economic lay off) lost an award of attorneys fees and costs under Harris v. City...
Experienced Real Estate And Business Attorney
Year: 2018
Private Court Reporters Can Only Charge what the Govt. Code Allows for a Copy of the Proceeding
In Burd v. Barkley Court Reporters (2017) 17 Cal.App.5th 1037, the court stated the fees allowed for an official transcript in Government Code sections 69950 and 69954 are the max a private reporter can charge of a proceeding in front of a judge. I love this ruling ...
Starting January 1, 2019 Alimony Tax Deduction is Eliminated!
I guess Congress persons do not pay alimony. Part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is that Internal Revenue Code §71 is now eliminated so any divorce alimony agreements made after December 31, 2018 will no longer result on a tax deduction for alimony paid. The key is...
Mechanic’s Lien Problems with Multiple Contracts (Civil Code §8186)
Multiple contracts invoke Civil Code §8186 (former§3117) which can be fatal to mechanic’s lien claims. Section 8186 provides when projects are built pursuant to more than one “direct” contract, with each contract covering a particular portion of the work, the owner...
The down payment made by one co-tenant (co-owner) of Real Property is reimbursable to the person who paid it.
Looking at the CCP about Partition and the equitable powers of the court, the person paying the down payment should be reimbursed what they paid for the down payment before any distribution of the proceeds. In re Marriage of Leversee (1984) 156 Cal. App. 3d 891...
The Court Loses Jurisdiction to Stay Enforcement of Order After Sheriff Levy) Del Riccio v. Sup. Court
Often after a bank levy or eviction (unlawful detainer) lock out, the defendant files a motion for a stay or to be let back into possession. Code of Civil Procedure § 918 can only “stay the enforcement of an judgment or order”. There is nothing to stay after the...
Employees Cannot Sue Temp Company then sue its Client Company! (Castillo v. Glenair 22 Cal.App.5th 348)
Finally, a common sense ruling. After settling a class action lawsuit against temporary staffing agency, workers brought wage and hour putative class action raising identical claims against the client-company where they had been placed to work. The Court of Appeal...
Parol Evidence Rule does Not Exclude Verbal Fraudulent Statements that Contradict the Written Contract (CCP 1856)
Code of Civil Procedure 1856(g) provides that parol (verbal) evidence to explain the circumstances under which the agreement, to which it relates, explain an extrinsic ambiguity or otherwise interpret the terms of the agreement, or to establish illegality or fraud....
To Broke to Arbitrate? No Problem! (Weiler v. Marcus & Millichap)
In Marcus and Millichap Real Estate (April 30, 2018) G053953, a sympathetic Court reversed a ruling so that a once wealthy, but now poor Plaintiff who lost more than $2.8million by the defendants for elder abuse and breach of fiduciary duty, and after being in...
New Independent Contractor vs. Employee Test: Dynamex Operations
The California Supreme Court changed the test to determine what is an independent contractor vs. employee to a new “ABC” test. The 2nd prong, is the tough one for employers. Dynamex Operations West, Inc. involved a trucking company which changed its policy from...