Due process prevails. A common mistake is pleading damages (other than as limited in Family/PI/wrongful death cases) according to proof without providing the defendant with a number of possible damages. The result is a default but no money to the plaintiff. The law...
Experienced Real Estate And Business Attorney
New Case Law
Broker Must Disclose all Material Facts, Even if Obtained from a Neighbor! (In Ryan v Real of the Pacific, (2019) 32 Cal.App.5th 637)
The Court held that a broker must disclose that the seller’s neighbor told him he planned to remodel and his remodeled house would overlook the seller’s pool and interfere with the view. This case case also found expert broker testimony is not always necessary to...
Equitable Easements require “greatly disproportionate” hardship on the trespasser (Shoen v. Zacarias (2015) 237 CA4th 16
While it is possible to obtain an equitable easement to allow a trespasser to continue use of the property in exchange for damages, the hardship on the trespasser must be “greatly disproportionate” to the hardship of the landowner losing a portion of her land. In...
City (anti-Airbnb) Law Trumps Lease Term allowing short term rentals (Chen v. Kraft (2016) 243 Cal.App. 4th Supp 13)
The Appellate Department of the Los Angeles Superior Court (Chen v Kraft (2016) 243 CA4th Supp 13) allowed a landlord to evict a tenant for running short-term rental business out of his residential rental unit in Los Angeles. In Chen, the Court affirmed a summary...
Landlord can deduct a portion of the value of rental unit to resident manager as part of wages due
In Von Nothdurft v. Steck, (2014) 227 Cal.App.4th 524, the manager challenged the written management agreement with the landlord as being “unconscionable” or “an adhesion contract” so void. The Court of Appeal said the agreement was fine and confirmed it was freely...
HOA may charge fees short term rental fee to homeowner who rents to short term tenants (AirBnB)
In Watts v Oak Shores Community Association (2015) 235 Cal.App.4th 466, the Court said an HOA may impose reasonable regulations and charge reasonable fees that are related to short term rentals that are not imposed or charged other owners of longer term rentals....
Landlord cannot increase rent of rent controlled apartment to market level after parent vacates leaving adult child in possession
T & A Drolapas and Sons LP v SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENTIAL RENT STABILIZATION AND ARBITRATION BOARD et al., and GERALD BORJAS (2015) 238 Cal.App.4th 646) –> Costa Hawkins case against landlord Landlord cannot increase rent after parent (named tenant) vacates...
Not having Renter’s insurance is not a material breach to support an Unlawful Detainer
Boston LLC v. Juarez 245 Cal. App. 4th 75 (Cal. App. 2d Dist. 2016) NIVO 1 LLC v. Antunez 217 Cal. App. 4th Supp. 1 (Cal. Super. Ct. 2013) What is material, and the purpose behind the lease term is important when a forfeiture is being sought. For example, renter’s...
Calif. Supreme Court Helps Wrongful Foreclosure Plaintiff
Yvanova v. New Century Mortgage (2016) 62 Cal.4th 919 Now a borrower can survive demurrer or summary judgment if he shows the assignment is void. has standing to challenged allegedly improper securitization of mortgage loan The Court now found that a break in the...
Rescission Means Unwinding The Transaction Even if Difficult
Wong v Stoler, 237 Cal.App.4th 1375 The trial courts if find rescission for nondisclosure by a seller must unwind the transaction even if difficult and complex. E.g, Judges cannot be lazy! Buyer of a home sued seller for not disclosing the fact that their sewer...