Civil Trials

Top Sheriff's Officials Allied With White Gang In L.A. Jails, Suit Says

A white-power gang operating inside the L.A. County jails had ties to sheriff's officials charged with running the lockups -- ties that led up as far as Undersheriff Paul Tanaka. That, at least, is one of the shocking allegations in a lawsuit filed in L.A. federal court this week. The plaintiffs ar ... More >>

L.A. Parking Tickets Are A Money-Making Racket Designed To Foil Appeals, Lawsuit Says

Does the city of L.A. essentially deprive you the right to challenge parking tickets it issues? A man named Jeff Galfer thinks so. He's the lead plaintiff in a new class action lawsuit that alleges the city violates your constitutional rights by making it difficult to appeal a parking ticket. Acco ... More >>

Lawsuits Allege Subway's Footlong Sandwiches Aren't Really a Foot Long

Recently a teenager in Australia discovered that his Subway "Footlong" sandwich did not measure up to 12 inches; it was, rather, a mere 11. Which, on this side of the hemisphere, is the sort of discrepancy that forms the basis for both great Stephen Colbert bits and false advertising lawsuits. And ... More >>

Caleche Ranae Manos, Nude: Cops Get Eye Full in Botched Raid of Miss Nevada's Place -- Suit

Sheriff's deputies who raided a Santa Monica apartment early last November 15 allegedly got an eye full -- of a nude Miss Nevada 2007, Caleche Ranae Manos. Now, before all the guys in the greater Los Angeles region pump their fists Rafael Nadal-style and say, Right on!, consider the ramifications: ... More >>

Lawsuit Claims Foie Gras Ban is Unconstitutional

On July 1, the countdown clock hit zero and California's ban on foie gras went into effect. But, as one might predict, the law barely lasted one full business day before a lawsuit was filed against it. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, a complaint filed in federal district court on Monday ... More >>

Kardashians 'Terrorized, Tasered' Me at Disney World, Claims Serial Litigant; Judge Issues Best Order Ever

Gino Romano, a New York resident who is apparently obsessed with the Kardashians (like in a not-normal way, like a beyond reading-tabloid-dirt-when-you're-supposed-to-be-working way) filed yet another ridiculous lawsuit against the Calabasas family on June 15. Among his alleged reasons for seeking ... More >>

Lawsuit Alleges Hebrew National Products are Not Kosher

"We answer to a higher authority" is Hebrew National's slogan, but at least eleven consumers in Minnesota aren't so sure: The group is suing ConAgra Foods, Inc., the parent company of Hebrew National, alleging that Hebrew National's products are not kosher. According to Reuters, the lawsuit alleges ... More >>

Sharon Stone's Ex-Nanny, Erlinda Elemen, Says Actress Insulted Her for Being Filipina

L.A.'s huge Filipino community might have a new enemy in Hollywood: Basic Instinct actress Sharon Stone, who's no stranger to litigation from the help, is being sued by Erlinda T. Elemen, her three children's former live-in nanny, for allegedly criticizing her Filipino heritage. Also, for allegedly ... More >>

Pinkberry Co-Founder Young Lee Sued by Homeless Man, Donald Bolding, Who Says He Beat Him Over Sexy Tattoo

The homeless man allegedly beaten by Pinkberry co-founder Young Lee over a scintillating tattoo is suing the businessman. Prosecutors allege the 47-year-old froyo entrepreneur beat Donald Bolding with a tire iron on June 15 near the Vermont Avenue offramp of the 101 freeway in southeast Hollywood. ... More >>

State Supreme Court Rules Employers Must Provide Meal Breaks, But You Must Take Them

If you're an hourly employee who works more than five hours a day, you are entitled to a 30-minute lunch break -- but, as the California Supreme Court just ruled, it's up to you to make sure you exercise your legal right to do so. The state Supreme Court's unanimous decision is a culmination of n ... More >>

Puppy Strangled at PetSmart, L.A. Lawsuit Alleges: PHOTOS

Updated at the bottom with a statement from PetSmart. First posted at 1:38 p.m. Hell hath no fury like the L.A. owners of a strangled puppy. That, at least, is the story set forth in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court today against PetSmart. The suit alleges that PetSmart employ ... More >>

McDonald's Facing Two More Hot Coffee Lawsuits

Back a lifetime ago in 1994, McDonald's was sued over the temperature of its coffee when a woman accused the fast food chain of serving coffee so hot, it gave her third-degree burns when the cup spilled on her legs and groin. Now it's déjà vu all over again, as McDonald's is defending itself agai ... More >>

Shepard Fairey Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy After He Manufactured Evidence in 'Hope' Civil Court Battle With Associated Press

Hope this is legal.​Shepard Fairey dug a dumb hole for himself when he tried to cover up and change evidence in his civil court battle with Associated Press over the image he used for his iconic "Hope" poster. That dispute appeared to us to end in a draw, but because the L.A. street artist d ... More >>

Lawsuit Alleges That SunChips Are Not "All-Natural"

Pleasantly surprised that the SunChips and Tostitos you munched on during the Super Bowl were stamped "All-Natural"? Hopefully, you're not a Pats fan, else you're in for another letdown: a lawsuit filed last week against the chips' manufacturer, Frito-Lay, alleges that the snacks are not all-natura ... More >>

Dastardly Deeds in Darts

One angry man brings Southern California Darts Association to its knees

Top 10 Food-Related Lawsuits of 2011

Taco BellTaco Bell gives thanks for being sued over the contents of its meat​A look at this year through the lens of the food-related lawsuits is like watching the first season of The Killing: an exercise in frustration, bewilderment, and, occasionally, excitement. From the mother who sued N ... More >>

Sen. Dianne Feinstein Sues Kinde Durkee, Alleges Massive Theft, Accuses First California Bank of Cover-Up

Dianne Feinstein: Guns blazing​Sen. Dianne Feinstein filed a lawsuit today against Kinde Durkee, alleging that the disgraced treasurer took millions from her campaign accounts.Feinstein also sued First California Bank, alleging that bank officials intentionally overlooked red flags because they wa ... More >>

Blackout Lawsuit Seeks Class Action Status in Federal Court For Millions Affected by SoCal's Electricity Outage

the arcticSan Diego, in the dark.​Two plaintiffs are suing Arizona Public Service Company, it's corporate parent, and San Diego Gas & Electric over the Great Blackout of 2011. The suit seeks class-action status, which means that anyone else in the same situation could, if approved by the court ... More >>

Carroll Shelby, Go-Fast Mustang Icon, Named in Sexual Harassment Suit as an Alleged Groper

Eleanor from 'Gone in 60 Seconds' is a Shelby.​Carroll Shelby, known for his iconic Mustangs built in L.A., was named in a $5 million sexual harassment lawsuit, Courthouse News Service reported this week. Shelby, in fact, wasn't the main, alleged culprit. The L.A. Superior Court suit claims t ... More >>

Does LAPD Have Ticket Quota? 10 More Traffic Officers Say Yes, Sue City

Check.​Off the record, LAPD officers have been telling us for months that their supervisors expect them to write a certain number of traffic tickets per day -- about 18 for traffic cops, and two for patrol cops (on top of their regular duties). Which is why last week's lawsuit against the Cit ... More >>

Beverly Hills Hotel Sued For Alleged Sexual Harassment, Racial Discrimination (A Hotel Lawyer Says The Claim is B.S.)

dorchestercollection.comAlberto Del Hoyo.​Two women and three men who worked at the Beverly Hills Hotel are suing the storied venue for sexual harassment, discrimination, wrongful termination, and wage violations. The juiciest parts of the suit, filed in L.A. Superior Court yesterday, allege ... More >>

Public Counsel Sues Lancaster And Palmdale Over "War" On Section 8 Housing

​Update: Lancaster Mayor Rex Parris calls the lawsuit "inflammatory bullshit." More below. Update 2: Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford gives his own defense. A public interest law firm filed a racial discrimination suit today against Lancaster and Palmdale, charging that the cities have declared "war" on ... More >>

Is LAPD Taking Homeless People's Shopping Carts?

CraftyBunny via Flickr​You'd think the homeless, pushing around shopping carts piled high with garbage bags and crumbling electronics, would be fairly low on the list of people to steal from. But there is one group of folks who supposedly can't stop taking and destroying their stuff. The LAPD.

Bankrupt Businessman James Agate Angles for a Slice of Billionaire Ted Forstmann's Riches

Honda Civic Owners, Better Check Your Brakes; Class-Action Lawsuit Claims it Could Save Your Life

Honda​A little more than two years ago, Rivella Dunner of Los Angeles bought a new 2009 Honda Civic at a dealership in Woodland Hills. She, like most Civic owners, was psyched that the car was both affordable and supposedly reliable. Thirteen months and 10,433 miles later, however, Dunner was sho ... More >>

Le Cordon Bleu Lawsuit Now Going After Banks: Is This Suit Valid? Comments from Plaintiffs' Attorney and the School

​New developments in the class action suit against Le Cordon Bleu have emerged - now it's not just the parent companies being sued, it's the banks as well. As we reported in October, a class action suit is pending against Le Cordon Bleu's parent companies alleging fraud, claiming the school p ... More >>

Barry Minkow's New Scandal

A judge slams the purportedly redeemed con man with huge sanctions

ACLU Adds New Names In Their Lawsuit Against U.S. Government Challenging Their Policy Of Detaining Immigrants Indefinitely Without A Hearing

​The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California announced Tuesday that they're adding new plaintiffs to its lawsuit against the U.S. government, challenging the government's right to hold immigrants indefinitely while they wait for their cases to be heard in immigration hearings. T ... More >>

Six Survivors Of Horrific Greyhound Bus Crash File Suit

​Six people injured in a horrific crash of a Greyhound bus that was en route to Sacramento from Los Angeles have filed suit against the transportation company, attorneys for the plaintiffs announced Wednesday. Although it was alleged that a driver of an SUV that apparently caused the Thursday ... More >>

Federal Civil Rights Suit Brought Against UCLA, UC Regents For Copying Prof's Hard Drive

ucla.eduPlaintiff Robert Lufkin.​A tenured professor in the Department of Radiological Sciences at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine filed a federal lawsuit last week against the school and the UC Board of Regents arguing that his civil rights were violated when university officials ent ... More >>

L.A. Could Be Ground Zero For Toyota's Legal Woes

​Torrance-based Toyota Motor Sales USA has asked that 200 sudden-acceleration lawsuits be consolidated into one case to be heard before a federal judge in Los Angeles. According to Associated Press, Toyota lawyer Cari Dawson argued before a U.S. Panel on Multidistrict Litigation in San Diego ... More >>

Lawsuit Alleging Orphans Were Ditched After 'Extreme Makeover' Could Be Settled

ABC​A civil lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court that alleges a couple used (and then ditched) five orphans to get a house built as part of the storyline of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition could come to an end with a possible settlement this week. Firipeli and Lokilani Leomiti greed to ... More >>

TV Writers Get $70 Million In Age Discrimination Settlement

​One-hundred-sixty-five television writers jointly received a $70 million settlement Friday in their age-discrimination claim against some of Hollywood's biggest players, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and more. " ... With years of disruptive litigation remaining, and all networks and major tel ... More >>

Judge Throws Out City's Digital Billboard Settlement

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled today that the city's billboard settlement agreement that allowed 840 digital billboards citywide is invalid. Superior Court Judge Terry Green ruled that the settlement agreement between the city and billboard giants Clear Channel and CBS Outdoor was inval ... More >>

Cemetery Desecretation Suit Goes Forward

The class action lawsuit against Eden Memorial Park is going forward, plaintiff lawyers said today at a Century City news conference. The suit, brought last Thursday by the Newport firm of Eagan O'Malley & Avenatti, alleges that EMP, one of the country's largest Jewish cemeteries, "intentionally ... More >>

L.A. Koreans Spark Massive Lawsuit

Mad About the CowSpearheaded by about 50 of their fellow countrymen from the Los Angeles area, 1,020 Korean Americans have filed a $735 million lawsuit against Seoul TV broadcast company MBC. The suit claims that, by sounding a new alarm about mad cow disease and U.S. beef, which has been banned in ... More >>

Worse and Worser

A hothead female firefighter accuses a bombastic boss. She gets $6.2 million — at least.

Rocky's Down for the Count

L.A.’s city attorney loses court fight with fired prosecutor

Revenge of the White Cops

The meaning of the Inglewood verdict

The Black Avenger

Milton Crawford exposes the DWP’s big whitewash... racism, intimidation and harassment

Letters

L.A.-Boston: A Lesson for Convention Cops

Web Exclusive

Arnold's Campaign Facing Libel Suit over Rhonda Miller Smear

Rage and the LAPD

Ruling keeps alive protesters’ lawsuit in aftermath of Democratic Convention

To Protect and Serve

Hahn spent his career making the city safe for cops

Hard Line

Feds demanded change in Pittsburgh

Sweetheart Deal?

LAPD Zealots Cost City a Cool Million

The High Cost of Bias

Gender gap persists at Sheriff’s Department

Rights Reversal

Suit to corral UNOCAL in Burma stalls