Los Angeles Superior Court

Patrick Harran, UCLA Professor, Faces Possible 4-Plus Years For Fatal Lab Fire

You're a UCLA chemistry professor and a fire breaks out in your lab. A 23-year-old staff research assistant who's handling highly flammable liquid is burned and ultimately dies. Are you responsible for the workplace conditions that led to her death? An L.A. Superior Court judge today said let's fin ... More >>

Why Jury Duty Was One of the Best Experiences of My Life

More First Person pieces: *I Was Sick of L.A. Traffic. So I Took a Plane to Work *I Rode the Entire L.A. Metro in a Single Day *Why the San Fernando Valley Hate Needs to End Once and For All Last month I was an L.A. Superior Court juror. It was a simple felony robbery trial, with a 20-year-old man a ... More >>

Graffiti Crew MTA's Gang Injunction Is For Real

The L.A. City Attorney's office has officially pioneered using a gang injunction against graffiti artists it says are tagging up public property. This legal tool allows prosecutors to bust gangsters just for being gangsters, essentially. Now taggers who crew-up can also be callared just for hangin ... More >>

Michelle Rhee, 'Parent Trigger' Supporters File Huge L.A. Lawsuit to Strip Teachers of Job Protection

California's teachers have long been protected by a series of state laws -- lobbied into existence by powerful teachers unions -- that make the ineffective ones almost impossible to fire. Now, in the largest state lawsuit of kind, the key players behind the controversial "Parent Trigger" law allege ... More >>

Rave Promoters See Parts of L.A. Coliseum Lawsuit Dismissed

Are the cases against rave promoters caught up in the L.A. Coliseum corruption scandal starting to unravel? Last week we reported than an email described by the prosecution as a "smoking gun" had a questionable time stamp and arguably raised other issues with the criminal case against Insomniac Eve ... More >>

LAPD Union Sues City Over New, Lax Tow Policy Aimed at Letting Undocumented Keep Their Cars

The LAPD recently changed its ways, saying that unlicensed drivers can generally have their cars back after one day if they're stopped by cops. State law says such impounds should last 30 days. But immigrants' rights activists have argued that illegals, who can't get licenses in California, have bee ... More >>

Wolfgang Puck Employees Reach Settlement

We don't know whether the swans at the recently reopened Hotel Bel Air are unionized, but several other Wolfgang Puck employees resolved a major labor dispute this week. On Tuesday, a judge gave preliminary approval to a $500,000 settlement that resolved claims by nearly 2,000 current and former emp ... More >>

Porn Condom Ballot Initiative Could be Blocked if City of L.A. Has its Way: Suit Filed to Stop it From Reaching Voters

​The city of L.A. is trying to keep condoms off porn stars, or at least off the ballot. An initiative by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation proposes to put the matter of mandatory condoms in the adult video industry to you, the voter. It collected enough signatures (70,901 of them) and turned the ... More >>

Free Giovanni Ramirez? After Being Wrongly Fingered in Bryan Stow Beating, He Wants Out of Prison

Free Giovanni?​Giovanni Ramirez, the reputed gang member wrongly fingered in the open-day beating of San Francisco Giants' fan Bryan Stow at Dodgers opening day, released a statement from behind bars this week in which he says the ordeal has him "upset," mainly because it affected his family. ... More >>

Marijuana Grower Susan Soares Can't Have Her Pot Back Because L.A. Doc Didn't Indicate Exactly How Much She Needed

Your buds.​Marijuana advocates are fuming -- and not the good kind of fuming, either -- after an L.A. judge said a medical pot grower couldn't have her seized weed back. Now, normally that might be a big deal: Confiscated pot is sometimes the cost of doing business in a country where cannabis ... More >>

Medical Marijuana Seller Who Grew Pot Sees Case Dismissed After LAPD Raided His Home And Garden

Inglewood Wellness Center.​Marijuana proponents are smoking tall after a case against an Inglewood dispensary owner was dismissed recently. Activist Brett Stone says felony charges against Paul Scott were dismissed in L.A. Superior Court. His home was raided last June after an LAPD helicopter ... More >>

Is Match.com to Blame for Sexual Assault on L.A. Film Executive?

Love at the Urth Caffe goes terribly awry​Match.com hasn't been getting much love and appreciation for its romantical services in the digital age. A pack of subscribers just sued in February because, they claimed, hundreds of thousands of the site's users were either inactive or downright fak ... More >>

Culver City-Adjacent Marijuana Dispensary Slapped With Permanent Orders to Stop Selling Weed in the Area

A flier for a past event at Organica.​The L.A. marijuana dispensary called Organica has been sunk like Titanica, at least according to the City Attorney's office, which boasted Thursday of a permanent injunction against the pot shop. Organica, which the City Attorney's office says straddles L ... More >>

'East Side Longos,' LBC Latino Gang, Lose 13 Members to SWAT Crackdown at 4 A.M.

rap.matters.comDon't mess with the Longos -- unless you're a cop with a search warrant​Updated after the jump: A Long Beach gang expert gives us the Longo lowdown. The East Side Longos may have been laughing after Marvin "Shy Boy'' Mercado, an ex-leader of rival gang Asian Boyz, was threatene ... More >>

Leslie Dutton's Videos Freed Richard Fine From Jail. But Who Can Stop Charles McCoy & Friends' $57,000 Bonuses?

Leslie Dutton with Richard Fine: She's nice, and eats judges.​L.A.'s bizarre legal story of 2010 was the solitary confinement jailing of elderly attorney Richard Fine on "contempt of court" -- and boy does Fine have contempt for Los Angeles Superior Court judges who greedily grab $57,000 "bon ... More >>

Alexis Neiers, 'Bling Drug' Convict, Gets One Year Of Live-In Drug Rehab After Authorities Found Heroin In Her House

Aw, so innocent.​Irony? Yeah, the kid who cried loudest about her innocence when she was fingered as part of the "bling ring" string of robberies turned out to be the Lindsay Lohan of the bunch. Reality TV star Alexis Neiers is headed for one-year of live-in drug treatment this week after pro ... More >>

Citywide LAPD Ticket Shakedown

Thanks to Judge Charles McCoy, cops now testify even when they don't recall

Shaky L.A. Superior Court Estimate Is Enough To Overhaul LAPD Policy On Ticket Dismissals -- And No One Can Tell Us Why

Los Angeles Superior CourtPresiding Judge Charles McCoy won't take "I don't remember" for an answer​It's the only moment of joy in traffic court: when an officer doesn't remember your case well enough to testify. Everyone's happy -- copper doesn't have to make crap up, you get to blow that Pop ... More >>

Imperial Stars, 101 Freeway Traffic-Blockers, Due In Los Angeles Court Wednesday

imperialstars.com'Cause posin' in front of Lambos is hardcore for the homeless kids, yo.​'Member these guys? The Imperial Stars? The "hardcore hip-hop" act that blocked the 101 freeway on a mid-October morning because their cause (purportedly homeless children) is much more important than your ... More >>

L.A. Third Striker Gregory Taylor Released After Judge Deems 25-To-Life Too Harsh For Trying To Steal Food

​A man serving 25 years to life for a third-strike conviction based on an incident in which he attempted to steal food from a church was ordered this week to be released from prison, with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza saying he didn't deserve such harsh time. A judge opposed ... More >>

Proponents Of Permit Parking In Venice Recharge Their Lawsuit Against Coastal Commission

​A group that has been lobbying for permit-only parking overnight in Venice is updating a lawsuit that challenges the California Coastal Commission's repeated denial of the "Overnight Parking Districts." The Venice Stakeholders Association stated that on Tuesday it would file a supplemental p ... More >>

SoCal Edison Slapped With Discrimination Lawsuit -- Its Third Since The 1970s

​Utility juggernaut Southern California Edison was being sued this week by eleven former and current African-American employees who claim to have been discriminated against while working for the Rosemead-based company. Above: A photo from Edison's corporate "diversity" web page.

Conrad Murray Could Get His California Doctor's License Pulled

​Conrad Murry could be stripped of his ability to practice medicine in California Monday if the state's medical board gets its way in Los Angeles Superior Court. The board is asking Judge Michael E. Pastor to prevent the doctor from practicing in the Golden State pending the outcome of his man ... More >>

Conrad Murray Allowed To Continue Practicing Medicine In California

​Conrad Murray, the doctor accused in the manslaughter death of Michael Jackson, can continue to practice medicine in the state of California under a Los Angeles Superior Court ruling issued Monday. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael E. Pastor said fellow Judge Keith Schwartz already gav ... More >>

Last-Minute Attempt To Stop City Pot-Shop Crackdown Denied; Shutdowns To Begin Monday

​A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Friday struck down another attempt to block an L.A. city ordinance that will essentially shut down most of the medical marijuana dispensaries in town. The closures are set to begin -- mostly voluntarily -- Monday. Judge James C. Chalfant stated that the ... More >>

Layoffs Blocked At Trio Of L.A. Schools

​A day after Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa decried layoffs at a trio of struggling area public schools as discriminatory, a judge blocked the teacher cuts at the campuses, siding with an ACLU lawsuit's claims. The Wednesday ruling by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William Highberg ... More >>

Judge Orders L.A. Pot Shop To Shut Down

A flier for an event at Organica.​A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Tuesday ordered the embattled Organica medical marijuana dispensary in the city's Del Rey neighborhood to stop selling pot.

$43,000 Amex Bill For Underage Actor At Hollywood Hot Spot Disputed

myhousehollywood.comMy House.​A nearly $43,000 charge for alcohol and tips is being disputed in court by MTV reality show (Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County) actor Chase Johnson and his father because, the duo says, Johnson was underage and was never asked for ID when he charged the drinkin ... More >>

Reduced Bail For Transit Cop Accused Of Murder Denied

​A Los Angeles Superior Court judge Friday denied a request to reduce the bail of a Bay Area transit cop accused of murder in a high-profile case that was moved to L.A. Johannes Mehserle can remain free on bail but he's not getting a discount, the judge ruled. The 28-year-old white man is acc ... 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 >>

Car Wash's Alleged Underpayment To Workers Brings Suit By Jerry Brown

Google Maps​An Echo Park car wash that's been in the news repeatedly for alleged violations of workplace-safety rules and employee compensation standards is being sued by state Attorney General Jerry Brown for $2.6 million, his office announced Tuesday. The suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior ... More >>

Court: City Controller Can't Audit Elected Officials

Rocky, victorious.​A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Tuesday ruled that the City Controller cannot audit elected officials, including the City Attorney, whose office had sued the controller over the matter. The ruling was a victory of sorts for City Attorney Carmen Trutanich, even though ... More >>

Lawsuit: First AME Pastor Pushed For Sex As "God's Will"

A lawsuit against controversial First AME Church Rev. John J. Hunter claims that he pressured a subordinate for on-demand sex as "God's will."First AME ChurchRev. John J. Hunter is alleged to have pressured a subordinate to have sex.​Rev. Brenda Lamothe, who now works for the office of Mayor Anton ... 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 >>

Medical Pot Is Bringing L.A. Together

In the increasingly acrimonious pot wars, all sides agree City Hall is incompetent

Trutanich Pushes New Pot Shop Ordinance for L.A.

On Monday, local medical marijuana advocates were buzzing about President Barack Obama's new, federal rules for not busting legitimate medical pot dispensaries and an L.A. Superior Court judge's decision to invalidate the Los Angeles City Council's moratorium on pot shops in this city, which never s ... More >>

Judge Strikes Down L.A. Pot Shop Moratorium

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James C. Chalfant ruled today that the Los Angeles City Council's two-year-plus long moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries is illegal, and granted a preliminary injunction blocking the enforcement of the ban, reports the L.A. Times.L.A. City Council President ... More >>

No 'Amazing' Grace: Westlake Village Extends Pot Shop Ban

Besides reviewing the Draft Sidewalk Master Plan and re-examining off-leash dog exercise areas in its city parks, the Westlake Village City Council's Wednesday agenda grappled with what to do about Amazing Healing Supply. This is a medical marijuana distributor that set up shop in a business park on ... More >>

Morning Sixpack: A News Roundup

School Board to Cut $1.6B The LAUSD has voted to make deep cuts in a three-year budget, almost guaranteeing further layoffs and the elimination of summer school. L.A. TimesHollywood Denies Murder Former pot dealer and fugitive Jesse James Hollywood told a Santa Barbara jury he did not order the murd ... More >>

Morning Sixpack: A News Roundup

What Summer School? Due to its budget crunch, the L.A. Unified School District is canceling all of its K-8 summer school classes and most of its non-academic programs, while offering only credit-recovery courses for high schoolers. L.A. TimesThe More Things Change Dept. L.A. City Attorney-elect Carm ... More >>

Morning Sixpack: A News Roundup

No-Show Polanski Loses Court Bid  Judge Peter Espinoza refused to dismiss decades-old sexual misconduct charges against film auteur Roman Polanski. Espinoza said the refusal of the fugitive Polanski to attend a hearing in L.A. Superior Court made dismissal impossible. L.A. Times Jesusita F ... More >>

Morning Sixpack: A News Roundup

CalTrans Slammed in Flintridge Crash Laura Olhasso, the mayor of La Canada Flintridge, claimed that CalTrans has ignored her town's concerns about runaway trucks on Angeles Crest Highway. A big rig killed two people and injured 12 Wednesday when its driver lost control and struck several vehicles be ... More >>

Clergy Sex Abuse: Judge Orders Friscans to Open Books

The A.P. reports that L.A. Superior Court Judge Peter Lichtman has given the Franciscan religious order three weeks to make public the personnel files of hundreds of its members. The ruling came as part of a $28 million settlement with 25 plaintiffs of a sexual abuse suit. Lichtman had ordered the ... More >>

"Columbo's" Wife & Daughter Fight Over Conservatorship

Last December the adopted daughter of veteran actor Peter Falk revealed he is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease and dementia. Now, it turns out, Catherine Falk is engaged in a bitter conservatorship fight with Falk's second wife, Shera. The battle over who should care for the 81-year-old -- and whe ... More >>

Did Losing His Dog, Saki, Detonate the 'Killer Santa' Bruce Jeffrey Pardo?

One of the creepiest pieces of news about mass-murderer Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, an aerospace software technician who lived in Montrose, among Los Angeles' most charming, quiet and friendly suburban neighborhoods, was that he lost his "beloved" dog, Saki, to the estranged wife Pardo so viciously and met ... More >>

Rocky Road

Suit tarnishes city attorney’s polished image

Votes of No-Confidence

Cost of election ending up in court

The Sky is Falling

Order by the Court

The case of too many computers

Downtown Dog Days