Civil Litigation

If you are thinking about filing a civil lawsuit in the California court system, or if you have been served with a civil complaint naming you as a defendant, you…

When parties are involved in a legal dispute they may wind up in a civil lawsuit. Once a case has been filed in the California court system, both parties have…

Although very few lawsuits require a full trial, if your case goes to court, you need a civil litigation lawyer who knows how to prepare a winning case. While different…

This is the third essay in a series devoted to civil forfeiture issues in the US and California. You can read an introductory explanation of the law, theory, and legal…

Court battles are complicated, stressful, and may last years before reaching a final resolution. Plus, in a trial, you relinquish the power to a judge or jury to decide your…

In Timbs v. Indiana, 139 S.Ct. 682 (2019), the United States Supreme Court struck down Indiana’s civil forfeiture laws. Civil forfeiture allows law enforcement officials to legally seize property, cash,…

Most California residents are familiar with their local courthouse and may have appeared there for a traffic matter, divorce, or even jury duty. However, the local trial court is only…

Unlike what you may see on television, legal disputes in Northern California are not filed and brought to trial within a few weeks. Before any civil lawsuit goes to trial,…

A petition for writ relief is an equitable proceeding compelling performance of or forbearance on an official act or duty. (Bruce v. Gregory (1967) 65 Cal.2d 666.) Few practitioners understand…