(Subscription required) The first bellwether trial among lawsuits coordinated in California state courts alleging Johnson & Johnson’s talcum powder products caused ovarian cancer will begin Nov. 3.

A judge may ethically conduct a ceremonial swearing in of new admittees to the State Bar even if they have already been inducted, the California Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Ethics Opinions said in an opinion issued yesterday.

(Subscription required) The only way to keep the pace, he said, is through structure and discipline. Just as a swimmer relies on stroke and breath to cover distance, Moreton relies on rules and preparation to move cases through without sacrificing fairness.

The California Legislature on Thursday passed a pair of bills to prohibit on-duty law enforcement officers, including federal immigration agents, from masking their faces and to require them to identify themselves.