NewsLinks is a collection of recent news items relating primarily to the California judicial branch. NewsLinks does not verify or endorse the accuracy or fairness of the news items, and the views expressed in opinions, editorials, and commentaries are those of the writers only. Some news articles linked from this page may require a subscription or be behind a paywall.

NewsLinks

  • Only Observable Statements Support False Advertising Claims

    Metropolitan News-Enterprise
    May 7, 2026

    A divided Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held yesterday that Igloo Products Corporation was rightly granted summary judgment in a lawsuit filed by a California start-up, run by an ex-convict-turned-entrepreneur who sought to tap into the environmentally-friendly market, accusing the outdoor giant of false advertising in violation of federal and state law relating to statements promoting a biodegradable disposable ice chest as the “first” of its kind.

  • No Error in Denial of Name-Change Petition Seeking to Add ‘Hitler’ as New Surname

    Metropolitan News-Enterprise
    May 7, 2026

    Div. One of the Fourth District Court of Appeal held yesterday that a trial judge did not err in denying an application for court approval to change her name from three monikers to eight based on a finding that the proposal “raises the likelihood of inciting violence” due to the inclusion of “Hitler” as an additional surname.

  • Judicial Profile: Los Angeles County Judge George F. Bird Jr.

    Daily Journal
    May 7, 2026

    (Subscription required) At the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, Judge George F. Bird Jr. approaches family law disputes by looking beyond the filings to the lives that shaped them. Drawing on his own history of hardship, military service and decades in practice, Bird says understanding "what happened before that time" is essential to earning trust -- and reaching the right decision.

  • Veterans court leaders gather in LA to expand collaborative justice programs

    Daily Journal
    May 7, 2026

    (Subscription required) Judges, lawyers and treatment officials from across California are gathering in Los Angeles this week for the 2026 Veterans Treatment Court Symposium, a three-day conference focused on improving coordination, trauma-informed practices and rehabilitation programs for justice-involved veterans.