Div. Five of this district’s Court of Appeal held yesterday that a law firm was properly granted summary judgment as to its entitlement to receive more than $2.7 million in fees—under a retainer contract providing the attorneys with the right to 45% of any recovery—after it negotiated, without the client’s express authorization, a settlement of more than $6 million, which the party only signed after firing the lawyers and hiring new counsel.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday affirmed an order granting summary judgment to Apple Inc. in an antitrust lawsuit filed by a fellow Silicon Valley technology company that accused the device giant of illegally shutting out third-party app developers from accessing previously available heart rate information gathered through the use of the defendant’s watches by creating an update that was incompatible with the plaintiff’s products.

"I appreciate Governor Newsom’s ongoing support of the judicial branch to ensure Californians continue to have access to critical services even during these challenging budget times," said Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero.

(Subscription required) Richardson's insistence on preparation and process is rooted in a legal career that long predates his appointment to the Los Angeles County Superior Court by Gov. Jerry Brown in December 2012.