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

  • Malicious Prosecution Action Survives Anti-SLAPP Motion

    Metropolitan News-Enterprise
    May 27, 2026

    The Court of Appeal for this district has held that a judge did not err in denying a special motion to strike in an action for malicious prosecution where, in the underlying lawsuit, a Century City attorney and his law firm continued to represent a man who was suing for declaratory relief predicated on a breach of contract even though their client had admitted in a criminal proceeding that he had forged the signature of the other purported party.

  • [U.S.] Supreme Court Rejects Lawsuit Over Commercial Driver’s Licenses for Migrants

    New York Times
    May 26, 2026

    The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a bid by officials in Florida to sue California and Washington over claims that those states have allowed undocumented immigrants to receive commercial trucking licenses.

    Related: National Law Journal, CBS News, Courthouse News Service, The Hill, Fox News

  • Supreme Court rejects Meta’s appeal in Vermont social media addiction case

    Associated Press
    May 26, 2026

    The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a push to avoid a lawsuit alleging that Facebook and Instagram harmed young users, a decision that comes as social media companies increasingly face legal scrutiny. The company is facing similar lawsuits from states across the country, accusing it of knowingly designing addictive features.

    Related: Reuters

  • State Law Governs Preclusion Under Federal Tort Claims Act

    Metropolitan News-Enterprise
    May 26, 2026

    The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held Friday that a judge wrongly granted summary judgment to the defense in an earlier-filed case after ruling that a second matter involving the same dispute was time-barred, saying that state law applies to the question of claim preclusion in tort cases brought against the U.S. and California cases look to fairness principles to determine whether resolution of an issue in one action will control in another.

     

  • Courthouse Named in Honor of Parents Who Litigated

    Metropolitan News-Enterprise
    May 27, 2026

    The building at 350 W. First Street in the Los Angeles Civic Center will today be named the Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez United States Courthouse in honor of the parents of an 8-year-old girl on whose behalf they successfully challenged the establishment of “Mexican schools” in Orange County.

  • Berkeley Law Implements AI Ban

    The Recorder
    May 26, 2026

    (Subscription required) “The challenge for law schools is to teach students how to effectively use AI, but to prevent it from being used to cheat on exams or papers,” said Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, adding that the school is looking to “do both” by incorporating it into the legal writing classes and offering courses about AI and the law.

  • Judicial Profile: Los Angeles County Judge Grace Kim

    Daily Journal
    May 26, 2026

    (Subscription required) Raised helping her Korean immigrant parents run a drive-through dairy in the San Gabriel Valley, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Grace Kim says her childhood shaped the way she approaches justice -- with discipline, humility, and empathy for the people appearing before her. 

  • California judges are testing a new AI clerk, and you won’t know if it’s looking at your case

    CalMatters
    May 26, 2026

    Two of California’s largest courts are testing an AI tool that can draft orders and produce research memos. Judges so far are using it primarily for civil cases, but documents obtained by CalMatters indicate the possibility of expanded applications in criminal cases, where people’s freedom and access to justice are on the line.