The California Supreme Court yesterday publicly posted a Jan. 14 order denying depublication of a Court of Appeal opinion holding that a city council may, under the Ralph M. Brown Act, exclude all spectators from a meeting in light of the presence of disruptors but is without authority to adjourn to another room, triggering a concurring statement from Justice Joshua P. Groban calling for clarifying legislation.

(Subscription required) The unanimous justices said the potential for declaratory relief, which can trigger fee awards, can encourage public agencies to fully comply with California's records law.

A Folsom resident’s lawsuit halted a proposed mixed-use building in the city’s historic district because it would have been 4 feet taller than allowed under city rules, a judge ruled. The city in 2023 approved the three-story mixed-use building, including two housing units, for a vacant lot at 603 Sutter St.

A lawsuit by the Trump administration to require California to turn over personal information on millions of voters, including their driver’s license and Social Security numbers, was rejected Thursday by a federal judge, who said the information was protected by privacy laws.