(Subscription required) AB 2109 by Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, would mandate that the state bar use the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ NextGen Uniform Bar Exam starting in 2029. Another bill by Dixon, AB 1651, would require the bar to disclose any use of artificial intelligence to develop bar exam content or study materials.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday ordered that a sentence be vacated because it was enhanced based on a threat to a witness without the judge making the requisite finding that the defendant “wilfully” obstructed or attempted to obstruct justice, drawing a dissent saying that the subjective intent is so clear from the evidence that any error is harmless.

(Subscription required) Judge Jeffrey S. Ross is considering a joint trial of separate tax refund lawsuits by Uber and Lyft against the City and County of San Francisco, citing overlapping evidence and claims totaling about $175 million, while stopping short of formally consolidating the cases.

A financial elder abuse law that permits only prevailing plaintiffs to recover attorney fees does not bar the recovery of costs associated with defending against competing undue influence claims so long as the expenses are inextricably intertwined with those associated with the prosecution of his causes of action, Div. One of the Fourth District Court of Appeal held yesterday.