(Subscription required) A California appeal court panel denied Dordick Law's bid to change jury instructions in Alexandra Zarini's sexual abuse case, upholding a higher "actual knowledge" standard against defendant Patricia Gucci.

The California Supreme Court held yesterday that an employer seeking to avoid mandated liquidated damages for failing to pay an employee the minimum wages required by law by asserting a good-faith defense must show that some efforts were made to understand what the law requires.

(Subscription required) Attorneys Paul Clement and Erin Murphy have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down California's ban on large-capacity magazines, but legal experts say the justices may hesitate to take up the issue without five votes lined up.

(Subscription required) Responding to a question about judicial officers' ethical obligations when they participate in American Inns of Court, California's judicial ethics committee issued a formal opinion advising that such participation is encouraged as an important form of judicial engagement.