Div. Eight of this district’s Court of Appeal yesterday vacated a judgment pursuant to a jury verdict for nearly $14 million in a personal injury lawsuit arising out of a low-speed traffic collision, holding that a Los Angeles Superior Court judge erred in allowing testimony from a surgeon who was only disclosed to the defense seven court days before trial without any showing of good cause for the delay in seeking to designate a new expert.

Div. Five of the First District Court of Appeal has held that a trial court properly found that a coalition challenging a new housing development plan for UC Berkeley was not a “successful party” for purposes of a request to recover more than $1 million in public-interest attorney fees based on its partial success in an earlier appellate decision that was reversed by the high court following legislation that passed during appeal to abrogate the rulings in its favor.

The discretionary facet of Code of Civil Procedure §473(b) may be invoked to gain relief from a judgment following an uncontested trial, but the mandatory provision is inapplicable, Div. Six of the Court of Appeal for this district declared yesterday.

The Superior Court of California, County of Plumas, announces that Crystal Jones has been appointed as the new court executive officer. Jones was officially sworn in Dec. 10.