The State Bar Board of Trustees and the Committee of Bar Examiners have jointly voted to explore a plan for a revamped licensure examination that would not include, for the first time in the state’s history, a California-specific section.

The California Supreme Court has agreed to review a pivotal appellate decision that could reshape how disputes over ongoing medical care are resolved in the state’s workers compensation system. In Illinois Midwest Insurance Agency v. Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (Rodriguez), the 2nd District Court of Appeal held in November that utilization review and independent medical review are the exclusive mechanisms for determining the medical necessity of ongoing treatment, even when such care was previously authorized by an employer or insurer.

(Subscription required) Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Curtis A. Kin brings a paper-driven, detail-oriented approach to writs and receivers, shaped by years on the bench and a background in federal practice. 

(Subscription required) A federal jury in Los Angeles returned a defense verdict for Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Carlos Vega, closing a 12-year civil rights case that culminated in a U.S. Supreme Court decision sharply limiting when Miranda violations can support damages claims under federal law.