Category: Law Updates
California Racial Justice Act Discovery in 2026: Good Cause, Statistical Evidence, and Penal Code § 745(d)
California Racial Justice Act discovery in 2026: Penal Code § 745(d) good cause, comparator evidence, local statistics, postconviction discovery, and motion strategy.
California Forensic Toxicology Expert Testimony: Evidence Code, Sargon & Kelly
California framework for admitting and challenging forensic toxicology expert testimony under Evidence Code §§ 720, 801 and 802, including Sargon reliability review and Kelly issues for novel scientific techniques.
Rule 702 and Forensic Toxicology Expert Testimony
A scientific issue-spotting framework for qualifications, sufficient facts, reliable methods, reliable application, and helpful forensic toxicology testimony.
In-Custody Deaths, Toxicology, and the End of Excited Delirium in California
California bars excited delirium as a diagnosis and civil evidence. Learn what AB 360 means for in-custody death toxicology and section 1983 causation.
Vehicle Code Section 21221: What Actually Applies to a Motorized Scooter Rider
California Vehicle Code section 21221 applies driver rules to scooter riders, while section 21221.5 creates a separate $250 under-the-influence offense.
An E-Bike Is Not a Motor Vehicle: Beale v. DMV Bars Refusal Suspensions
Beale v. DMV held that California cannot suspend a driver’s license for chemical-test refusal arising from an electric-bicycle ride. Analysis of the ruling, controlling statutes, limits, and defense strategy.
L.A. County District Attorney Ethics: Commentary and Sources
I have practiced in the Los Angeles County legal community for more than 23 years. During that time, I have appeared opposite hundreds of deputy district attorneys and, despite vigorous disagreements in court, I have never publicly criticized or complained about a prosecutor. That changed with this…
Federal Immigration Enforcement and the Supremacy Clause
The Ninth Circuit paused California’s “No Vigilantes Act,” ruling the state likely cannot force non-uniformed federal agents to display identification. Here is what the order does, and what it leaves undecided.
Research-Funding Litigation and the Trump Administration
In Thakur v. Trump , the Ninth Circuit split the difference for University of California researchers: viewpoint-based cancellations stay vulnerable, while routine terminations may sit beyond a federal court’s reach.
People v. Houston: When a Phone Call Is Not Enough
People v. Houston, the interrogation room, and the distance between a phone call and a car ride.
California Bail Conditions: What Courts Require
In re Kowalczyk and the end of wealth-based pretrial detention.
Stop-and-Identify Laws: When Must You Identify Yourself?
Your obligation — or lack thereof — to identify yourself to law enforcement depends heavily on where you are and why you were stopped.
