Kelly Phan | Marshall Dennehey Two years prior to Evelyn Pitts’ death, she placed her property in a revocable living trust, entered an assisted living facility and then rented her property to tenants. After Evelyn’s passing, her son reported water damage to the property to Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company. Universal initially extended coverage… Continue reading Coverage Denied: Residence Premises Requirement Bars Claim Despite Premiums and Initial Payment
Month: January 2026
New California Construction Laws Taking Effect in 2026
Michelle Akerman, Tom Li and Bianca Velez | Hanson Bridgett This article summarizes changes in California construction law taking effect in 2026. California’s Housing and Infrastructure Reform Legislation AB 130 and SB 131 – Comprehensive Reforms to California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Effective January 1, 2026, CEQA undergoes significant statutory streamlining under 2025 legislation, primarily… Continue reading New California Construction Laws Taking Effect in 2026
Effective January 1, 2026 California SB 61 Caps Retention at 5% on Private Construction Projects
Kendall Woods | Buchalter California passed Senate Bill 61 (SB 61), a new law intended to help ease financial risk for contractors and subcontractors on private construction projects. With the passage of SB 61, signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on July 14, 2025, retention practices for private construction projects will undergo a significant… Continue reading Effective January 1, 2026 California SB 61 Caps Retention at 5% on Private Construction Projects
Substantial Completion: Close, but the Case Hasn’t Settled
Nancy Holtz | JAMS Not every mediation ends with a settlement at the close of the formal mediation session. But sometimes there is enough progress made to reach “substantial completion”: A lot of ground has been covered, the issues have been narrowed and the parties’ positions have moved closer. But they are not close enough… Continue reading Substantial Completion: Close, but the Case Hasn’t Settled
“Winning” the Mediation vs. Resolving the Dispute: How Mediators Can Prepare Counsel (and Clients) for Real Resolution
Christopher M. Ernst, Esq. | American Arbitration Association There is a certain kind of opening I still see at too many mediations. Counsel strides into the room with the unmistakable glint of Trial Day in their eyes, a binder thick enough to serve as a doorstop, and a speech ready to prove — beyond any… Continue reading “Winning” the Mediation vs. Resolving the Dispute: How Mediators Can Prepare Counsel (and Clients) for Real Resolution