Willis Hon and Bradford B. Kuhn | Nossaman In the wake of the January 2025 wildfires that devastated Southern California, the State adopted Assembly Bill 254 (2025, Becker) aimed primarily at expanding the existing Wildfire Fund meant to facilitate payments for eligible claims related to wildfires caused by electric utility infrastructure. This expansive bill—introduced in the waning… Continue reading California’s Ambitious New Bill Overhauls the State’s Approach to Wildfires
Tag: california
New California Law Caps Retention for Private Construction Projects
John Brucker, Scott Greer and Gregg Jacobson | King & Spalding California has enacted Senate Bill 61 (“SB-61”), a significant piece of legislation that directly impacts owners and developers of private construction projects in the state. Signed into law on July 24, 2025, SB-61 establishes a mandatory cap on retention payments for most private construction… Continue reading New California Law Caps Retention for Private Construction Projects
California’s Fourth Appellate District Provides Much-Needed Clarity for Summary Judgment Motions
Matthew Marshall and Rashi Mishra | Clark Hill In the landscape of California civil litigation, few procedural devices carry the weight, complexity, and consequence of a motion for summary judgment (MSJ). Governed by California Code of Civil Procedure § 437c (which sets forth the standards and procedures for obtaining summary adjudication of claims without trial), MSJs frequently determine case… Continue reading California’s Fourth Appellate District Provides Much-Needed Clarity for Summary Judgment Motions
California Court of Appeal Clarifies Right of a Party to Oppose Summary Judgment Motions – Even Without Cross-Claims
Arezoo Jamshidi | Haight Brown & Bonesteel The Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District, Division Two (Riverside) in RND Contractors, Inc. v. Superior Court (2025) issued a significant published decision. The California Court of Appeal addressed a previously unsettled question: can a co-defendant oppose another defendant’s motion for summary judgment when the plaintiff does not oppose it… Continue reading California Court of Appeal Clarifies Right of a Party to Oppose Summary Judgment Motions – Even Without Cross-Claims
Is a Cure on the Way for Small Businesses Facing Construction-Related Accessibility Claims?
Ashley McLachlan and Brian Mills | Snell & Wilmer The California legislature may be providing California small businesses with another tool to combat construction-related accessibility claims through Senate Bill 84 (SB 84) which advanced to the State Assembly on June 4, 2025. Under California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act and California’s Disabled Persons Act, statutory damages… Continue reading Is a Cure on the Way for Small Businesses Facing Construction-Related Accessibility Claims?