Jonathan Bilyk News
'Traveling cookies?' Appeals court says Shopify, other online biz can be sued under CA privacy law
A federal appeals panel has reversed their fellow judges, finding online payment processor Shopify can be hit with a class action under California privacy law for allegedly installing tracking cookies on customers' devices when they buy online
SF Sheriff's electronic monitoring program doesn't violate accused criminals' rights, separation of powers, court says
A divided federal appeals panel said a lower court judge was wrong to block the San Francisco Sheriff's office from running an electronic monitoring program that critics said amounted to unconstitutional warrantless searches of criminal defendants. A dissenting judge said the ruling will allow the sheriff to 'coerce' judges
Appeals court: Workers can't waive meal break rights, then sue employer for missed meal breaks
A state appeals court has tossed a class action lawsuit against animal hospital chain VCA, finding ex-VCA employees can't sue the company for requiring them to work through meal breaks when they had voluntarily signed agreements waiving their rights to meal breaks when their shifts were six hours or less
Judge: Carano should get access to pay info for Disney+ Star Wars series actors
Actor Gina Carano hailed a ruling from a federal judge requiring Disney to turn over contracts and other info concerning pay for lead and supporting actors in its Star Wars TV series. Carano has sued Disney for firing her from "The Mandalorian" over her political speech
Judge melts class action vs Trader Joe's over alleged metals in dark chocolate
A San Diego federal judge followed up a ruling ending a class action vs Trader Joe's under California law, accusing the company of selling dark chocolate which allegedly contained toxic metals, by now ending claims under laws from other states, including NY and Illinois
Judge: Lawyers OK to claim $12M of $35M Apple gift card scam settlement
A federal judge said he believed lawyers who led a class action lawsuit vs Apple accusing the company of allegedly refusing to refund iTunes and App Store gift cards to alleged victims of scammers should be able to claim 33% of the settlement, despite objections from Apple
Huntington Beach OK to require voter ID in city elections, judge says
An Orange County judge rejected a petition from California Attorney General Rob Bonta seeking a court order declaring Huntington Beach's city charter rights under California's constitution don't supersede state election law, which forbids voter ID. Bonta said he will appeal
Appeals court: Chico mom should get new chance to sue school district for secretly transitioning daughter
The U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said a Sacramento federal judge was wrong to quickly toss a lawsuit from a mother vs the Chico Unified School District over the district's attempt to "socially" gender transition her 11-year-old daughter without ever telling the mother
Gay father can use oral agreement to block parental rights claim from surrogate mom
A state appeals court has ruled an oral agreement between a gay man and his female neighbor is enough to block the woman's attempt to claim to be legally recognized as the mother of the child she birthed with the man via artificial insemination using her own eggs
Appeals court: Apple OK to fire actor from TV series for refusing Covid vax
Actor Brent Sexton had sued Apple Studios over the decision to withdraw their offer to cast him as former President Andrew Johnson in the TV series, "Manhunt," concerning the pursuit of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth. The court said Sexton's lawsuit was an illegal attempt to punish Apple for its "speech" about vaccines.
Google to pay $100M to settle AdWords class action; Lawyers could get $33M
Google will pay $100 million to settle a class action dating back to 2011, which accused the company of misleading advertisers about the location targeting of their ads and click discounts. Plaintiffs' lawyers are expected to claim up to a third of the funds
Environmentalists can block San Diego Co. from easing 'vehicle-miles-travelled' rules to boost housing
A state appeals court agreed San Diego County didn't present enough evidence to support its decisions to exempt certain 'infill' or 'small' housing developments from onerous, costly 'climate change' driven transportation studies when building new homes
Parents can't sue pricey Sonoma County private school for failing to disclose past sex abuse of students
A state appeals panel has tossed class action vs Sonoma Academy for allegedly keeping secret sexual abuse and other misconduct committed by three staffers from 2004-2020, as the court found parents and students suffered no harm from the non-disclosure
'Middle finger to SCOTUS': Appeals court says ammo magazines aren't 'arms,' so CA ban stands
The liberal majority on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said California's ban on "large capacity magazines" used in semiautomatic weapons doesn't violate the Second Amendment, because the magazines are just "boxes." Other judges said the decision "butchered" the 2A and defied the Supreme Court
Google to pay $28M to settle claims it favored white and Asians, while 'paying lip service' to DEI
Attorneys for a "Mexican, indigenous" former Google worker announced the settlement in the discrimination case, which was approved by a Santa Clara County judge March 12. Under the deal, more than 6,600 current and former Google workers will get a share of $20M, while lawyers will get $7M.
'Not Election Week:' CA law giving mail ballots a week after Election Day to arrive is illegal, lawsuit says
San Diego U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa has joined with Judicial Watch to challenge California's election law, which requires election officials to count all ballots received by mail up to a week after Election Day. He argues it violates constitutional rights of candidates and voters and violates federal law which establishes an official Election Day
Judge enters another order blocking CA from enforcing law over young user online privacy
A group advocating for tech companies said the ruling represents a victory for free online speech, as the law would essentially force social media and other online companies to serve as "censors," enforcing the state's content standards online
More lawsuits target hair care product makers, now claiming hair dye caused cancer
The lawsuits have been filed vs. L'Oreal, Clairol, Henken and others on behalf of hair stylists, claiming chemicals in hair dyes caused bladder cancer. Hair care product makers have also been targeted by thousands of suits over cancers allegedly caused by hair relaxers
Penn trucking company signs onto petition to challenge California 'Clean Cars' standards
A petition has been filed to challenge a waiver granted by the EPA in the final days of the Biden administration to allow California to proceed with its so-called 'Advanced Clean Cars' emission standards. Those standards automatically control vehicles in many other states
Rocklin schools appeal ruling ordering them to revoke parental trans notification policy
Rocklin Unified School District has asked a CA appeals court to undo a ruling from the public employees labor board that directed them to rescind a policy requiring staff to notify parents if their child asks to be known by a different gender. The board said the district needed to first negotiate with the teachers union