CA Court of Appeal Opinions

L.A. County Professional Peace Officers Assn. v. County of L.A. - Meet-and-Confer Rights

The California Court of Appeal reversed the trial court's denial of PPOA's petition for writ of mandate, holding that the County failed to prove PPOA clearly and unmistakably waived its right to meet and confer under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act before outsourcing BU621 security officer work to a private contractor. The case was remanded with directions to grant the petition.

Cordero v. Ghilotti Construction Co., Inc. - Workplace Injury Liability Affirmed

The California Court of Appeal affirmed summary judgment for Ghilotti Construction Company in a workplace injury case involving Leonardo Cordero, an employee of subcontractor Camblin Steel Service. The court applied the Privette doctrine, which presumes a hirer delegates workplace safety duties to independent contractors. The court rejected the worker's arguments that Cal-OSHA regulations imposed nondelegable duties on Ghilotti.

CC&Rs Prohibiting Abortion Clinics Unenforceable, Court Affirms

The California Court of Appeal affirmed that CC&Rs prohibiting abortion clinics in common interest developments are unenforceable. The court held this constitutes invalid government action under California Constitution Article I, Section 1.1 and violates Civil Code section 531, which voids property restrictions based on protected characteristics under the Unruh Civil Rights Act. Property owners associations cannot enforce CC&Rs targeting abortion clinics.

People v. Bradley - LWOP Affirmed, Unauthorized Sentences Stricken

The California Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division One affirmed Jazz Bradley's conviction but modified his sentence by striking two unauthorized stayed terms on forcible rape counts. The court rejected Bradley's dual use of facts challenge to the robbery sentence's upper term but agreed that additional stayed terms under the One Strike and Habitual Sexual Offender laws were unauthorized. The judgment was affirmed as modified, leaving intact LWOP and 50-years-to-life sentences.

Gonzalez v. Community Mortuary - Wrong Body Burial Dispute

The California Court of Appeal reversed in part a San Diego Superior Court judgment in favor of Community Mortuary on breach of contract claims arising from a Texas medical examiner error that resulted in the wrong body being prepared for burial. The appellate court addressed the affirmative defense of impracticability of performance, an open question in California law, and remanded the case for further proceedings.

Marriage of Bowman - Attorney's Fees Dispute

The California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District affirmed a trial court's award of $12,500 in attorney's fees in a marital dissolution case, rejecting the wife's claim for approximately $49,000 under a prevailing party clause in their marital settlement agreement. The court held that trial courts retain discretion to apply Family Code sections 2030 and 2032 factors, including the losing party's ability to pay, when determining fee amounts under MSA attorney's fees provisions.

In re Melson - Napue Error / Habeas Corpus

The California Court of Appeal vacated Alonzo Devon Melson's conviction due to a Napue violation—the prosecution failed to correct false testimony from two eyewitnesses during retrial, and defense counsel provided ineffective assistance by not impeaching the witnesses with their prior inconsistent statements to police. The court applied the constitutional standards from Napue v. Illinois (1959) and Glossip v. Oklahoma (2025) regarding the People's obligation to correct false witness testimony.

People v. Nielsen - Sentencing Appeal Affirmed

The California Court of Appeal affirmed Mark Nielsen's consolidated sentencing appeal across multiple criminal cases in Mendocino County. The court rejected Nielsen's arguments that the trial court improperly sentenced him to the upper term without applying the low term presumption under Penal Code § 1170(b)(6) and that custody credits were incorrectly calculated. Nielsen had been convicted of vehicle theft, driving offenses, and methamphetamine transportation across four separate cases.

People v. Newt - Large-Capacity Magazine Conviction Reversed

The California Court of Appeal, First Appellate District, reversed defendant Robert Antoine-Deshawn Newt's felony conviction for receiving a large-capacity magazine under Penal Code section 32310. The court found insufficient evidence to support felony 'receiving' rather than mere 'possession,' which is only a misdemeanor or infraction. The reversal restores the conviction to a misdemeanor level.

Vanesyan v. Aperian - Court affirms denial of pension plan termination request

The California Court of Appeal affirmed an order denying a request to terminate a provision of a dissolution judgment that assigned a pension plan to a former spouse. The court found the appellant's arguments lacked merit and upheld the trial court's decision.