California Supreme Court News

Amicus Briefs Piling Up as Calif. High Court Mulls Coverage for COVID-19 Shutdowns

Major League Baseball, the Los Angeles Lakers and Ross Stores are among 10 parties that have filed amicus briefs as the California Supreme Court ponders whether the virus that causes COVID-19 can cause direct physical damage or loss to property. …

Insurer’s Failure to Cancel Motor Carrier’s Insurance Certificate Did Not Continue Coverage

Coverage from a commercial auto policy does not remain in effect after the policy’s expiration date merely because the insurer failed to give proper notice to the Department of Motor Vehicles that it was canceling a certificate of insurance, the …

Court Rules Against Uber in Major Win for California Workers

Uber Technologies Inc. must face a California lawsuit claiming it should have covered UberEats drivers’ work-related expenses, the state’s top court said on Monday, in what could be a major blow to companies in the largest U.S. state and a …

California Supreme Court, Warning of Litigation ‘Deluge,’ Rejects Take-Home COVID Claims

An employer owed no duty of care to the wife of an employee who was hospitalized after contracting COVID-19 that was carried home from the workplace by her husband, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday. In a unanimous decision, the …

Another COVID-19 Business-Interruption Question Goes to Calif. Supreme Court

A federal appellate court is again asking the California Supreme Court to resolve a question about insurance coverage for COVID-19 business shutdowns — this time only on a narrow issue about a virus exclusion. A panel of the 9th Circuit …

Policyholders Counting on Calif. High Court for COVID Loss Claims

Courts around the nation have held that SARS-CoV-2 cannot cause direct physical damage or loss to property, but policyholder advocates are hoping the California Supreme Court will turn the tide. In a case that pits a concert organizer against its …

Calif. Supreme: Unclear Policy May Require Insurer to Defend Yahoo from Privacy Lawsuits

A liability insurer may have a duty to defend Yahoo Inc. from class-action lawsuits that alleged it violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act by sending its customers unwanted text messages, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday. In a unanimous decision, …

Calif. Supreme Court Rules Wage Penalties Apply to Missed Breaks

California employers that fail to allow employees to take required rest and meal breaks may be held liable for penalties for inaccurate wage statements as well as “waiting time” violations if the workers weren’t timely paid all that is owed, …

Calif. Supreme Court Affirms Strict Liability Standard For Wildfire Suppression Costs

The California Supreme Court refused to loosen the state’s strict liability standards for wildfires, ruling on Monday that a religious retreat may be held liable for the negligence of an employee. In a unanimous decision, the high court affirmed rulings …

Couple’s $86 Million Award in Monsanto Pesticide Case Stands

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California’s highest court rejected on Wednesday a challenge by Monsanto Co.’s to $86.2 million in damages to a couple who developed cancer after spraying the company’s Roundup weed-killer in their yards for three decades. The state …