Month: April 2012

Arbitration/Standard of Review: Fourth District, Division Two Holds Arbitrator Did Not Exceed Authority In Ruling County Employee Was Terminated Without Just Cause

  Court of Appeal Also Rejects Public Policy Argument Put Forward By County for Vacating Arbitrator’s Award      The County of Riverside terminated the Respondent, Ms. Matheson, a network administrator, for allegedly accessing email of the District Attorney’s Office without authorization. Pursuant to the procedure agreed to between the County and Ms. Matheson’s labor union, […]

Arbitration: Third District Rules That FAA Does Not Preempt California Arbitration Statute Allowing for Denial of Arbitration Where There Is Possibility of Conflicting Rulings

  Elder Abuse of Parent and Emotional Distress of Daughter Set Up Possibility of Conflicting Rulings      The trial court denied motions of operators of skilled care nursing facilities to compel arbitration of parent’s Elder Abuse claim that was subject to arbitration. Why? Because the daughter’s claim of emotional distress caused by her mother’s alleged […]

Mediation: Solution to Mammoth Problem Facing Mammoth Lakes?

April 8, 2012 · News

First Stockton, Now Mammoth Lakes      On March 11, 2012, we blogged about Stockton’s fiscal plight and effort to take advantage of a new California law, AB 506, to mediate with its creditors.  The law positions bankruptcy as a last resort, after the municipality has exhausted other means for working out it financial problems.       […]

Mediation: Does Mediation Confidentiality in California Require a Legislative Fix?

California Assembly Bill 2025 Would Allow Introduction of Mediation Communications Between Attorneys and Their Clients in Actions For Malpractice or Breach of Fiduciary Duty      California Assembly Member Don Wagner introduced Assembly Bill 2025 to amend California Evidence Code section 1120 to allow: “The admissibility in an action for legal malpractice, an action for breach […]

Mediation: Ninth Circuit Orders Mediation Of Dispute Concerning Conditions For Holding Gun Shows At The Alameda County Fairgrounds

April 4, 2012 · Mediation: Attendance

But Chief Judge Alex Kozinski “Wants No Part Of It”      An en banc panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, believing that the parties should attempt to settle their long-running dispute concerning the conditions for holding gun shows at the Alameda County fairgrounds, has ordered the dispute to mediation.  Nordyke v. King, No. […]

Arbitration/Class Actions/Waiver/Unconscionability: Second District, Division 7, Agreeing That Class Action Waiver Is Unconscionable, Affirms Trial Court

  No Need To Decide Whether Concepcion Overrules Gentry Here – Because "This Is Not A Close Case"      These proceedings began in 2004 when Ralphs Grocery Company employees sued Ralphs for alleged violations of the Labor Code and Unfair Competition law. The proceedings moved up and down the appellate ladder. Eventually, after a remand, […]