Browse recent court opinions from the California Court of Appeal. AI-powered plain English summaries, key holdings, and legal analysis of 28 cases. State Appellate Court.
Court Upholds City's Approval of Mixed-Use Development Project
Citizens Against Marketplace Apt./Condo Dev. v. City of San Ramon, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 24, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The court reviewed a city's approval of...
Wrongful Termination Claim Fails Over Lack of Public Policy Exception
Stoker v. Blue Origin, LLC, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 24, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, a former employee of Blue Origin, sued for wrongful termination...
Prior convictions admissible in child endangerment case
People v. Emrick, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 24, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The defendant was convicted of felony child endangerment. The appellate court affirmed t...
Delay in trial justified by witness unavailability, writ denied
Amezcua v. Super. Ct., decided by California Court of Appeal on April 24, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The petitioner, Amezcua, sought a writ of mandate to compel the trial court to dism...
Court Affirms CDCR Liable for Inadequate Inmate Mental Health Care
Jessica M. v. Cal. Dept. of Corrections & Rehabilitation, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 23, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. This case concerns whether the California Depart...
Elder Abuse and Negligence Claims Against Health Care Center Affirmed
Santana v. Studebaker Health Care Center, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 22, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Santana, sued Studebaker Health Care Center for a...
Supreme Court Denies Mandate for Suppression Motion Review
Bobo v. Appellate Division of Super. Ct., decided by California Court of Appeal on April 22, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The petitioner, Bobo, sought a writ of mandate to compel the App...
Court Affirms Murder Conviction, Upholds Admission of Prior Misconduct Evidence
People v. Hardy, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 22, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The defendant was convicted of second-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon. The...
Appellate court affirms summary judgment for employer in wrongful termination case
Martinez v. Sierra Lifestar, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 21, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Martinez, sued Sierra Lifestar for wrongful termination, alleg...
Child molestation conviction affirmed; victim's excited utterance testimony admissible
People v. Landrine, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 21, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The defendant was convicted of child molestation. The appellate court affirmed the con...
Defendant's continuances waive speedy trial rights, writ denied
Cleare v. Super. Ct., decided by California Court of Appeal on April 17, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The petitioner, Cleare, sought a writ of mandate to compel the superior court to dis...
Child endangerment conviction affirmed due to substantial risk of harm
People v. C.F., decided by California Court of Appeal on April 17, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The defendant, C.F., was convicted of felony child endangerment. The appellate court affir...
Rent control ordinance's property tax pass-through fee upheld
Western Manufactured Housing Cmty. Assn. v. City of Santa Rosa, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 17, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The court affirmed the trial court's decis...
Appellate Court Denies Writ for Speedy Trial Violation
Paknad v. Super. Ct., decided by California Court of Appeal on April 17, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The petitioner, Paknad, sought a writ of mandate to compel the Superior Court to dis...
Court Affirms Fraudulent Transfer Finding Against Defendant
NNN Capital Fund I, LLC v. Mikles, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 16, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's decision, holding that t...
Prior Misconduct Evidence Admissible for Motive, Opportunity, Intent
People v. Harzan, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 16, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The defendant, Harzan, was convicted of second-degree murder and assault with a deadly w...
Appellate Court Affirms Summary Judgment for Landlord in Eviction Case
Aerni v. RR San Dimas, L.P., decided by California Court of Appeal on April 16, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, a former tenant, sued the landlord for alleged violations of t...
Appellate court upholds denial of motion to suppress evidence in murder case
People v. Super. Ct. 4//16/26 CA4/2, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 16, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The defendant, a former police officer, was charged with murder. The ...
Appellate Court Affirms Termination of Parental Rights
In re Sebastian C., decided by California Court of Appeal on April 15, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's order terminating parental rights. The ...
Intangible assets of shopping centers are taxable as real property
The Retail Property Trust v. Orange County Assessment etc., decided by California Court of Appeal on April 15, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The Retail Property Trust (RPT) challenged Ora...
College District Wins Wrongful Termination and Defamation Case
Walton v. Victor Valley Community College District, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 15, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, a former employee, sued the defendant c...
Appellate court affirms summary judgment for defendant in defamation case
Zand v. Sukumar, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 14, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Zand, sued the defendant, Sukumar, for defamation and intentional inflicti...
Court Upholds Approval of Controversial Delta Conveyance Project
Dept. of Water Resources Cases, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 14, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. This case consolidated multiple challenges to the California Department of...
Court Upholds Approval of California's Delta Conveyance Project
Dept. of Water Resources Cases, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 14, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The court reviewed the California Department of Water Resources' (DWR) dec...
Search Warrant Based on Stale Information Properly Denied
People v. Espiritu, decided by California Court of Appeal on April 13, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's decision to deny the defendant's motion...
Court finds triable issue on vicarious liability for construction company
Cordero v. Ghilotti Construction Co., Inc., decided by California Court of Appeal on April 10, 2026, resulted in a mixed outcome. The plaintiff, Cordero, sued Ghilotti Construction Co. for injuries su...
County violated labor law by unilaterally imposing work rules
L.A. County Professional Peace Officers Assn. v. County of L.A., decided by California Court of Appeal on April 10, 2026, resulted in a plaintiff win outcome. The case concerns whether the County of L...
Court affirms dismissal of claims against Wells Fargo's overdraft program
Y.People v. Wells Fargo Co., decided by California Court of Appeal on April 9, 2026, resulted in a defendant win outcome. The plaintiff, Y.People, sued Wells Fargo for alleged violations of California...