During these challenging times, Severson & Werson remains open and in full operation, consistent with the firm’s previously established contingency planning. While many of our attorneys and staff will be working remotely, as a firm, we continue in full operation. We are here to help, as always.
Under Lab. Code 515(a) and Wage Order No. 44 (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 8, § 11040), an employer need not pay overtime pay to an employee who (1) is primarily engaged in exempt duties and (2) earns “a monthly salary equivalent to no less than two (2) times the state minimum wage for full-time employment." This decision holds that "salary"… Read More
When a married couple uses community funds to acquire property with joint tenancy title, the property is presumptively held as community property if acquired after January 1, 1975. (See Fam. Code 760.) The spouses hold joint tenancy interests in property acquired before 1975 as separate property. For joint tenancy property acquired between January 1, 1975, and December 31, 1984, the… Read More
The FDCPA's bona fide error defense does not allow debt collectors to avoid liability by contractually obligating creditor-clients to provide accurate information, nor by requesting that creditor-clients provide notice of any errors in an account assigned for collection without waiting to receive a response to the request before instituting collection efforts. Read More
Under Nev. Rev. Stat. 116.3116, a homeowner's association is allowed a superpriority lien for certain HOA dues and maintenance expenses. This decision holds that the statute does not offend the US Constitution's Takings Clause since no governmental entity takes the value of liens subordinated to the HOA's superpriority lien. It also holds that the statutory notice of foreclosure sent by… Read More
In Edwards v. Arthur Andersen LLP (2008) 44 Cal.4th 937, the Supreme Court held that in the employment context, Bus. & Prof. Code 16600 is to be strictly enforced, prohibiting enforcement of any noncompetition clause except in circumstances that are exempted by B & P Code 16601, 16602 or 16602.5. However, this case holds that outside the employment context, and… Read More
Plaintiffs alleged that defendant had agreed to cremate plaintiff's two dogs individually, but sent them random ashes rather than those of their dogs. Plaintiffs sought to recover for the emotional distress they suffered as a result. Held: Plaintiffs didn't state a breach of contract claim as their vet, not they, had contracted with defendant, but on remand plaintiffs should be… Read More
The complaint in this case adequately alleged loss causation based on a stock price drop after the New York Post ran an article about BofI revealing, based on information it obtained through FOIA requests, that the SEC was investigated BofI for money laundering. The article was close enough to a contradiction of BofI's denial of knowledge of any investigation. The… Read More
In a poorly lawyered case, this decision affirms an order denying a motion to compel arbitration, holding that the trial court properly held the arbitration clause was unconscionable. It was procedurally unconscionable because it was a form contract presented to the patient only moments before the laser hair removal operation in a large stack of other paper she didn't have… Read More
In reaction to San Diegans for Open Government v. City of San Diego (2016) 247 Cal.App.4th 1306, the Legisalture amended CCP 128.5 to require in subdivision (f) that the court first find a motion, complaint or other filing to be frvolous under subdivision (a) and then not award sanctions until after a 21-day safe harbor as under CCP 128.7. This… Read More
This decision affirms a $22,000 sanction imposed on plaintiff's counsel under CCP 128.7 for bringing a frivolous motion to lift the stay pending arbitration. The AAA had misapplied the defendant's arbitration fee and then closed the arbitration. When notified of its error, the AAA acknowledged that it had received the fee payment and said it would reopen the arbitration if… Read More
