By Brian Kabateck As of November 14th, the Los Angeles Superior Court no longer provides an official court reporter free of charge in many types of civil cases. A severe shortage of court reporters has forced the shift of reporters from civil cases including family law, probate, evictions, and more—where

By Brian Kabateck Survivors of childhood sexual abuse gained important recognition and expanded rights on September 22, when President Biden signed new legislation into law. The Eliminating Limits to Justice for Child Sex Abuse Victims Act lifts all restrictions on the timeframe for victims filing federal civil claims related to

What does it mean in real life? By Brian Kabateck Recently, President Biden issued a Presidential Proclamation extending full and unconditional pardon to individuals convicted of simple marijuana possession under federal law (as well as under DC code offenses). Biden explained his reasoning clearly: “criminal records for marijuana possession have

By Brian S. Kabateck A slew of recent high-profile cases is calling attention to the complex issue of free speech vs. defamation. Several celebrity figures have used their expansive media/social media platforms to make outrageous, inflammatory, and damaging comments in a public forum—and because many of these comments have been

By Brian Kabateck For more than six weeks this past spring, all eyes seemed fixed on round-the-clock coverage of the disturbing Amber Heard-Johnny Depp defamation trial unfolding in a Virginia courtroom. The case centered on divorce, abuse, and libel, but the verdict had a ripple effect on other—perhaps surprising—issues. In

Big corporations use TRAPs to tie workers to low-wage jobs long-term, saddling them with pseudo student debt By Brian Kabateck Student debt has received heightened focus recently amid the controversy over student loan relief. But there’s a lesser-known form of fabricated student debt that hurts workers in various jobs across

By Brian S. Kabateck Elder abuse is a rising national crisis, often cited as a “hidden epidemic,” and is defined as the intentional act or failure to act that causes or creates a risk of harm to an older adult aged 60 or older. According to the National Institute on

Why SCOTUS’ refusal to review challenges to controversial labor legislation is a victory for workers By Brian Kabateck This summer, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear two separate challenges to California’s controversial state statute, Assembly Bill 5 (AB5). On June 30, 2020, SCOTUS rejected a challenge brought by the

By Brian Kabateck For years, employers in California have complained about the number of lawsuits brought to them under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA). But a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling about a state labor law is being hailed as a victory for companies regarding potential legal action, but