California Supreme Court News

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 …

Calif. Supreme Ct. Overturns $9M Jury Verdict in Favor of Contractor’s Injured Employee

The California Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a jury verdict that found Qualcomm Inc. liable for third-degree burns suffered by an employee of an electrical contractor who was hired to work on equipment at the company’s San Diego campus. It …

Calif. Supreme Holds the Line on Homeowners’ Liability for Contractor Injuries

A homeowner who exercised no control over the worksite is not liable for injuries to an independent contractor even though the homeowner had failed to repair an obvious hazard, the California Supreme Court ruled. In a unanimous decision Thursday, the …

Bayer Makes ‘Substantial Progress’ in Roundup Cancer Lawsuits, Mediator Says

A court-appointed mediator on Monday said Bayer AG has made “substantial progress” toward resolving tens of thousands of remaining claims that its Roundup weedkiller causes cancer. The mediator Kenneth Feinberg spoke at a Zoom hearing in San Francisco federal court, …

Bayer Appeals $20.5M Roundup Ruling to California Supreme Court

Bayer AG has asked California’s Supreme Court to review a decision awarding $20.5 million to a groundskeeper who claimed the company’s Roundup weedkiller caused his cancer, arguing the ruling was at odds with federal law and settled legal principles. Bayer, …

California High Court Decision Limits Workers Right to Sue

The California Supreme Court on Thursday sided with employers in a fight over the right of workers to sue over treatment for injuries that occur on the job. Workers receiving medical care through the workers’ compensation insurance of their employer …

California High Court Says Yelp Can’t Be Ordered to Remove Posts

Online review site Yelp.com cannot be ordered to remove posts against a San Francisco law firm that a judge determined were defamatory, a divided California Supreme Court ruled Monday in a closely watched case that internet companies warned could be …

California Supreme Court: Negligent Hiring is an Occurrence

In a decision that may have wide ranging effect on California employers, the California Supreme Court last week ruled that negligent hiring can be considered an occurrence. The coverage case made its way to the state’s highest court when the …

California High Court Ruling Limits Independent Contractor Classification

In a big win for labor advocates, the California Supreme Court on Monday limited businesses from classifying workers as independent contractors who can’t receive key employment protections. Experts expect the ruling to expand the number of workers eligible for minimum …

California High Court Ruling: UCLA Stabbing Victim Can Pursue Suit

Colleges in California have a responsibility to protect students from foreseeable acts of violence in the classroom and other settings connected to their studies and can be held liable for failing to do so, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday. …