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Bench & Bar

Bench & Bar

By: The Daily Journal Network
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Every week, the Daily Journal's columnists weigh in on the issues shaping California law. Bench & Bar picks the three you can't afford to miss — and gives you the takeaways in minutes. Brought to by The Daily Journal Network.

Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Bench & Bar: Wednesday, May 20
    May 20 2026

    In This Episode

    "I attended a law, AI and child safety conference. What I heard was shocking"

    Zachary N. Zaharoff of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy reports that a Media Law Resource Center conference on child safety online was dominated by corporate liability strategy, not child welfare. Platform attorneys should expect Section 230 and First Amendment defenses to remain the industry's primary shield as these cases advance.

    "Bad AI citations: Crimes and punishments"

    Myron Moskovitz of the Moskovitz Appellate Team examines a California appellate case where fabricated citations ensnared both an attorney and judicial officers in the same proceeding. The attorney faced sanctions and a State Bar referral; the judicial officers did not. Citation verification now runs to the bench — and sanctions exposure remains uneven.

    "Protect access to justice and be munificent"

    Arash Homampour and Nicholas Rowley of Trial Lawyers for Justice argue that Uber's proposed California constitutional amendment would cap plaintiff-side contingency fees in motor vehicle and products liability cases while leaving defense arrangements untouched. The Legislative Analyst's Office projects reduced filings and higher Medi-Cal costs.

    Read all three columns and browse the full Perspectives section at dailyjournal.com.

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    2 mins
  • Bench & Bar: May 14
    May 14 2026

    In This Episode

    "Courts Ordered to Police AI Without a Budget" William Slomanson, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Thomas Jefferson School of Law

    In re Domestic Partnership of Campos and Munoz put the problem in sharp relief: California's 4th District reversed a court order built on hallucinated AI citations. Standard 10.80b3 now requires judicial officers to verify AI-generated material — but no funding or staffing has followed. SB 574 extends parallel restrictions to arbitrators. For attorneys relying on AI-assisted research, the verification obligation now runs both ways.

    "The Going and Coming Rule When an Employee Has a Hybrid Work Schedule" Michael E. Rubinstein, Law Office of Michael E. Rubinstein

    Chang v. Southern California Permanente Medical Group confirms that a hybrid schedule doesn't suspend the going-and-coming rule. A standing calendar entry and pre-collision texts with coworkers weren't enough to bring a physician's personal errand within course and scope of employment. Chang is reliable precedent for employers' counsel — if the evidentiary record is locked down early.

    "LA's Perfect Storm of Deferred Maintenance, Crumbling Infrastructure and Stolen Copper Wire" Jason Javaheri, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, J&Y Law; Parham Nikfarjam, Senior Trial Attorney, J&Y Law

    Los Angeles is simultaneously funding Willits settlement repairs and absorbing claims tied to conditions those repairs haven't reached. Copper theft now drives 40% of streetlight outages, some lasting more than a year. For attorneys litigating against the city, the structural conditions generating claims aren't resolving — they're accumulating.

    Read all three columns and browse the full Perspectives section at dailyjournal.com.

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    2 mins
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