World War 2-era case cited in frustration of purpose doctrine By Gina Kim, Daily Journal – November 17, 2020 – Parties that want to back out of commercial property contracts due to government shutdowns can do so, a Los Angeles County judge ruled, citing the frustration of purpose doctrine. Superior Court Judge Gregory Alarcon in...Read More
Miller Barondess, led by partners Dan Miller and Amnon Siegel, obtained injunctions against foreclosures by lenders based on the equitable doctrines of frustration of purpose and impossibility of performance. The first was in the Great Recession of 2008, based on the credit crunch and the inability of a building owner to sell units because financing...Read More
By Melissa Angell, Law360 – October 28, 2020 – A California federal judge ruled Tuesday that Los Angeles County is not an employer of home health care providers and is therefore not required to pay overtime compensation to a proposed class of workers. In a 12-page order granting summary judgment, U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson...Read More
By Alene Tchekmedyian, LA Times – October 5, 2020 – A judge has ruled that Sheriff Alex Villanueva exceeded his authority when he rehired a fired deputy as part of a settlement agreement that sparked a bitter legal fight between Los Angeles County’s top elected leaders. In a 17-page ruling last week, Superior Court Judge...Read More
By Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times – September 10, 2020 – A megachurch that has defied Los Angeles County’s pandemic health orders must stop holding Sunday worship services indoors, under a judge’s ruling Thursday. L.A. County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff sided with public health officials, who took legal action last month to enforce health orders against...Read More
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gov. Gavin Newsom created “Project Roomkey,” an innovative program designed to protect the State’s most vulnerable residents, prevent the spread of the deadly virus, and protect the capacity of our hospitals and healthcare systems. Project Roomkey uses $200 million in federal and state emergency relief funds to book homeless...Read More
By Dave Simpson, Law360 – June 25, 2020 – A California federal judge denied a bid to temporarily restrain Los Angeles County from its COVID-19 contact tracing plan, ruling Thursday that a county resident and a Beverly Hills sushi restaurant challenging the plan are unlikely to succeed on their First and Fourth Amendment claims. U.S....Read More
Miller Barondess represented the County of Los Angeles in its suit against Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) arising from the massive blowout at the Aliso Canyon natural gas storage field that forced thousands to flee their homes. The firm worked closely with the County throughout this disaster, including the County’s emergency response, to ensure the safety...Read More
By Ted Johnson, Deadline – June 11, 2020 – Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios Networks and Comcast have reached a settlement and carriage agreement for a series of channels. Allen’s racial bias case against Comcast went all the way to the Supreme Court, but in March, the justices ruled unanimously that he had to meet a higher threshold for his case...Read More
By Kevin Stawicki, Law360 – June 11, 2020 – A black-owned production studio whose discrimination suit against Comcast went to the U.S. Supreme Court reached a settlement with the cable company that includes a new content and distribution arrangement to resolve claims it would have carried its channels “but for” racial bias. Entertainment Studios Networks Inc., a company owned...Read More
