Author Archives: Mark Mellor

About Mark Mellor

An Ivy League graduate of Cornell University, Mark Mellor leads The Mellor Law Firm. Mark specializes in Real Estate, Business Law, Family Law, Construction, Personal Injury, Insurance Defense, and Civil Litigation in the Southern California area.

No Need To Exhaust Administrative Review Where Administrative Body Lacks Jurisdiction.

In City of Fillmore v. State Board of Equalization (Cal. App. Second Dist., Div. 3; April 20, 2011) 194 Cal.App.4th 716, [125 Cal.Rptr.3d 186, 2011 DJDAR 5641], the State Board of Equalization issued a decision in favor of plaintiffs (cities). After the time … Continue reading

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Attorney Disqualification May Be Impliedly Waived By Delay.

Where a party delays seeking to disqualify a lawyer representing an opposing party, they should act without unreasonable delay. Where the delay in bringing the Attorney Disqualification motion is extreme or unreasonable and the opposing party can show extreme prejudice, the court … Continue reading

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Rape Victim May Use Fictitious Name In Signing Verifications.

A Rape victim sued her perpetrator and his mother under a fictitious name alleging fraudulent transfers after she obtained a civil judgment. She verified discovery responses using the fictitious name and the trial court granted motions ordering further discovery responses, using … Continue reading

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Arbitration Agreement May Not Delegate Issue Of Arbitrability To The Arbitrator.

In Chin v. Advance Fresh Concepts Franchise Corp. (Cal. App. Second Dist., Div. 4; April 20, 2011) 194 Cal.App.4th 704, [123 Cal.Rptr.3d 547, 2011 DJDAR 5595], an arbitration clause provided that the arbitrator, rather than the court, was to decide issues of arbitrability (delegation … Continue reading

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Contract Principles Determine Whether Parties Agreed To Binding Arbitration.

The Goffs were in a fee dispute with a law firm and offered binding arbitration. The law firm declined. Subsequently, the law firm changed its position and agreed to arbitrate, whereupon the Goffs withdrew their request for binding arbitration. The matter … Continue reading

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Sanctions Properly Awarded Against Attorney Who Violated Order Precluding Him From Asking Certain Questions.

The court specifically instructed attorney Daniel Callahan not to inquire into a particular area. Callahan ignored the order and the court imposed $1,500 sanctions under Code of Civil Procedure section 177.5, for knowingly violating a court order. The Court of Appeal … Continue reading

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Order To Tax Costs On Appeal After A Remand Is Immediately Appealable.

On appeal, the Court of Appeal remanded the case to reduce damages and awarded appellant costs on appeal, including attorney fees. Appellant filed a cost bill in the trial court and the trial court only partially granted a motion to tax … Continue reading

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Reviewing Opponent’s Privileged Documents May Lead To Attorney Disqualification.

Where law firm obtained opponents’ privileged documents which were protected by the attorney-client privilege and used these documents, the trial court properly disqualified the law firm. Where lawyers receive documents that are obviously privileged, they can only examine them to the extent … Continue reading

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Settlement Offers To Compromise Under Code of Civil Procedure Section 998, Must Conform To Statute.

Since 2006, the statute governing statutory offers to compromise (Code of Civil Procedure section 998) has provided that the offers include “a provision that allows the accepting party to indicate acceptance of the offer by signing a statement that the offer … Continue reading

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With Class Action Waiver Under Federal Arbitration Act State May Not Refuse To Enforce Arbitration Contract.

The U.S. Supreme Court held that, where a contract is subject to the Federal Arbitration Act, a court may not refuse to enforce an arbitration clause with a class action waiver on grounds that such a clause is unconscionable. AT&T Mobility … Continue reading

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