This month, President Trump passed a new executive order, Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports, in an attempt to ban transgender girls from playing on girls’ sports teams. This order might seem like it upends or dismantles critical legal protections for LGBTQ+ students, but that power is a smokescreen. An executive order cannot undo students’…
On January 20 and 21, the Trump administration issued a pair of executive orders that target diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (“DEI” or “DEIA”) programs. The orders threaten the government’s ability to serve people from all backgrounds equally, and they are designed to intimidate and discourage employers and organizations from taking lawful steps to increase…
Order denying Honda’s objections to proceeding with remote jury trial in civil case where plaintiff’s medical condition had caused his case to be placed on preference calendar due to likelihood of his imminent death; court noted that criminal defendants have a Sixth Amendment right that requires their consent to remote trials but that the Seventh…
Following release of plan in November 2020 and public comment period, court adopted two-phase process for instituting remote civil jury trials: first phase starting February 1 in certain counties where parties must consent, and then extending statewide in second phase starting April 5, 2021, where consent will not be required. Pretrial conferences will determine if…
White paper about operation of online courts during COVID-19, covering topics like the platforms courts are using to conduct remote proceedings, issues presented, emerging technologies, the digital divide, and best practices.
Plaintiff’s brief opposing application to continue trial, including extensive exhibit of resources from around the country showing how other court systems have accomplished trials during the pandemic, including court orders, news articles, and schematics of courtroom setups.
Denying pro se attorney-plaintiff’s motion for reconsideration where plaintiff sought to force in-person depositions instead of moving forward with remote depositions, finding, among other things, that 6-foot social distancing within deposition room did not solve issues around use of common spaces and travel to/from in-person depositions, likelihood that deponents would wear masks and sit at…
Argues for court to deny defendant’s request to conduct deposition in person out-of-state during COVID-19 pandemic, thereby forcing plaintiffs’ attorney to choose between exposure to virus through travel or letting defendant’s counsel “be physically present for her expert’s deposition while she is not. Defendant’s motion denied May 13, 2020. Leduc v. Peddinghaus Corp. Opposition to…
Denies defendant’s motion to take expert deposition in person out-of-state during COVID-19 pandemic, calling defendant’s request “unreasonable at the present time” and noting that “effective use of technology makes the handling of documents and exhibits in a remote deposition both effective and efficient. Leduc v. Peddinghaus Corp. Opposition to Defendant’s Motion to Depose Plaintiff’s Liability…