Recently, I came to consider the potential ambiguity in the word "nonplussed". The word originally meant to be confused or perplexed, as in:
"Defense counsel, undoubtedly nonplussed, attempted to challenge the unexpected identification by asking,...
Last week, Broc Romanek posed the question "whether it’s okay to use footnotes when you write". My question for today is whether it is legal to use footnotes. It turns out that this is a question that the California legislature has actually...
The California legislature may soon be considering a bill that would revise the tax rates for publicly held corporations based on their compensation ratios. As introduced by Senator Nancy Skinner, SB 1398 would establish the following rates...
In June, I wrote about the California Supreme Court's disappointing decision in 926 N. Ardmore Ave. v. County of L.A., 2017 Cal. LEXIS 4768 (Cal. 2017). See California Supreme Court Affirms Novel M&A Tax. Readers may recall that the Supreme Court...
Mergers & Acquisitions, Proposition 13, 926 North Ardmore, California Sui Generis, California Supreme Court, documentary transfer tax
Sometimes, the law is just weird. The case of PGA West Residential Ass'n, Inc. v. Hulven Int'l, Inc., Cal. Ct. App. Case No. E064270 (Aug. 9, 2017) is weirder than most. The lawsuit alleged that the defendant had tried to insulate the equity in...
Section 3439.09, statute of limiations, statute of repose, bogus, California Sui Generis, deed of trust, fraudulent, sham corporation, transfer, ufta
Most creditors likely assume that they have not been paid unless and until they receive checks from their debtors. In many cases that assumption may be correct, but in some cases it won't be. Section 1476 of the California Civil Code provides:
If...
money order, performance, California Sui Generis, Civil Code Section 1476, landlord, Section 3310, Sleep EZ v. Mateo, tenant, UCC, Uniform Commercial Code
California courts have defined "usury" as "the exacting, taking or receiving of a greater rate than is allowed by law, for the use or loan of money." Ross v. Wheeler 140 Cal. App. 217, 222 (1934). The California Constitution sets the maximum rate...
forbearance, Hardwick v. Wilcox, loan, usury, California Sui Generis, Ignazio Ruvolo, interest, public policy, usurious, waiver
California Civil Code Section 1671(b) provides that "a provision in a contract liquidating the damages for the breach of the contract is valid unless the party seeking to invalidate the provision establishes that the provision was unreasonable under...
Section 1671, California Sui Generis, de novo, Judge, krechuniak v. Noorzoy, liquidated damages, penalty, substantial evidence
In 2015, the California legislature refurbished the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act and rechristened it as the Uniform Voidable Transactions Act. 2015 Cal. Stats. Ch. 44 (SB 161 (Vidak)). The UFTA has not left the stage entirely as courts continue...
Uniform Voidable Transactions Act, California Sui Generis, nautilus v. yang, Richard d. fybel, ufta, Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, uvta
UCLA Law School Professor Stephen Bainbridge posted some thoughts yesterday on the meaning of contractual "best efforts" requirements. See What do "best efforts" and variants mean? A proposed set of definitions. The springboard for Professor...
good faith, Professor Stephen Bainbridge, reasonable, 206 Cal. App. 4th 384, best efforts, California Pines Property Owners Association v. Pe, California Sui Generis, fiduciary duty, William Cos. v. Energy
Keith Paul Bishop
