Articles by Brian Melley

Associated Press

California Law Preventing Actor Ages from Being Posted Struck Down

A California law that sought to prevent age discrimination in the entertainment industry by blocking a popular Hollywood website from posting the ages of actors was struck down Tuesday as unconstitutional. U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco …

California Mudslide Victims ID’d as Crews Continue Survivor Search

The oldest victim swept away in a California mudslide was Jim Mitchell, who had celebrated his 89th birthday the day before. He died with his wife of more than 50 years, Alice. The youngest, 3-year-old Kailly Benitez, was one of …

New Year Brings Pot Legalization to California

The arrival of the new year in California brought with it broad legalization of marijuana, a much-anticipated change that comes two decades after the state was the first to allow pot for medical use. The nation’s most populous state joins …

Lawyers Handling Marijuana Business Operate in Hazy Legal Zone

Just as entrepreneurs getting into the retail pot industry need a good lawyer, some of those lawyers might be wise to consult an attorney of their own. Lawyers in the burgeoning business are entering a legal gray zone where the …

Federal Investigators Say Fatigue, Poor Safety Cause of Deadly California Bus Crash

Federal safety investigators say a sleep-deprived driver and a bus company with a poor safety record were causes of an August 2016 crash in California’s Central Valley that killed four passengers and injured 20 others, including the driver. The National …

Trucking Company Settles California Discrimination Case with Sikhs for $260K

A national trucking company has agreed to pay $260,000 to settle discrimination complaints by four Sikh drivers who were denied jobs for refusing to take drug tests that would have violated their religious beliefs. J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. reached …

Ex-California State Senator Calderon Gets Prison for Bribery

Former California state Sen. Ron Calderon was sentenced Friday to 31/2 years in prison in a corruption scandal in which he acknowledged taking bribes in exchange for his influence in Sacramento. U.S. District Court Judge Christina Snyder imposed the sentence …

California Granny Who Lost Life Savings Awarded $15M in Case Against Insurers

A California grandmother who lost her life savings in a real estate investment scam offered by an insurance agent was awarded more than $15 million Wednesday in a lawsuit against MetLife and two subsidiaries, attorneys said. Christine Ramirez, 75, was …

Zeppelin Loses Fight over Legal Fees In ‘Stairway’ Copyright Case

Led Zeppelin may have won the copyright war over its creation of “Stairway to Heaven,” but it lost its battle this week to recoup nearly $800,000 in defense fees. Judge R. Gary Klausner ruled that the band’s songwriters, record label …

California Court Says Utility Still on Hook for Housing Costs After Leak

A California appeals court has rejected efforts by a utility to stop housing Los Angeles residents driven from their homes by a gas leak that lasted almost four months. The 2nd District Court of Appeal denied a petition by Southern …