Less than 1: PM Edition, May 20

Less than 1: PM Edition, May 29

This evening on Less than 1: the California Supreme Court limits blanket attempts to disqualify judges, ruling courts can now reject bad-faith Section 170.6 motions. Also: a federal magistrate signals she may sanction a bellwether plaintiff in the Uber sexual assault MDL for misleading discovery — and flags possible AI-hallucinated case citations as an additional basis. And: Yolo County opens a public search for a new district attorney after Jeff Reisig's abrupt retirement. Plus: a Miami federal judge reopens Trump's IRS lawsuit, saying she wants to investigate whether the settlement was premised on fraud. And from the Los Angeles Times: newly obtained 911 logs show Eaton Fire deputies evacuated a west Altadena resident nearly four hours before official orders went out. Stories mentioned in this episode: California Supreme Court limits blanket challenges to judges https://dailyjournal.com/articles/391786-california-supreme-court-limits-blanket-challenges-to-judges Court weighs Uber's sanctions request in sexual assault bellwether case https://dailyjournal.com/articles/391787-court-weighs-uber-s-sanctions-request-in-sexual-assault-bellwether-case Yolo supervisors open DA search after Reisig's abrupt retirement https://dailyjournal.com/articles/391775-yolo-supervisors-open-da-search-after-reisig-s-abrupt-retirement (NYT) Judge Reopens Trump’s I.R.S. Suit and Questions His ‘Weaponization’ Fund https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/us/politics/trump-irs-lawsuit-ruling.html (LA Times) West Altadena rescue came nearly 4 hours before evacuations ordered, 911 records show https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-05-29/more-missed-opportunities-to-evacuate-west-altadena-during-eaton-fire-new-911-records-from-sheriff

Less than 1 - AM Edition, May 29

This morning on Less than 1: a federal judge in Los Angeles hears arguments in a proposed class action accusing Spotify of knowingly allowing bot-driven streaming fraud that plaintiffs say artificially inflated Drake's play counts and diluted royalties for other artists. Also: a couple displaced by the Eaton Fire sues their landlords in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging the defendants charged nearly $15,000 a month in rent in violation of California's post-disaster price gouging law — as Los Angeles County prepares to let its emergency protections expire. And: the Securities and Exchange Commission proposes to rescind its 2024 climate disclosure rule, with new chair Paul Atkins arguing the regulation exceeded the agency's legal authority. Plus: a San Francisco measure called the No Hidden Rent Act would require landlords to disclose all fees upfront before tenants sign a lease. Stories mentioned in this episode: (NYT) S.E.C. Proposes to Kill Climate Change Disclosure Rule https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/29/climate/sec-climate-disclosure-rule.html (SF Chronicle) Renting in S.F. comes with surprise fees. A new law would force landlords to show them https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/rent-apartment-san-francisco-22279144.php

Less than 1 - PM Edition, May 28

This evening on Less than 1: Morgan & Morgan and Panish Shea Boyle Ravipudi file a putative class action in Orange County over the GKN Aerospace chemical emergency that forced fifty thousand Garden Grove residents to evacuate — the third lawsuit filed against the aerospace company this week. Also: California Attorney General Rob Bonta sues the company formerly known as 23andMe, alleging it concealed a massive genetic data breach and secretly paid a hacker $400,000 in cryptocurrency. And: a Los Angeles judge signals skepticism toward Southern California Edison's bid to spread Eaton Fire liability to the county and a small Altadena water district. Plus: Governor Newsom signs a bill making it a felony to seize ballots or election equipment without legal authorization, prompted by a Riverside County sheriff's controversial ballot seizure. Stories mentioned in this episode: Chemical crisis spurs expanding litigation against GKN Aerospace https://dailyjournal.com/articles/391760-chemical-crisis-spurs-expanding-litigation-against-gkn-aerospace Bonta sues over 23andMe data breach https://dailyjournal.com/articles/391743-bonta-sues-over-23andme-data-breach Judge signals skepticism toward Edison bid to spread Eaton Fire liability https://dailyjournal.com/articles/391763-judge-signals-skepticism-toward-edison-bid-to-spread-eaton-fire-liability

Less than 1 - AM Edition, May 28

This morning on Less than 1: a Colorado venture capital firm sues California over a law requiring firms to report demographic data on the founders they fund, arguing it violates the First and 14th Amendments — plus a federal judge moves to end the court-mandated monitorship of the Oakland Police Department after more than two decades. Also: the Supreme Court rules unanimously that last-mile delivery drivers can qualify for a federal arbitration exemption even without crossing state lines, California's Governor Newsom announces a 100% tax on payments from the Trump administration's $1.776 billion political weaponization fund, and President Trump refiles his $10 billion defamation suit against the Wall Street Journal over a disputed letter in a Jeffrey Epstein birthday album. Stories mentioned in this episode: VC firm sues California over founder diversity reporting law https://www.dailyjournal.com/articles/391740-vc-firm-sues-california-over-founder-diversity-reporting-law (NYT) Trump Refiles $10 Billion Lawsuit Against The Wall Street Journal https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/28/business/media/trump-wsj-defamation-suit-10-billion.html (Reuters) California to impose 100% tax on Trump's January 6 'slush fund,' governor says https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/california-impose-100-tax-trumps-january-6-slush-fund-governor-says-2026-05-27/ (Sacramento Bee) State worker union tries novel legal angle to stop Newsom’s return-to-office order https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/the-state-worker/article315900722.html

Less than 1: PM Edition, May 27

This evening on Less than 1: more than two dozen states press claims that Meta, TikTok, Snap and YouTube designed their platforms to fuel adolescent addiction, with an Oakland trial set for this summer — plus a federal judge finds Meta's ad-auction agreements ambiguous enough to let a breach-of-contract suit proceed, and retired appellate Justice Halim Dhanidina is named dean of Western State College of Law. Also: Matthew Perry's former live-in assistant is sentenced to more than three years in prison for administering the fatal ketamine dose, and the Los Angeles City Council delays a minimum wage increase for tourism workers that had been tied to the 2028 Olympics. Stories mentioned in this episode: States' social media addiction cases set for Oakland trial https://www.dailyjournal.com/articles/391733-states-social-media-addiction-cases-set-for-oakland-trial Meta agreements ambiguous, judge lets ad-pricing suit proceed https://www.dailyjournal.com/articles/391732-meta-agreements-ambiguous-judge-lets-ad-pricing-suit-proceed Retired appellate justice Dhanidina named dean of Western State law school https://www.dailyjournal.com/articles/391727-retired-appellate-justice-dhanidina-named-dean-of-western-state-law-school (LA Times) ‘Monster who killed him’: Matthew Perry’s former assistant gets more than three years in prison https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-05-27/matthew-perry-assistant-sentencing (LAist) LA City Council delays minimum wage increases for tourism workers https://laist.com/news/politics/la-city-council-delays-minimum-wage-increases-for-tourism-workers