Matthew J Antitrust and Trade Regulation Law Blog

Those consumers that feel they have been wronged by another individual or business can sue in small claims court. In the state of California a litigant plaintiff commences a small claims action by filing a claim, under oath, with the clerk of the small claims court, in person, by mail, by facsimile transmission if authorized by CCP §1010.5, or by electronic means if authorized by CCP §1010.6. CCP §116.320(a).... Read More

In the coming months the city of El Segundo faces hard choices on whether they can afford to keep their pricey fire department.  Driven mainly by lackluster property taxes and low bed taxes the city is hurting.  Those that live in the city, with its expensive homes want to keep the fire services they currently have and that will likely disappear if an initiative is passed to merge the department with Los Angeles Couty.  The city's  firefighters association, which
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In the past year the city of Long Beach has had incident after ancident where its police officers have sot and killed unarmed suspects.  The public is up in arms and engaging in protests to complain about the epidemic.  In the last episode the LBPD shot a man holding a hose nozzle.  In the mind of a Long Beach Criminal Defense Attorney the public is close to revolt, does the department... Read More

It is indeed alone among the other beach cities in terms of its ability to pursue criminal cases.  Manhattan Beach does not have its own city prosecutor and this sets it apart from other municipalities when it comes to court prosecutions for misdemeanors such as drunk driving and domestic violence.   The law permits a city to delegate these tasks to the county district attorney and this is precisely what manhattan beach does, it lets the local DA take care of all misdemeanor cases... Read More

It is the age old question for a city, whether the cost of a police department outweigh the benefits?  In the beginning, the city did not need to worry about this issue.  Malibu was just a speck of sand in the big world.  However, the city has grown and the citizenry has begun to wonder if the services of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs department for police patrol and law enforcement is the best option.  Many inside the coastal community however believe that the time ha... Read More