California Bar Journal
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE STATE BAR OF CALIFORNIA - MAY 1999
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California Bar Journal

The State Bar of California


REGULARS

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Front Page - May 1999
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News
Lending compassion to a difficult situation
Legal specialist exam set Aug. 29
Board to meet June 25-26
Domestic violence group seeking volunteers
Northern California legal services board to fill five vacancies
Court statistics report now available on CD
For Y2K advice, link through bar's web site
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Trials Digest
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Opinion
Hear the cries this time
A single letter, a big increase
Train time at the ABA
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From the President - Door to justice must be open
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Letters to the Editor
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Legal Tech - Litigation library great for attorneys out of office
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New Products & Services
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MCLE Self-Study
The Disabled Practitioner
Self-Assessment Test
MCLE Calendar of Events
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Discipline
Ethics Byte - What to do when a client goes missing
Attorney charged with exposing clients to deportation
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Public Comment

TRIALS DIGEST

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Failure to recognize drug's side effects
Award: $885,701

Defendants' failure to recognize the symptoms of a drug prescribed to stop lactation led to the death of a young mother.

(Looney v. Henry, Stanislaus County Superior Court).

High school student harassed by ex-boyfriend
Award: $685,000

A school district did nothing to prevent a female student from being sexually harassed by her ex-boyfriend. (Hall v. Albany Unified School District, Alameda County Superior Court).

Discrimination against Jewish employee
Award: $2,210,092

A Jewish male employee was subjected to discrimination and hostile work environment at Litton Systems. (Graber v. Litton Guidance & Control Systems, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Bad faith by carrier
Award: $6,329,840

The award of punitive damages is believed to be the first one against a private workers' compensation carrier. (Lance Camper Mfg. Corp. v. Republic Indemnity Co. of America, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Appraisal allegedly overstates value
Award: Defense

Lenders claimed that they relied on an appraisal which overstated the fair market value of property in an "as is" condition.

(Pacific Bay Service Corp. v. Bloomquist, Napa County Superior Court).

Psychiatrist allegedly slanders attorney
Award: Defense

Plaintiff claimed that on several occasions defendant told third parties that plaintiff was a child molester. (Roe v. Capobianco, Sacramento County Superior Court).

Metal float hits deckhand
Award: $4,792,843

A fishing vessel deckhand sustained cognitive/neurological injuries when he was struck during a net deployment operation.

(Devatkin v. H&N Boat Inc., San Francisco County Superior Court).

Delayed delivery damage
Award: $21,789,549

Child born with cerebral palsy and mental retardation due to delayed delivery. (Vasquez v. Lin, Los Angeles County Superior Court).

Indemnity sought
Award: $646,377

The manufacturer of relocatable classrooms sought indemnity from the provider of defective plywood siding. (Gary Doupnik Manufacturing Inc. v. K-Ply Inc., Tehama County Superior Court).

EDITOR'S NOTE: California Bar Journal publishes this abbreviated summary of important trials in California provided by Trials Digest Publishing Inc. For a free complete trial report on any case listed, call 510/420-1800.