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Redefining Sex: How the Office of Civil Rights Distinguishes Title VII from Title IX in Relation to Transgender Athletes

The United States Supreme Court's landmark decision in Bostock v. Clayton County Georgia (2020) 590 U.S. __ [140 S.Ct. 1731] is producing ripple effects in the legal community.

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Public School Districts Cannot be Sued Under California's Unruh Civil Rights Act for Disability Discrimination

In a case of first impression, the California Court of Appeal for the First Appellate District, recently held that a school district is not a "business establishment" and therefore cannot be liable for disability discrimination under California's Unruh Civil Rights Act, Civil Code section 51 (Unruh Act).

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New Appellate Court Case Reaffirms that School District's Imposition of Developer Fees is Tied to the General Type of Construction, not the Particular Project

In a recent ruling, a California appellate court upheld a school district's imposition of developer fees on a residential project oriented towards college students, rejecting the developer's argument that the fees were improper because the project would allegedly generate no district students.

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New Law Finally Attempts to Address Social Media Use and the Brown Act

May a member of an elected board, council, or other body subject to the Brown Act comment on, “retweet” or “like” a social media post from another member without risking a Brown Act violation?

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Appellate Court Rules That a Challenge to a Lease-Leaseback Contract Is Moot due to Completion of the Project

In a recent ruling, a California Appellate Court determined that a taxpayer’s reverse validation action alleging conflicts of interest in lease-leaseback agreements became moot upon completion of the project.

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Deadline to Present Claims against Public Entities Extended

In a series of executive orders addressing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Gavin Newsom has extended a statutorily-imposed timeline significant to public entities.

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UPDATE: California Supreme Court rules against Local Agencies- Local Agencies Cannot Recover Costs of Redacting Video Footage under the Public Records Act

The California Supreme Court has reversed the judgment of the First District Court of Appeal in National Lawyer Guild v. City of Hayward (2018) 27 Cal.App.5th 937, holding that the California Public Records Act (CPRA) does not allow local agencies to charge requesters for the cost of redacting digital video footage.

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Plaintiffs with Late Tort Claims Take a Hit

A would-be plaintiff’s ability to obtain relief from the government claim presentation requirement (the Government Claims Act, Gov. Code, § 810, et seq.) has been limited by the California Court of Appeal.

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Public Agencies Must Disclose All Public Documents Regardless of the Record's Origin

In Becerra v. Superior Court of San Francisco, California's First District Court of Appeal broadened the definition of documents that public agencies must provide pursuant to a request made under the Public Records Act (PRA), to include records in the possession of the agency regardless of the record's origin.

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