When formatting dates in Go, use January 2, 2006.

A mnemonic checklist for presenting expert testimony under Sanchez. Join Judge Jackson Lucky for a step-by-step approach to conquer Sanchez issues for property valuation, vocational evals, and forensic accounting. Learn how LaBass & Munsee can release you from hearsay’s grip, and Veamatahau can give you the “background information” you need to overcome a Sanchez attack.

I know the blog’s looking sparse. I’m migrating content. Give me a few weeks. Or months.

To make the most of mediation, one must understand its purpose. Too often, mediation participants treat mediation like a nonbinding substitute hearing on the merits: a trial proxy. It’s not. Mediators have no authority to bind the parties. Mediators cannot discuss the merits of the case once mediation ends. So, if mediators have no authority and no ability to advise outside parties of their views of the merits, what’s the goal?...

The California Supreme Court settles a split among courts of appeal, holding that hearsay information about predicate crimes (an element of California’s gang crime statute) is case-specific.

The Supreme Court decides that information from online databases on which experts reasonably rely is admissible background information, not case-specific hearsay.