News

Revision #15 to the 2008 Edition of the Local Rules – Superior Court of California, County of Orange are effective July 1, 2016.  An electronic copy of the rules is available on the Court’s website at www.occourts.org or you may view them by clicking here.  Relevant rule changes are identified in the attached filing instructions.

It saddens me to announce the untimely death of Sebastian Nathan De La Cruz, the nine-year old son of current OC HBA board member Andre De La Cruz.  Sebastian passed away on June 20, 2016.
 
Sebastian was an avid Cub Scout, loving to participate in his scouting events such as camping, meetings, building things, and learning about the outdoors.  On Tuesday, June 28th at 6:00 PM a Rosary & Vigil Service will be held for Sebastian at St. Thomas More Catholic Parish located at 51 Marketplace in Irvine.  On Wednesday, June 29th at 1:00 PM a Funeral Mass will be conducted at St. Thomas More.  Burial will be immediately following in Riverside.  http://www.whiteemerson.com/obituaries/Sebastian-De-La-Cruz/#!/Obituary
 
In lieu of flowers, his family is asking everyone to consider to a memorial contribution in memory of Sebastian.  Contributions are being collected at Woodbury School, 125 Great Lawn, Irvine, CA 92620.
 
Additionally, a memorial fund has been set up for the family.  If you would like to contribute, please visit http://www.plumfund.com/memorial-fund/for-the-family-of-sebastian.
 
Our thought and prayers go out to Andre and his family.
 
Lyo Figueroa
President of the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County

It is with deep personal regret that I have to announce the death of Diane Nordby.   

Diane passed away this past June 24th after a long hard battle with brain cancer.  Diane was a very accomplished attorney and will forever be remembered as being hugely influential to the OCHBA.  Diane was the first female President for the OCHBA, and served on the Board of Trustees for over twenty-years.  She was instrumental in originally starting and planning the HBA Annual Memorial Day Weekend Travel Seminars.  In 2014, the HBA recognized Diane’s vast contributions and dedication to social justice, when we awarded her with The Honorable Francisco P. Briseño Lifetime Achievement Award.

The following link is the video tribute from 2014 in honoring Diane with our Lifetime Achievement Award: https://www.facebook.com/peter.yamasaki/videos/10102799645404979/

A celebration of her life will be planned in the near future.  We can provide additional details as soon as we have them.  
Our thought and prayers go out to Diane’s family.
 
Lyo Figueroa
President of the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County

The United States District Court, Central District of California, is seeking applications from qualified individuals interested in serving as Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference Lawyer Representatives.  Please refer to the link below for more information.

https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/news/seeking-applications-ninth-circuit-judicial-conference-lawyer-representatives-0

Santa Ana, CA - June 8, 2016 - The Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County was founded nearly 40 years ago to encourage and support Latino participation in the legal profession and judiciary. Many of our members are Latinos. Many are not. All of our members support and encourage outstanding Latino attorneys’ increased representation in the bar and on the bench of our great State and Country.

Whether from the left, right, or center, any candidate for the highest office in the executive branch of government should refrain from explicit attacks on members of the judiciary based on that jurist’s ethnicity.

“Donald Trump’s allegation that Judge Curiel is biased and should recuse himself solely on the basis of Judge Curiel’s Mexican heritage is a blatant attack on our judiciary and Latinos throughout this country.  Bigoted statements like this, regardless of the candidate making it, have no place in the election of the highest office in this great country,” said OCHBA President Lyo Figueroa.

The Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County denounces such accusation and statements like this, regardless of the candidate who makes such statement.  Accusations of bias arising solely from a Judge’s ancestry, whether Latino or not, go directly against the mission of the HBA and raise serious concerns in light of the importance of an independent judiciary.

Lyo Figueroa
President of the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County

Download Press Release

Newport Beach, CALIF., June 7, 2016 – Archer Norris Senior Associate Miguel P. Prietto, Jr. has been recognized by Super Lawyers magazine as a Southern California Rising Star in 2016. Based in the firm’s Newport Beach office, Super Lawyers has recognized him as a Rising Star, and lists him as a top rated business and corporate attorney in Newport Beach, California.

The patented multi-phased selection process includes independent research, peer nominations evaluations, identifying attorneys who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Lawyers Rising Stars recognizes the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state; nominees are 40 years old or younger or practicing for 10 years or less.

“It is gratifying to receive such strong recognition for the contributions Miguel brings to his business and corporate practice and the firm,” said Managing Partner Gene Blackard. “Peer recognition, a true measure of work excellence, is even more powerful with the Super Lawyers endorsement. We are honored Miguel has been recognized by Super Lawyers and his peers.”

Prietto is a member of the firm’s Business practice group where he focuses his practice on both the transactional and litigation business needs of his clients. With additional credentials including an M.B.A. and a California Real Estate Broker’s license, Prietto routinely acts as advisor to business clients in various professions and industries, having assisted companies grow from start-ups to multi-million dollar operations. Prietto is also active in his community, serving as President of the Associate Board of the Orange County Bar Foundation, where he actively participates and fundraises for the OCBF’s numerous philanthropic programs and initiatives serving over 1,100 at-risk youth each year.

About Archer Norris

A leading California law firm, Archer Norris PLC has approximately 100 attorneys admitted to practice in 17 states. BTI Consulting Group named Archer Norris to its 2016 Client Service A-Team as an unparalleled leader in client service, and the National Law Journal recognized Archer Norris on its “Midsize Law Firm Hot List” in 2015 and 2016. The firm focuses on business law from five strategically located California offices in San Francisco, Sacramento, Walnut Creek, Newport Beach and Los Angeles. Archer Norris counsels clients in commercial and complex litigation, insurance coverage, bad faith litigation, business, health care, intellectual property, patent, public entity, environmental, and real estate transactions throughout California and wherever our clients need us.

For more information about the firm, please contact Jann Dudley at 925.952.5406 or visit the Archer Norris website at www.archernorris.com.

Comments sought:
 
A new proposal to revise the California Criminal Jury Instructions (CALCRIM) has been posted to the California Courts web site, at http://www.courts.ca.gov/policyadmin-invitationstocomment.htm. You are welcome to distribute this to any other interested parties. The deadline for comment is 5:00 p.m., Monday, June 30, 2016.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Camilla Kieliger, at camilla.kieliger@jud.ca.gov, or at 415-865-7681.

Santa Ana, CA –The Judges of the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, have elected Sheila Recio and Paul Minerich as Commissioners, announced Presiding Judge Charles Margines. Commissioners serve as subordinate judicial officers of the Court. They may be assigned to hear cases such as family, juvenile, traffic, small claims, and landlord/tenant matters.

http://www.occourts.org/media-relations/current-news-releases/05-25-2016_JudgesElectCommissioners.pdf

2016/2017 Orange County Grand Jury Selected

Santa Ana, CA – Nineteen Orange County residents were selected to serve on the
Orange County Grand Jury for the term that begins July 1. Hon. Charles Margines,
Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of Orange County, presided over the May 18 court hearing with Alan Carlson, Chief Executive Officer and Jury Commissioner, randomly pulling cards printed with candidate names from the grand jury box, as required by statute.

The new Grand Jury panel is comprised of 13 men and 6 women who range in age from 54 to 78 years old. More than 140 Orange County residents applied to serve. The 26 judges of the Grand Jury Recruitment/Selection Committee reviewed applications and selected top candidates who were then interviewed by teams of two judges from the committee.

Superior Court judges approved the final slate of candidates by a majority vote.
The California Penal Code requires that the Grand Jury be selected by a random drawing of no less than 25 and no more than 30 individuals, who proportionally represent the five supervisorial districts of the County. The first 19 names drawn constitute the Grand Jury, with the remaining individuals selected as alternates in the order drawn. Alternates may be called upon to serve in the event that any acting members cannot complete the one year term. The grand jurors and alternates will attend a mandatory four-day training program in June.

The 19 members of the newly selected Grand Jury will take the oath of office on July 1 at 10:00 a.m. in Department C1 of the Superior Court of Orange County. The names of the Grand Jury members and alternates are listed on the following page, in the order of their selection.

The United States District Court, Central District of California, is seeking applications from qualified individuals interested in serving as Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference Lawyer Representatives.  Please refer to the link below for more information.

https://www.cacd.uscourts.gov/news/seeking-applications-ninth-circuit-judicial-conference-lawyer-representatives