Cases of Interest

This is an action filed by Governor Gavin Newsom and the State of California against President Donald Trump, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and the Department of Defense. The action challenges the legality and the constitutionality of the federalization of the California National Guard pursuant to a June 7 memorandum issued by President Trump and to June 7 and June 9 orders issued by Secretary Hegseth.

This is an action filed by University of California (“UC”) researchers against President Donald Trump, the Department of Government Efficiency ("DOGE"), the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Environmental Protection Agency, and various other defendants, challenging the termination and/or suspension of their previously approved federal research grants. The plaintiffs seek injunctive relief and class certification on behalf of a class of all UC researchers across the ten-campus UC system whose research grants have been or will be terminated, denied, suspended, or reduced by any of the defendants pursuant to Executive Order Nos. 14151, 14154, 14158, 14168, 14173, 14217, 14238, and/or 14222, and/or other directives of the Trump administration or DOGE, from and after January 20, 2025. The plaintiffs assert that these orders and directives violate separation of powers principles, the First Amendment guarantee of free speech, the Fifth Amendment guarantee of due process, the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, statutes requiring agencies to fulfill congressionally defined missions, and the Administrative Procedure Act (“APA”).

This is an action filed by the City and County of San Francisco, the County of Santa Clara, and other plaintiffs against President Donald Trump, Pamela Bondi, Attorney General of the United States, and Kristi Noem, Secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security, and other defendants, challenging President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14,159 and a related Department of Justice (“DOJ”) memorandum to withhold funds and pursue enforcement actions against so-called “sanctuary jurisdictions.” The plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief, asserting that the Executive Order and DOJ memo are unconstitutional in violation of the Tenth Amendment, Separation of Powers, the Spending Clause, and the Due Process Clause. Judge Orrick related this case to a 2017 case that involved similar issues, City and County of San Francisco v. Donald J. Trump et al., 3:17-cv-00485-WHO (N.D. Cal.).

The actions in this MDL involve allegations that plaintiffs, who are minors, were exposed to elevated quantities of toxic heavy metals (namely, arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury) from consuming defendants’ baby food products and, as a result, suffered brain injury that manifested in diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

This is an action brought against the United States EPA, among other Defendants, by Food and Water Watch, a non-governmental organization, and other Plaintiffs, regarding the health impacts of fluoridation of public drinking water. Plaintiffs allege that fluoridation at levels occurring throughout the country presents an unreasonable risk of injury to health under the Toxic Substances Control Act (“TSCA”), 15 U.S.C. § 2620(b)(4)(B). A bench trial took place in this matter in June 2020 and the case was held in abeyance thereafter; the Court is now conducting the second phase or “part two” of the trial.

This is a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) case involving whether Uber Technologies, Inc. and related entities (collectively, “Uber”) failed to implement appropriate safety precautions to protect passengers. Plaintiffs are former Uber passengers who were sexually assaulted or harassed by their Uber drivers. Plaintiffs bring various claims against Uber, including negligence, breach of contract, and product liability claims.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) brings this action for provisional relief pursuant to Section 13(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 53(b), seeking to enjoin Defendants Intercontinental Exchange and Black Knight from consummating a proposed transaction while the FTC’s administrative review of the transaction is pending.

This is a case about alleged infringement of copyrights. The plaintiffs are Moonbug Entertainment Limited and Treasure Studio, Inc. The defendants in this case are BabyBus Co., Ltd. and BabyBus (Fujian) Network Technology Co., Ltd. Plaintiffs claim that Defendants willfully infringe Plaintiffs’ copyrights in characters and videos in Plaintiffs’ children’s show CoComelon. Plaintiffs also claim that defendants made misrepresentations to YouTube to cause YouTube to put back up infringing videos.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) brings this action for provisional relief pursuant to Section 13(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 53(b), seeking to enjoin Defendants Microsoft and Activision from consummating a proposed transaction while the FTC’s administrative review of the transaction is pending.

This securities class action case is brought by a group of Tesla shareholders who allege that Elon Musk and Tesla violated Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5(b), by making materially false or misleading statements regarding a potential going-private transaction for Tesla that artificially affected the price of Tesla’s stock and other securities in August of 2018. Plaintiff also asserts that the members of Tesla’s Board of Directors violated Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which imposes liability upon persons responsible for controlling an entity that is found to have violated the federal securities laws.

Plaintiffs filed a putative class action complaint against Twitter claiming violations of the WARN Act (29 U.S. Code section 2101) and violations of California’s equivalent state law (Cal. Lab. Code section 1400).

A complaint was filed in this court charging David Wayne Depape with violations of 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(A) and (B), assault on the immediate family member of a federal official, and of 18 U.S.C. § 1201(d), attempted kidnapping of a federal official.

This is a Multi-District Litigation (MDL) involving various defendants such as Meta Platforms, Inc., Instagram LLC, Snap, Inc., TikTok, Inc., ByteDance, Inc., YouTube LLC, Google LLC, and Alphabet Inc. Plaintiffs have alleged that the defendants’ social media platforms are defective because they are designed to maximize screen time, which can encourage addictive behavior in adolescents. As alleged, this conduct results in various emotional and physical harms, including death.

Professional golfers allege that the PGA acted an unlawful monopoly in suspending them for playing for LIV, Inc. They seek injunctive relief through a temporary restraining order that would permit them to compete in the FedEx Cup Playoffs.

Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, former executive of health technology corporation Theranos, was charged along with Elizabeth Holmes with wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. The charges stem from Defendants’ allegedly deceptive representations about their company and its medical testing technology. Defendants are to be tried separately; Ms. Holmes’ trial concluded in January 2022.

Elizabeth A. Holmes and Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani, former executives of health technology corporation Theranos, are charged with wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349. The charges stem from Defendants’ allegedly deceptive representations about their company and its medical testing technology.

MDL case involving the role of McKinsey & Co., Inc., in providing advice to opioid manufacturers in the sale of prescription opioid drugs. Plaintiffs are cities, counties, tribal governments, and other entities alleging various claims including public nuisance, negligence, fraud, unjust enrichment, violation of consumer protection statutes, and federal RICO claims.

Plaintiff Epic Games, Inc. brings this action against defendant Apple Inc., alleging violations of antitrust laws through its Apple App Store policies on iOS devices. Apple counterclaims that Epic Games has breached its developer agreements and App Store guidelines by introducing a direct pay option on iOS devices in Epic Games’ videogame Fortnite.

Class action by state prisoners alleging inadequate health care and overcrowding

(Compassionate Release Waiver)
Court rejects a plea agreement containing a modified waiver of compassionate release, holding that the waiver is contrary to Congressional intent.

View video of 12/2/2019 and 12/17/19 hearings

Multidistrict litigation grouping cases alleging, in part, that JLI has marketed its JUUL nicotine delivery products to minors, that JLI’s marketing misrepresents or omits that JUUL products are more potent and addictive than cigarettes, and that JLI promotes nicotine addiction.

Plaintiffs seek to enjoin enforcement of interim final rule providing that noncitizens who transit through another country prior to reaching the southern border of the United States are ineligible for asylum here

Extradition proceedings for former President of Peru

Plaintiffs challenge the Department of Homeland Security's "Migrant Protection Protocols" under which asylum seekers are "returned to Mexico for the duration of their immigration proceedings."

Multidistrict litigation arising from alleged unauthorized use of a software-based defeat device resulting in the misstatement of vehicle emissions data by car maker

Plaintiffs seek to prevent enforcement of an interim final rule providing that all persons who enter the country in violation of the "Presidential Proclamation Addressing Mass Migration Through the Southern Border of the United States" are ineligible for asylum.

Plaintiffs challenge Trump Administration's termination of "Temporary Protected Status" (TPS) for immigrants from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Sudan

View video of 9/25/18 hearing

University of California and four states challenge U.S. Government's rescission of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ("DACA") program

Multidistrict products-liability litigation arising from the allegedly carcinogenic qualities of the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup.