When real property changes hands, California imposes two separate taxes – the annual real property tax and a documentary transfer tax. The annual real property tax is reassessed to fair market value when a property changes ownership. The transfer tax allows a county or city, or both, to charge a tax when real property is [...]
This case revolves around whether a trademark can be registered before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) even though the mark is disparaging. The Lanham Act prohibits the registration of many kinds of marks, but in this case, preventing the registration of disparaging marks directly challenges the First Amendment’s Free Speech Clause. During [...]
Every January, employers must become familiar with new employment laws that have been passed at the state and local level. Below is a brief summary of some of the most relevant, in my opinion. Should you have questions about any of these new requirements, please contact any member of our Labor and Employment Practice Group [...]
November 2016 Twenty years ago, California voters were the first to decriminalize the use of medical marijuana. Tuesday, those voters approved Proposition 64, making California the largest single market for “legal” recreational marijuana use in the United States. With certification of that vote by the Secretary of State, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act will [...]