Martin won a reversal of a summary judgment ruling against his clients in a case against Metrolink, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority, and Union Pacific Railway. Martin’s clients were the survivors of a woman who was killed when she was hit by a train inside a train tunnel.
News
Credit/Debit Card Tying Cases
January 9, 2012On January 9, 2012, Martin won a reversal of a judgment approving a $31 million class action settlement against Visa and MasterCard. Martin represented a named plaintiff in another class action against Visa and MasterCard whose claims were released as part of the settlement.
Chapman v. Tolo
December 21, 2011On December 20, 2011, the Court of Appeal affirmed a $1.8 million judgment in favor of Martin’s client in a negligence case arising from a car accident.
Rejai v. Riazati
October 21, 2011On October 21, 2011, Martin won a pro bono appeal affirming the renewal of his client’s restraining order against an ex-boyfriend.
Girardi & Keese v. City of Los Angeles
September 14, 2011On September 14, 2011, Martin won a reversal of an order directing a plaintiffs’ law firm to pay the City’s legal fees for defending a case that was dismissed on summary judgment. The Court of Appeal found that the trial court had erred in ruling that the law firm did not maintain the action in good faith or with reasonable cause.
Montz v. Pilgrim Films & Television, Inc.
May 5, 2011On May 4, 2011, Martin and his co-counsel won an appeal before the en banc Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a case involving the theft of an idea for a television show. Martin represents plaintiffs who allege that the defendants stole their idea for “Ghost Hunters,” a television show about paranormal investigators. In September 2010, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit ruled that the plaintiffs’ claims were preempted by the Copyright Act. However, the Ninth Circuit subsequently took the case en banc and reached the opposite conclusion. Martin was primarily responsible for the en banc briefing and his co-counsel at Girardi & Keese argued the case.
Shalant v. Girardi
May 5, 2011On May 4, 2011, Martin argued a case in the California Supreme Court on the proper interpretation of California’s vexatious litigant statute. Martin represents an attorney who was sued by a vexatious litigant. The issue in the case is whether a vexatious litigant must obtain permission of the presiding judge to proceed in propria persona if he is initially represented by counsel, but later becomes self-represented during the pendency of the case.
Walkowiak v. MP Associates
March 9, 2011On March 9, 2011, Martin obtained a reversal of a judgment in a products liability case against the manufacturer of a simulated stinger missile. In the appeal, Martin represented a pyrotechnic operator who was seriously injured when the simulated missile exploded in his face while he was working on a movie set. The California Court of Appeal found that the trial court had erred by granting summary judgment in favor of the manufacturer on a design defect claim.