Recent California Cases

Real rulings from California appellate courts, summarized in plain English with key takeaways. Updated regularly as new decisions are published.

Recent California Cases

Real cases from California courts — see how the law applies in practice and what these rulings mean for you.

Child Support California Court of Appeal, 4th District · January 16, 2026

Reasin v. Reasin (In re Susan D.)

Case Summary

A divorce judgment ordered $1,750/month in child support for three children with no allocation between them. When each child reached adulthood, the father unilaterally reduced payments. The Court of Appeal ruled that retroactively allocating the lump sum among children after one ages out is not a prohibited retroactive modification — it is simply calculating arrears after a support obligation has legally terminated.

Full opinion on VLEX

Key Takeaway

California courts can allocate a lump-sum child support order among multiple children retroactively when one child emancipates, without running afoul of the ban on retroactive modifications.

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Landlord-Tenant California Court of Appeal, 2nd District · June 26, 2025

Eshagian v. Cepeda

Case Summary

A landlord served a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit that had three defects: it didn't clearly state the tenant would lose possession if rent wasn't paid, it didn't specify when the notice period began or ended, and it listed the tenant's own residence as the payment address. The Court of Appeal held the notice was invalid under CCP § 1161(2), and the default judgment for eviction could not stand.

Weintraub Tobin — Law firm analysis NAA — Landlord practice alert Tenant-side analysis

Key Takeaway

Eviction notices in California must strictly comply with all technical requirements — even a small error can invalidate the entire eviction.

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Divorce & Spousal Support California Court of Appeal, 4th District · September 16, 2025

In re Marriage of Carter

Case Summary

In this long-running divorce case (the fourth appeal), the court addressed how to calculate additional child support based on stock option income from a corporate merger. The trial court chose one accounting method for past arrears and another going forward to avoid a windfall. The Court of Appeal also denied modification of spousal support, reinforcing the limits on modifying support after judgment.

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Key Takeaway

Stock options and other complex assets require careful accounting in California support calculations — the method used can significantly change the support amount.

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Tenant Rights / Rent Control California Court of Appeal · April 17, 2026

Western Manufactured Housing Communities Ass'n v. City of Santa Rosa

Case Summary

During a state of emergency, Penal Code § 396 caps rent increases at 10%. This case confirmed that the cap applies to rent-controlled spaces and refers to the amount authorized under local rent control at the time the emergency was declared. Importantly, landlords cannot "recoup" suppressed rent increases after the emergency ends.

California Lawyers Association — Case summary

Key Takeaway

Rent increase caps during emergencies are permanent limits — landlords cannot later make up for increases they couldn't impose during the emergency period.

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California law changes constantly through new court rulings. Stay informed and get personalized answers.

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