Blog
Notes from the firm.
Estate Planning
Apr 21, 2026
Special Needs Trusts in California: When and Why
A direct inheritance can disqualify a beneficiary with a disability from means-tested public benefits. A special needs trust solves that problem — but only if it is set up and funded correctly.
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Landlord
Apr 7, 2026
Habitability Defenses Tenants Raise — and How California Landlords Should Respond
California's implied warranty of habitability cannot be waived by the lease. A short overview of how habitability gets raised in unlawful-detainer cases, the documentation that defeats most defenses, and the workflow that prevents them in the first place.
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Personal Injury
Mar 24, 2026
The Six-Month Government Claims Deadline: A Trap for Injured Californians
California's Government Claims Act requires a written claim to a public entity within six months of an incident. Miss the deadline and the right to sue may be lost. A short overview of when it applies and what to do.
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Estate Planning
Mar 10, 2026
Trust Funding for California Real Property: Step by Step
Real property is the asset that most often makes a California revocable living trust worth doing. A walkthrough of how funding works, what the deed says, and what does not change for property-tax purposes.
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Landlord
Feb 24, 2026
Just-Cause Eviction Categories Under AB 1482: A Landlord's Field Guide
For California rentals covered by AB 1482, terminations after twelve months require a written, specified just cause. A short field guide to the at-fault and no-fault categories landlords should know.
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Personal Injury
Feb 10, 2026
Pure Comparative Fault in California: Why Partial Fault Almost Always Helps the Plaintiff
California abandoned all-or-nothing contributory negligence in 1975. The pure-comparative-fault rule that replaced it means that even a plaintiff who shares some fault can still recover — proportionally reduced.
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Estate Planning
Jan 27, 2026
California's Small-Estate Affidavit: When Probate Is Not Required
California allows certain small estates to be administered without a formal probate. A short overview of the small-estate affidavit, what assets it covers, and where it fits — and does not fit — into a planning conversation.
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Landlord
Jan 13, 2026
What's New for California Landlords in 2026
A new year typically brings California landlord-tenant rules into effect on January 1. This post outlines what landlords should be reviewing as 2026 begins, with the caveat that legislative and regulatory landscapes change quickly.
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Personal Injury
Dec 30, 2025
Slip-and-Falls in Wet Weather: California Premises Liability After a Storm
Wet floors and tracked-in rain produce a disproportionate share of California slip-and-fall injuries each winter. A short overview of the standard, what businesses generally have to do, and what to document if you are hurt.
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Estate Planning
Dec 16, 2025
A Year-End Estate-Plan Review: What Actually Needs to Be Updated
Most clients review their estate plan once a year, around tax season. Here is what to actually look at — the changes that genuinely matter and the ones that mostly do not.
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Landlord
Dec 2, 2025
End-of-Year Lease Renewals: A California Landlord Checklist
November and December are when many California leases renew. A short, practical checklist of what to look at and what to update before sending the renewal — including the items that a stale 2019 lease most commonly misses.
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Personal Injury
Nov 18, 2025
Holiday Premises Liability: What California Stores Owe You
California businesses owe a duty of reasonable care to invitees, and the holiday season concentrates the conditions that produce premises-liability claims. A short overview of what stores owe customers, and what to document if you are hurt.
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Estate Planning
Nov 4, 2025
Stepped-Up Basis: Why It Matters in California Estate Planning
Property that passes at death generally gets a "stepped-up" cost basis under federal tax law. For long-held California real estate, the difference can be hundreds of thousands of dollars in capital-gains tax.
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Landlord
Oct 21, 2025
Owner-Move-In Evictions Under AB 1482: Five Things That Get Them Reversed
Owner-move-in is one of the no-fault just-cause categories under AB 1482. It is also one of the most procedurally fragile. A short field guide to the failure points that trip up California landlords.
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Personal Injury
Oct 7, 2025
When the Insurance Company Ignores You: Practical Steps Before Filing Suit
After a California injury claim is presented, insurers sometimes go quiet for weeks or months. A short guide to what is normal, what is not, and the next steps that put pressure on a stalled claim.
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Estate Planning
Sep 23, 2025
Beneficiary Designations: The Step Even Lawyers Skip
Beneficiary designations on retirement accounts and life insurance override your will. Outdated or contradictory designations can quietly defeat an otherwise careful estate plan.
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Personal Injury
Sep 9, 2025
Bicycle and E-Scooter Injuries in San Diego: Who Pays When You Are Hurt
Riders, drivers, scooter rental companies, and cities all have different obligations on California streets. A short overview of how fault and coverage typically sort out when a bicycle or e-scooter rider is injured.
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Landlord
Sep 2, 2025
Service Animals, Assistance Animals, and Pets: What California Landlords Need to Get Right
A pet policy that does not distinguish between pets, service animals, and assistance animals invites a fair-housing claim. A practical guide for California landlords.
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Estate Planning
Aug 26, 2025
Funding Your Trust: The Step That Decides Whether It Actually Works
A signed trust without funding is mostly paperwork. Here is what funding means, why it matters, and the asset-by-asset checklist most California estate plans need to follow after the signing meeting.
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Estate Planning
Aug 19, 2025
Why a Will Alone Is Often Not Enough in California
A will is better than nothing, but in California it usually still puts your family through probate. Here is why a revocable living trust is so often paired with a will, and how the two work together.
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Landlord
Aug 12, 2025
Eight Things a Modern California Lease Should Address
A short field guide to the provisions a current California residential lease should cover — and the off-the-shelf clauses that often fail in court when a dispute actually arises.
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Landlord
Aug 5, 2025
California's One-Month Security Deposit Cap (AB 12): What Landlords Need to Update
AB 12 capped most California security deposits at one month's rent effective July 1, 2024. Here is what changed, who is exempt, and which lease provisions and intake practices need to be updated to comply.
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Personal Injury
Jul 29, 2025
First Steps After a California Car Crash
A practical, non-lawyer-speak checklist for the first 72 hours after a collision in California — what to do at the scene, what to do at urgent care, and what to avoid saying to insurance companies.
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Estate Planning
Jul 22, 2025
Why Summer Is a Good Time to Start an Estate Plan
Most California estate plans get started in two windows: after a death in the family, and at year-end. Summer is a quieter, less-pressured window — and that tends to produce better plans.
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Personal Injury
Jul 15, 2025
California's Two-Year Personal Injury Deadline (and the Six-Month One Most People Miss)
Most California personal-injury claims have a two-year filing window — but if a public entity may be liable, the real deadline is six months. A short tour of the deadlines that matter.
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Landlord
Jul 8, 2025
Mid-Year Check: California's Rent-Cap Math Under AB 1482
For California rentals covered by AB 1482, the rent-cap percentage changes each year based on CPI. A short walkthrough of how the cap is calculated, when it resets, and the documentation landlords should keep.
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Firm News
Jul 1, 2025
Tollestrup Law Is Open for Business
A short note on why the firm exists, who it represents, and how it works — from Matt Tollestrup, the lawyer who will actually be handling your matter.
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