News

Fall River

Mandatory Face Covering Requirement

  • Gretchen Dugan
Mandatory Face Covering Requirement Pursuant to the California Department of Public Health updated guidance for the use of face coverings which was announced at approximately noon on June 18, 2020.Please Note:  Executive Order N-60-20, issued on May 4, 2020, ordered that “All residents are directed to continue to obey State public health directives” (emphasis added).  This mandate is issued by the California Department of...

Stay Out of It – Inmates Have No Standing to Sue About Phone Bills

  • P.J. Van Ert
Stay Out of It – Inmates Have No Standing to Sue About Phone Bills Many of our county clients maintain contracts with private service providers for a variety of municipal needs. In a recent case, several California counties were sued by a group of inmates, organized by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, claiming that fees for telecommunications service in jails were an unlawful tax, requiring voter approval under Proposition 26.  The fees for use...

Staff Spotlight- Gretchen Dugan

  • Kim Pike
Staff Spotlight- Gretchen Dugan Mrs. Gretchen Dugan has worked with the law firm of Prentice|LONG PC for nearly fifteen months.  Her calm and friendly demeanor provide superior customer assistance when answering phone lines and working with clients.  She helps to manage the firm’s calendar and works as Lead File Clerk, in addition to her many duties as Legal Assistant to multiple attorneys.  “Gretchen has...

CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT UP ENDS THE APPLE CART ON PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST COSTS

  • David Prentice
CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT UP ENDS THE APPLE CART ON PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST COSTS The California Supreme Court just issued a decision reversing a lower appellate court on the issue of redaction costs associated with electronic records.  In National Lawyers Guild v. City of Hayward, Supreme Court Opinion S252445 (May 28, 2020) the Court reversed a decision by the Court of Appeal that had construed the Public Records Act (PRA) as allowing the City...

Staff Spotlight - Cindy Buhler

  • Kim Pike
Staff Spotlight - Cindy Buhler Ms. Cindy Buhler has been a part of Prentice|LONG PC Law Firm since September of 2017. When hired, Cindy was tasked with learning legal billing and routinely ran documents to the courthouse for filing.  Eventually, she added new responsibilities, to include the review of Firm healthcare benefits as well as administrative and banking tasks.  She now does billing for seven of...

Obligations of County to Release Personal Health Information re COVID-19

  • P.J. Van Ert
Obligations of County to Release Personal Health Information re COVID-19 Question:  What information or obligation is the County under to release that person’s personal health information (PHI)? Response:   All of the “old” rules for disclosures, the laws and regulations governing public health, still apply.  In all scenarios, Counties must ONLY release the minimum necessary information for the disclosure. Also, an individual may provide authorization to disclose PHI. In that situation, Counties still...