The man who sued his ex-fiancée for not giving back their engagement ring after she spurned him has dropped his suit against her. The man, who is identified in court papers as "John Doe" and on TMZ as a "huge actor," sued his former flame Lisa Ragland. more ›

Demi Moore apparently has friends in high places - one of them being Sacramento. A state lawmaker perturbed by the publicly released 9-1-1 call involving Moore has made it her mission to make sure law enforcement agencies cannot legally release private information from emergency calls. more ›

On Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed into law a controversial measure that makes the issuing of permits for adult film productions linked to the production company's compliance with mandatory use of condoms by their performers. So what's next? more ›

Los Angeles has become the first city in the nation requiring adult film actors to use condoms while on set. City Council voted 9-1 favoring the proposed ordinance today. In addition to requiring adult film actors to practice safe sex, the ordinance will also force production companies to pay a film permit fee. The fee will pay for inspections enforced by the city. more ›

This video testimony from an Occupy LA general assembly details how one popular Occupy livestreamer, known as Cross Bones, was allegedly threatened with arrest by an LAPD officer who was conducting a traffic stop. more ›

A new L.A. bicycle ordinance that amends the city's parking ordinance to require more bicycle parking plus provides incentives to increase bike parking beyond the minimums currently awaits Major Antonio Villaraigosa's signature. The City Council already passed a "negative declaration," which means that the final ordinance is free from CEQA or environmental review and that city staff should draft the law based on previously outlined principles by Planning Department Intern Rye Baerg. more ›

In addition to the ban on circumcision bans, Governor Jerry Brown also signed into law new penalties for the sale of synthetic cannabis products. These marijuana-esque items have been sold in convenience stores, tobacco shops and other outlets throughout California and, by some accounts, have similar effects as their authentic herbal counterpart. more ›

Gentlemen and the parents of baby boys in California, you are free to do as you wish with the penises in your purview when it comes to circumcision. Specifically, you will not be subject to a ban on the act of male circumcision, thanks to Governor Jerry Brown signing into law a bill that bans the bans on foreskin removal. more ›

It's time to raise your glass for a toast in appreciation to Governor Jerry Brown, who today signed into law SB 32, the bill that ends a decades-old ban on infused spirits in the state. more ›

Hundreds of Californians are getting into the spirit of the judicial process, and are working to get a bill signed into law that would overturn an almost-100-year-old ban on serving cocktails made with infused alcohol in the state. more ›

Before the Governator left office, he signed into law a statewide plan that could permit over 4,000 females inmates to finish their sentences in the comforts of their own homes. Obviously a controversial incentive, the Alternative Custody Program may or may not benefit the children. more ›

A bill that bars Californians from buying booze in self-checkout lanes is heading to Jerry Brown's desk for his signature. Supporters say that requiring face-to-face sales decreases the likelihood that a minor will buy alcohol. more ›

Our state laws regarding cellphone use while at the wheel of our cars, and while we're riding on two wheels, are staying status quo. Tuesday, Governor Jerry Brown vetoed State Bill 28, which would have seen fines for illegal cellphone use while driving double. The bill also included new legislation that would have applied to bicyclists' use of cellphones. more ›

A warning to all those for whom the temptation to let their fingers do the talking while driving is impossible to resist: If Governor Jerry Brown signs SB 28 into law, failing to go hands free while you're at the wheel could soon cost you more than twice as much in fines. Bonus: The bill extends the ban on illegal cellphone use while you're in charge of two wheels. more ›

The Mongols, a notorious California motorcycle gang formed after its founding members were rejected from Hells Angels in the 1970s for being Latino, caught a big break this week in federal court. U.S. District Judge Otis Wright "regrettably" ruled in favor of the Mongols on Thursday in the first-ever government attempt to gain control of a gang's identity through a court order. more ›

Blame it on the chronic...truancy. A 43-year-old Long Beach mom has been arrested because her son has missed more than 50 days of class at Washington Middle School. "[Emila] Zamora was arrested Monday after several failed attempts to address her son's truancy, including five meetings with officials, according to prosecutors," explains KTLA. more ›

Justices of the Supreme Court refused to take a look at a California Supreme Court ruling that maintained the state law that grants reduced tuition at state schools to all California high school grads, regardless of immigration status. The Associated Press reports that the court opted not to comment on their decision. more ›

A six-count indictment was filed against 2008 Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards by a federal grand jury Friday morning and it ain't pretty. An arrest warrant was issued charging the former senator for conspiracy and false statements in association with illegal campaign contributions and he's expected in U.S. District Court in North Carolina Friday afternoon. more ›

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, the man who ruled that California's controversial same-sex marriage ban was unconstitutional, has publicly confirmed long-running rumors he himself is gay. In yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle, the now-retired judge says he never considered stepping aside from the Proposition 8 case because he believes his sexual orientation was irrelevant to his decision-making. more ›

American Apparel CEO Dov Charney was hit with a fresh round of sexual assault allegations in a lawsuit filed Wednesday in L.A. County Superior Court. The suit was filed by former American Apparel employee Kimbra Lo and three other women. In the complaint, Lo claimed that after Charney invited her to his bedroom to talk about a job. When she arrived, he appeared dressed only in a towel, undressed her and tried to have sex. Lo claims she tried to resist but was afraid and that Charney tried to take photographs. more ›

The fourteenth amendment states it clearly: A person born on U.S. soil is a full-fledged citizen subject to state and federal law. This direct path to citizenship lends itself to a shady business model that has prompted the city of San Gabriel to shut down at least one converted townhouse with 10 newborns and 12 Chinese nationals citing building code violations. more ›

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Harvey Giss thinks "[p]eople don't have a sense of humor anymore," when it comes to kidding around about the Ku Klux Klan, according to the LA Times. Details of an off-the-record discussion between Giss and attorneys from July 2010 are surfacing, and yesterday the judge "was publicly admonished" by the state's Commission on Judicial Performance (CJP). more ›

Ladies, that lovely glow isn't the only potential benefit of your baby bump. Imagine if your expectancy netted you parking perks, like free parking at city meters? Don't throw out your NuvaRing just yet, Angelenas. The new law is actually on the table in New York City, but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen here, right? more ›

Newport Beach is considering a crackdown on rowdy bar patrons and their respective Balboa peninsula drinking establishments because of problems with "overcrowding, assaults, public drunkenness, public urination and others nuisances," reports the Daily Pilot. more ›

Following the turn of the calendar page to January 1, 2011, one of the new state laws to go into effect sees to it that local governments have the authority to have mobile billboards driven off the streets, and, locally, the focus is on the blighted San Fernando Valley, where those parked and hitched ads are the scourge of many a block. more ›

January 1 is right around the corner, and for California drivers, that means a slew of new laws go into effect. The California Highway Patrol sent out a reminder and details about all of the state's new traffic laws that will govern the roads and their drivers starting with the turn of the calendar. more ›

It was a matchup that had to be played out in the Supreme Court and not the Coliseum, but the University of Southern California emerged triumphant over the University of South Carolina. The prize--not a coveted trophy or ring--is the rights to the interlocking letters of "SC," as determined by a ruling in a trademark case, according to the LA Times. more ›

A ban on smoking on residential balconies and porches in Santa Monica goes into effect today, reports the Argonaut. Part of tightened local laws regarding second-hand smoke, Ordinance 2318, adopted last month, bans people from lighting up on "all private balconies, patios, porches, and decks within [a] 25-foot radius [around all doors, windows, and vents] and also covers areas on neighboring properties" also within 25 feet of doors, windows, and vents. more ›

Gregory Taylor has served 13 years of his 25-to-life sentence for "trying to break in to a church kitchen to find something to eat," and today he is a free man, according to an AP report published on the Huffington Post. more ›

News of U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker's decision to overturn Proposition 8 (today's coverage: 'Overturned', 'What They're Saying', and 'Can't Marry Yet') spread like wildfire online, becoming one of the most rapidly shared documents in internet history. more ›