News
Find our news releases, case updates, community tips, and more here on the Silver & Wright blog.
Civic 50 OC Honoree—Serviam by Wright LLP Commitment to Service & Community Impact
Serviam by Wright LLP has long been a champion of service, exemplifying a commitment to community service and corporate responsibility. On September 12th, 2024, this dedication was honored when the firm was recognized, for the second consecutive year, as a Civic...
Court of Appeals Upholds Rights of Cities to Seek Specialized Counsel
In a win for municipal rights across the State, the California Court of Appeals reaffirmed the rights of California cities to hire outside specialized counsel when addressing code enforcement violations. Importantly, and at the urging of Silver & Wright LLP...
Boutique Firms: Why Specialized Code Enforcement Firms are a City’s Best Friend
The prudent use of outside counsel enhances the effectiveness of municipal representation by providing supplemental ‘niche’ expertise and experience which may be utilized (and paid for) only as the specific need arises. City Attorney Michael H. Miller This...
Case Highlight: Residential property goes from severe deterioration to restoration
Silver & Wright LLP Attorney Amanda Jones assisted the City of Richmond (located in Northern California) with obtaining a receiver for a residential property that was abandoned and a safety hazard to the community. As a result of the collaborative effort, the...
Beyond Code Enforcement
Regarding his tort defense specialization, last year John published an article titled “The California Government Claims Act: a Primer; Application to Real Property and Environmental Law Claims; and Recent California Supreme Court Decisions,” which was published in the...
Gun Violence Restraining Orders: How to Use Them to Protect Your Community
When it comes to protecting communities against gun violence, law enforcement officers are working harder than ever to mitigate risks in their jurisdictions to keep civilians and their fellow officers safe. A tool that California’s officers have at their disposal to...
Legislation to Watch: California Code Enforcement Officer Safety
As code enforcement officers continue to make the news for the dangerous situations that they are faced within the course of their work, there are two bills (SB101 and SB296) making their way through the legislative process that would serve to protect California’s...
Case Update: Jerry Cox receives Legal Counsel in Mariposa County Nuisance Abatement Case
On January 25, 2021, a status conference was held regarding the ongoing Mariposa County nuisance abatement case involving Jerry Cox, managing partner of JDC Land Co., LLC, the defendant. Mr. Cox had appeared at a court hearing on November 10, 2020, without an...
Iconic Building in the Heart of Downtown Salinas to Be Restored After Years of Enforcement and Litigation
In downtown Salinas, California, the Bruhn Building has been a danger to the community for over a decade, most pressingly after a devastating fire in 2016 nearly destroyed the iconic commercial space, leaving it a hazardous shell of a building with little to no...
Vehicle Abatement: Case Law and Suggestions for Success
Abandoned vehicles are not only unsightly and can serve as the source of repeated complaints from nearby neighbors and businesses, they can also prove to be a public health hazard in more extreme circumstances. Code Enforcement officers tasked with abating abandoned,...
Silver & Wright LLP Partnered With Operation Warm Wishes to Ensure Every Child Opened a Gift This Christmas
On Christmas Day 2020, Silver & Wright LLP partnered with Operation Warm Wishes to provide toys, coats, laundry services, and more at its Gift of Giving Christmas Celebration. The event ensured hundreds of underserved children in Orange County had the opportunity...
Impacts Of Hoarding On Communities
Hoarding is an issue and a large factor in many of the nuisance cases our firm works on. A lack of code compliance and decreased quality of life is often the result of hoarding. Although the topic of hoarding has become more well known due to things like television...
Property Rights: Addressing Blight in Your Community While Respecting Constitutional Property Rights
Homelessness has been an issue at the forefront of the minds of California lawmakers for years now. As housing prices continue to climb and the COVID-19 pandemic ravages on, more people find themselves without shelter and local agencies are struggling to find a...
Case Highlight: Dilapidated Home Rehabilitated in Placentia
In 2017, the City of Placentia decided to consider taking legal action on a property that had code enforcement issues dating back to 2010. The property was severely dilapidated and uninhabitable even after numerous attempts were made to work with the owners to correct...
Executive Interview With Silver & Wright LLP Attorney Scott Kalter
With a background in government and political science, Silver & Wright Attorney Scott Kalter has brought a passion for public policy and experience in general and commercial liability defense to the Silver & Wright team since he joined the firm in early 2019....
Silver & Wright LLP Supports SWAG for Giving Tuesday
As the holiday season comes into full swing and Giving Tuesday approaches, Silver & Wright LLP is getting into the spirit in support of the Social Work Action Group (SWAG). With an action model that emphasizes restoring confidence and self-esteem in individuals...
The Mariposa Gazette Publishes Article Correcting False Information About The Firm
On October 30, 2020, our firm submitted a letter to Greg Little, the Editor of the Mariposa Gazette, in response to the false and slanderous articles that have been published regarding our firm and our work with Mariposa County. On November 13, 2020, the Mariposa...
The Role and Importance of Code Enforcement Officers
A code enforcement officer is a sworn-in inspector and investigator employed by a county or a city and specializes in the prevention, detection, and enforcement of violations of laws. The officer ensures that businesses and people are in compliance with public health,...
Case Highlight: Upland Massage Parlor Shutdown For Prostitution
In 2018, the Upland Police Department received information that Paradise Spa, a massage parlor, was involved in prostitution activity. After conducting a preliminary investigation, Upland Police Department Detectives set up an undercover operation. An undercover...
County Of Mariposa And Its Attorneys Silver & Wright LLP Support Another Continuance In The Jerry Cox Case To Allow Him More Time To Find An Attorney
Jerry Cox, the managing partner of JDC Land Co., LLC, the defendant in an ongoing Mariposa County nuisance abatement case, appeared at a court hearing today without an attorney. The defendant in the case is JDC Land Company, LLC, the company into which Mr. Cox put the...
Case Highlight: Nuisance Commercial Structure In Banning
*UPDATE*On December 8th, the City of Banning received full cost recovery payment to cover the fees associated with this case. What was once the Banning Business Center, an exciting new development that would bring in millions for the City, quickly became a public...