Won Appeal from Defense Summary Judgment

Payne & Fears LLP obtained an order from the Second District Court of Appeal affirming a complete defense summary judgment for the Firm’s client in Jackson v. Corinthian Colleges, Inc. The plaintiff, a former student at Corinthian, alleged that the school negligently hired and retained an instructor who assaulted the plaintiff in class.

Judge Ongkeko of the Los Angeles Superior Court granted summary judgment for the defendant and denied the plaintiff’s requests for a continuance of the summary judgment hearing and for leave to amend the complaint. Justices Willhite, Epstein, and Collins affirmed the judgment in full, noting that there was no evidence that Corinthian knew or should have known that the instructor posed a threat to his students or that the trial court abused its discretion when it denied the requests for a continuance and leave to amend.

Robert T. Matsuishi and Jeffrey K. Brown handled the matter for the successful defendant employer.