Since the 1970s, the Song–Beverly Consumer Warranty Act has protected buyers of potentially defective vehicles. The latest update, Assembly Bill 1755, aims to curb excessive lemon law litigation and speed up resolutions—but faced pushback from both consumer advocates and automakers, prompting a follow-up measure: Senate Bill 26. 

The Supreme Court just opened the doors to civil RICO suits against defendants alleged to have caused personal injury. This ruling could have major implications for product manufacturers and sellers, which may now face RICO claims—and treble damages—alongside traditional state-law claims in product-liability cases.