Milligan Legal Notes
Milligan Legal Notes
Periodic writing by the Law Offices of David L. Milligan, APC on California civil trial topics. Plain-English, grounded in active case work. Note: the firm is not accepting new institutional-abuse or environmental matters — articles on those subjects remain online for general information.
Pro Bono Programs ·
Can a Lawyer Take Over My Trial If I’ve Been Representing Myself? California’s Pro Bono Jury-Trial Program for Self-Represented Plaintiffs
In rare, qualifying California civil cases, a trial attorney Board Certified in Civil Trial Advocacy (National Board of Trial Advocacy) will substitute in and try a self-represented plaintiff’s jury trial to verdict — at no attorney’s fee. Who qualifies, what the engagement covers, and how to ask.
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Pro Bono Programs ·
Do I Need a Lawyer for a California DMV Hearing — and What If I Can’t Afford One?
A DMV Driver Safety hearing is a trial in miniature, on a clock measured in days. How to protect your hearing deadline yourself today — and how this office handles qualifying hearings pro bono for indigent Californians.
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Pro Bono Programs ·
What Is Limited-Scope (Unbundled) Representation in California — and Can It Cover a Jury Trial?
California lets a lawyer take on one defined piece of a case — even just the trial, or a single administrative hearing — under Rule of Professional Conduct 1.2(b). How these engagements work, and where their edges are.
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Institutional Accountability ·
Six Months Left: California’s AB 2777 Window Closes December 31, 2026
The revival window for many adult sexual-assault claims — including abuse in California institutions and prisons — closes at the end of 2026. What the deadline covers, why “filed” means filed in court, and what survives after it.
Institutional Accountability ·
LA County D.A. Seeks Pause of $4 Billion Juvenile-Abuse Settlement Payouts
The D.A. has asked the court to pause payouts under the county’s historic juvenile-abuse settlements while fraud allegations are investigated. What the requested pause means — and does not mean — for survivors whose claims are real.
Institutional Accountability ·
Was I Included in the LA County Juvenile Hall Settlement?
If you were abused in an LA County juvenile facility but never spoke with a lawyer, you almost certainly were not included in the recent settlements. A short, careful guide for survivors who saw the headlines and are now wondering whether their own claim was already resolved.
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Institutional Accountability ·
DOJ Investigation into CCWF and CIW: What Survivors Should Know
The U.S. Department of Justice opened a federal civil rights investigation into staff sexual abuse at California's CCWF and CIW women's prisons. What that investigation actually is, what it does not do, and what it means for someone considering coming forward.
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Environmental Law ·
How to Find Out If Your Central Valley Well Water Has Nitrate Contamination
A practical, plain-English guide for Central Valley families who have started to wonder whether the water coming out of their tap is actually safe to drink. How to test, what the numbers mean, what to do if you have a problem.
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Articles are published as new topics emerge. For matters the firm currently accepts, you can reach the office at (559) 439-7500 or via the contact page. For the retired topics above — institutional abuse and environmental contamination — the State Bar of California’s Lawyer Referral Services, (866) 442-2529, can connect you with counsel.