Blog Archives

 

In a decisive bench trial, Steve Raucher of Reuben Raucher & Blum secured a favorable judgment for a commercial property owner facing a significant personal injury claim. The plaintiff, hired by an unlicensed handyman to assist with debris removal, sustained injuries from a fall off a ladder and sought over $1 million in damages.

 

Given the handyman’s unlicensed status, the plaintiff argued that the property owner should be held liable as a statutory employer, making the owner responsible for the injuries. However, RRB successfully proved the handyman exemption applied, as the total contract price was less than $500—a key factor in shielding the property owner from liability.

 

This win protected the client from substantial financial exposure and preserved insurance coverage for the dispute.

 

RRB successfully represented a joint venturer in a high-stakes partnership dispute involving a commercial property, obtaining a favorable reversal from the Court of Appeal. The client had secured a judgment permitting him to buy out his partners’ joint venture interests based on a 2013 property appraisal. However, when the partners refused to complete the sale at the appraised price, the client sought an order to force the sale based on the judgment.

 

However, the trial court declined to enforce the judgment, finding that the price had not been set. Steve Raucher of RRB appealed the decision, arguing that the trial court’s refusal to act was an abuse of discretion. The Court of Appeal agreed and reversed the lower court’s ruling, ordering the sale to proceed—even instructing that the Court itself could sign the transfer documents if necessary.

 

Due to significant property appreciation during the prolonged litigation, this hard-fought victory will deliver a benefit exceeding $1 million to the client.

Reuben Raucher & Blum prevails at the California Supreme Court in a precedent-setting decision finding in favor of Hill RHF Partners, L.P.  Stephen Raucher argued the case for petitioners, leading to a unanimous decision.  Read the press release here.

 

On October 5, 2021, Stephen L. Raucher appeared before the Supreme Court of California on behalf of Retirement Housing Foundation in a consequential case that will determine how thoroughly a property owner must exhaust administrative remedies before challenging the constitutionality of an assessment.  Click here for a link to the oral argument.