Jeremy J. Bledsoe

In a 5-2 decision affecting hundreds of civil sexual abuse cases throughout the state, the California Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeal and ruled in favor of our client, holding that the plaintiffs' claims were barred under the statute. The case involved the interpretation of a 2002 amendment to the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims. The decision established significant precedent in several areas of law, including when statutes of limitations can be read to revive retroactively previously time-barred claims. The Supreme court ruling affects all institutions that regularly deal with children.

Plaintiffs Javier Sanchez Lara and Luis Manuel Sanchez brought a class action complaint against a financial institution for unlawful lending practices with regard to the calculation of late penalties and interest and with regard to entering default. The causes of action included injunctive and declaratory relief, unfair competition, breach of contract and the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing (promissory note and deed of trust), intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Foley determined that class certification was highly unlikely in the case and successfully disposed of the case in favor of the bank prior to any class certification motion.

We successfully represented an ethnic Nubian citizen of Sudan in his request for asylum. Due to his Nubian ethnicity and political affiliations, he had been previously persecuted by the Sudanese government. We presented expert testimony that our client would be persecuted if he returned to the Sudan.