1-Year Statute of Limitations: Malicious Prosecution Action Against Attorney

  The First Appellate District, in Connelly v. Bornstein, adds to the line of cases holding that a malicious prosecution action against an attorney is governed by Code of Civil Procedure section 340.6(a). That section imposes a one-year statute of limitations for actions “against an attorney for a wrongful act or omission, other than for actual fraud, arising in the performance of professional services.”

  The result is contrary to the statute of limitation applicable to other litigants of a malicious prosecution claim. Other litigants are subject to the more general two-year statute of limitation set forth at Code of Civil Procedure section 335.1, applicable to injury to a person caused by the wrongful act or neglect of another.

Employer’s Malicious Prosecution Claim Subject to Anti-SLAPP

  Unemployment Insurance Code section 1960 provides that any finding, judgment, or final order of the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board shall not be used as evidence in any separate or subsequent action or proceeding between an employee and present or prior employer.

  In  Kurz v. Syrus Systems the Court of Appeals held that section 1960 operated as a bar to the maintenance of a cause of action for malicious prosecution in a cross-complaint Kurz’s prior employer asserted against Kurz. The offending cause of action alleged that Kurz had maliciously prosecuted a meritless claim for unemployment insurance benefits that terminated in Syrus’s favor when the claim was denied and the denial was upheld on appeal by a decision of the Board. Continue reading