About the Firm 

Current Employment Position:

Partner

Areas Of Practice:

Indian Gaming/Sovereignty and ABC Law
Land Use Planning - Liquor Law
Administrative/Governmental Relations
Appellate Law - State and Federal
Constitutional Law
Civil Litigation - Business, Personal injury
Products Liability and Malpractice

Litigation Percentage:

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation Matters

Bar Admissions:

California, 1974
U.S. District Court, Southern District of CA 
U.S. District Court, Central District of CA
U.S. District Court, Northern District of CA
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
Intertribal Court of Southern California Bar Association Member

Education:

Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, CA 1973
Honors: Recognition of Service to Student Body, 1973
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 1970
Honors: Blackstonean Honor Society, 1968
Major: English Literature

Media:

2012 Los Angeles Emmy Award, Producer, Cheap Eats

2011 Presenter Los Angeles Area EMMY Awards
Academy of Television, Arts & Science

Television Co-host and Co-creator, "Cheap Eats"™ 
2009 to date - Channels 16 & 36

Television Co-host and Co-creator "Legal Help Live" 
2005 to date - Channels 16 & 36

Television Co-host "It' Your Call"- homeless issues in Southern California 
2007, 2008  - Channels 16 & 36

Radio Talk Show Host for "Legal Help Live" on KRLA Radio AM 870 2000 to 2006

Published Works:

Recent Articles

"Temporary Judges: Critical Asset During Budget Crisis" - Daily Journal, Co-Author,  Sept. 2012

"In a State of Denial About Pot?" - Los Angeles Business Journal, Co-Author, Feb. 6, 2012

"No Indian Casinos in Los Angeles County? Why Not?" - Indian Country Today, Co-Author, November 22, 2011

"Letting the Genie Out of the Bottle?" Indian Intrastate Internet Gaming - January 7, 2011, Co-Author

"Is it an Elephant or a Mouse?" - 2010 Los Angeles Daily Journal, Co-Author

“Into the Cookie Jar” - 2009 Los Angeles Daily Journal, Co-Author

“Indian Casino Liquor: Licensing Impacted by Anti-Indian Forces” – 2006 Indian Country, Co-Author

“The Wal-Mart Way - The Nation's Largest Retailer Should Inspire Respect Instead of Animosity” – 2006 Los Angeles Business Journal, Co-Author

“Extreme Makeover: Identity Upgrades” – 2006 Los Angeles Daily Journal, Co-Author

“Who's the Judge? Or, How Those Backroom Decisions Are Made” – 2004 California Beverage News, Co-Author

“Sovereign Indian Nations and California’s ABC” - Nov 5, 2003 Indian Country, Co-Author

“Native American Nations Should Set Their Own Liquor-Licensing Rules” – 2003 Los Angeles Journal, Co-Author

“Judges Should Not Permit Consultants to Practice Law” Los Angeles Daily Journal, Co-Author 

“Administrative Law, Alcoholic Beverage licensing” (Chapter 18) – 1994 Matthew Bender, Co-Contributing Editor

Annual updates, ABC Licensee Handbook

Cases in the United States for the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal:

            Dash, Inc. v Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, 682 F.2d 1229 (1982)

          California statute restricting review of Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
          determination to petitions for writ of review in state appellate court, together with
          Constitutional section prohibiting administrative bodies from declaring status
          unconstitutional, did not deny liquor licensees due process of law by forcing them to
          submit to revocation by an administrative body which could not act on constitutional
          defenses, while limiting review of the decision to a discretionary petition for writ of
          review.       

Cases in California Supreme Court:

           Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control v. Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals
           Board (Quintanar) 40 Cal.4th 1 (2006)

          The Court unanimously held:

          Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control prosecutor's submitting to Department's
          director of chief counsel reports of hearings from three license suspension cases
          violated prohibition in Administrative Procedure Act (APA) against prosecutor's
          secretly communicating with agency decision maker or decision maker's advisor about
          the substance of the case, even if director or chief did not consider reports.

Cases in California Court of Appeal:

          Rondon v. Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, 151 Cal. App.4th 1274 (2007)
             
          The Court held:

          (1) Evidence concerning whether report of hearing was distributed or made available
               to decisionmaker would be allowed;
          (2) Department's practice of allowing its ultimate decisionmaker to have access to
               prosecuting attorneys' reports of hearing violated statutory prohibitions against
               ex parte communications;
          (3) Department's practice of allowing its ultimate decisionmaker access to
               prosecuting attorneys' hearing reports violated Administrative Procedure Act
               (APA), which prohibited use of extra-record information; and
          (4) No showing of prejudice was required to warrant reversal.

           Chevron Stations, Inc. v. Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board, 
           149 Cal. App.4th 116 (2007)

           The Court held:

          (1) Once licensee established prima facia case of Administrative Procedure Act (APA)
               violation, it was Department's burden to refute case;
          (2) Department could not present refuting evidence for first time on review; and
          (3) Rule that Department violated APA by having prosecuting attorney send "report
               of hearing" to decision-maker applied whether decision-maker rejected or adopted
               proposed decision of administrative law judge (ALJ).

           Acapulco Restaurants, Inc. v. Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board., 67 
           Cal.App.4th 575 (1998)

           Right of Department of Alcoholic Beverage to "interpret" rules governing its
           enforcement activities did not encompass ignoring explicit rule requirement that
           peace officers make reasonable attempt to have underage decoy make
           face-to-face identification of seller of alcohol after sale.
         

          Board of Police Commissioner v. Superior Court (Chippendales) 168 Cal.App.3d 420 
          (1985)

          Under municipal ordinance providing for suspension or revocation of cafe
          entertainment permit on grounds of inadequate condition of building, city board of
          police commissioners had no authority to revoke permit on basis of alleged
          overcrowding at licensed premises, which related to "use," rather than "condition"
          of building. 

Classes/Seminars Taught:

Speaker, 2012 IMLA Annual Conference in Austin, Texas
Seminar Leader/Instructor, ABC Law Seminars
Lecturer, ABC Law and Land Use Planning Seminars, 1993 - 1995
Lecturer, Live Adult Entertainment Seminar, 1995

Professional Associations and Memberships:

Certificate of Appreciation - Los Angeles Superior Court Temporary Judge Program 2011
American Bar Association, Member
CA Bar Association, Member
CA Trial Lawyers Association, Member
LA County Bar Association, Member
The Loyola Student Rep. to the Community Legal Assistance Center Executive Board
Governing Board of Loyola University-Community Service Program. 1973, Member
Student-Faculty Clinical Education Committee, 1972-1973, Member
Loyola Law School: Judge, Moot Court Competition

Contact Information:

426 Culver Blvd., Playa del Rey, CA 90293

Phone
(310)822-9848
(800)405-4222

Fax:
(310)822-3512

E-mail:
rsaltsman@ssjlaw.com