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CA gets nation's first law requiring doctors to tell dying patients all their options

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the nation's first law requiring doctors to let terminally ill patients get full disclosure and counseling about all their legal end-of-life care options, supporters of the law told KPBS. (LISTEN)

Under the Terminal Patients’ Right to Know End- of-Life Options Act, terminally ill patients will get "information about hospice care, refusal or withdrawing of life-prolonging treatments, voluntary stopping eating and drinking, palliative care and palliative sedation will be discussed with the patient," when the patient requests it, according a press release by Compassion & Choices, a sponsor of the measure.

If doctors don't want to comply with the patient's choice, they have to refer the patient to another provider, according to the release.

Legislature bans uncorroborated testimony from jailed informants

The state legislature passed a bill banning the use of uncorroborated testimony from jailhouse informants to convict criminal defendants, KNBC 4 reported (here).

SB 1589 narrowly passed the state Assembly, 41-37, on Tuesday. The Senate passed it in May.

California becomes first state to ban trans fats

California became the first state to ban trans fats from restaurant food on Friday, the Associated Press reported.

Violations by food facilities will be met with fines from $25 to $1,000. The law goes into effect in 2010.

While the California Restaurant Association opposed the bill, they don't plan to challenge the law.

Maxwell Greenberg, attorney and former police commissioner, dies

Maxwell E. Greenberg, an attorney and vice president of the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, died of natural causes on Tuesday.

Greenberg opened a private law practice in the 1950s and appeared on the "The Advocates," a debate show on public television in 1969-70. He was appointed to the Police Commission by then-Mayor Tom Bradley, serving 1980-84.

He joined the Jeffer Mangels in Century City as a senior partner in the mid-1980s when his own firm dissolved.

He was 85.

Services were held yesterday. Memorial donations may be sent to the Anti-Defamation League.

Los Angeles Times Obituary

Longtime USD Law Professor Frank Engfelt dies, 73

University of San Diego Law Professor Frank A. Engfelt died on Oct. 2. Engfelt taught law at USD for the past 41 years, focusing on contracts, trusts, criminal law and procedure, uniform commercial code, conflict of laws and remedies.

One former student highlighted Engfelt's ability to helping students to grasps. He often told them to KISS (keep it simple stupid). He was retired from the Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

He was 73.

The law school is having a memorial service on Friday, October 19, 2:00 p.m., in the Warren    Hall foyer to honor Professor Engfelt. Please    contact the dean's office at (619) 260-4527  or lawdean@sandiego.edu for more information on the service. If you would like to share any of your personal memories of Professor Engfelt, please email lawalum@sandiego.edu.

Donations should be sent to Sharp HospiceCare, care of Grossmont Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 158, La Mesa, CA 91944.

University of San Diego Obituary

San Diego Union Tribune Obituary

Police advocate Everett Bobbitt dies at 61

Everett L. Bobbitt, founder of Bobbitt Pinckard & Fields in Kerny Mesa and long time attorney representing police officer, died at 61.

Over the course of Bobbit's 24-year legal career he represented thousands of police officers in state and federal courts out of his San Diego firm and as an attorney for Peace Officers Research Association of California.

Bobbitt excelled at appeals, often setting precedents in the California and U.S. Supreme Court, reports the San Diego Union Tribune. He was on Child Abuse Prevention Foundation's board for at least six years

He retired from Bobbitt Pinckard last December, which will continue to bear his name. A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at the Bali Hai restaurant on Shelter Island.

Read: San DIego Union-Tribune Obituary