Meghann M. Cuniff

Meghann Cuniff is a reporter and editor based in Southern California. A graduate of the University of Oregon, she worked at The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington, and the Idaho Statesman in Boise, Idaho, before moving to California in 2013 to work at the Orange County Register. She spent four years as a litigation reporter for the Los Angeles Daily Journal and has written for Los Angeles Magazine, Bloomberg Law, ABA Journal, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Forward, Los Angeles Business Journal and the Laguna Beach Independent. Email her at [email protected]. Twitter: @meghanncuniff

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July 19, 2021 | The Recorder

Citing Covid-19 Delta Variant, Avenatti Asks To Delay Client Theft Trial

solo practitioner H. Dean Steward filed the document.

By Meghann M. Cuniff

3 minute read

July 16, 2021 | The Recorder

Tech Problems Delay Avenatti Trial Opening Amid Pandemic Jury Pool Splitting

The snafu is a procedural one, but it encompasses issues Avenatti's lawyer, H. Dean Steward, raised about the constitutionality of the jury selection process that could arise again in an appeal should Avenatti be convicted.

By Meghann M. Cuniff

6 minute read

July 14, 2021 | The Recorder

Michael Avenatti's Lawyer Objects to Masked Jurors, But Judge's Order Matches National Trend

Defense counsel said that allowing jurors to wear masks that conceal facial expressions violates a criminal defendant's Fifth Amendment right to due process and Sixth Amendment right to an impartial jury. But that position so far has failed to gain traction with appellate courts.

By Meghann M. Cuniff

6 minute read

July 14, 2021 | The Recorder

Lawyers See Little Chance for 1st Amendment Lawsuits Such as Trump's

First Amendment lawyers say Trump's lawsuits against Big Tech are likely doomed, but that might not deter similar litigation.

By Meghann M. Cuniff

4 minute read

July 11, 2021 | The Recorder

Katten Faces $950M Malpractice Lawsuit After Judge Rejects DC Damages Rule

The ruling sets the stages for a high-stakes trial in what the plaintiff's lawyers said could be one of the largest legal malpractice cases ever seen in the country.

By Meghann M. Cuniff

4 minute read

July 07, 2021 | The Recorder

Ninth Circuit Questions Evidentiary Record While Defending Trial Court's Motives in Los Angeles Homeless Case Appeal

"You can call it judicial overreach," Judge John B. Owens said. "You can also, I think, call it judicial frustration."

By Meghann M. Cuniff

6 minute read

June 29, 2021 | The Recorder

'What Happened to the Money': Here's What You Won't Hear During Michael Avenatti's Criminal Trial

"The government's own description of its evidence presents such fascinating sparkle that the jury is likely to be diverted from ... its main inquiry: Did Avenatti divert funds to which he was not entitled?" U.S. District Judge James V. Selna wrote.

By Meghann M. Cuniff

4 minute read

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