Profile

Hon. Carla M. Woehrle joins ADR Services, Inc. as a neutral following her nearly twenty years of experience as a United States Magistrate Judge for the Central District of California. During that time, she presided over proceedings in cases covering the full spectrum of federal civil jurisdiction, including numerous bench and jury trials.

Judge Woehrle was especially active and highly regarded on the court as a settlement judge, conducting hundreds of mediations in diverse matters over the same broad jurisdictional range, with particular expertise in civil and constitutional rights and government policy litigation, consumer and other business class actions, employment, and intellectual property. Judge Woehrle’s reputation and success as a mediator are grounded in her ability and commitment to approach each case with informed and objective professional judgment, coupled with patience, empathy and focused personal attention to the interests and concerns of the parties before her.

Areas of Expertise

  • Civil Rights
  • Intellectual Property
  • Entertainment
  • Consumer Cases
  • Employment
  • Insurance
  • Products Liability
  • ERISA

Legal Experience

  • United States Magistrate Judge, Central District of California 1996 – 2016
  • Partner, Talcott Lightfoot Vandevelde Woehrle & Sadowsky 1978 – 1996
    Practice emphasizing white-collar criminal, business and civil rights litigation in federal and state courts, at both trial and appellate levels
  • Law Clerk to Hon. Warren J. Ferguson, United States District Judge, Central District of California 1977 – 1978

Education

  • Loyola Law School, J.D. 1977, Magna Cum Laude, Alpha Sigma Nu, Distinguished Alumna Award 2005
  • Pomona College, B.A. 1972, Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa

Professional & Community Affiliations

  • Federal Bar Association of Los Angeles
  • Uncommon Good, Board of Directors 1998 – Present, Nonprofit providing education, health, environmental and urban farming programs for low income families
  • Federal Magistrate Judges Association
  • American Bar Association
  • Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association

Representative Cases

Business

  • Claim of money owed under term of contract between a wind energy developer and a utility, relating to payment for curtailment of energy generation in particular circumstances.
  • Pre-litigation claim for breach of contract/fiduciary duty regarding alleged guarantee in connection with a stock purchase.
  • Plaintiffs asserted claims for tortious interference with fixed term employment contracts. Defendant asserted affirmative defenses and a counterclaim challenging the validity and enforceability of the contracts.
  • Bank suit for collection on business line of credit and personal guarantee.
  • Plaintiffs asserted breach of contract and Consumer Legal Remedies Act claims relating to a loss of property by movable self-storage provider.
  • Claims for fraud, breach of contract, and quantum meruit arising out of a failed purchase/partnership agreement involving a medical practice group.
  • Dispute involving a claim of breach of contract based on the failure to provide coverage under a casualty all risk insurance policy for a loss suffered as the result of a fire.
  • Dispute involving a breach of contract arising from failure to disclose to the investor that stock options, and not common shares, were owned in a company.
  • Dispute involving a claim of an avoidable and recoverable transfer that resulted in bankruptcy.
  • Dispute involving a claim of breach of contract arising from fraudulent misrepresentations regarding franchise territory, typical store valuation and royalties of a jewelry repair store.
  • Dispute involving claims of necessary relief for fraud, unfair business practices, and false advertising in relation to the manufacturing, promotion, and sale of a dietary supplement product.

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Civil Rights

  • Attorneys' fee awarded following entry of stipulated permanent injunction regarding expedited processing of applications for emergency food assistance.
  • Plaintiff alleges violation of RLUIPA and First Amendment based on jail's alleged failure to provide for Muslim religious attire and fasting/religious restrictions and practice.
  • Civil rights claim against county sheriff deputies for delaying the medical care of an arrestee.
  • Claim for federal civil rights violations (false arrest, excessive force) and state law claims (battery, negligence) arising from a shooting by a deputy sheriff responding to a domestic disturbance.
  • Plaintiff asserted claims for violation of ADA and Unruh Act relating to disability access at a shopping center.
  • Civil rights claim against Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies for a delay in medical care of an arrestee.
  • Plaintiffs in action for violation of Americans with Disabilities Act and related laws asserted claim that the City had failed to comply with terms of a settlement requiring production of accessible housing.
  • Plaintiff claimed ADA/Unruh Civil Rights Act violations regarding disability access and parking spaces at a shopping mall.
  • Plaintiffs sought award of attorneys’ fees following the litigation of a petition from writ of mandamus relating to a County Department of Public Social Services’ delayed processing of Medi-Cal/Medicaid applications.
  • Plaintiffs challenged County policies related to administration of General Relief program.
  • Claims for violation of due process arising from jail suicide.
  • Plaintiff challenged county policies related to general relief program administration.
  • Plaintiff claimed discrimination by retail store based on Middle Eastern and Muslim identity.
  • Dispute involving two wrongful murder convictions that resulted in over 15 years each in unlawful custody, arising from alleged false evidence.
  • Dispute against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department for depriving a murder suspect of his civil rights by arresting him based on false evidence and coercing testimony to help incarcerate him unlawfully for 20 years.
  • Dispute involving a claim of unlawful detention, arrest and battery of a suspect of attempted burglary.
  • Dispute between a student and a school district involving a claim of violation of due process rights upon student’s suspension and expulsion for the alleged possession of a dangerous weapon on school grounds.
  • Dispute involving claim of police misconduct that gave rise to personal injury and violation of civil rights.
  • Dispute involving a claim of the City of Long Beach’s liability for damages suffered by an individual wrongfully convicted of 1st degree murder based on evidence dishonestly influenced by City detectives.
  • Dispute involving claims of violations of fourth, fifth and fourteenth amendments arising from the confiscation and destruction of homeless individuals’ property from public streets and sidewalks without a warrant or notice.
  • Dispute involving a claim of a wrongful murder conviction for the murder of Plaintiff’s mother and rights to damages after 26 years of false imprisonment.
  • Dispute involving a claim of unreasonable seizures, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and conspiracy arising from an alleged drug charge on a woman and her fiancé.
  • Dispute involving a claim of unreasonable search and seizure of the property of homeless individuals living on Skid Row.
  • Dispute involving a claim of false arrest and excessive force by police on a reporter at the “Occupy Los Angeles” movement.
  • Dispute involving a claim of unlawful arrest and lack of acknowledgment of serious medical need while in custody resulting in negligence.
  • Dispute involving a civil rights claim of deliberate indifference to a serious medical disability while in custody.
  • Dispute involving a claim of a sheriff’s violation of inmates’ eighth and fourteenth amendment rights by forcing inmates at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Jail to sleep on the floor.
  • Dispute involving claims of unlawful seizure, excessive force, assault and battery, and negligence arising from an altercation between Los Angeles County deputies and a dog owner.

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Employment

  • Plaintiff claimed termination was in retaliation for refusal to execute a waiver of overtime/meal break violations and other employee policy complaints.
  • Pre-litigation claims of discrimination based on age and disability.
  • Plaintiff physician alleged disability discrimination, retaliation, failure to accommodate, leading to forced disability retirement.
  • Dispute involving a claim of discrimination in violation of uniformed services employment and reemployment rights act as Plaintiff was laid off shortly after giving notice of his deployment for duty for United States Army Reserve Judge Advocate General Corps.
  • Dispute involving a claim of lack of overtime compensation that occurred during employment with the County, resulting in a violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
  • Dispute involving a claim of breach of contract in regards to a city employee’s termination.
  • Dispute between employees and employer of a dental lab concerning failure to pay overtime,
    provide meal breaks, wage and hour violations including failure to pay all wages upon termination.

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Environmental

  • Dispute arising from a violation of a congressionally authorized compromise that provided protection for Southern California fisheries by establishing an otter-free management zone.

Housing Discrimination/Habitability

  • Claims of habitability violations and hostile environment racial discrimination. Plaintiffs were tenants of a low-income apartment building owned by Defendant.
  • Plaintiffs claim violations of habitability standards and racial discrimination regarding apartment complex/low income housing.

Intellectual Property

  • Resolved claims between two businesses in a dispute over alleged common law trademark infringement of an allegedly similar business logo.
  • Pre-arbitration mediation regarding allegations of willful infringement of copyright protected software.
  • Dispute involving motion for attorneys’ fees in copyright action in which Plaintiff’s claim was dismissed with prejudice. Underlying claim concerned public license for educational materials.
  • Dispute involving a claim of copyright infringement of a book for planning, implementing and evaluating health education and instruction in schools.
  • Dispute involving claims of breach of contract and the copyright infringement of software designed to provide certain GPS asset tracking services.
  • Dispute involving a claim for damages and equitable relief for the infringement of the registered trademark of “Michel” work boots.
  • Dispute involving a claim of copyright infringement of celebrity photographs for unauthorized online celebrity news use.
  • Dispute involving a claim of copyright and trademark infringement, in addition to unauthorized commercial use of name, image, and likeness of well-known skateboarder for unfair business practices.
  • Dispute involving a claim of trademark infringement of a slogan and unfair competition between two competing beer producers.
  • Dispute involving a claim of federal trademark infringement and trademark counterfeiting, false designation of origin, federal trademark dilution and federal unfair competition over a trademark used in branding, packaging and merchandizing of an herbal and dietary supplement.
  • Dispute involving a claim of copyright infringement based on the unauthorized access and copying of a software system called Voyager.
  • Dispute involving a claim of breach of contract, fraud, and federal trademark infringement in regards to a clothing line.

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Legal Malpractice

  • Plaintiffs asserted claims of malpractice in trial defense of claims of predatory lending.
  • Legal malpractice claim regarding patent dispute.

Personal Injury

  • Dispute involving a claim of negligence for not marking a wet floor and liability for the personal injuries that followed.
  • Dispute involving claims of liability and negligence of a doctor and his supervisors for failing to provide timely medical care for a patient of their center with Glacoma, resulting in severe eye injuries.
  • Dispute involving a claim of personal injury, battery and negligence transpiring aboard an aircraft.

Products Liability

  • Dispute involving a claim of strict products liability, breach of implied warranty, and negligence due to a candle purchased at Big Lots Stores, Inc. that shattered while lit and caused extensive damage to a home and personal property.

Testimonials

“Carla Woehrle is among the top mediators whom I have ever used, and she might very well be the best. Outstanding in every way. She stayed with the case well after the mediation, even when both sides were ready to throw in the towel. Without her guidance, diligence and efforts, this case would not have settled. I would use her again and recommend her without reservation.”


This is the second matter that I have mediated with Hon. Carla M. Woehrle (Ret.), and she does a great job of moving the parties toward consensus. I have found that we have always received great results.”


Judge Woehrle went above and beyond, even working on the holiday weekend to get the case settled on the eve of trial. She was a large part of why the case resolved.”


 

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