John Theodore Richards

John T. Richards completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Southern California and the University of Michigan. He attended California Western School of Law and graduated in two years under the accelerated program as the youngest member of his class at the age of 23. He was admitted to the California bar on October 6, 1992 at age of 24 years old. He has represented injured Plaintiffs exclusively for 24 years in cases including; Personal Injury, FELA (railroad litigation), Insurance Bad Faith, Civil Rights 42 U.S.C. 1983 cases, Employment Law, Construction Defect Litigation, and homeowner fire/flood claims. He has handled over 350 civil cases from settlement to Motion for Summary Judgment to Verdict to Appeals. He has handled at least 25 jury trials to verdict as the primary attorney.

John T. Richards created new law at the Court of Appeals Level in the case of Lawson v. Superior Court (2010) 180 1372, where he represented 3 mothers and their 3 infant children in a Civil Rights Case against a private prison who failed to provide adequate medical care for children housed with their mothers. The California Department of Corrects and Center Point took position they owed no duty to provide medical care to these children. The Fourth District agreed with the position taken by John T. Richards which created a duty to provide medical care to children in the prison system.

John T. Richards obtained a $3.9 Million verdict for a man severely injured while fixing a train derailment. The case was rejected by most FELA firms in Los Angeles because the worker was not directly employed by the Railroad and FELA did not appear to apply. Mr. Richards tried the case under the theory that worker was a “borrowed servant”. The Fourth District upheld the verdict and in a published opinion underscored that non-railroad employees may file suit against the Railroad under the FELA if they can prove that they are “Borrowed Servant” under the FELA. Collins v. Union Pacific Railroad Co., (2012) 207 867

John T. Richards was awarded the prestigious Outstanding Trial Lawyer award by Consumer Attorneys in October of 2014 as a result of a $2.85 million judgment he obtained for a father whose son was kidnapped from the Escondido Union School District and taken to Mexico.