Manning Kass Vindicates Clients in Federal Civil Rights Action

On July 17, 2025, the Honorable John W. Holcomb of the United States District Court for the Central District of California granted in full our clients’ motion for summary judgment in Hereford v. City of Hemet, securing an important victory for Manning Kass’ clients, the City of Hemet and an individual officer.

The case arose out of a routine traffic stop of one of the plaintiffs for driving a car without a front license plate and with heavily tinted windows. After a license check revealed that the driver’s license was suspended, the officer placed him under arrest for driving with a suspended license. The driver immediately began honking his horn, and, despite being asked to stop, refused. He also failed to comply with the officer’s repeated instructions to exit the vehicle. In response to the honking, the driver’s fiancée and her mother exited the residence and actively interfered with officers’ detention and arrest of the driver. The two women continually approached the officers, even after being instructed not to do so, and with the driver’s encouragement, attempted to kick and close the car’s door, even though one of the officers was still standing near it. As a result of their active interference and obstruction, the two women were also placed under arrest.

Plaintiffs filed a civil rights lawsuit, alleging that the officers racially profiled the driver to initiate a traffic stop and that they used excessive force in arresting each of the plaintiffs. Our clients moved for summary judgment. The Court granted our motion in full, finding that the officers lawfully stopped the driver for driving without a front license plate and lawfully arrested him for driving without a license. The Court also determined that the officers lawfully arrested the driver’s fiancée and her mother for resisting and obstructing the officers from completing their duties. The Court further concluded that no reasonable jury could find that the officers used excessive force against any of the plaintiffs and that the officers’ actions did not violate any clearly established law, thus entitling them to qualified immunity. Finally, the Court also concluded that Defendants were entitled to judgment in their favor on Plaintiffs’ remaining federal and state-law claims.

About Our Team

Andrea K. Kornblau is a Partner in the Los Angeles office of Manning Kass. She is a member of the Governmental Entity Liability team. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Kornblau held positions with two additional AV-rated defense firms, focusing on litigation practice groups, where she developed excellent trial preparation and motion writing skills.  

Yury A. Kolesnikov is a Partner in the San Diego office of Manning Kass. He is a member of the Appellate Law (Strategy, Writs, & Appeals) team. Mr. Kolesnikov has substantial appellate experience in both federal and state courts. He has been the principal brief writer in more than 30 appeals, including before the Ninth Circuit, California Supreme Court, Delaware Supreme Court, and Missouri Supreme Court, and has argued 18 appeals, including in the Ninth Circuit (including before the court sitting en banc), Delaware Supreme Court, and multiple state intermediate appellate courts. 

Khouloud E. Pearson is an Associate in the Los Angeles office of Manning Kass. She is a member of the Governmental Entity Liability team. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Pearson began her legal career as a Deputy District Attorney for the New Mexico District Attorney’s Office. She has over a decade of experience in civil litigation, handling an array of matters in various areas of law, including business law, contract negotiations, personal injury, employment law, and administrative law.