 | |
| Available in | English |
|---|---|
| Owner | Thomson Reuters |
| URL | www |
| Commercial | Yes |
| Launched | 1979 |
The Rutter Group, founded by William Rutter,[1] with Linda A. Diamond, is a business of Thomson Reuters that publishes materials for lawyers and judges in the United States, with a particular focus on California. The Rutter Group is well known for its Rutter Group Practice Guides, which are written and edited by famous lawyers and judges.[2] Courts have cited these treatises in almost 8,000 legal opinions, and they have been called the 'bible' for litigators.[3][4][5][6][7]
Many of the cases that the treatises cite point back directly to the Rutter text as the original source of the legal principle applied. When this occurs, the Rutter treatises include the parenthetical "citing text" when listing the cases.[8]
Because the publications are non-binding, courts may sometimes expressly decline to follow them.[9] However, both California and federal courts have repeatedly identified Rutter treatises as "well-respected" interpretations of the law,[10] which may be cited as "redoubtable" authority.[11] The California Court of Appeal has treated the existence of conflicting Rutter Group authority as strong evidence that a legal question was unsettled and therefore not an appropriate basis for sanctioning an attorney.[12]
The Rutter Group also sponsors panel discussions regarding recent changes in the law, and the judges it hires to participate in these events must disclose the compensation they receive because it could potentially be a conflict of interests.[13]
