Practice Areas

Jon Morse has extensive experience in aviation matters, both transactions and lawsuits, during the past 38 years. Some of the most pertinent matters include the following: Transactions a) Mr. Morse represented a non US citizen who purchased a turbine powered aircraft and wanted to retain United States Registry. Under the laws of the United States, non US Citizens cannot own a US registered aircraft. Accordingly, the purchase was structured with title being held by Bank of Utah, subject to an Operating Agreement…Read More

Mr. Morse has extensive experience in handling aviation lawsuits in California and 19 other states. He has also supervised litigation in Canada and Australia and actively participated in ligation in France on behalf of an American components parts manufacturer. Some of those matters are set forth below. a) An MD-80 airplane (operated by Alaska Airlines as Flight 261) crashed into the water west of Los Angeles after sustaining a failure of the jack screw which operates the elevator trim. Mr. Morse represented the company…Read More

Mr. Morse has handled numerous cases for insurance coverage to establish the absence of coverage or a limitation on coverage for a particular claim. In many of these cases he commenced and prosecuted a Complaint for Declaratory Judgment to obtain a decree from the Court in favor of the insurer. Some of these matters are set forth below. a) A pilot with no instrument rating took off when the weather conditions were below minimums for visual flight, resulting in a fatal crash and destruction of the aircraft.Read More

Mr. Morse has successfully handled cases before the California Court of Appeal and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Some of those cases are summarized below. a) Two seamen aboard a tuna boat were injured while they were passengers aboard a fish spotting helicopter operated from the boat, and both were involved in other accidents aboard ship, unrelated to any helicopter activity. The boat owner settled with the seamen, then sued McDonnell Helicopter Company for indemnity, claiming that the helicopters in question…Read More

Generally, an employer can terminate an employee for any reason or no reason. However, there are exceptions to this rule. For example, an employer cannot retaliate against an employee who refuses to perform an illegal act or who blows the whistle on an illegal activity. Mr. Morse has participated in and personally handled actions against employers in favor of employees who claimed to have been wrongfully terminated in violation of public policy. Some of those cases are summarized below. a) An airline pilot…Read More

A contractor was hired by a general contractor to supervise the construction of several buildings on an Indian reservation and executed a handwritten employment agreement. A worker employed on the project was injured and sued the general contractor, alleging that the workplace was unsafe. The general contractor filed a cross complaint against the contractor, seeking indemnity. On behalf of the contractor we filed a cross complaint against the general contractor, seeking indemnity and claiming attorney fees…Read More