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John R. Hanson

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Biography

John R. Hanson is an Honors graduate of Western State University College of Law, (1990). Mr. Hanson was born in Lackawanna, New York in 1960. He is a partner in the firm of Worthe Hanson & Worthe, A Law Corporation. Mr. Hanson was admitted to the California Bar in 1990. Mr. Hanson has extensive experience in the areas of aviation, insurance coverage and bad faith, products liability defense and appellate practice. He has co-drafted insurance policies and was deeply involved in development of federal preemption defenses to aviation tort claims, including the so-called DVT litigation.  He resides in Tustin, California with his wife Sheila and has two adult children.

Education

  • Lewis and Clark College Northwestern School of Law, Portland, Oregon

Classes & Seminars

  • Litigating Summary Judgment Motions in Products Liability Cases - presented to the Products Liability section of the Orange County Bar, 2004
  • Panelist, Gaming the System, Medical-Legal Issues for the New Physician - presented to University of California at Irvine Medical Center, 2003

Published Works

  • Contributor, ABA Automobile Law Committee annual case digest.
  • Co-author, Automobile Law Committee newsletter.
  • Contributor, Recent Developments in Aviation Law, 1994.

Professional Associations

  • Federal Bar Association, Member
  • Orange County Bar Association, Aviation Section., Member

Current Employment Position

  • Partner/Shareholder

Practice Areas

  • Aviation
  • Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Defense
  • Appeals in State and Federal Courts of Appeal
  • Personal Injury defense
  • Products Liability defense
  • Business Litigation

Bar Admissions

  • Supreme Court of California, 1990
  • U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1995
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of California, 1995
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California, 1995
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 1995
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit, 1995
  • Supreme Court of Nevada, 2014

Illustrative Cases

Aviation

Successfully prosecuted Motion for Summary Judgment on behalf of major air carrier in a personal injury action on grounds action was preempted under the Airline Deregulation Act. This argument had never before been accepted by California courts and resulted in a finding that California’s “highest degree of care” standard for common carriers was preempted as it applied to air carriers.

Successfully tried multiple aviation wrongful death cases. 

Insurance (Litigation)

Successfully tried multiple insurance broker negligence actions to defense verdicts in jury trials.

Successful in obtaining multiple favorable coverage decisions for insurer clients in bad faith, rescission, and declaratory relief actions.

Insurance (Coverage)

Provided coverage opinions to various insurance carriers, including Travelers Insurance, StarStone Insurance, AIG Aerospace.

Personal Injury

Tried multiple personal injury actions in the areas of automobile, products liability and premises liability to defense verdicts.

Appeals

Successfully prosecuted and defended various appeals on a wide range of issues before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the state Districts Courts of Appeal, including the Second, Fourth and Fifth Districts.