Timothy T. Coates
VCARD
Biography
Timothy Coates is one of the country’s leading appellate attorneys representing public entities and their employees. Over the past thirty-eight years, Tim has briefed and argued over 250 appeals in the state and federal appellate courts, including seven victories in the United States Supreme Court. Tim has been recognized as the “go-to” lawyer for governmental entities in civil appeals and related law and motion proceedings in major cases in the areas of civil rights, environmental regulation, employment, and general tort liability.
Tim has also represented managed care organizations and other healthcare providers in medical malpractice actions, breach of contract and bad faith claims, and regulatory matters under the Medicare and Medicaid Acts.
In media, Tim is regularly acknowledged for his success and impact on the law. Reuters named Tim one of the “Top Petitioners” in the United States Supreme Court based on his success in having review granted in that Court, and the Los Angeles Daily Journal recognized Tim as one of the top 100 attorneys in California based on his success in the Supreme Court. In addition, Tim has received the prestigious California Lawyer of the Year award for his United States Supreme Court work. He has been named a Southern California Super Lawyer in the area of appellate practice and has also been named in The Best Lawyers In America® (Appellate Law).
Honors
California Lawyer Magazine: A Lawyer of the Year (Appellate Law) (2010)
Daily Journal’s Annual Top 100 California Lawyers (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Southern California Super Lawyers, Appellate (2007 – Present)
Named in The Best Lawyers in America® (Appellate Law) (2014 – Present)
International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA): Amicus Service Award (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022)
California Lawyer Magazine: A Lawyer of the Year (Appellate Law) (2010)
Daily Journal’s Annual Top 100 California Lawyers (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013)
Southern California Super Lawyers, Appellate (2007 – Present)
Named in The Best Lawyers in America® (Appellate Law) (2014 – Present)
International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA): Amicus Service Award (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022)
High-Impact Wins
Dondlinger v. Los Angeles County Regional Park & Open Space Dist. (2019) 31 Cal.App.5th 994
Suit seeking to invalidate a voter-approved special property tax imposed by the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District. The judgment is affirm...
Williams v. Moulton Niguel Water District (2018) 22 Cal.App.5th 1198
In a published opinion, the Court of Appeal affirmed judgment
Williams v. Moulton Niguel Water District (2018) 22 Cal.App.5th 1198
In a published opinion, the Court of Appeal affirmed judgment
Homeowners sued GMSR’s client, the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), as well as other water districts, for nuisance and inverse condemnation, asserting that water provided by MWD to their homes contained disinfectants that caused pinhole leaks in their plumbing. In a published opinion, the Court of Appeal affirmed judgment for the MWD, agreeing with GMSR’s argument that the MWD’s compliance with state and federal standards governing disinfectants in drinking water barred any claim for nuisance because the MWD’s conduct was authorized by regulation. It also agreed that the homeowners could not pursue an inverse condemnation claim, because the MWD’s conduct did not disproportionally impact their property, and in any event, the receipt of drinking water was not a public use.
Los Angeles County Flood Control Dist. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (2013) 568 U.S. 78
Obtained Reversal
Los Angeles County Flood Control Dist. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (2013) 568 U.S. 78
Obtained Reversal
Obtained a reversal of the Ninth Circuit and clarified standards concerning what constitutes a discharge of pollutants under the Clean Water Act.
Messerschmidt v. Millender (2012) 565 U.S. 535
Obtained Reversal
Messerschmidt v. Millender (2012) 565 U.S. 535
Obtained Reversal
Obtained a reversal of a Ninth Circuit en banc decision and clarified standards for granting qualified immunity to police officers procuring and enforcing search and arrest warrants.
Los Angeles County v. Humphries (2010) 562 U.S. 29
Obtained Reversal
Los Angeles County v. Humphries (2010) 562 U.S. 29
Obtained Reversal
Obtained a reversal of the Ninth Circuit and clarified law concerning the standards for establishing injunctive relief in federal civil rights suits against cities and counties.
Van de Kamp v. Goldstein (2009) 555 U.S. 335
Obtained Reversal
Van de Kamp v. Goldstein (2009) 555 U.S. 335
Obtained Reversal
Obtained a reversal of the Ninth Circuit and established new law granting head prosecutors absolute immunity from federal civil rights liability for administrative decisions related to the prosecution of criminal cases.
County of Riverside v. McLaughlin (1991) 500 U.S. 44
Obtained Reversal
County of Riverside v. McLaughlin (1991) 500 U.S. 44
Obtained Reversal
Obtained a reversal of the Ninth Circuit, with the Supreme Court establishing a 48 hour safe harbor period for public entities to provide warrantless arrestees with a probable cause determination by a neutral officer.
Publications
Speaking and Involvement
Professional Associations
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