What Is Dicta? Is It Binding or Not?

M. Jonathan Hayes has practiced consumer bankruptcy law primarily for the past 42 years in Southern California. He recently completed a two-year sabbatical as the BAP Law Clerk first for Judge Laura Taylor in San Diego and then for Judge William Lafferty in Oakland. He is now Senior Counsel to the bankruptcy firm of RHM Law, LLP. Jon has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of West Los Angeles School of Law for the past 33 years where he has taught Bankruptcy, Business Associations and other subjects. Jon was a member of the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, Bankruptcy Law Advisory Commission, 2010 to 2018. He was Vice-Chairman for the year 2016-2017 and Chairman for the year 2017-2018. He was President of the Central District Consumer Bankruptcy Attorney’s Assn (“cdcbaa”), 2013 and 2014, and is a member of the Board of Directors 2008 to present. He was a Lawyer Representative to the Central District Judicial Conference, 2014 to 2019. Today he has joined with Hon. Meredith Jury (Ret.) to form a bankruptcy appellate “dream team” with six other bankruptcy attorneys throughout the 9th Circuit to help consumer attorneys with their bankruptcy appeals. Jon has written four books entitled, “A Summary of Chapter 13” published in November 2019; “A Summary of Bankruptcy Law, Third Edition” published in December, 2016; “Bankruptcy Jurisprudence from the Supreme Court, Second Edition” published in 2016; and “Melvyn ‘Deacon’ Jones: My 40 years with the Blues Legends,” published in 2004. All are available on Amazon.com. You can reach Jon at jhayes@rhmfirm.com.