California Supreme Court Delivers Landmark Victory for Bicyclists in Whitehead v. City of Oakland
- Ruling Strengthens Legal Protections and Reinforces Cities' Responsibility to Maintain Safe Roads -
OAKLAND, Calif., May 2, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Rahman Law PC is pleased to share a powerful affirmation of bicyclists' rights: the California Supreme Court has ruled in Whitehead v. City of Oakland (Case S284303) that public entities cannot rely on liability waivers to avoid responsibility for dangerous road conditions. The decision marks a major legal milestone for bicycle safety and public accountability across the state.
The case involved cyclist Ty Whitehead, who suffered a traumatic brain injury during a charity training ride after hitting a large, obscured pothole on Skyline Boulevard in Oakland. Although Whitehead had signed a release form as part of the event, the Court ruled that such waivers cannot excuse a city from its statutory duty to maintain safe public roads. The Court unanimously found that exempting cities from liability in these cases violates California Civil Code section 1668, which prohibits contracts that waive responsibility for a violation of the law.
A pivotal amicus curiae brief supporting Whitehead was submitted by renowned bicycle attorney Shaana Rahman, founder of Rahman Law PC in San Francisco. Rahman authored the brief on behalf of San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, California Bicycle Coalition (CalBike), and Bike East Bay, offering the Court a critical perspective on the real-world impact of road hazards on bicyclists and the importance of holding cities accountable for infrastructure safety. The brief helped underscore how releasing cities from liability would endanger cyclists and undermine public safety efforts statewide.
'This decision is a win not just for one rider, but for every Californian who uses a bike to get around,' said Shaana Rahman, bike lawyer and founder of Rahman Law PC. 'It sends a clear message that cities must take their responsibilities seriously—especially when it comes to keeping cyclists safe.'
The ruling clarifies that municipal liability cannot be sidestepped through fine print and reaffirms that cyclists are entitled to the same legal protections as any other road user. It is especially significant at a time when more Californians are choosing bicycles for health, transportation, and environmental reasons.
Organizations across the state have applauded the Court's decision. Shaana Rahman is calling it 'a critical step forward for equity, accountability, and the safety of all who share our roads.'
About Rahman Law PC
The personal injury lawyers at Rahman Law PC are powerful advocates for people who have been injured through no fault of their own. What makes Rahman Law PC different from other personal injury law firms is they care about what happens to their clients; they aggressively advocate for their clients' interests and have a personal relationship with each client, taking the time to listen and figure out solutions that make sense from a legal point of view but also from a human perspective.
By providing the highest quality legal services to those who have been injured or have suffered wrongdoing at the hands of other individuals, corporations, or public entities, the personal injury attorneys and trial lawyers at Rahman Law PC have a proven track record of results and have successfully recovered millions of dollars for clients throughout California. Rahman Law PC offers clients attentive service backed with big firm experience, making them ready to take on any opponent.
To learn more about the personal injury lawyers at Rahman Law PC, visit https://www.rahmanlawsf.com/ or call (415) 956-9245 in San Francisco, (805) 619-3108 in Paso Robles, California.
Court Docket Info (PDF): https://www.rahmanlawsf.com/wp-content/uploads/Ca-Supreme-Court-Bike-Opinion_Whitehead-v.-City-of-Oakland-S284303.pdf
NEWS SOURCE: Rahman Law PC
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MEDIA ONLY CONTACT:
(not for publication online or in print)
Lacey Clifton-Jensen
(805) 619-3108
1111 Riverside Avenue, Suite 500
Paso Robles CA 93446
[email protected]
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Keywords: Legal and Law, Rahman Law PC, Shaana Rahman, bike lawyer, Whitehead v. City of Oakland, California Supreme Court, OAKLAND, Calif.
This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Rahman Law PC) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P125934 APNF0325A
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Lawyers defending the government also said that because presidents appointed the board, presidents also had the authority to fire them. The White House also maintained that despite decades of operation and an annual budget of around $50 million, the institute had failed to bring peace and was rightfully targeted. Howell's May 19 opinion concluded that the institute 'ultimately exercises no Executive branch power under the Constitution but operates, through research, educational teaching, and scholarship, in the sensitive area of global peace.' 'In creating this organization,' the judge said, 'Congress struck a careful balance between political accountability, on the one hand, and partisan independence and stability, on the other.' She added that even if the organization was part of the executive branch, the law that created it set specific steps for firing the board members and none of those had been followed. Because the board was fired illegally, all subsequent actions — including replacing Moose, firing the staff and transferring the headquarters — were 'null and void,' she said in her ruling. The government filed a notice of appeal and asked Howell to stay her order. She said no. The government has requested a stay with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. What it looks like now Two weeks later, about 10% of the people who would normally be inside the headquarters, about 25 people, are there, doing maintenance, getting systems running and trying to get to the institute's funding. Any physical damage comes more from inattentiveness than malice — food that spoiled, leaks that went unfixed, popup security barriers needing maintenance. Desks are empty but with paperwork and files strewn across them, left by the speed of the takeover. O'Brien, the security officer, praised the General Services Administration and security managers who tried to keep the building going. But getting systems fully functioning will entail lots of work. 'We're the first ones to get behind the looking glass,' O'Brien said. Foote said those returning continue to try to locate and access the institute's funding. That includes funds appropriated for this fiscal year by Congress and the part of the endowment moved during the takeover. He said transferring funds within the federal government is 'complicated.' The result: Workers are furloughed, and overseas offices will remain closed. Nicoletta Barbera, acting director for the U.S. Institute of Peace's West Africa and Central Africa programs, is one of the furloughed workers. 'We had USIP representatives based in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger that, overnight, were left with no support system from anyone here in HQ,' she said. The programs were focused on preventing terrorism by supporting women and young people, to 'identify signs of radicalization.' Barbera said a recent attack in Burkina Faso ended with 'hundreds of atrocities and deaths.' 'And I couldn't just stop but think, what if I could have continued our work there during this time?' she said. Moose has said the speed at which the organization gets back to work depends on numerous factors, including the appeals process. But, he said, there will likely be lasting damage — 'the traumatic effects this has had on the people who have been impacted by it.' 'And, obviously, that includes our own ... staff members,' Moose said, 'but it also extends to the people with whom we collaborate and work all around the world. That's going to be hard to repair.'
