On April 3, 2008, the California Supreme Court, faced with a question of first impression, adopted the Sophisticated User Doctrine as a viable affirmative defense in product liability cases.
CA Adopts the Sophisticated User Doctrine
On April 3, 2008, the California Supreme Court, faced with a question of first impression, adopted the Sophisticated User Doctrine as a viable affirmative defense in product liability cases. The issue, as framed by the court, was whether California should adopt the Sophisticated User Doctrine to negate a manufacturer's duty to warn of a product's potential danger when the plaintiff has, or should have, advance knowledge of the product's inherent hazards. The ruling is an undeniable victory for product manufacturers.
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