Q: I thought daylight saving time was being abolished. Has that happened? What is the latest?
W.D., Inglewood
A: I will try to shed some “daylight” on your inquiry (I know, groan).
As things stand here in California, at 2 a.m. Nov. 1, clocks will move back to 1 a.m. (the proverbial “fall back”). We gain an hour, so mornings become lighter a little earlier. Then at 2 a.m. March 14, clocks will move forward an hour, and daylight saving time will begin once more.
Daylight saving time has not been ended nationally. Most of the country changes clocks twice a year. A state may choose to opt out of daylight saving time and remain on standard time throughout the year, but a state cannot itself adopt permanent daylight saving time as the federal law currently reads.
Things may change, so stay tuned. In July, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Sunshine Protection Act of 2025, which establishes permanent daylight saving time. This bill was referred to the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The Senate must still act.
Here in our state, California voters did approve Proposition 7 back in 2018, which provided the Legislature with the authority to change daylight saving time by a two-third vote, provided the modification is in sync with federal law. This too is not yet completed.
Q: We have hired an attorney who is on an hourly rate. I am curious: are there increments of billing that are considered acceptable or the norm?
S.R., Westchester
A: One increment of billing that is common is a tenth of an hour (.10). Some use .20 or .25, but a concern arises whether the time actually spent (such as on a phone call) is less, if not quite a bit less, than the increment.
For example, an attorney has a practice of billing .25 (15 minutes per task), but only talks to the client for 5 minutes. California Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5 prohibits a lawyer from charging or collecting an unconscionable or illegal fee. The rule lists criteria to consider, which can involve the actual time spent, the nature of the labor required, the value of the services, and if the client consented or can be shown to have consented to a particular billing increment.
It is important to talk this out with the lawyer before signing the hourly rate retainer agreement. You can ask up front how he or she bills, what increments and at what rate. You might even ask for a redacted sample bill in another matter so you do not get one for the first time and find it surprising, hard to follow or both.
Bottom line: Seeking to negotiate an hourly rate is not unreasonable, any more than seeking to negotiate the up front retainer you may pay as a client.
Ron Sokol has been a practicing attorney for more than 40 years, and has also served many times as a judge pro tem, mediator, and arbitrator. It is important to keep in mind that this column presents a summary of the law, and is not to be treated or considered legal advice, let alone a substitute for actual consultation with a qualified professional.