Jason Moberly Caruso

Partner

Jason Moberly Caruso is a partner in the Newport Beach office of Newmeyer Dillion. His practice focuses on land use entitlements, environmental and regulatory issues, related litigation, and appellate matters. Jason is a certified specialist in appellate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

Land Use & Entitlement Issues

Jason counsels and represents developers regarding land use and entitlement issues, from the pre-entitlement phase through construction, including associated administrative proceedings. Jason is well versed in the Housing Accountability Act, the “Builder’s Remedy,” Density Bonus Law, and related statutory mandates, as well as permit streamlining and exaction issues. Jason has represented developers in litigated matters as well, and has a proven track record of obtaining and defending approvals of contested projects before development staff, planning commissions, and city councils.

Environmental Litigation & Regulatory Matters

Jason counsels and represents current and former facility owners and operators in state and federal proceedings, administrative actions, cost recovery cases, and non-litigation site remediation situations. The litigated matters frequently involve the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and its parallel California Hazardous Substances Account Act (HSAA), as well as the Clean Water Act and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Jason’s counsel reflects an overlay of the technical, regulatory, and legal dynamics inherent in contaminated sites, often during real estate transactions or when seeking no-further-action determinations. Further, Jason specializes in Proposition 65 warnings for property owners and producers/distributors of consumer products regarding hazardous substance exposures, in both litigation, pre-litigation, and advisory contexts.

Complex Litigation

When clients must go to court, Jason applies his significant experience in complex state and federal litigation over a broad range of substantive areas, including environmental, business, real estate, construction, and eminent domain / inverse condemnation. He has represented clients from pre-litigation through trial and post-trial proceedings. Jason has successfully represented property owners, landlords, and business owners in bench and jury trials, as well as in arbitration. Jason consistently prevails in litigated matters.

Appellate Matters

Jason is also a certified specialist in appellate law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction conferred upon a small percentage of attorneys who pass additional rigorous examination and dedicate a substantial percentage of their practice to appellate law. Jason routinely advises clients regarding post-judgment issues, and has obtained victories for clients in general appellate and extraordinary writ proceedings in both state and federal appellate courts. Jason has presented oral argument in appeals before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the California Court of Appeal.

Community Engagement

Jason is a member of the board of the Building Industry Association of Southern California, Orange County Chapter. Jason’s community engagement has also included serving as a mock trial attorney coach for University High School through the Constitutional Rights Foundation Orange County (CRF-OC) and as a member of CRF-OC’s Board of Directors. Jason has also served as secretary of the Orange County Bar Association’s Professionalism & Ethics Committee, and as a member of the executive committee of the William P. Gray Legion Lex Inn of Court.