Less than 1: AM Edition, July 9

This morning on Less than 1: the state auditor details failures behind the flawed February bar exam, and a judge allows a class action to proceed testing whether utility billing companies qualify as debt collectors under California law. Also: the California Supreme Court affirms counties' power to oversee sheriff's offices, global deal-making hits a decade high fueled by AI and a permissive regulatory climate, and California soccer fans sue StubHub over failed World Cup ticket deliveries. Stories mentioned in this episode: Court allows class action testing utility billing under debt collection laws https://www.dailyjournal.com/articles/392884-court-allows-class-action-testing-utility-billing-under-debt-collection-laws (SF Chronicle) California Supreme Court affirms counties' power to oversee sheriff's offices https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/oversight-sheriff-s-offices-allowed-california-22338096.php (NYT) A $3.2 trillion deal-making boom is being fueled by AI and a permissive regulatory climate https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/business/ai-boom-corporate-deals.html (LA Times) California soccer fans sue StubHub after it fails to deliver expensive World Cup tickets https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-07-09/california-soccer-fans-sue-stubhub-after-it-fails-to-deliver-expensive-world-cup-tickets