Generally speaking, unpublished cases cannot be cited or relied upon by parties or courts.  California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115 states, in part: "Except as provided in (b), an opinion of a California Court of Appeal or superior court appellate division that is not certified for publication or ordered published must not be cited or relied on by a court or a party in any other action."  Cal. Rules Ct., rule 8.1115(a).  The only exceptions arise when the same parties are involved, or the conduct of a party in one case is relevant in criminal or disciplinary proceedings in another.  When review of a published case is granted by the California Supreme Court, it is depublished: "Unless otherwise ordered under (2), an opinion is no longer considered published if the Supreme Court grants review or the rendering court grants rehearing."  Cal. Rules Ct., rule 8.1105(e).  In The People v. E*Poly Star, Inc. (May 14, 2012), the Court of Appeal (Second Appellate District, Division Seven) let E*Poly and the Trial Court have it for referencing Aryeh v. Canon Business Solutions, Inc. (2010) 185 Cal.App.4th 1159, review granted Oct. 20, 2010 (S184929) (Aryeh).

On the issue of improper citation of an unpublished decision, the Court said:

Supreme Court review in Aryeh was granted on October 20, 2010 (S184929), more than a month prior to the filing of the district attorneys' lawsuit. As of that date any citation to, or reliance upon, that decision was expressly prohibited by rule 8.1115(a) of the California Rules of Court except under the limited circumstances set forth in rule 8.1115(b), none of which appears to be applicable to the case at bar. (See rule 8.1105(e)(1) [“[u]nless otherwise ordered . . ., an opinion is no longer considered published if the Supreme Court grants review”].) Nonetheless, employing something akin to the rhetorical device formally known as paraleipsis or apophasis—that is, mentioning something while disclaiming any intention of mentioning it—E*Poly Star in the trial court and once again in its brief in this court, after noting the Court of Appeal decision in Aryeh is not citable, has discussed the case at length and argues we should defer to its reasoning.  This use of an unpublished, noncitable opinion is a direct violation of rule 8.1115(a) and is wholly unacceptable. (Cf. rule 8.276(a)(4) [authorizing sanctions on the court's own motion for any unreasonable violation of the Rules of Court].)

Slip op., at 12-13 (footnote references omitted).  But the Court wasn't done, stating in a footnote:

E*Poly Star's improper use of Aryeh transcends suggesting we consider the case for its persuasive value. While purporting to recognize the split panel decision by our colleagues in Division Eight is no longer even citable, E*Poly Star contends it is, in fact, binding on us: “It is respectfully submitted that it is not the function of this reviewing court to second-guess itself and re-address a prior published decision, merely and especially because the decision is being reviewed by the State Supreme Court.” That is simply wrong. Even were the case still published, we would not be obligated to adopt its result; there is no “horizontal stare decisis” in the Court of Appeal. (Jessen v. Mentor Corp. (2008) 158 Cal.App.4th 1480, 1489, fn. 10; In re Marriage of Shaban (2001) 88 Cal.App.4th 398, 409.) Although, as E*Poly Star states, we frequently follow a prior decision by another division of this court or another district, we will not do so if there is reason to disagree with the conclusion of that case. (People v. Kim (2011) 193 Cal.App.4th 836, 847; Greyhound Lines, Inc. v. County of Santa Clara (1986) 187 Cal.App.3d 480, 485.)

Slip op., at 12.  "Horizontal stare decisis."  Priceless.  There really ARE some things money can't buy.

Ending its discussion of the use of uncitable authority, the Court also chided the Trial Court:

Similarly, the trial court's reference to the Aryeh opinion and its implicit adoption of its holding with the statement it “agrees with Aryeh's analysis” constitute an impermissible use of a noncitable decision. If the trial court is somehow familiar with an unpublished opinion and finds its analysis persuasive, then it is free to utilize that analysis, just as courts may adopt as their own the analysis contained in the parties' briefs. Any reference to the unpublished case itself, however, violates rule 8.1115(a) even if, as here, accompanied by the qualification, “even though not citable.”

Slip op., at 13.  I saw this happen several times while Brinker was pending.  A number of trial courts observed that Brinker was under review but then said that they agreed with its analysis and were adopting it.  Naughty.

The Court also discusses statute of limitation and accrual issues that may be impacted by Aryeh, but I thought the discussion of uncitable authority was a lot more entertaining than a discussion that could be mooted by Aryeh and might be nullified on a grant and hold pending Aryeh in any event.