The mission of the Division of Civil Law is to provide skilled legal services to state agencies and officials in trial and appellate litigation, which includes prosecuting and defending matters in state and federal courts and before various administrative tribunals. Our Division is organized into the following nine sections:
Business Litigation represents state agencies and officials in state and federal trial and appellate courts (including federal bankruptcy courts nationally) in constitutional and statutory challenges to state laws and regulations; challenges to decisions of state taxing agencies and agencies regulating financial sector businesses such as the insurance, real estate, and financial industries; matters of public contracting and procurement, and other commercial disputes.
Cannabis Control provides representation to state regulatory and law enforcement agencies in civil actions and administrative proceedings related to licensed and unlicensed commercial cannabis activity, including cultivation, manufacturing, testing, transporting, distributing, retail sales, and temporary cannabis events.
The section administers the Cannabis Administrative Prosecution Program (CAPP), which collaborates with local jurisdictions to combat illegal commercial cannabis activity. For more information about CAPP, visit http://oag.ca.gov/capp.
Correctional Law serves as litigation counsel, handling cases from the initial responsive pleading through discovery, trial, and appeal, for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and other related state agencies, in individual and class-action civil-rights actions filed by state prisoners, primarily concerning alleged violations of the United States Constitution, and generally filed in Federal Court.
Employment and Administrative Mandate defends state agencies and individual managers and supervisors in major employment litigation and conducts employment related investigations. It also represents state regulatory and law enforcement agencies in matters such as the revocation and suspension of driver’s and liquor licenses, discipline of law enforcement officers and other state employees, and horse racing issues.
Government Law represents the state’s elected constitutional officers in civil matters; defends state statutes against constitutional challenges; and handles matters regarding bond issuance, public records, open meeting laws, conflicts of interest, contracts and procurement, and the Attorney General’s duties regarding ballot initiatives and elections.
Health, Education, and Welfare represents public agencies charged with administering state and local welfare, health, and educational programs.
Health Quality Enforcement brings disciplinary actions against state-licensed physicians and other health-related licensees, which involve both administrative and trial court proceedings.
Licensing represents licensing boards, bureaus, and commissions in administrative, trial court, and appellate proceedings to deny or revoke licenses in cases brought against state-licensed professionals such as accountants, contractors, dentists, nurses, and teachers.
Tort and Condemnation is a civil litigation section that provides legal representation and serves and defends the interests of California State agencies, government officials, law enforcement officers, and employees. Deputies litigate and try difficult and sensitive cases including government tort liability, and personal injury or property damage involving wrongful death, civil rights, medical malpractice, dangerous condition of public property, eminent domain, inverse condemnation, mass flood, and fires.
