California · Civil Code

CIV §3496: In any of the following described cases, the court may award costs, including the costs of investigation and discovery, and reasonable attorney’s fees, which are not compensated for pursuant to some o

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

Courts may award costs and attorney's fees to the prevailing party in civil cases where government agencies seek injunctions against obscene materials, illegal gambling, prostitution, human trafficking, drug offenses, or unlawful alcohol sales.

Read the full statutory text
In any of the following described cases, the court may award costs, including the costs of investigation and discovery, and reasonable attorney’s fees, which are not compensated for pursuant to some other provision of law, to the prevailing party: (a) In any case in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin the sale, distribution, or public exhibition, for commercial consideration, of obscene matter, as defined in Section 311 of the Penal Code. (b) In any case in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin the use of a building or place for the purpose of illegal gambling, lewdness, assignation, human trafficking, or prostitution; or any case in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin acts of illegal gambling, lewdness, assignation, human trafficking, or prostitution in or upon a building or place, as authorized in Article 2 (commencing with Section 11225) of Chapter 3 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code. (c) In any case in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin the use of a building or place, or seeks to enjoin in or upon any building or place the unlawful sale, manufacture, service, storage, or keeping or giving away of any controlled substance, as authorized in Article 3 (commencing with Section 11570) of Chapter 10 of Division 10 of the Health and Safety Code. (d) In any case in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin the unlawful sale, service, storage, or keeping or giving away of alcoholic liquor, as authorized in Article 1 (commencing with Section 11200) of Chapter 3 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code.

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