California · Financial Code

FIN §5307: Whoever willfully and knowingly makes, issues, circulates, transmits, or causes or knowingly permits to be made, issued, circulated, or transmitted, any statement or rumor which is written, printed, r

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

A person who knowingly makes or spreads false, defamatory statements about an association to harm its reputation or finances may be fined up to $10,000 and/or imprisoned up to one year.

Read the full statutory text

Whoever willfully and knowingly makes, issues, circulates, transmits, or causes or knowingly permits to be made, issued, circulated, or transmitted, any statement or rumor which is written, printed, reproduced in any manner, or communicated by word of mouth, that is untrue in fact and is directly or by inference false, or malicious in that it is calculated to injure the reputation or business, financial condition, or standing of any association shall be punished by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding one year or pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or by both that fine and imprisonment.

Verify at the official source: California legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.