California · Government Code

GOV §89514: (a) Expenditures of campaign funds for attorney’s fees and other costs in connection with administrative, civil, or criminal litigation are not directly related to a political, legislative, or governm

Civil

What this law says, in plain English

This statute defines when campaign funds may or may not be used to pay attorney's fees and litigation costs, and prohibits such use if criminal litigation results in conviction for certain felonies.

Read the full statutory text
(a) Expenditures of campaign funds for attorney’s fees and other costs in connection with administrative, civil, or criminal litigation are not directly related to a political, legislative, or governmental purpose except where the litigation is directly related to activities of a committee that are consistent with its primary objectives or arises directly out of a committee’s activities or out of a candidate’s or elected officer’s activities, duties, or status as a candidate or elected officer, including, but not limited to, an action to enjoin defamation, defense of an action to enjoin defamation, defense of an action brought for a violation of state or local campaign, disclosure, or election laws, and an action arising from an election contest or recount. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), campaign funds shall not be used to reimburse expenditures for attorney’s fees and other costs in connection with criminal litigation if the litigation results in a conviction of the candidate or elected officer for a felony described in Section 20 of the Elections Code, or for a felony involving fraud.

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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.