Humboldt County, California, has agreed to erase millions of dollars in disputed marijuana-related fines and overhaul its code enforcement procedures as part of a settlement resolving a federal lawsuit brought by five property owners.
The settlement stems from a 2022 lawsuit filed by property owners Corrine and Doug Thomas, Blu Graham, Rhonda Olson and Cyro Glad, who challenged penalties imposed under the county’s cannabis abatement program. Some of the fines reached $10,000 or more per day, with the five plaintiffs facing millions of dollars in potential penalties.
Under the agreement, all active cannabis-related notices of violation, proposed fines and administrative fees against the plaintiffs’ properties will be withdrawn. The county must also withdraw certain other active Category 4 cannabis-related notices issued before July 8, 2025, including cases where a property owner requested an appeal but had not yet received one.
The settlement requires Humboldt County to make significant changes to how it handles alleged marijuana violations.
Before issuing a notice of violation for cannabis cultivation or a related offense, the county must first send the property owner a warning letter. Owners will then have 30 days to demonstrate that marijuana is not being grown on the property or that no cannabis-related violation exists.
The county must also provide more specific explanations of alleged violations, establish deadlines for appeal hearings and generally prevent fines from accumulating until a violation has been finally adjudicated.
New property owners will not be held responsible for marijuana-related violations committed by previous owners unless illegal cultivation continues for more than 30 days after they acquire the property.
The lawsuit alleged that Humboldt County relied in some cases on old satellite imagery while allowing large penalties to accumulate as property owners waited months or years for hearings. A federal district court initially dismissed the case, but the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later partially reversed that decision, allowing several of the constitutional claims to move forward.
As part of the settlement, Humboldt County will also pay $350,000 to cover the plaintiffs’ out-of-pocket expenses and a portion of their attorneys’ fees. The federal court will retain jurisdiction to enforce the agreement for three years.
The county does not admit wrongdoing or liability under the settlement.
The agreement also requires Humboldt County to publicly state that the cannabis-related violations previously attributed to the five plaintiffs have been resolved or withdrawn.
