A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Connecticut hemp farmers and processors challenging state restrictions on hemp-derived THC products.
In a ruling issued September 8, U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall granted Connecticut officials’ motion to dismiss the case, finding the plaintiffs failed to establish standing.
The lawsuit was filed by Michael Goodenough, Darren Cugno, Ricardo Sotil, Norman Plude and Wells Logging LLC against State Governor Ned Lamont and several other officials. The plaintiffs argued that a series of Connecticut laws regulating high-THC and moderate-THC hemp products conflict with the federal definition of hemp established by the 2018 Farm Bill.
Hall found that the challenged laws primarily regulate the sale of consumable hemp products, while the plaintiffs identified themselves as hemp farmers and processors rather than retailers.
The judge said the complaint did not adequately show that the restrictions caused the plaintiffs a concrete injury or prevented them from cultivating or processing federally compliant hemp. Hall also found that the alleged injuries were not sufficiently traceable to the officials named as defendants.
The court additionally concluded that the plaintiffs sued the wrong state officials, noting that Connecticut’s agriculture commissioner appears to hold enforcement authority over the state’s hemp production program.
Hall dismissed the case without allowing the plaintiffs to amend their complaint.
The ruling also pointed to upcoming changes to the federal definition of hemp, saying those changes would largely eliminate the definitional dispute underlying the lawsuit. Although the ruling references a November effective date, legislation signed by President Donald Trump on September 2 delayed most of the new federal hemp restrictions until December 11, 2026.
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