Photo: Appeal-Democrat
Co-counseling can be one of the highest-impact ways to offer pro bono support. Case in point: our Marysville office teamed up with attorneys from Sheppard Mullin's San Francisco office in a lawsuit against Sutter County and Yuba City that has helped at least 500 individuals in the community, keeping them from being arrested just because they have no place to call home.
How? The lawsuit stopped enforcement of no-camping ordinances that added criminal charges to an already desperate situation for people experiencing homelessness. At the time of the lawsuit, there was no emergency homeless shelter in Sutter County, so individuals and families camping outside or living in their cars were threatened with arrest, seizure of their property, or being forced to leave the county.
Pro Bono Helps Close Rural California’s Justice Gap
Thanks to Sheppard Mullin bringing their resources and reputation to bear as co-counsel, our Marysville office (two attorneys and three staff) was able to take on this case and continue work on their 70 other open cases, ensuring justice for even more people. A settlement was reached with Sutter County to repeal the no-camping ordinance, and settlement talks continue with Yuba City.
With pro bono partners like Sheppard Mullin, we can show rural Californians that our society still values “justice for all.”
This case ensures that local municipalities don’t violate the constitutional rights (including the Fourth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments) of our most vulnerable community members. Individuals experiencing homelessness in Sutter County are often disabled, and many are elderly. Criminalizing their actions continues the cycle of incarceration and increases the likelihood that they remain unhoused. With pro bono partners like Sheppard Mullin, we can show rural Californians that our society still values “justice for all.”
Sheppard Mullin Continues Pro Bono Commitment
Our deepest thanks to Neil A. F. Popovic, Snehal Desai, and all the attorneys and staff who have worked on the no-camping ordinance case, as well as to Peter Carson for fostering an ongoing pro bono relationship between CRLA and Sheppard Mullin.
In addition to successfully representing some of the most vulnerable Californians, Sheppard Mullin has committed to donating all their fees from the Sutter County settlement back to CRLA and to local nonprofits that serve local community members experiencing homelessness.
Next up: attorneys from Sheppard Mullin's Silicon Valley office will take on the case of a disabled elderly woman who came to our Marysville office after being victimized by elder abuse. Stay tuned!
Want to team up with CRLA to close the justice gap in rural California? Learn more and contact us: https://www.crla.org/pro-bono-assistance