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Office of the City Attorney

2020 News Releases


City Attorney Cracks Down on La Jolla COVID Party Mansion

Neighbors forced to endure loud parties, health and safety violations during pandemic


City Attorney Elliott and Supervisor Fletcher Partner on Gun Safety

Trainings for County child welfare workers will help protect families during pandemic


Educating Teens About Healthy Relationships to Prevent Domestic Violence

City Attorney Mara Elliott announces training program to educate teens about healthy relationships to prevent future domestic violence.


City Attorney Takes Action to Shut Down COVID Party Airbnb

Bankers Hill neighbors plagued by loud parties in illegally modified rental


San Diego Leadership Credited in Statewide Gun Violence Prevention Study

Prominent medical journal report cites San Diego as a key driver in the use of GVROs in California


Chemical Manufacturing Behemoth Monsanto Forced to Pay $550 Million

San Diego set to receive multi-million dollar settlement for toxic chemical cleanup


Given a Choice, Many Ask for Drug Treatment over Jail

Diversion program marks first year of helping people who are under the influence of drugs in public


Statement by San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott on Racial Injustice and the Murder of George Floyd

As San Diego City Attorney, I lead an Office that is dedicated to protecting the communities we serve, and to ensuring that any person who encounters our criminal justice system is treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.


City Moves to Protect Affordable Care Act during COVID-19

City Attorney Mara W. Elliott today praised the San Diego City Council for voting to join an amicus brief in defense of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which has significantly reduced the uncompensated costs local governments would otherwise bear, enabling local governments to better spend taxpayer dollars on critical government functions.


City Attorney Seeks Immediate Protections for Instacart Employees

City Attorney Mara W. Elliott today petitioned the 4th District Court of Appeal to reinstate an injunction against Instacart, a multi-billion dollar grocery-delivery company that is misclassifying its employees as independent contractors.


Safe Storage of Firearms More Important Than Ever

San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott urges families that own guns to carefully evaluate the safety of their homes and take all measures required by law to protect children who stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Safe Storage Ordinance requires all firearms in the home to be disabled with a trigger lock or stored in a safe or lockbox.


City Attorney Warns of Coronavirus-related Price Gouging

The City Attorney warns of coronavirus-related price gouging, and asks the public to report illegal price hikes for food, medical supplies and gas while the public health emergency declaration regarding the novel coronavirus is in effect in San Diego County and California.


City Attorney Obtains Landmark Injunction Against Instacart

San Diego City Attorney Mara W. Elliott today obtained a preliminary injunction against Instacart, a multi-billion-dollar grocery-delivery company, for not complying with the worker classification standard established by the California Supreme Courts 2018 decision in Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court.


81 New Beds Will Soon Be Available to Vulnerable San Diegans

After years of delay, an appellate court ruling allows the City Attorneys S.M.A.R.T. Program facility to open its doors in summer 2020. Eighty-one new beds will soon be available to vulnerable San Diegans.


Court Upholds Utility Undergrounding Program

City Attorney Mara W. Elliott today announces that her office has successfully defended the Citys utility undergrounding program against a lawsuit that could have shut down undergrounding for 20 communities.


Red Flag Laws Continue to Keep San Diegans Safe

The City Attorneys Office worked hard in 2019 to keep San Diegans safe from gun violence. With significant support from the San Diego Police Department, the Office obtained gun violence restraining orders (GVROs) against 200 individuals who posed a threat to themselves or others.


Court Upholds Serra Mesa Community Plan Update

City Attorney Mara W. Elliott announces that a court has found that the public was fully informed, and the City followed the law, when the Serra Mesa Community Plan was amended to include a four-lane roadway, with bicycle lanes and pedestrian pathways, between Serra Mesa and Mission Valley.


City Attorney Updates Public on Smart Streetlights

City Attorney Mara W. Elliott today highlights how the Citys Smart Streetlights program has helped the San Diego Police Department investigate nearly 250 crimes committed on San Diego streets.


Retired Judges Sought to Serve on Appointing Panel for Citys 2020 Redistricting Commission

The City Attorneys Office is seeking retired judges to select the volunteer members of the 2020 Redistricting Commission. The Commission is responsible for creating the boundaries of the Citys nine City Council districts to comply with local and federal laws and the results of the 2020 U.S. Census.


City Suing SDG&E for $35 Million

City Attorney Mara W. Elliott announces that the City of San Diego is suing San Diego Gas & Electric for $35 million, for refusing to honor promises it made when it obtained the exclusive rights to provide gas and electricity to San Diegans in 1971.