PREVIOUSLY: Humboldt County Settles Cannabis Code Enforcement Lawsuit for $350K, Agrees to Reform Practices

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On Monday, after learning that the county had reached a settlement agreement in Thomas v. County of Humboldt, a 2022 class action suit regarding cannabis code enforcement practices, the Outpost emailed a county spokesperson seeking comment. This morning, Humboldt County Public Information Specialist Cati Gallardo sent the following statement:

The County of Humboldt can confirm it has reached settlement resolving the lawsuit brought by five property owners regarding the county’s cannabis-related code enforcement program.

The county also wishes to clarify the Ninth Circuit’s decision addressed only whether the Plaintiffs had pled sufficient facts to allow their case to proceed to the next stage in court. It was not a decision on the merits or consideration of the evidence that would be presented at trial. The decision to settle at this stage was based on typical considerations that drive most court settlements, including avoiding the cost, delay and uncertainty of continued litigation.

The settlement includes no admission of fault or liability by the County of Humboldt.

Additionally, the County of Humboldt began revising its approach to cannabis-related code enforcement well before this settlement was reached. That shift was driven by the substantial decline in illegal commercial cannabis cultivation across Humboldt County. The county unilaterally modified its Code in 2025 to reflect these changes before this settlement was finalized. Many of these amendments formally established enforcement practices the county has already put in place. The settlement’s terms and the county’s agreement to further revise the Code builds on this ongoing reform effort.

The County of Humboldt remains committed to fair, effective code enforcement and to implementing the further Code amendments reflected in this settlement.