Published: 2015-07-08
Key Benefits:
No lapse of time can legalize a public nuisance, amounting to an actual obstruction of public right.
(Enacted 1872.)
The remedies against a public nuisance are:
1. Indictment or information;
2. A civil action; or,
3. Abatement.
(Amended by Code Amendments 1880, Ch. 11.)
The remedy by indictment or information is regulated by the Penal Code.
(Amended by Code Amendments 1880, Ch. 11.)
A private person may maintain an action for a public nuisance, if it is specially injurious to himself, but not otherwise.
(Enacted 1872.)
A public nuisance may be abated by any public body or officer authorized thereto by law.
(Enacted 1872.)
Any person may abate a public nuisance which is specially injurious to him by removing, or, if necessary, destroying the thing which constitutes the same, without committing a breach of the peace, or doing unnecessary injury.
(Enacted 1872.)
In any of the following described cases, the court may award costs, including the costs of investigation and discovery, and reasonable attorney’s fees, which are not compensated for pursuant to some other provision of law, to the prevailing party:
(a) In any case in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin the sale, distribution, or public exhibition, for commercial consideration, of obscene matter, as defined in Section 311 of the Penal Code.
(b) In any case in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin the use of a building or place for the purpose of illegal gambling, lewdness, assignation, human trafficking, or prostitution; or any case in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin acts of illegal gambling, lewdness, assignation, human trafficking, or prostitution in or upon a building or place, as authorized in Article 2 (commencing with Section 11225) of Chapter 3 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code.
(c) In any case in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin the use of a building or place, or seeks to enjoin in or upon any building or place the unlawful sale, manufacture, service, storage, or keeping or giving away of any controlled substance, as authorized in Article 3 (commencing with Section 11570) of Chapter 10 of Division 10 of the Health and Safety Code.
(d) In any case in which a governmental agency seeks to enjoin the unlawful sale, service, storage, or keeping or giving away of alcoholic liquor, as authorized in Article 1 (commencing with Section 11200) of Chapter 3 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 254, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2013.)