Lake Forest - A Superior Court judge on Friday said he would decide next week whether medical marijuana collectives still operating in the city could be permanently closed.
Judge David Chaffee listened to three attorneys representing three collectives on Raymond Way argue their points on why the collectives – Evergreen Holistic, Lake Forest Patient Collective and the Independent Collective of Orange County – should remain open.
The attorneys argued that the city of Lake Forest is interfering with a right given to them under the state medical marijuana law.
Jeffrey Dunn representing the city's side explained how the medical marijuana collectives violate city municipal code.
Judge Chaffee listened for nearly an hour and then said he would issue his decision next week.
At the same time Howard Nassiri, an attorney for the Lake Forest Wellness Center and Collective filed a cross-complaint Thursday against the city of Lake Forest.
The complaint is for various legal claims, among them equal protection and due process violations as the cities efforts to shut the dispensaries down raise various constitutional law issue.
In September, Lake Forest sued 35 people in the city, including medical marijuana dispensary owners and retail landowners who rented space to them. Since then, some of the collectives have shut down, including one that was raided by the Orange County Sheriff's Department. The city is involved in several lawsuits targeting clusters of marijuana collectives based on their locations and ownership.
Eleven dispensaries still operate in the city, including one that opened in January. Ten have shut down after being sued by the city, or in some cases, under pressure from their landlords.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Orange County Register
Author: ERIKA I. RITCHIE
Contact: Orange County Register
Copyright: 2010 Orange County Register Communications
Website: Judge to issue pot dispensary ruling next week
Judge David Chaffee listened to three attorneys representing three collectives on Raymond Way argue their points on why the collectives – Evergreen Holistic, Lake Forest Patient Collective and the Independent Collective of Orange County – should remain open.
The attorneys argued that the city of Lake Forest is interfering with a right given to them under the state medical marijuana law.
Jeffrey Dunn representing the city's side explained how the medical marijuana collectives violate city municipal code.
Judge Chaffee listened for nearly an hour and then said he would issue his decision next week.
At the same time Howard Nassiri, an attorney for the Lake Forest Wellness Center and Collective filed a cross-complaint Thursday against the city of Lake Forest.
The complaint is for various legal claims, among them equal protection and due process violations as the cities efforts to shut the dispensaries down raise various constitutional law issue.
In September, Lake Forest sued 35 people in the city, including medical marijuana dispensary owners and retail landowners who rented space to them. Since then, some of the collectives have shut down, including one that was raided by the Orange County Sheriff's Department. The city is involved in several lawsuits targeting clusters of marijuana collectives based on their locations and ownership.
Eleven dispensaries still operate in the city, including one that opened in January. Ten have shut down after being sued by the city, or in some cases, under pressure from their landlords.
NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Orange County Register
Author: ERIKA I. RITCHIE
Contact: Orange County Register
Copyright: 2010 Orange County Register Communications
Website: Judge to issue pot dispensary ruling next week
