On March 19, the California Supreme Court upheld the state’s legalization of cannabis by de-publishing a previous ruling that stated cannabis was illegal in California due to its status at the federal level. This decision came from a lawsuit brought by Lompoc property owner Janna Caron Crandall of JCCrandall LLC, who contested the County of Santa Barbara’s approval for cannabis transportation on an easement road that passes through her property.
Although both Crandall and Santa Barbara County are still bound by the earlier ruling, its de-publishing means it cannot be used as legal precedent in future cases. The original lawsuit was filed in 2021 after the county issued a conditional-use permit to Santa Rita Holdings, which had leased land adjacent to Crandall’s property to grow and transport cannabis.
Crandall argued that the easement, established in 1998, prohibited the use of the road for federally illegal activities, asserting that the county acted unlawfully by granting the permit to Santa Rita. In 2023, Judge Jed Beebe of the Santa Barbara Superior Court ruled against Crandall’s claims, leading her attorney, Ernest Guadiana, to appeal the decision in the District Court of Appeals in Ventura.
In October 2024, the appellate court reversed Beebe’s ruling. Judge Arthur Gilbert stated that “cannabis cultivation and transportation are illegal in California as long as it remains illegal under federal law,” referencing the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. He declared that the easement did not extend to illegal cannabis transport. Following this, Santa Rita’s permit was rescinded, and Gilbert’s opinion was poised to set a new legal precedent.
Santa Barbara County appealed this decision to the California Supreme Court in February 2025. The state’s Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) intervened, requesting the de-publishing of the appellate decision. While the Supreme Court declined to review the county’s request, it did agree to de-publish the appellate decision. As a result, although Santa Rita’s permit remains void, other attorneys cannot reference Judge Gilbert’s opinion as precedent.
In summary, cannabis continues to be legal in California. DCC Director Nicole Elliot expressed satisfaction that the Supreme Court addressed the appellate decision, highlighting support for California law and its legal cannabis industry.
