Croplife Amicus Curiae Letter: Attorneys' Fees Liability
Published Friday, August 7, 2026
On June 15, the California Farm Bureau legal team submitted an amicus curiae, or “friend of the court,” letter to the California Supreme Court supporting Croplife in its case to reduce the risk of incurring attorney fees when nonprofits intervene in public law litigation. This was following the case brought by Raptors Are the Solution, which sued the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, and after the verdict, in which Raptors were awarded attorney fees. Croplife was then held jointly liable for attorney fees, contrary to established precedent governing similar organizations. Croplife appealed. This case exposes the California Farm Bureau to financial liability for attorney fees, which can run anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars, against actions for which the organization is not the responsible party. The amicus curiae letter supports Croplife by stating that nonprofits should not be held to the same exposure of attorney fees as a direct interest party. This is to ensure nonprofits such as the California Farm Bureau can continue to advocate on behalf of its members' interests in litigation. The letter was accepted by the California Supreme Court on June 16. Unfortunately, the California Supreme Court denied the petition for review of the case on July 22.
Staff contact: Sarah Kiser, skiser@cfbf.com.
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