Hernandez v. Town of Apple Valley (2013)

Reason for Suing: Mr. Hernandez sued the Town of Apple Valley because it agreed to put a Walmart Supercenter proposal on the ballot for voter approval after Walmart secretly offered to pay the Town’s election costs, in violation of California’s open-meeting law: the Ralph M. Brown Act.  Even though the voters approved the proposal, the judge invalidated the results because the decision to put the proposal on the ballot was illegal.

Outcome: Mr. Hernandez won on the Brown Act issue in the trial court and in the appellate court.

Documents: Superior Court Complaint; Superior Court Judgment; Court of Appeal Opinion.