Lassen County Superior Court Judge Mark Nareau ruled on two items in favor of the City of Susanville Monday, denying a change of venue motion and granting a preliminary injunction in the case of City of Susanville v. California Department Of Corrections and Rehabilitation, et.al.
Ruling 1: Change of Venue: The State of California petitioned for a change of venue to Sacramento County or a neutral county. The court ruled that the appropriate venue for the hearing is the county in which the “shaft strikes not where it is drawn.” Meaning the county where the effects of the decision to close California Correctional Center are felt, not the county where the decision was made. The ruling is that the proceeding is to stay in Lassen County.
Ruling 2: Preliminary Injunction: The court granted the preliminary injunction, prohibiting the State from any further effort to close the California Correctional Center. The preliminary injunction will remain in place until the case has been concluded.
“Both rulings are a win for the residents of Lassen County,” said Susanville City Administrator Dan Newton in a statement Thursday.
“Our economy is highly dependent on the CCC as a major employer in our region, inmate fire fighters are trained here to staff northern fire camps and employees at CCC are an integral part of our small community. The decision to close CCC is the wrong decision for California.”
Future court dates have not yet been scheduled.
