Monster Energy Litigation
City Attorney Dennis Herrera is locked in litigation with Monster Beverage Corporation over the company's alleged violatations of California law for marketing highly-caffeinated energy drinks to children as young as six-years-old, despite scientific findings that such products may cause "significant morbidity in adolescents" from elevated blood pressure, brain seizures, and severe cardiac events. Said Herrera: "Monster Energy is unique among energy drink makers for the extent to which it targets children and youth in its marketing, despite the known risks its products pose to young people's health and safety."
Investigation into Nevada's "Patience Dumping" Practice
City Attorney Dennis Herrera launched a formal investigation into allegations that the State of Nevada was extensively involved in "patient dumping" -- busing hundreds of indigent people who suffer from mental health afflictions to out-of-state locations, including San Francisco, "with inadequate provisions of food and medication, and without prior arrangements for their care, housing or medical treatment upon arrival."
Prop 8 Litigation/Marriage Equality
San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera has been at the forefront of the legal battle for marriage equality in California. His office was the first government entity in American history ever to sue to invalidate discriminatory marriage laws, and it is the only law office to be involved as a party in every aspect of the legal fight since 2004 -- from defending Mayor Newsom's issuance of same-sex marriage licenses; to successfully suing to strike down the anti-gay marriage exclusion in the state courts; to challenging the discriminatory Proposition 8 in the California Supreme Court, and now as co-plaintiff in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Gang Injunction Cases
In an effort to protect public safety in some of San Francisco's most violence-plagued neighborhoods, the City Attorney has obtained civil injunctions against five notorious criminal street gangs: Western Addition-based Eddy Rock, Chopper City and Knock Out Posse gangs; the Mission-based Norteño gang; Bayview/Hunter's Point-based Oakland Mob; and Visitacion Valley based Down Below Gangsters and Towerside gangs.
Healthy San Francisco Case
The City Attorney continues to lead the City's legal defense of the groundbreaking "Healthy San Francisco" universal health care program after prevailing in the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Opponents are continuing their legal challenge to the validity of the employer spending requirement -- a key element of the program.
National Arbitration Forum Case
City Attorney Herrera is pursuing a major case to protect credit card consumers against so-called "arbitration mills," which purport to impartially resolve disputes over credit card debt, but that in reality almost always rule on behalf of credit card companies. The case was also instrumental in stopping collection agents from publishing consumers' private information -- including Social Security numbers -- in public court filings.
Skyline Realty, CitiApartments
City Attorney Herrera filed suit against Skyline Realty, CitiApartments and a complex web of subsidiary limited liability companies for an egregious pattern of illegal business practices -- including retaliation and intimidation tactics against tenants.
Tenant Rights in the Foreclosure Crisis
The City Attorney's Office and the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection have taken steps to protect tentants from utility shutoffs in the event their landlords face foreclosure on their buildings.
