WT Wins: David A. Diepenbrock Instrumental In Helping Client Secure $58.5 Million Settlement
Published: November 22, 2023
On October 4, 2023, Sacramento County settled a long-running civil rights lawsuit brought by Hardesty Sand & Gravel for $58.5 million. The landmark settlement falls on the heels of a $20 million settlement in a related suit brought by the owners of the ranch where Hardesty Sand & Gravel had mined for decades until Sacramento County unlawfully ordered Hardesty to shutter the mining operation.
The settlement was reached just days before a jury was scheduled to be selected to decide the damages Hardesty incurred as a result of being illegally ordered to shut down. A prior jury verdict finding the County liable for violating Hardesty’s civil rights was affirmed on appeal, but the damages verdict was reversed by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which remanded the case for a new trial on damages.
Weintraub shareholder and litigator David A. Diepenbrock played a pivotal role in developing the damages case for the new damages-only trial that led to the $58,500,000 settlement.