Division of Public Rights

The mission of the Division of Public Rights is to safeguard the state’s environment, lands, and natural resources; maintain competitive markets; prevent fraudulent business practices; protect consumers; monitor Indian and Gaming practices; preserve charitable assets, and protect the civil rights of all Californians. Our Division is organized into the following ten sections:

Antitrust enforces state and federal antitrust laws, including challenges to anticompetitive corporate mergers and acquisitions.

Charitable Trusts has jurisdiction over charitable organizations, trustees, and fundraising professionals operating in California.

Civil Rights Enforcement protects and promotes the civil rights of all people in California in a broad array of subject areas, including civil liberties, children's rights, constitutional policing, immigrant rights, and workers’ rights.

Consumer Protection enforces laws that protect Californians against unlawful, unfair and deceptive trade practices, false advertising, and privacy violations.

Corporate Fraud investigates and prosecutes cases involving energy, securities and commodities fraud, and fraud and other financial wrongdoing perpetrated against the state. It brings complex prosecutions under a wide range of statutes, including the Unfair Competition Law, the California False Claims Act, and Corporate Securities and Commodities Laws.

Environment enforces state and federal environmental laws affecting California’s natural resources, its communities and public health.

Healthcare Rights and Access safeguards and promotes the public’s right to equitable, affordable, quality healthcare, including defending women’s reproductive rights, preventing anticompetitive or unfair business activities, and protecting patient privacy rights.

Indian and Gaming Law consults with, advises, and represents the Governor and the State in connection with tribal-state compact negotiations and litigation. It advises and represents the Department of Justice Bureau of Gambling Control and the Gambling Control Commission in administrative and judicial proceedings and other state agencies on Indian law issues.

Land Use and Conservation Section handles litigation involving lands owned and administered by the state, advises and handles litigation for agencies that regulate natural resources, and advises and handles litigation for land conservancies.

Natural Resources represents state agencies responsible for enforcing and administering laws and programs that protect California’s environment and natural resources.

Tobacco Litigation and Enforcement protects the public health and safety of all Californians, especially children, from the devastating effects of tobacco use; enforces the Master Settlement Agreement and tobacco-related laws; monitors tobacco industry practices; and promotes other tobacco control measures.

Worker Rights and Fair Labor defends California workers and legitimate competition in the State by investigating and prosecuting employers and others who violate minimum labor standards, endanger workplace health and safety, or otherwise subject workers to unlawful working conditions. The unit targets and seeks to remedy systemic unlawful business practices to improve the lives of working Californians and their families.