CalCoastNews Contributor

Stew Jenkins

Stew Jenkins has practiced law in San Luis Obispo County since 1978. His recent civil rights cases include SLO Homeless Alliance v. City of San Luis Obispo (enjoined enforcement of “no sleeping in vehicles” ordinance against poor people), Torres v. Brennler (Anti-SLAPP motion throwing out law suit designed to impair press freedom), and Barta v. Secretary of State Debra Bowen (holding unconstitutional Elections Code statutes requiring a loyalty oath to join a political party committee). Jenkins’ practice includes municipal law, tax payer suits, estate planning and family law, and he was recently elected chair of the San Luis Obispo County Chapter of the ACLU.
Stew is a former secretary and vice-chair of the San Luis Obispo County Democratic Central Committee who successfully defended the SLO Democratic Party to establish political party rights in Wilson v. San Luis Obispo County Democratic Central Committee (2009) 175 Cal.App.4th 489; Review Denied Cal. Supreme Court; Review Denied U.S. Supreme Court; and was the Democratic Nominee for State Assembly in 2004.

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Judicial elections shape the Grand Jury

On Valentine’s Day, readers found out how important voting to tearing down financial barriers against people accessing justice is in San Luis Obispo County this year. When I started practicing law here, in 1978, strong judges with strong personalities and sturdy principles sat on local courts. Most of them understood that judges have responsibility to […]... (Continue Reading)

Court provides tools to thwart a run-away city council

OPINION of STEW JENKINS The day after the San Luis Obispo City Council gave Broad and Chorro Street residents the middle finger replacing their parking and auto access with a “bicycle boulevard,” the First District Court of Appeal gave voters new tools to check a run-away, unrepresentative city council. Voters are already putting together a […]... (Continue Reading)

Depression is not an excuse for deception

OPINION by STEW JENKINS On Feb. 10, the Tribune ran San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Adam Hill’s letter touting depression as his excuse for misbehavior. Depression and deception both start with the letter “D,” Mr. Hill, but depressed people are not compelled to deceive. On the other hand, it should depress you that your chronic […]... (Continue Reading)

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SLO County Court fees give injustice free reign

OPINION by STEW JENKINS Twenty-eight of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence were lawyers. San Luis Obispo County’s Superior Court Judges have finally answered a question I’ve long pondered. Why were so many lawyers the driving force behind the American Revolution? John and Samuel Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Richard Henry […]... (Continue Reading)

Women’s march inspires action,so let’s get to work

OPINION by STEW JENKINS Like so many local men, I participated in the Women’s March in San Luis Obispo on Jan. 21 the day after our new president belted out the most caustic inaugural speech in living memory. The gathering of between seven and nine thousand, overflowing onto streets boarding Mitchell Park in San Luis […]... (Continue Reading)

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Hill holding back local Democratic Party progress

OPINION by STEW JENKINS Editor’s note: A column by Democrat Stew Jenkins will run in CalCoastNews every other Thursday, rotating with a column by Republican Mike Brown. One of the local Democratic Party officeholders who has generated the most consistent respect is Leon Panetta. You might hold a different view on policy or law, but […]... (Continue Reading)

The Democratic Party’s way forward is representing the homefolk

OPINION by STEW JENKINS Editor’s note: A column by Democrat Stew Jenkins will run in CalCoastNews every other Thursday, rotating with a column by Republican Mike Brown. “I’m a gun tot’n, Christian Democrat,” said the red white and blue bumper sticker handed me by the tall smiling rugged Democratic Party delegate in his 10 gallon […]... (Continue Reading)

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SLO County Democrats: mastering the road ahead

OPINION by STEW JENKINS Editor’s note: A column by Democrat Stew Jenkins will run in CalCoastNews every other Thursday, rotating with a column by Republican Mike Brown. Shock! Democrats are tired of focusing on the reaction for San Luis Obispo County Democrats to the Nov. 8 election. Five weeks out, it is time to stop […]... (Continue Reading)

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Appellate court nixes Sprint’s suit against SLO County

By STEW JENKINS A California Court of Appeal ruled Thursday that Sprint Telephone companies cannot sue for reimbursement of $9 million in taxes on property that had been over assessed in 50 California counties including San Luis Obispo County, because Sprint failed to check a box on a State Board of Equalization assessment appeals form […]... (Continue Reading)

Harley-Davidson thumps California’s Franchise Tax Board

By STEW JENKINS A California appeals court ruled last week, in a lawsuit brought by the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company against the California Franchise Tax Board, that part of California’s statutory income tax scheme is unconstitutional because it discriminates against out of state businesses, such as Harley-Davidson. The ruling forbids California’s tax policy from discriminating against […]... (Continue Reading)