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.
The "Continue Reading" links open in a new window or tab.
SLO County Jail procedures deemed unconstitutional
By STEW JENKINS California’s 3rd District Court of Appeal recently upheld a ruling barring a county jail from requiring glass partitions between inmates and lawyers, a more than 40 year practice of the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department. In 2013, following the lead of San Luis Obispo County, the Sheriff of Nevada County, California […]... (Continue Reading)
Hill’s support base dwindling
OPINION By STEW JENKINS The San Luis Obispo Tribune thankfully evolved into a Liberal Newspaper after McClatchy purchased it from Knight-Ridder. Liberal or conservative, it is difficult to accept the editorial board republishing in its Feb. 6 editorial the political spin supporting New Jersey style pay-to-play Supervisor Adam Hill – who masquerades as a Liberal. […]... (Continue Reading)
California Supreme Court rules voter initiatives exempt from CEQA
By STEW JENKINS and KAREN VELIE The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that land use planning by voter qualified initiative is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); even if a city council adopts the voter initiative to avoid holding a special election. Thursday’s ruling could impact the development of properties, such as the […]... (Continue Reading)
Has the Supreme Court already held SLO City’s Low Campaign Contribution Limits Unconstitutional?
OPINION By STEW JENKINS In 1974, the City of San Luis Obispo limited campaign contribution for mayor and council candidates to $100. This is equivalent to $465 in today’s dollars, but the limit has only been raised once: now at $200. Anyone following the U.S. Supreme Court knows that Citizen’s United has unleashed independent “Super-Pacs” […]... (Continue Reading)
Welcome in Obama Care
OPINION By STEW JENKINS For fear mongers who have tried selling doubt, facts already show that the Affordable Care Act is bringing down health insurance costs making coverage available to everyone. Passed by Congress and upheld by the United States Supreme Court, the law ended insurance company abilities to exclude for cancer and chronic diseases; […]... (Continue Reading)
Supervisors consider ordinance to jail their opponents
OPINION By STEW JENKINS Besides the obvious lack of wisdom inherent in criminalizing someone performing an emergency landing of their airplane or hot air balloon on county owned vacant land, if enacted the ordinance being considered by the Board of Supervisors as their first order of business Tuesday July 24th would infringe basic California Constitutional […]... (Continue Reading)
Why redistricting Plan B-2 is not optimal
OPINION By STEW JENKINS The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors’ 2011 redistricting plan is in line to pass Tuesday, September 20. Redistricting is one of those thankless tasks that tends to generate more enemies than friends. But neither the Board of Supervisors nor any other representative body seems to be able to approach […]... (Continue Reading)
San Luis Obispo County Supervisors’ redistricting fiasco
OPINION By STEW JENKINS Media coverage of the Board of Supervisors re-drawing their own election districts for the coming decade has missed the crucial defect in the process. Templeton is right to complain that its division deprives that community of the ability to influence any Supervisor. But this pales in comparison to the way the […]... (Continue Reading)
