In 2025, the California Coastal Commission imposed an astronomical $2.4 million in fines on John Levy, alleging that he is blocking access to public areas and ordering him to tear down structures on his Carlsbad property, including a gate that the City approved years prior.
The Commission is a government agency charged with regulating land and water use along the California coast. However, the agency doesn’t just investigate alleged violations of its regulations. It also prosecutes the property owners it accuses of violations, adjudicates these cases in-house, and takes in the fines it imposes as revenue for the agency’s director to use as he sees fit.
Mr. Levy argues that this method of operation makes the California Coastal Commission prosecutor, judge, and beneficiary—in violation of Americans’ Fourteenth Amendment rights. In a lawsuit filed November 19, 2025, he sued the Commission for imposing fines without providing him with a jury trial or other procedural protections during its investigation.
Americans have a right to due process before being hit with punitive fines. Furthermore, before the government seeks to impose ruinous financial penalties, it must provide substantial procedural safeguards to prevent wrongful deprivations.
Pacific Legal Foundation represents Mr. Levy at no cost in his challenge to defend Californians’ property rights and due process rights.
What’s At Stake?
- Americans have a right to due process before punitive fines are imposed.
- Before the government imposes ruinous financial penalties, it must first provide substantial procedural protections to guard against wrongful deprivations.
