Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_20-cv-01306/USCOURTS-caed-2_20-cv-01306-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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PERMANENT INJUNCTION 

(2:20-CV-01306-KJM-KJN) 

INSTITUTE FOR JUSTICE

Jeffrey Rowes (admitted pro hac vice) 

816 Congress Ave., Suite 960 

Austin, TX 78701 

(512) 480-5936 

jrowes@ij.org 

Benjamin A. Field (admitted pro hac vice) 

901 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 900 

Arlington, VA 22203 

(703) 682-9320 

bfield@ij.org 

PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW PITTMAN LLP

Thomas V. Loran III (CA Bar No. 95255) 

Four Embarcadero Center, 22nd Floor 

San Francisco, CA 94111 

(415) 983-1865 

thomas.loran@pillsburylaw.com 

Derek M. Mayor (CA Bar No. 307171) 

500 Capitol Mall, Suite 1800 

Sacramento, CA 95814 

(916) 329-4703 

derek.mayor@pillsburylaw.com 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs Full Circle of Living 

and Dying; Bonnie “Akhila” Murphy; Donna 

Peizer; Pamela Yazell; Kay Hogan; Janaia 

Donaldson; and Robin Mallgren 

ROB BONTA

Attorney General of California 

DIANN SOKOLOFF, State Bar No. 161082 

Supervising Deputy Attorney General 

JULIANNE MOSSLER, State Bar No. 249743 

Deputy Attorney General 

1515 Clay Street, 20th Floor 

P.O. Box 70550 

Oakland, CA 94612-0550 

Telephone: (510) 879-1349 

Fax: (510) 622-2270 

E-mail: Julianne.Mossler@doj.ca.gov 

Attorneys for Defendants Gina Sanchez, 

Kimberly Kirchmeyer, and Lourdes Castro 

Ramirez

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

FULL CIRCLE OF LIVING AND 

DYING, et al., 

Plaintiffs, v. 

GINA SANCHEZ in her official capacity as 

Bureau Chief of the Cemetery and Funeral 

Bureau, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:20-cv-01306-KJM-KJN 

PERMANENT INJUNCTION 

Case 2:20-cv-01306-KJM-KJN Document 65 Filed 02/13/23 Page 1 of 4
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 -2- 

PERMANENT INJUNCTION 

(2:20-CV-01306-KJM-KJN) 

 On January 24, 2023, the court entered an order on the parties’ cross-motions for summary 

judgment. ECF No. 63. The order left open the question of whether the Cemetery and Funeral 

Bureau can cite Full Circle’s doulas for acting as unlicensed funeral directors when they provide 

“hands-on” services. ECF No. 63 at 29:15-17, 31:28-32:2. That order directed the parties to meet 

and confer and then file a “joint proposed formal permanent injunction order” consistent with the 

court’s summary-judgment ruling. Id. at 41. The parties filed their joint proposed permanent 

injunction on February 7, 2023. ECF No. 64. In accordance with the Summary-Judgment Order 

and the parties’ proposed permanent injunction, the court hereby orders defendants Gina Sanchez, 

Kimberly Kirchmeyer and Castro Ramirez, in their official capacities, and all persons acting in 

concert with them, are permanently enjoined from enforcing the Cemetery and Funeral Act, Cal. 

Bus. & Prof. Code, Div. 3, Ch. 12, and Cal. Code. Regs. Title 16, § 1246, against plaintiffs as 

follows: 

1. On the grounds that plaintiff Full Circle is acting as an unlicensed funeral establishment 

by moving, washing, bathing, dressing, shrouding, or repositioning human remains, or 

by procuring and placing cooling mechanisms around human remains. 

2. On the grounds that Business and Professions Code section 7619.3 requires Full Circle’s 

doulas, or plaintiffs Bonnie Murphy or Donna Peizer, to be employed by, or operate as 

sole proprietors of, a licensed funeral establishment to move, wash, bathe, dress, shroud, 

or reposition human remains, or to procure or place cooling mechanisms around human 

remains. This provision is not intended to enjoin the Bureau from citing plaintiffs for 

acting as unlicensed funeral directors by providing hands-on services, as that issue was 

not resolved by the Summary-Judgment Order. 

3. On the grounds that plaintiffs Full Circle, Murphy, Peizer or other Full Circle doulas are 

providing free guidance or advice without a funeral establishment license or a funeral 

director license. 

Case 2:20-cv-01306-KJM-KJN Document 65 Filed 02/13/23 Page 2 of 4
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PERMANENT INJUNCTION

(2:20-CV-01306-KJM-KJN) 

4. On the grounds that plaintiffs Full Circle, Murphy, Peizer or other Full Circle doulas are 

advertising, speaking about, or directing the movement, washing, bathing, dressing, 

shrouding, or repositioning of human remains, or procuring and placing cooling 

mechanisms around human remains, without a funeral establishment license. 

5. On the grounds that Business and Professions Code section 7619.3 requires plaintiffs 

Murphy and Peizer, or Full Circle’s doulas to be employed by, or operate as sole 

proprietors of, a licensed funeral establishment to advertise, speak about, or direct the 

movement, washing, bathing, dressing, shrouding, or repositioning of human remains, 

or procuring or placing cooling mechanisms around human remains. This provision is 

not intended to enjoin the Bureau from citing plaintiffs for acting as unlicensed funeral 

directors by providing hands-on services, as that issue was not resolved by the 

Summary-Judgment Order. 

6. On the grounds that plaintiffs Full Circle, Murphy, Peizer or other Full Circle doulas are 

selling or advertising individualized end-of-life plans that do not constitute a contract 

for preneed funeral arrangements pursuant to Business and Professions Code section 

7735 without funeral establishment or funeral director licenses. 

7. On the grounds that plaintiffs Full Circle, Murphy, Peizer or other Full Circle doulas are 

selling or advertising educational events about end-of-life planning without funeral 

establishment or funeral director licenses. 

8. On the grounds that plaintiffs Full Circle, Murphy, Peizer or other Full Circle doulas are 

using language on the Full Circle website relating to caskets, but not casketing, without 

funeral establishment or funeral director licenses. 

9. On the grounds that plaintiffs Full Circle, Murphy, Peizer or other Full Circle doulas are 

advertising using the revised language identified in ECF No. 63 section II.F.2.e without 

funeral establishment or funeral director licenses. 

10. On the grounds that plaintiffs Full Circle, Murphy, Peizer or other Full Circle doulas are 

using the term “home funeral guide” without funeral establishment or funeral director 

licenses. 

Case 2:20-cv-01306-KJM-KJN Document 65 Filed 02/13/23 Page 3 of 4
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PERMANENT INJUNCTION

(2:20-CV-01306-KJM-KJN) 

11. On the grounds that plaintiffs Full Circle, Murphy, Peizer or other Full Circle doulas are 

using disclaimers on the Full Circle website indicating that Full Circle is not a licensed 

funeral establishment without funeral establishment or funeral director licenses. 

This court shall retain jurisdiction to enforce this Permanent Injunction. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: February 10, 2023. 

Case 2:20-cv-01306-KJM-KJN Document 65 Filed 02/13/23 Page 4 of 4