Opinion ID: 454747
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Security for the Injunction

Text: 16 TSR argues that the district court erroneously failed to require either of the plaintiffs to post a bond as security for damages that the lakefront property owners might suffer as a result of a wrongful injunction. Rule 65(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure generally requires an applicant for a preliminary injunction to post security in such sum as the court deems proper. 17 The district court did not err in refusing to apply the bond requirement to the State of California. The Compact provides: 18 The security required for the issuance of a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction based upon an alleged violation of this compact or any ordinance, plan, rule or regulation adopted pursuant thereto is governed by the rule or statute applicable to the court in which the action is brought, unless the action is brought by a public agency or political subdivision to enforce its own rules, regulations and ordinances in which case no security shall be required. 19 Article VI(j)(7) (emphasis added). The Attorney General of the State of California, acting on behalf of the people of California, is necessarily a public agency within the meaning of the Compact. He has sued to enforce the Compact itself. Since the Compact has been enacted as the law of California, Cal.Gov.Code Secs. 66800 et seq., the action fits within the statutory exception to the general injunction bond requirement. 20 The district court also properly exercised its discretion to allow the League to Save Lake Tahoe to proceed without posting a bond. The court has discretion to dispense with the security requirement, or to request mere nominal security, where requiring security would effectively deny access to judicial review. See Natural Resources Defense Council v. Morton, 337 F.Supp. 167 (D.C.D.C.1971); cf. Friends of the Earth v. Brinegar, 518 F.2d 322, 323 (9th Cir.1975) (injunction pending appeal). The League, a non-profit environmental group, indicates that it is unable to post a substantial bond. Moreover, special precautions to ensure access to the courts must be taken where Congress has provided for private enforcement of a statute. See Friends of the Earth, 518 F.2d at 323; (National Environmental Policy Act); Natural Resources Defense Council, 337 F.Supp. at 168-69 (same). The Tahoe Compact specifically provides for private enforcement. Article VI(j)(3). Finally, the likelihood of success on the merits, as found by the district court, tips in favor of a minimal bond or no bond at all. Friends of the Earth, 518 F.2d at 323.