Legal Issues

The SEC has filed charges against six people for allegedly defrauding more than 400 investors out of $25 million; the scheme supposedly took place between September 2017 and February 2019.

An additional 350 Missouri cannabis patients have been identified as having received fake physician certifications for the state’s medical cannabis program; the scheme has affected about 1,000 patients, so far.

Dan Bilzerian, CEO of Ignite International Brands Ltd, is being sued by the company’s former executive vice president who claims he was fired after blowing the whistle on irresponsible spending.

Brian Lannon, the co-founder and former CEO for Cannalysis, a California testing lab, has filed suit against the company over allegations of wrongful termination, fraudulent activities, and more.

The FTC has filed a rare lawsuit against CBD company Whole Leaf Organics over unfounded treatment claims made by the company.

Florida MCBD is suing New York-based Columbia Care claiming a pattern of wrongful interference as Columbia worked to secure a Florida cannabis business license.

Harborside in California is continuing its challenge of the federal tax code 280E, which the company’s legal team says is unconstitutional and runs afoul of the 16th Amendment.

The Maine Cannabis Coalition is suing the state over its recent decision to remove residency requirements for cannabis licensees.

Arkansas-based Harvest Cannabis Dispensary has won a preliminary injunction in its trademark dispute against Natural State Enterprises, a multi-state cannabis operator.

A RICO case brought by an Oregon homeowner against more than 80 cannabis companies has been dismissed at the plaintiff’s request.

Lawsuits tied to a 2018 crackdown on Tennessee CBD retailers can move forward after a court rejected a request by law enforcement officials to have the case thrown out.

The Nevada Bar warned in 2017 that attorneys working with cannabis companies could face discipline but, three years later, no disciplinary actions have been taken against lawyers who advise and invest in the cannabis space.

A hemp delivery driver from Colorado was indicted in South Dakota on charges of cannabis possession and intent to distribute; the driver faces a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years if convicted.

A judge in Hanover County, Virginia has tossed a cannabis possession charge after a laboratory supervisor claimed in court that their lab could not differentiate between illegal cannabis and legal hemp CBD flower.

Colorado cannabis company Ebbu has been accused of violating Colorado investment laws by failing to properly disclose investor identities in its early fundraising rounds.

A class-action lawsuit against Sundial Growers Inc. in Canada claims the company’s U.S. stock prices were affected by an unreported incident where $1.9 million worth of cannabis was returned to the company due to poor quality.

Jonathan Menkes is a California-based trademark attorney with Knobbe Martens.

A truck driver delivering 300 pounds of hemp from a Colorado company to Minnesota was arrested in South Dakota and charged with marijuana possession with intent to distribute.

A Pennsylvania judge has ruled that cannabis odor alone does not justify a vehicle search if the driver has presented a medical cannabis card.

Woodstock Ventures, the founding entity behind the Woodstock music festival, can move forward with a planned cannabis brand after a court ruled their trademark was not blocked by Woodstock Roots LLC, an unaffiliated company.

Sister Kate is the founder of Sisters of the Valley, a collection of self-described cannabis nuns who grow CBD-rich cannabis in California.

A Humboldt County church that uses cannabis as a sacrament is suing the state after being raided by law enforcement. During the raid, police seized property and destroyed cannabis plants that were inside of a greenhouse.

Farmer Luis Hummel, who is in the process of suing the state because his license was revoked “without due process,” has been charged with two felonies and one gross misdemeanor after seized crops tested 10 times higher for THC than the federal limits.

Cannabis possession convictions have been overturned for five prisoners by a California Court of Appeals. The ruling effectively legalizes cannabis possession for inmates, though consumption while incarcerated remains a felony.