California Civil Code

§ 52.5

CIV § 52.5 Effective Jan 1, 2024Div. 1 · Part 2

Statute text

(a)A victim of human trafficking, as defined in Section 236.1 of the Penal Code, may bring a civil action for actual damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, injunctive relief, any combination of those, or any other appropriate relief. A prevailing plaintiff may also be awarded attorney’s fees and costs.

(b)In addition to the remedies specified in this section, in an action under subdivision (a), both of the following apply:

(1)A plaintiff may be awarded up to three times the plaintiff’s actual damages or ten thousand dollars ($10,000), whichever is greater. In addition, punitive damages may be awarded upon proof of the defendant’s malice, oppression, fraud, or duress in committing the act of human trafficking.

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Legislative history

Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 632, Sec. 1. (SB 727) Effective January 1, 2024.