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City Attorney Memoranda of Law

What is a Memorandum of Law?

A City Attorney Memorandum of Law is a response to a request typically posed by the Mayor, City Council (jointly or separately), any full commission, board, committee, or agency (whether or not Charter based), through that entity's executive director or City liaison, or Department Director, which narrowly applies the interpretation of the current law to a particular problem or situation.

These documents do not contain any referenced attachments or enclosures. Printed copies of all City Attorney Memorandum of Law are available for viewing at the City Clerk's Office, 202 "C" Street, Second Floor, San Diego, CA. Questions about particular Legal Opinions should be directed to:

Law Librarian
Office of the City Attorney
1200 Third Avenue, Ste. 1100
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 533-5800

Memorandums from January 1986 through present are available.

Find a Memorandum of Law:


Memoranda of Law by Year

Official City Documents

Date Doc Num
07/17/1986 MS-86-16 Downtown Sidewalk Ordinance
05/13/1986 MS-86-14 Beach Curfew in La Jolla
07/28/1986 MS-86-13 Revision of Memorandum of Law Regarding Investigation Procedure dated June 23, 1986
07/31/1986 MS-86-12 Use of Federally Seized and Forfeited Asset Proceeds
11/28/1986 MS-86-11 Campaign Contributions
11/20/1986 MS-86-10 New Post Office for Skyline/Encanto Community
02/12/1986 MS-86-1 Playground Equipment - PSD Funds
12/17/1985 MS-85-8 Noticing Requirements for Zoning Administrator Actions
12/26/1985 MS-85-7 Waiver of Park Fees for Building Permits to Reconstruct Building Destroyed by Fire or Other Calamity
12/02/1985 MS-85-6 Figi Giftware Company - Property Conveyance and Construction without Benefit of a Parcel or Subdivision Map
02/08/2024 MS-2024-1 First Amendment Protection of Expressive Merchandise and Performances in Public Spaces in San Diego
10/04/2023 MS-2023-9 Rules Committee Meeting on October 4, 2023
09/20/2023 MS-2023-8 Replacing the Elected City Attorney with a City Council-Appointed Attorney
07/26/2023 MS-2023-7 Invited Guest Presentations at San Diego City Council and Council Committee Meetings
08/01/2023 MS-2023-6 Ballot Measure Proposal to Amend the San Diego Charter to: (1) Replace the Elected City Attorney with Municipal Counsel Appointed by the City Council; and (2) Elect a City Prosecutor to Prosecute Misdemeanors and San Diego Municipal Code Violations
06/01/2023 MS-2023-5 Legal Issues Related to the Proposed Agreement to Allow the Operation of Digital Wayfinding Kiosks with Advertising Signs in the Right-of-Way
05/30/2023 MS-2023-4 Legal Analysis of the Proposed Unsafe Camping Ordinance
05/09/2023 MS-2023-3 Potential Cancellation of the Mills Act Agreement for the Andrew Cassidy Home (Historical Site Number 283)
12/21/2023 MS-2023-13 Legal Update: New Teleconference Amendments to the Ralph M. Brown Act
12/15/2023 MS-2023-12 Request to Docket Ethics Reform Proposals
11/22/2023 MS-2023-11 Disposition of Petco Park City Suite Tickets
10/19/2023 MS-2023-10 Budgetary Roles of the Mayor and City Council and Recent Relevant Matters
02/10/2023 MS-2023-1 Construction of Affordable Dwelling Units Under the Complete Communities Housing Solutions Regulations
10/26/2022 MS-2022-9 Legal Guidance for the City Council's Upcoming 'Workshop on a Framework for Amending the Tenants' Right to Know Ordinance
09/14/2022 MS-2022-8 Claims Against the City - Council Policy 000-09
06/06/2022 MS-2022-6 Homelessness Lawsuits Summary
04/22/2022 MS-2022-5 Proposed Measure to Amend the City Charter to Establish a Process for Retention and use of Private Legal Counsel by the Auditor and Audit Committee
03/30/2022 MS-2022-4 Committee on Rules and Council-Initiated Matters
03/08/2022 MS-2022-3 Legal Consideration for Council's Legislative Process
02/25/2022 MS-2022-2 City Auditor Participation in City Council Closed Session Meetings
12/20/2022 MS-2022-10 Legal Update: New Meeting Disruption and Teleconference Amendments to the Ralph M. Brown Act
02/07/2022 MS-2022-1 Bankers Hill 150 v. City of San Diego, Case No. D077963
04/09/2021 MS-2021-9 Legality of Extension of Credit by Development Services Department (DSD) for Deposit Accounts
04/09/2021 MS-2021-8 Case Law Update on Elected Officials' Use of Social Media: Garnier v. O'Connor-Ratcliff
03/11/2021 MS-2021-6 Applicability of City's Cannabis Business Tax to Cannabis Production Facilities and Nonprofit Cannabis Businesses
02/03/2021 MS-2021-5 Impact of Redistricting on the Cannabis Outlet Council District Cap
01/29/2021 MS-2021-4 Gas and Electric Franchise Fees
01/27/2021 MS-2021-3 Use of Disturbing Imagery During Public Comment at Council and Committee Meetings
12/30/2021 MS-2021-20 (REV.) Implementation of the Commission on Police Practices
01/22/2021 MS-2021-2 Non-Agenda Public Comment at City Council Meetings
10/18/2021 MS-2021-19 Amended: Role of the Criminal Division of the San Diego City Attorney's Office
09/28/2021 ms-2021-18 Legal Update: Assembly Bill 361 amending the Ralph M. Brown Act
08/24/2021 MS-2021-17 Legislative History of San Diego Municipal Code Section 22.3105
08/02/2021 MS-2021-16 Census Delay Impact on Redistricting
07/16/2021 MS-2021-15 Race or Gender-Conscious Contracting Program
07/16/2021 MS-2021-14 Housing Authority Oversight of the San Diego Housing Commission and its Board
07/09/2021 MS-2021-13 Potential Conflict of Interest Related to the Unwinding of Proposition B
05/17/2021 MS-2021-12 Certification of Funds Under Charter sections 39 and 80
04/22/2021 MS-2021-10 Legal Update to 2012 Memorandum of Law titled “Proposition 218 Impacts to
Storm Drain Fees”
01/08/2021 MS-2021-1 Appointments to the San Diego Unified Port District Board of Commissioners