SECTIONS 71750-71759 - California Statutes

WATER CODE

SECTION 71750-71759

71750. A district may sue and be sued, except as otherwise provided
in this division or by law, in all actions and proceedings in all
courts and tribunals of competent jurisdiction.

71751. A district may commence, maintain, intervene in, and
compromise, in the name of the district, any action or proceeding
involving or affecting the ownership or use of water or water rights
within the district, used or useful for any purpose of the district,
or a common benefit to lands within the district or inhabitants of
the district.

71752. An action to determine the validity of any contract
authorized by Article 1 (commencing with Section 71720) of Chapter 5
of this part and any bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness
may be brought pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 860) of
Title 10 of Part 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

71753. All claims for money or damages against the district are
governed by Part 3 (commencing with Section 900) and Part 4
(commencing with Section 940) of Division 3.6 of Title 1 of the
Government Code except as provided therein, or by other statutes or
regulations expressly applicable to the district.

71757. To carry out the purposes of this division, a district shall
have the power to commence, maintain, intervene in, defend and
compromise, in the name of the district, or as a class representative
of the inhabitants, property owners, taxpayers, water producers or
water users within the district, or otherwise, and to assume the
costs and expenses of any and all actions and proceedings now or
hereafter begun to determine or adjudicate all or substantially all
of the water rights of a basin or other hydrologic unit overlain, in
whole or in part, by the district, as between owners of or claimants
to such rights, to prevent any interference with water or water
rights used or useful to the lands, inhabitants, owners, operators,
or producers within the district, or to prevent the diminution of the
quantity or quality of the water supply of the district or such
basin, or to prevent unlawful exportation of water from the district
or such basin.

71758. The district may employ counsel to defend any action brought
against it or against any of its officers, agents or employees on
account of any claimed action or inaction involving any claimed
injury, taking, damage or destruction, and the fees and expenses
involved therein shall be a lawful charge against the district.

71759. If any officer, agent or employee of the district is held
liable for any act or omission in his official capacity, except in
case of actual fraud or actual malice, and any judgment is rendered
thereon, the district shall pay the judgment without obligation for
repayment by the officer, agent or employee.