Tulare County Board authorizes legal defense in two cases during closed session report-out

After a closed session on March 31 the Tulare County Board of Supervisors authorized legal counsel to defend and authorize defense in two pending cases and reported the actions out in open session.

County counsel reported that the board directed defense in Brandon Gonzalez v. City of Porterville et al., Tulare County Superior Court case number VCU328948, describing the matter as an allegation of general negligence. The board also authorized defense in Carol Christina Roper v. Shirley Weber, Michelle Baldwin et al., Sacramento County Superior Court case number 26WM000068, a writ of mandate concerning verification of signatures on the June 2, 2026 primary-election ballot for Congressional District 20.

Both motions to defend were made by Supervisor Larry Micari and seconded by Supervisor Pete Vanderpool and passed unanimously, 5-0, according to the report-out presented by county counsel. The board announced the litigation report after reopening the meeting and then adjourned.

County counsel provided case names and court numbers on the record; no further detail about legal strategy or confidential deliberations was released during the public report-out.