The Compassionate Coalition

Greetings Compassionate Coalition,

Please read below for whats going on in the medical marijuana acitivist community.

**TOP STORY**

**Judge Rejects San Diego Challenge To Medical Pot Law

SAN DIEGO -- A state judge on Thursday rejected San Diego County's challenge of California's decade-old law permitting marijuana use for medical purposes.

The ruling by Superior Court Judge William R. Nevitt, Jr., was tentative. The county's lawyers will have a chance to convince the judge to change his decision during oral arguments scheduled later Thursday.

San Diego County sued the state of California and its health services director in February, saying a federal ban on marijuana use trumps state laws that permit usage of the drug with a physician's approval.... click link to read more http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/node/4010

For more news and discussion, visit our forum at: http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/forum

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**WHATS NEW?**

Last week The Compassionate Coalition proudly announced the opening of a new chapter in Brevard County, Florida. I want to send a warm welcome to our new chapter and thank you very much to William Estes for leading the group in his area. You can find out about the Brevard County, Florida chapter here http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/chapters/florida/brevardcounty

If anyone else is interested in starting a chapter in your area, please contact me to get started. 707-635-3752

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**COURT SUPPORT**

Solano County: http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/node/3987#comment-2067
* Lawtons – December 1st @ 8:30am, Dept 12 Courtroom 101 - 321 Tuolumne Street, Vallejo.
* Sergio Perez- November 20th @ 8:30am & November 21st, @ 10am, Judge Getty- Readiness/Pre-lim - Dept 8 RM 207 JUSTICE CENTER - 600 Union Ave, Fairfield,
* Rob Taylor – December 18th & 19th @ 10am –Judge Getty- Readiness/Pre-lim - Dept 8 RM 207 JUSTICE CENTER - 600 Union Ave, Fairfield,
* Lark Freeman & Michael Mendoza– November 28th @ 10am –Judge Getty- Arraignment - Dept 8 RM 207 JUSTICE CENTER - 600 Union Ave, Fairfield,

Sacramento County:
Jason & Aileen Brooks - December 13th, 8:30am at William Ridgeway Family Relation Courthouse, 3341 Power Inn Road, Sacramento. Department 133 on the 3rd floor. - please show support for the Brooks during a very difficult time they have gone through for 1 year without their son. http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/node/3991

Louise Fowler - January 26th, 2007, at 10am. This next appearance will take place in front of Judge Garcia on the 13th floor of the federal courthouse at 501 I Street in Sacramento, CA. http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/node/4009#comment-2066

Mollie Fry/ Dale Schafer November 20th at 10am in front of Judge Damrell, on the 15th floor of the federal court building in Sacramento at 501 I Street. This hearing will address the findings regarding the evidentiary hearing held last month, at which the prosecution pushed forward on a motion to disqualify Fry and Schafer's attorneys. http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/node/4007

Stanislaus County: http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/node/3986
Reverend Thunder Rector - April 9th 2007 at the Federal Courthouse in Fresno (2500 Tulare St.), In front of Magistrate Oliver Wanger

Merced County:
Dustin Costa - Next court date TBA http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/node/4000

If you have a court support date and you don't see it listed here, please be sure to post your court dates on our site here http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/forum/6

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**UPCOMING EVENTS**

**California Bar Program on Medical Marijuana on Jan. 5th, 2007 in Fairfield

Solano Patients' Group is proudly hosting a California Bar Program on Medical
Marijuana. Dennis Roberts, Rick Runcie (Mower's attorney) and Bill McPike will teach the
approved Bar from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm in Fairfield, California. This is the only
Bar-approved course on the topic of medical marijuana, and will cover California's medical
marijuana laws under Health & Safety Code 11362.5 and 11362.7, and related court rulings.

This course offers 6.5 MCLE credits for attorneys, at a cost of $199. Attorney in groups
of 2 or more $175.00 a person. Judges, government attorneys, and non profit attorneys
can attend at the cost of $150.00. Patients, law enforcement officers, and paralegals can
attend for a cost of only $35. Course materials and lunch are included.
for more information click here http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/node/4012

**ASA State Conference 2007 entitled “Implementation = Victory: Preparing for the Next Ten Years.” http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/node/4011

Americans for Safe Access is hosting a state conference on January 13th & 14th, 2007 in Burbank. This conference will be covering issues from regulations and protecting safe access, implementation of the ID card program, sales tax and the Board of Equalization, and regional participation in the implementation of SB420, Proposition 215 and precedent setting case law. The Compassionate Coalition hopes to be able to set up a booth for this conference and attend the classes being offered at this event. If anyone is interested in attending this conference, registration information can be found here http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=3784

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**Compassionate Coalition Chapter Meetings**

**Compassionate Coalition National / Solano Patients' Group Meeting: Saturday, December 9th @ 3pm
The National meeting schedule has changed. We are now meeting on every 2nd Saturday of the month @ 3pm until more meetings are needed. Next meeting will be December 9th, 3pm @ 2145 Collinsville Road, in Birds Landing. http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/node/3988#comment-2010

**Sacramento Compassionate Coalition Meeting: December 6th @ 7pm
Please join Sacramento Chapter of The Compassionate Coalition for our next planning meeting and information session! Agenda topics include: Patient meetings, news updates, court support, and other business items. This group meets the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00PM at the River City Patient Center, 1512 C El Camino Ave, Sacramento, CA. Note: Any patients who wish to use their medicine at this meeting must be registered and verified in advance by the River City Patient Center. For information please contact Nathan Sands at nathan@CompassionateCoalition.org

**Colorado Chapter meeting – Monday, November 20th – Front Range Community College LIBRARY, 3705 W 112th Ave Westminster, CO 80031-2140
Room L211, Time:7pm - 9pm http://medmarijuana.meetup.com/119/ , For more information contact Tim Tipton at (303)438-7221 or email him at TTipper39@hotmail.com

**Central Valley Patients Coalition Meeting: December 2nd at 9:00 AM (time subject to change)
Please join central valley patients and supporters to help plan and strategize for the defense of patients rights in Stanislaus County, Merced County, and beyond! Agenda items will include: The recent raid in Modesto, court support, letters to the editor, safe access, and more. The CVPC meets on the first Saturday of each month, at 9:00 AM.

New Location: These meetings will now be held at 1009 Bingham Dr., Modesto, CA, 95350.
Directions: http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=1009+Bingham+Dr,+modesto+ca&ie=UTF8&z=15&om=1&iwloc=A

For additional information, contact Chirley Cox, Public Relations Officer for the Central Valley Patients Coalition: shirley@CompassionateCoalition.org

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**OTHER MEETINGS**

AAMC Meeting: November 25th
The El Dorado County American Alliance for Medical Cannabis meets on the fourth Saturday of each month from 2:15pm until 4:20pm, at the Garden Valley Grange, 4940 Marshall Road, Garden Valley, California. www.ElDoradoCountyAAMC.com

ASA Meetings:

Saturday, November 18th, Los Angeles: LA ASA Meeting - 1pm - 3pm @ California Patients Group
6208 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90038

Wednesday, November 29th, Oakland: East Bay ASA Meeting - Americans for Safe Access Headquarters, 1322 Webster Street, Suite 402, Downtown Oakland, @ 7pm, Just a couple blocks from the 12th Street BART station!

Thursday, November 30th, Guerneville: Sonoma ASA Meeting - Marvin’s Gardens 15025 River Road (towards Guerneville) @ 7:30pm

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The Compassionate Coalition is an all-volunteer, non-profit, educational organization. We work to defend the rights of medical marijuana patients and care providers, and your support enables our work to continue. Please consider making a donation today: http://www.compassionatecoalition.org/donate

Thank you for defending the rights of medical marijuana patients!

Linda Jimenez
Chairman of the Board
The Compassionate Coalition
www.CompassionateCoalition.org
linda4spg@CompassionateCoalition.org
(707)635-3752