The clear terms that govern this website

Terms of Service Effective Date: September 3, 2026 These Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your use of ccdipolicy.org and any related website, form, resource, communication, or online service operated by the California Civil Defense Institute (“CCDI,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). By accessing or using this website, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the website. 1. About CCDI California Civil Defense Institute is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public-interest organization focused on helping Californians fight government abuse, expose corruption, protect civil liberties, and improve public institutions through public records, public education, investigations, litigation, and public policy. Information on this website is provided primarily for public education, organizational communication, advocacy, and informational purposes. 2. No Legal Advice Nothing on this website constitutes legal advice. Articles, guides, reports, forms, commentary, summaries, templates, public-records materials, or other information published by CCDI are provided for general informational and educational purposes only. Laws, procedures, deadlines, court rules, and individual circumstances vary. You should consult a qualified attorney regarding your specific legal situation. You should not delay seeking legal advice, filing a claim, responding to a government agency, meeting a court deadline, or taking other necessary action because of information contained on this website. 3. No Attorney-Client Relationship Using this website, contacting CCDI, subscribing to communications, submitting documents, reporting government misconduct, requesting assistance, or sending information to CCDI does not create an attorney-client relationship. An attorney-client relationship exists only when expressly established through an appropriate written agreement with a licensed attorney or law firm. Unless CCDI expressly agrees otherwise in writing, you should not assume that CCDI or any attorney associated with CCDI represents you. 4. Submitting Information or Requesting Assistance CCDI may provide forms or other means for members of the public to submit information concerning government misconduct, civil-rights violations, public-records disputes, potential litigation, corruption, regulatory abuse, or other matters. Submitting information does not guarantee that CCDI will: Investigate the matter Respond to the submission Provide legal representation Refer the matter to an attorney Contact a government agency Publish information about the matter File litigation Take any other action CCDI retains complete discretion over which matters, investigations, campaigns, referrals, and litigation it chooses to pursue. 5. Confidentiality of Submissions You should not assume that information submitted through an ordinary website form or email is legally privileged or confidential. CCDI may take reasonable steps to protect sensitive information, but electronic communications cannot be guaranteed to be completely secure. Do not send passwords, Social Security numbers, complete financial-account numbers, highly sensitive medical records, or other unnecessary sensitive information through ordinary website forms or email. Information submitted to CCDI may be reviewed by authorized officers, employees, attorneys, investigators, contractors, volunteers, consultants, or other persons assisting with CCDI's work. CCDI may use submitted information in investigations, legal analysis, advocacy, public-records requests, litigation, policy work, reports, or other activities when lawful and appropriate. 6. Accuracy of Information We seek to provide accurate and useful information, but we do not guarantee that all website content is complete, current, accurate, or applicable to every circumstance. Government records, statutes, regulations, policies, court decisions, public information, and factual circumstances may change. Content may contain errors, omissions, outdated information, or preliminary conclusions. CCDI may correct, update, revise, remove, or supplement website content at any time without notice. 7. Investigations, Commentary, and Public Records CCDI's work may involve reporting, analysis, commentary, criticism, public records, government conduct, public officials, contractors, litigation, legislation, regulatory activity, and other matters of public concern. Some materials may reflect preliminary investigative findings, allegations made by third parties, disputed facts, opinion, interpretation, or information obtained from public sources. Where appropriate, CCDI may update or revise published information as additional facts become available. Nothing on this website should be interpreted as a judicial finding, official government determination, or final adjudication unless expressly identified as such. 8. User Conduct You may use this website only for lawful purposes. You may not: Attempt to gain unauthorized access to the website, server, database, accounts, or systems Introduce malware, malicious code, viruses, or other harmful material Interfere with website operation or security Use automated systems to overload, scrape, disrupt, or impair the website in an unreasonable manner Impersonate another person or organization Submit knowingly false or fraudulent information Use the website to threaten, harass, stalk, defraud, or unlawfully target another person Violate applicable law Attempt to circumvent security or access restrictions CCDI may restrict or terminate access to users who misuse the website. 9. Intellectual Property Unless otherwise stated, original content created by CCDI on this website, including written materials, reports, graphics, logos, branding, design elements, and other original works, is owned by CCDI or used with permission. You may quote, discuss, share, or link to CCDI's public materials for lawful noncommercial, educational, journalistic, advocacy, or public-interest purposes, provided that you do not materially misrepresent the content or falsely imply endorsement by CCDI. Commercial reproduction, republication, resale, or substantial redistribution of CCDI's original content may require written permission. Government records and other public-domain materials reproduced or referenced by CCDI remain subject to whatever rights or public-domain status applies to those materials. 10. Trademarks and Branding The California Civil Defense Institute name, logo, branding, and related identifiers may not be used in a way that falsely suggests sponsorship, endorsement, affiliation, or authorization by CCDI. You may accurately identify CCDI when discussing, reporting on, criticizing, citing, or linking to our work. 11. Donations Donations to CCDI may be processed through third-party payment or fundraising platforms. By making a donation, you represent that you are authorized to use the payment method provided and that the information you provide is accurate. Unless otherwise stated, donations are voluntary contributions made in support of CCDI's charitable mission and are not payments for legal representation, legal services, or a guaranteed organizational response. Tax deductibility may depend on individual circumstances. Donors should consult their own tax advisers regarding specific tax consequences. Third-party donation providers may impose separate terms and conditions. 12. Email and Communications If you subscribe to CCDI communications or provide your contact information, you may receive newsletters, alerts, reports, fundraising communications, organizational updates, or other messages. You may unsubscribe from promotional email communications using the unsubscribe instructions included in those messages. Administrative, transactional, or individually requested communications may still be sent when appropriate. 13. Third-Party Websites and Services This website may link to third-party websites, government agencies, court systems, donation platforms, social-media services, news organizations, legal resources, or other external services. CCDI does not control those websites or services and is not responsible for their content, availability, security, policies, accuracy, or practices. A link does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Your use of third-party services is governed by their own terms and policies. 14. Website Availability We do not guarantee that the website will always be available, uninterrupted, secure, or error-free. We may suspend, modify, discontinue, restrict, or change any portion of the website at any time. CCDI is not responsible for losses caused by website outages, internet interruptions, technical failures, cyberattacks, third-party service failures, or similar events beyond our reasonable control. 15. Disclaimer of Warranties To the fullest extent permitted by law, this website and its content are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. CCDI makes no warranties, express or implied, concerning the website or its content, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, noninfringement, availability, or security. Your use of the website and reliance on its content are at your own risk. 16. Limitation of Liability To the fullest extent permitted by law, CCDI and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, attorneys, contractors, agents, and service providers will not be liable for indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages arising from or related to: Your use of or inability to use the website Reliance on website content Legal or governmental action taken or not taken Information submitted to CCDI Failure by CCDI to accept or pursue a matter Third-party websites or services Unauthorized access to electronic communications or data Technical failures or website interruptions Nothing in these Terms limits liability where such limitation is prohibited by law. 17. Indemnification To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless CCDI and its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, contractors, and agents from claims, liabilities, damages, losses, or expenses arising from your unlawful misuse of the website, violation of these Terms, or infringement of another person's rights. This provision does not require you to indemnify CCDI for conduct for which indemnification cannot lawfully be required. 18. Privacy Your use of the website is also subject to CCDI's Privacy Policy. The Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information associated with the website and our activities. 19. Governing Law These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. To the extent a dispute concerning these Terms is properly subject to judicial resolution, applicable jurisdiction and venue will be determined under California and federal law. 20. Severability If any provision of these Terms is found unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or modified to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will remain in effect. 21. No Waiver Failure by CCDI to enforce any provision of these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other right. 22. Changes to These Terms We may revise these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our operations, website, services, or legal requirements. The current version will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Your continued use of the website after revised Terms are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms. 23. Contact Questions regarding these Terms may be directed to: California Civil Defense Institute 1401 21st Street, Suite R Sacramento, California 95811 Email: contact@ccdipolicy.org California Civil Defense Institute is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public-interest organization.

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