"Public entity" includes the state, the Regents of the University of California, a county, city, district, public authority, public agency, and any other political subdivision or public corporation in the state.
§ 511.100.Public Entity
Title 7. Other Provisional Remedies In Civil Actions · Chapter 2. Claim and Delivery of Personal Property · Article 1. Words and Phrases Defined · Enacted 1973 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 511.100 defines public entity to include the state, the Regents of the University of California, counties, cities, districts, public authorities, public agencies, and any other political subdivision or public corporation within the state.
Full Text of § 511.100
Plain-English Summary
This definition rounds out § 511.070's list of who can be a person under this chapter. It sweeps in government bodies at every level — the state itself, the University of California's governing Regents, counties, cities, districts, public authorities and agencies, and any other political subdivision or public corporation.
Because a public entity is a person, and a person can be either a plaintiff or a defendant, a government body can invoke the claim and delivery procedure to recover its own property, or find itself on the receiving end of a writ of possession action brought by someone else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the claim and delivery chapter apply to government agencies?
Yes. Section 511.100 defines public entity broadly, and § 511.070 makes a public entity a person that can be a plaintiff or defendant under this chapter.
What government bodies count as a public entity under this section?
The state, the Regents of the University of California, counties, cities, districts, public authorities, public agencies, and any other political subdivision or public corporation in California.
Amendment History
Added by Stats. 1973, Ch. 526.
Source & verification. Section text is reproduced verbatim from
the Deering's California Codes Annotated / vLex. Enacted by the California Legislature.
Last verified July 28, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: public entity definition california civil procedure