Title 10. Actions In Particular Cases · Chapter 7. Actions Relating to Groundwater Rights · Article 14. Stay · Enacted 2015 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 28, 2026
In one sentenceSection 848 lets the court stay a comprehensive adjudication for up to a year at a time, renewable for good cause, to facilitate adoption of a groundwater sustainability plan, technical studies, mediation or settlement talks, or full settlement, while still requiring initial disclosures unless the court finds they wouldn't help.
(a)Upon the court's own motion or the motion of any party to a comprehensive adjudication, a court may stay a comprehensive adjudication for a period of up to one year, subject to renewal in the court's discretion upon a showing of good cause, in order to facilitate any of the following:
(1)Adoption of a groundwater sustainability plan that provides for a physical solution or otherwise addresses issues in the comprehensive adjudication.
(2)The development of technical studies that may be useful to the parties in the comprehensive adjudication.
(3)Voluntary mediation or participation in a settlement conference on all, or a portion of, the subject matters or legal questions identified in the comprehensive adjudication.
(4)Compromise and settlement of the comprehensive adjudication or issues in the comprehensive adjudication.
(b)Before renewing a stay granted pursuant to subdivision (a), the parties shall report on the progress being made on the issues that were identified as the reasons for the stay.
(c)A stay pursuant to this section shall not stay, or otherwise delay, the parties' obligations to provide initial disclosures pursuant to Section 842 unless the court determines the initial disclosures will not benefit resolution of the comprehensive adjudication.
Plain-English Summary
Litigation isn't always the fastest path to resolving groundwater conflicts, and § 848 lets the court pause the case to let other processes work. On its own motion or a party's motion, the court may stay a comprehensive adjudication for up to one year, renewable in the court's discretion on a showing of good cause, to facilitate any of four things: adoption of a groundwater sustainability plan addressing the case's issues, development of technical studies useful to the parties, voluntary mediation or a settlement conference, or compromise and settlement of the case or particular issues in it.
Subdivision (b) requires the parties, before any renewal of a stay, to report on the progress made toward whatever justified the stay in the first place — keeping the pause tied to actual movement rather than open-ended delay. Subdivision (c) prevents the stay from also delaying the initial disclosures required by § 842, unless the court finds those disclosures wouldn't benefit resolution of the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long can a stay last under this section?
Up to one year at a time, renewable in the court's discretion on a showing of good cause.
What reasons justify a stay under this section?
Facilitating a groundwater sustainability plan, technical studies, mediation or settlement talks, or settlement of the case or particular issues.
What must happen before a stay is renewed?
The parties must report on the progress made on the issues that justified the original stay.
Does a stay excuse a party from making initial disclosures?
Generally no. Section 848(c) keeps the § 842 disclosure obligations running during a stay unless the court finds they wouldn't benefit resolution of the case.
Amendment History
Added by Stats 2015 ch 672 (AB 1390),s 1, eff. 1/1/2016.
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:stay groundwater adjudication california