§ 861.Jurisdiction of Interested Parties Had By Publication of Summons

Because a validation action targets the world rather than named defendants, the agency needs a way to reach everyone who might have an interest in the matter -- without knowing in advance who all those people are. Section 861 solves that with publication: the agency publishes summons under Government Code section 6063 in a newspaper of general circulation that the court designates, published in the county where the action is pending and, whenever possible, within the agency's own boundaries. If no such newspaper exists there, publication moves to an adjoining county, and the court can order publication in additional counties too.

Publication alone doesn't have to be the last word. Before publication is complete, the agency also has to give notice of the pending proceeding by mail or other means the court orders, to whatever extent the court finds reasonably practicable. That combination of broad publication plus targeted notice where feasible is what lets the eventual judgment bind interested parties the agency never contacted directly.