California Right to Counsel of Choice Initiative (2026)
| California Right to Counsel of Choice Initiative | |
|---|---|
| |
| Election date | |
| Topic Constitutional rights andTort law | |
| Status Cleared for signature gathering | |
| Type Initiated constitutional amendment | Origin |
TheCalifornia Right to Counsel of Choice Initiative (#25-0027) may appear on theballot inCalifornia as aninitiated constitutional amendment onNovember 3, 2026.
The initiative would amend theCalifornia Constitution to establish a right to counsel of choice. The initiative also contains a provision stating that if another measure conflicts with this measure the other measure would be null if both are approved.[1][2]
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title is as follows:[3]
| “ | Prohibits new state laws that interfere with right to contract with an attorney. Initiative constitutional amendment.[4] | ” |
Petition summary
The summary provided for inclusion on signature petition sheets is as follows:[3]
| “ | Amends the California Constitution to prohibit new state laws that deny or interfere with a person’s ability to contract with an attorney of their choice. States that another measure appearing on the same ballot that would limit attorney contingency-fee contracts shall be deemed to conflict with this measure. Applies only to laws enacted on or after January 1, 2026; does not limit courts’ existing authority to regulate the practice of law or to prohibit illegal or excessive financial arrangements with attorneys.[4] | ” |
Full text
The full text of the measure is availablehere.
Path to the ballot
Process in California
Aninitiated constitutional amendment is acitizen-initiated ballot measure that amends astate's constitution. Eighteen (18) states allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments.
In California, thenumber of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 8% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.
The requirements to getinitiated constitutional amendments certified for the 2026 ballot:
- Signatures: 874,641valid signatures are required.
- Deadline: The deadline for signature verification is June 25, 2026. However, the secretary of state suggested deadlines for turning in signatures of January 12, 2026, for initiatives needing a full check of signatures and April 17, 2026, for initiatives needing a random sample of signatures verified.
Stages of this ballot initiative
The following is the timeline of the initiative:[2]
- October 28, 2025: The initiative was filed by James C. Harrison.
- January 2, 2026: The initiative was cleared for signature gathering.
See also
View other measures certified for the 2026 ballot across the U.S. and in California.
Explore California's ballot measure history, includingcitizen-initiated ballot measures.
Understand how measures are placed on the ballot and the rules that apply.
External links
Footnotes
- ↑California Attorney General's Office, "Full text," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑2.02.1California Secretary of State's Office, "List of petitions," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑3.03.1California Secretary of State, "Initiatives and Referenda Cleared for Circulation," accessed January 24, 2025
- ↑4.04.1Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
