Lynch & Lynch handles natural resources litigation for businesses and individuals throughout Kern County and beyond, including water rights litigation and oil and gas litigation.

The population continues to grow as the economy continues to expand in Kern County, and the rich natural resources of the area play a major role in this growth and development. In addition to its oil and mineral wealth, the fertile climate and soil of California’s Central Valley make the region ideal for agricultural enterprise. Dealing with these abundant natural resources can sometimes involve complicated and intricate legal issues, often times leading to conflicts that require complex litigation to resolve.

Water Rights Litigation

Firm principal Craig M. Lynch successfully tried the case of Nicoll v. Rudnick (2008) both at trial and before the California Court of Appeal, changing the legal landscape regarding the apportionment of pre-1914 appropriative water rights. The Nicoll case involved the apportionment of multi-million dollar pre-1914 appropriative Kern River water rights between two parcels that had once been joined as a single parcel. Fifty-one percent of the original parcel had been used as security for a loan, and that portion was foreclosed on in the 1930s. Mr. Lynch successfully argued that 51% of the appropriative water rights passed in the foreclosure to the purchaser of the property.

A Law Firm for Kern County and California

The personal and commercial use of California’s land, water, and natural resources will continue to be the subject of intense competition into the future, alongside efforts to ensure clean air and water for the future of all. These conflicts will be no more apparent than in Bakersfield and surrounding areas. Lynch & Lynch has an established presence in the region and a record of success in oil, gas and water rights litigation, and will continue to advocate for its clients’ interests at the trial and appellate levels statewide.