Hello Farms has asked the Sixth Circuit to reconsider the ruling that undid its $31.8 million cannabis contract verdict. The petition challenges the illegality defense and the incentive it creates for buyers to seek a federal escape from licensed commercial commitments.
Hello Farms’ $31.8 million verdict disappeared after the buyer invoked federal marijuana prohibition. We examine the Sixth Circuit’s reasoning, its consequences for state-licensed cannabis contracts, and the importance of forum and dispute-resolution planning.
California’s 2020 response to a DEA subpoena examines relevance, confidential cannabis licensing records, and the tension between state and federal law.
