As L.A. Bans Dispensaries, Riverside County Judge Denies Similar Shutdown

California's increasingly confusing patchwork of medical marijuana laws and court rulings is still as clear as mud.

On the heels of the Los Angeles City Council decision to shut down all dispensaries in its city limits (though it also voted to leave some of them open) a court has thrown out a similar ban in Riverside County, mydesert.com reports.

Riverside County attempted to shut down its dispensaries on the grounds they are not legal under county and state laws. However, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Ronald Taylor refused to grant Riverside's request for a preliminary injunction to shut the dispensaries down.

"The judge followed state law as it exists. I feel the county would do best to hold off and see how the Supreme Court rules," the attorney representing the dispensaries, David Welsh, said.

Naturally, the county took a different view and cried sour grapes over the ruling.

"In the same courthouse just three weeks ago, Judge (John) Vineyard granted us a preliminary injunction. Judge Vineyard is the judge that handles all marijuana dispensary cases, and Judge Vineyard got it right," Riverside County Deputy Counsel Patti Smith said.