CA Pub Util Code Section 5259.5

(a)

Whenever the commission determines that any household goods carrier or any officer, director, or agent of any household goods carrier has abandoned, or is abandoning stored household goods or property of any shippers under contract with the carrier or carriers, it may commence a proceeding in superior court for the purpose of having the court appoint either a receiver or commission staff to identify the stored items of property, to take possession of the property, and to arrange the return of the property to its owners in accordance with the orders of the court and with regard for the protection of all property rights involved.

(b)

The proceeding shall be brought in the superior court in and for the county, or city and county, in which the cause or some part thereof arose, or in which the person or corporation complained of has its principal place of business, or in which the person complained of resides. The commission shall commence the proceeding in the name of the people of the State of California, by petition to the superior court, alleging the facts and circumstances involved and praying for appropriate relief by way of mandamus, or injunction, or the appointment of a receiver, and authorizing the commission to arrange for the hiring of a receiver who shall be required to comply with the requirements of Sections 566, 567, and 568 of the Code of Civil Procedure.

(c)

The court may also appoint a receiver to manage the business of the household goods carrier or carriers and return property to its owner or owners upon a showing by the commission satisfactory to the court that the abandonment or threatened abandonment by the carrier jeopardizes property or funds of others in the custody or under the control of the carrier. The court may make any other order that it finds appropriate to protect and preserve those funds or property. Service of the order of the court on a household goods carrier may be accomplished by personal delivery to the person to be served, or by posting a copy of the order at the dwelling house, usual place of abode, usual place of business, or usual residence of the person to be served and thereafter mailing a copy of the order, by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the location where the order was posted.

(d)

In the event a receiver is appointed by the court and the commission is responsible for contracting for a receiver to carry out the duties authorized by this section, the commission may contract on an emergency basis with a qualified person or corporation to serve as receiver under the conditions and guidelines set by the court. The contract for the receiver services may be executed by the commission on an expedited basis and without compliance with the requirements of Sections 11042 and 14615 of the Government Code and Sections 10295 and 10318 of the Public Contract Code. The receiver shall be paid from the fees collected pursuant to Section 5003.2.