Terms of Use

These Terms of Use ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the Fish & Wildlife Defense Fund ("FWDF") website. By accessing or using this site, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

1. Purpose of This Site

This website is operated by the Fish & Wildlife Defense Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered in Oregon (EIN 41-4225044). The site exists to inform the public about our litigation, advocacy, and conservation work; to accept donations; and to receive reports from members of the public about issues affecting public access to wildlife and public lands.

2. Not Legal Advice

Nothing on this website constitutes legal advice. The articles, dispatches, position papers, case summaries, and commentary published on this site are provided for informational and advocacy purposes only. They reflect FWDF's views on legal and policy matters but should not be relied upon as legal counsel for any specific situation.

If you have a legal question or believe you have a legal claim, you should consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction. Submitting a Report a Case form, a Whistleblower report, or any other form on this site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and FWDF. No such relationship will exist unless and until FWDF expressly agrees in writing to represent you.

3. Editorial Positions and Advocacy

Articles, dispatches, and commentary on this site represent the editorial and advocacy positions of FWDF. We strive for accuracy but do not guarantee that all information is current, complete, or free from error. Information may be revised, supplemented, or removed at any time.

Statements about specific cases, agencies, individuals, or organizations represent FWDF's good-faith views based on available information at the time of publication. We welcome correction and clarification — please contact us if you believe content on the site is inaccurate.

4. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use this website to:

• Submit false, misleading, or fraudulent information
• Impersonate any person or organization
• Harass, threaten, or defame any person
• Distribute spam, malware, or harmful code
• Attempt to gain unauthorized access to any portion of the site or its underlying systems
• Scrape, harvest, or otherwise collect information from the site through automated means without our express written permission
• Violate any applicable law or regulation

5. User Submissions

When you submit information to FWDF through any form on this website (including Report a Case, Whistleblower, and Stay Informed forms), you represent that:

• The information you provide is truthful and accurate to the best of your knowledge
• You have the legal right to share any information you submit
• Your submission does not violate the rights of any third party

You grant FWDF a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free license to use, store, review, and act upon your submission for the purposes described on the relevant page (e.g., evaluating reports, contacting you for follow-up, pursuing litigation). FWDF will not publish identifying details about you without your consent except as required by law.

6. Intellectual Property

All content on this website — including text, graphics, logos, images, articles, dispatches, and case write-ups — is the property of the Fish & Wildlife Defense Fund or its licensors and is protected by United States copyright and trademark law.

You may share links to our pages and quote brief excerpts with proper attribution for non-commercial purposes. You may not reproduce, republish, or commercially exploit our content without our prior written permission.

7. Donations

Donations made through this website are processed by Every.org, a 501(c)(3) public charity, on behalf of FWDF. By donating, you agree to Every.org's terms and privacy policy. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

Refund policy. Donations are generally not refundable. If you believe a donation was made in error, contact us at thefishandwildlifedefensefund@gmail.com within 30 days and we will work in good faith to address the matter.

8. Third-Party Links and Services

This website may contain links to third-party sites (including news sources, court documents, and partner organizations) and embeds third-party services (including Every.org, Formspree, and Google Fonts). FWDF does not control these third parties and is not responsible for their content, terms, or practices. Your use of any third-party site or service is at your own risk and subject to their respective terms.

9. Disclaimers

This website is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, completeness, or non-infringement.

FWDF does not warrant that:

• The website will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free
• Defects will be corrected
• The site or its servers are free of viruses or other harmful components
• Information on the site is accurate, complete, or current

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, FWDF, its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and affiliated counsel shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, arising from your use of this website or any content on it.

FWDF's total liability for any claim arising out of or relating to these Terms or the website shall not exceed one hundred dollars ($100) or the amount of any donation you have made to FWDF in the twelve months preceding the claim, whichever is greater.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless FWDF, its directors, officers, employees, volunteers, and affiliated counsel from any claim or demand arising from your violation of these Terms, your misuse of the website, or your violation of any law or third-party right.

12. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Oregon, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles. Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the website shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Douglas County, Oregon, and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.

13. Termination

FWDF may suspend or terminate your access to this website at any time, with or without notice, if we believe you have violated these Terms or applicable law.

14. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the website after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

15. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

16. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other policies referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and FWDF regarding your use of the website.