A former Navy diver and surf school owner has won the right to teach paid surfing lessons on Newport Beach after a legal settlement with the city. Jason Murchison sued the city in January 2025, challenging a 2012 ordinance that prohibited paid surf and paddleboard lessons on nearly nine miles of city beaches without a city contract.
Murchison, who trained with Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL class 287, claimed that city officials rejected his attempts to secure a contract in 2015 and 2016 with minimal explanation, stating the city already had sufficient surf instructors. His lawsuit alleged that despite offering a portion of his proceeds to the city, his requests were repeatedly denied.
Murchison accused Newport Beach of violating his constitutional rights and favoring other beach businesses, effectively creating a monopoly on surf instruction. He had previously been arrested in July 2016 on misdemeanor charges of resisting a peace officer and obstructing or intimidating a business or customers. That same year, the city enforced a ban against him for allegedly teaching surf lessons on city beaches.
Following an initial settlement, the city demanded Murchison pay nearly $19,000 in fines and fees in July 2024. Instead of paying, Murchison took the city to court. The recent settlement grants Murchison a five-year contract to offer paid surf lessons, placing him on the same terms as the city's three other approved surf schools.
"The government doesn’t get to cap competition just because it feels like it. Every entrepreneur deserves the freedom to build a business without the city deciding the market is full," said Caleb Trotter, Murchison's attorney from the Pacific Legal Foundation.
Murchison's connection to surfing began over 30 years ago in Orange County. He later attended the University of Hawaii, where he honed his skills. His passion for the ocean led him to a career in the U.S. Navy as a combat diver, and he pursued a part-time law school program while launching his surf instruction business to help cover expenses. His business, 'Learn to Surf,' grew from a few students weekly to a full-time venture after his graduation in 2016. He employed eight instructors to provide year-round surfing and stand-up paddleboard lessons across Orange County, but the city ordinances prevented expansion into Newport Beach.
Separately, a San Diego-based surfing instructor, Helina Beck, is also challenging rules set by the California Department of Parks and Recreation that grant exclusive teaching rights to certain instructors while prohibiting others. This case highlights ongoing legal challenges to exclusivity contracts in public recreational spaces.