Calif. Supreme Court rejects nudists' case

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SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Oct. 23 (UPI) -- The California Supreme Court decided not to hear a naturalist group's appeal to keep a beach in San Diego County clothing-optional, a lawyer said.

Attorney Allen Baylis, who is fighting for a clothing-option section at San Onofre State Beach, said the court's decision was a disappointment in the wake of the parks department's ban on nudity at the public beach, the Orange County (Calif.) Register said Thursday.

"The thing about it is that the parks department has the legal authority to either designate clothing-optional areas or prosecute people who want to enjoy clothing-optional recreation … and they feel the public is best served by prosecuting naturists rather than accommodating them," Baylis said.

Officials with The Naturist Action Committee and Friends of San Onofre Beach said despite the court's ruling, they would continue to push for a clothing-optional area, the Register reported.

"This is a tremendous setback," the unidentified officials said in a written statement. "But the battle has not ended."