Sandi Trend, mother of injured Agraquest, Inc. biotech worker, David Bell spoke of her recent discovery of the “conflicts of interest” in Sacramento, California's workers' compensation Judge, Suzanne F. Dugan presiding over her son's workers' compensation trial on September 10, 2007.   Dugan's order on October 12, 2007 was that Trend's son did not sustain a workplace injury/illness at Agraquest and he was to receive nothing on his workers' compensation claim.  IAccording to Trend, Judge Dugan's husband, Michael T. Dugan was employed by the company, PBS&J and on the date of October 4, 2007 Michael Dugan's employer, PBS&J "co-sponsored" the University of California - Davis's Explorit Science Center's 16th annual Science Fair and Silent Auction - with Agraquest, Agraquest's "patent" law firm; Morrison and Foerster, and Agraquest's founder; Pam Marrone's 3rd start-up biotech company in Davis, Marrone Organic Innovations [later re-named Marrone Bio Innovations].  Not only were all four co-sponsors of the October 4, 2007 event; they provided "teams" for participation in the events held that day.  This could prove sufficient evidence to reopen the worker's compensation claim.

Marrone has pledged further action on this matter.