Terms of use & legal disclaimer
Who we are as an organization, what this website is and isn't, and the risks that come with practicing judo.
1. Non-profit status
DeLeon Judo Club, Inc. is a non-profit organization founded in January 1970 and organized in the State of California. The Club is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
- Employer Identification Number (EIN): 26-3323016
- Tax status: 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization
- Mailing address: c/o Henry Kaku, 2015 Caulfield Lane, Petaluma, CA 94954
The Club is run by volunteer instructors. No instructor, officer, or director receives a salary from the Club, and no part of the Club's net earnings inures to the benefit of any private individual. Class fees are collected by the City of Petaluma Parks & Recreation Department and support mat time, facility use, equipment, insurance, and keeping the program affordable for Petaluma families.
Donations. Contributions to DeLeon Judo Club are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. No goods or services are provided in exchange for a contribution unless we tell you otherwise in writing at the time. Class fees paid for instruction are not charitable contributions and are not deductible. Please consult your own tax advisor; we cannot give tax advice. Donors may request a written acknowledgment for their records.
Public disclosure. Our application for tax exemption and our annual returns (Form 990) are available to the public on request, as Section 6104(d) of the Internal Revenue Code requires. Use the details in section 13 to ask.
Non-discrimination. The Club admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin, sex, religion, or disability to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally made available to students at the Club.
2. Acceptance of these terms
By using this website you agree to these terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the site. We may update these terms from time to time; the “Last updated” date above reflects the current version.
3. This website is informational only
Everything on this site is published for general information about the Club and about judo. We work to keep schedules, fees, instructor rosters, and contact details accurate, but details change — class times, pricing, and availability are subject to change without notice, and the Petaluma Parks & Recreation catalog is the authoritative source for current sessions and fees. Nothing on this site is an offer, a contract, or a guarantee of enrollment, class availability, rank advancement, or competitive results.
4. Not medical, legal, tax, or professional advice
Descriptions of judo technique, training, conditioning, and safety on this site are general educational information, not medical or professional advice. Judo technique cannot be learned safely from a website. Do not attempt throws, falls, pins, chokes, or joint locks described here without qualified in-person instruction and proper matting. Consult a physician before beginning judo or any physical activity program, particularly if you or your child has a medical condition, a prior injury, or has been inactive.
5. Assumption of risk
Judo is a physical contact sport with inherent risks. Participants are thrown to the mat, grip and grapple with partners, and practice pins and, at the ages tournament rules allow, chokes and joint locks. Even with qualified instruction, safety rules, and proper facilities, participation carries risk of injury including but not limited to bruises, sprains, strains, dislocations, fractures, concussion, and, in rare cases, serious or catastrophic injury.
Every student begins with ukemi — learning to fall safely — and our instructors are experienced, certified black belts who supervise all training. Risk can be reduced, but it cannot be eliminated. Participants, and the parents or guardians of minor participants, accept these risks knowingly and voluntarily.
Registration, waivers, liability releases, and medical or emergency-contact forms are administered by the City of Petaluma Parks & Recreation Department, and by our affiliated organizations for membership and tournament purposes. Those documents — not this website — govern participation. Nothing on this page replaces or modifies any waiver or release you sign.
6. Participation and conduct
Training is conditioned on current registration through Petaluma Parks & Recreation, appropriate membership with our affiliated organizations where required, and adherence to dojo etiquette and safety rules. The Club reserves the right to decline or discontinue participation by any individual whose conduct is unsafe, disruptive, or inconsistent with the values of judo.
7. Third-party links and organizations
This site links to outside websites, including the City of Petaluma, our registration provider, the United States Judo Federation, the Central Coast Judo Association (CENCO), and USA Judo. Those links are provided for convenience. We do not control those sites, do not endorse everything on them, and are not responsible for their content, accuracy, or privacy practices. Affiliation with an organization does not mean that organization sponsors or is responsible for this website.
8. Intellectual property
The DeLeon Judo Club name, logo, text, and photographs on this site belong to the Club or are used with permission. You may view, print, and share pages of this site for personal, non-commercial purposes and to share information about the Club. Any other reproduction, redistribution, or commercial use requires our written permission. Third-party names, logos, and marks — including those of the USJF, CENCO, USA Judo, the Kodokan, and the City of Petaluma — belong to their respective owners.
9. No warranty
This website is provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that the site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components, or that the information on it is complete or current.
10. Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, DeLeon Judo Club and its volunteers, instructors, officers, and directors will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising out of your use of, or inability to use, this website or any information on it. Nothing in this section limits liability that cannot be limited under applicable law. This section applies to the website; liability arising from participation in classes is governed by the waivers and releases executed at registration and by applicable law.
11. Governing law
These terms are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. Any dispute arising from this website will be brought in the state or federal courts located in Sonoma County, California.
12. Severability
If any provision of these terms is found unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in full force and effect.
13. Contact
- In person: Herzog Hall, Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma, CA 94952 — any Tuesday or Thursday, 5:30 pm
- Email:
- Mail: DeLeon Judo Club, c/o Henry Kaku, 2015 Caulfield Lane, Petaluma, CA 94954