| Case # | Name | Category | Court | Judge | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
C099609
|
People v. Planchard
Defendant's harassing and threatening messages constituted stalking even though they were publicly posted on Facebook, rather than directly sent to the victim. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
L. Earl | Mar. 3, 2025 |
|
A168965
|
People v. Wilson
Because prosecutorial directive was not a recommendation to, or stipulation for, defendant's resentencing, trial court did not have jurisdiction and therefore appropriately dismissed the case. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
V. Rodriguez | Mar. 3, 2025 |
|
22-7466
|
Glossip v. Oklahoma
Where the prosecution violated its constitutional obligation to correct false testimony under *Napue v. Illinois*, death row defendant was entitled to a new trial. |
Criminal Law and Procedure, Constitutional Law |
|
S. Sotomayor | Feb. 26, 2025 |
|
22-10312; 23-1040; 23-1166; 23-1167
|
U.S. v. Holmes
Restitution for property lost as a result of company's fraud was the monetary value invested where there was no reasonable opportunity to sell shares after the fraud came to light. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
J. Nguyen | Feb. 25, 2025 |
|
23-2218
|
U.S. v. Powers
Defendant, who set destructive forest fires to signal for help while lost on a hike, could not assert necessity defense because his actions were objectively unreasonable. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
B. Bade | Feb. 18, 2025 |
|
B310753
|
In re: Tuilaepa
Pending death penalty habeas petition based on intellectual disability was not procedurally barred by passage of Proposition 66 where petitioner made prima facie showing of intellectual disability. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
G. Martinez | Feb. 25, 2025 |
|
C100422
|
R.D. v. Superior Court (People)
Although a criminal defendant may seek dismissal of charges under any other relevant legal authority, the Racial Justice Act does not specifically authorize dismissal as a remedy. |
Criminal Law and Procedure, Juveniles |
|
E. Duarte | Feb. 21, 2025 |
|
A167817
|
People v. Sarmiento-Zuniga
Trial court did not err in imposing middle-term sentence on defendant because it stated on the record its underlying reasoning, and no additional records were required. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
T. Jackson | Feb. 21, 2025 |
|
23-3779
|
U.S. v. Kurns
For sentencing purposes, video and expert testimonial evidence proved defendant's possession of a semiautomatic firearm capable of accepting a large capacity magazine by a preponderance of the evidence. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
D. Hamilton | Feb. 21, 2025 |
|
E085394
|
Bunker v. Superior Court (People)
Criminal defendant was statutorily entitled to automatic bail review hearing within five days of the original order despite any other circumstances. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
F. Menetrez | Feb. 19, 2025 |
|
A168924
|
Lovelace v. Superior Court (People)
Prosecutor's use of California Court Rule 4.421(c) "circumstances in aggravation" to pursue allegations of defendant's "similar prior conduct," was unconstitutional. |
Criminal Law and Procedure, Constitutional Law |
|
J. Streeter | Feb. 19, 2025 |
|
D084579
|
Bemore v. Superior Court (People)
Under the Racial Justice Act, trial court abused its discretion in appointing Public Defender whose actions diametrically opposed Defendant's goal of appointment of private attorneys. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
T. Do | Feb. 19, 2025 |
|
B332399
|
People v. Lawson
Defendant failed to establish by a preponderance that trial court acted with racial animus in violation of the Racial Justice Act. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
H. Bendix | Feb. 18, 2025 |
|
B330473
|
People v. Lara
Upon resentencing, two attempted murder counts could be redesignated as count of shooting at inhabited dwelling and count of assault with firearm, but uncharged non-target offenses could not be added. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
M. Stratton | Feb. 18, 2025 |
|
B331298
|
In re L.G.
Gun discovered during an illegal search should have been suppressed where police lacked a particularized and objective basis for believing the suspect was breaking the law when they detained him. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
J. Wiley | Feb. 13, 2025 |
|
F087652
|
People v. Taylor
Provocative act doctrine did not support denying resentencing petition where there was no finding the petitioner acted with the requisite mens rea for an implied malice theory of murder. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
J. Detjen | Feb. 13, 2025 |
|
D082662
|
People v. Gonzalez
An unauthorized sentence that was able to be corrected did not warrant a resentencing. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
R. Huffman | Feb. 11, 2025 |
|
E082657
|
People v. Martinez
No violation of criminal defendant's state right to a speedy trial where his claims of prejudice were conclusory and speculative rather than supported by particular facts. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
A. McKinster | Feb. 11, 2025 |
|
23-2288
|
U.S. v. Thompson
Defendant's previous child molestation conviction triggered a 10-year increase to his mandatory minimum sentence for a subsequent child pornography conviction. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
L. VanDyke | Feb. 11, 2025 |
|
E084222
|
People v. Superior Court (Valdez)
Since resentencing petitioner was eligible for youthful offender parole, his initial resentence was not equivalent to life without parole, so he was ineligible for successive Penal Code Section 1170 relief. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
F. Menetrez | Feb. 11, 2025 |
|
H052893
|
Stubblefield v. Superior Court (People)
Following a reversed and vacated conviction, a petitioner was entitled to file a motion for release prior to the remittur being issued. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
M. Greenwood | Feb. 7, 2025 |
|
F087868
|
People v. Chatman
In disagreement with *Hodge*, a trial court's denial of a defendant's request for relief pursuant to Section 1172.1 is an appealable order. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
R. Peña | Feb. 6, 2025 |
|
G064319
|
Modification: People v. Townes
A threat of divine retribution to an indoctrinated victim was sufficient to support a finding of duress required for a forcible rape conviction. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
M. Sanchez | Feb. 6, 2025 |
|
F087787
|
People v. Rosemond
An appeal pursuant to Penal Code Section 1172.1 was found to lack any arguable issues, and following a defendant's failure to raise any such issues, deemed abandoned. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
R. Peña | Feb. 6, 2025 |
|
G064319
|
People v. Townes
A threat of divine retribution to an indoctrinated victim was sufficient to support a finding of duress required for a forcible rape conviction. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
M. Sanchez | Feb. 5, 2025 |
|
B331474
|
People v. Ellis
Defendant's kidnapping conviction for pulling the victim from the sidewalk to the middle of the street required reversal because the asportation element was unmet. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
V. Viramontes | Feb. 5, 2025 |
|
S141519
|
People v. Hin
Trial court abused its discretion in admitting rap song from a CD found in defendant's bedroom during both the guilt and penalty phases. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
G. Liu | Feb. 4, 2025 |
|
B330995
|
People v. Hamilton
Designation of federal felony conviction as equivalent to felony violation of state wobbler offense, resulting in requirement to register as a sex offender for life, did not violate equal protection. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
M. Hanasono | Jan. 31, 2025 |
|
H05166
|
People v. Rogers
A trial court has the authority to strike prior criminal "Strikes" at a Penal Code Section 1172.75 (prison priors) resentencing. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
A. Danner | Jan. 29, 2025 |
|
B335936
|
People v. Martinez
Resentencing petitioner's failure to raise an objection regarding Penal Code Section 1172.6's "same judge" rule was a forfeiture of that argument on appeal. |
Criminal Law and Procedure |
|
H. Bendix | Jan. 29, 2025 |
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