California Case Commentaries

Judicial Barriers to Tortious Interference: Protecting Access to Courts

Date: Jun 8, 1990

Judicial Barriers to Tortious Interference: Protecting Access to Courts Introduction In the landmark case of Pacific Gas and Electric Company v. Bear Stearns Company (1990), the Supreme Court of...

Strict Prejudice Standard in Juror Misconduct: Supreme Court of California Reverses Conviction in People v. Holloway

Date: Jun 1, 1990

Strict Prejudice Standard in Juror Misconduct: Supreme Court of California Reverses Conviction in People v. Holloway Introduction People v. Holloway, 50 Cal.3d 1098 (1990), is a landmark decision by...

Good Faith Settlements Bar Implied Contractual Indemnity Claims: Analysis of Bay Development v. Superior Court

Date: Jun 1, 1990

Good Faith Settlements Bar Implied Contractual Indemnity Claims: Analysis of Bay Development v. Superior Court Introduction Bay Development, Ltd., et al., Petitioners versus The Superior Court of San...

Affirmation of Death Sentence in People v. Miller: Adherence to Admissible Evidence Standards

Date: May 22, 1990

Affirmation of Death Sentence in People v. Miller: Adherence to Admissible Evidence Standards 1. Introduction People v. Donald Miller is a pivotal case adjudicated by the Supreme Court of California...

Affirmation of Death Penalty: Standards for Confession Voluntariness and Juror Instructions in In re Ryan Michael Marshall

Date: May 18, 1990

Affirmation of Death Penalty: Standards for Confession Voluntariness and Juror Instructions in In re Ryan Michael Marshall Introduction In the landmark case of The People v. Ryan Michael Marshall,...

Broad Protections Under California's Shield Law Affirmed: Balancing Journalistic Immunity and Defendant's Fair Trial Rights

Date: May 4, 1990

Broad Protections Under California's Shield Law Affirmed: Balancing Journalistic Immunity and Defendant's Fair Trial Rights Introduction Sean Patrick Delaney et al. v. The Superior Court of Los...

Enhancing Understanding of Penal Code Section 1538.5 and Confession Admissibility: Comment on PEOPLE v. MATTSON

Date: May 4, 1990

Enhancing Understanding of Penal Code Section 1538.5 and Confession Admissibility: Comment on PEOPLE v. MATTSON Introduction PEOPLE v. MATTSON, decided by the Supreme Court of California on May 3,...

People v. Turner: Affirmation of Felony-Murder Robbery Conviction and Death Penalty

Date: Apr 27, 1990

People v. Turner: Affirmation of Felony-Murder Robbery Conviction and Death Penalty Introduction In the landmark case of The People v. Thaddaeus Louis Turner, the Supreme Court of California upheld...

Stipulated Judgments and Collateral Estoppel under Insurance Code Section 790.03(h)

Date: Apr 20, 1990

Stipulated Judgments and Collateral Estoppel under Insurance Code Section 790.03(h) Introduction The Supreme Court of California, in the landmark case California State Automobile Association...

Defining "Explosive" in Capital Punishment: Analysis of People v. Clark (1990) 50 Cal.3d 583

Date: Apr 6, 1990

Defining "Explosive" in Capital Punishment: Analysis of People v. Clark (1990) 50 Cal.3d 583 Introduction Case: The People v. William John Clark, 50 Cal.3d 583 (1990) Court: Supreme Court of...

Immunity Agreements and the Admissibility of Accomplice Testimony in Capital Cases: Insights from The People v. Fred Berre Douglas

Date: Apr 3, 1990

Immunity Agreements and the Admissibility of Accomplice Testimony in Capital Cases: Insights from The People v. Fred Berre Douglas Introduction The People of the State of California appealed the...

Improper Consideration of Probation Reports in Death Penalty Sentencing: People v. Robert Lewis, Jr.

Date: Mar 2, 1990

Improper Consideration of Probation Reports in Death Penalty Sentencing: People v. Robert Lewis, Jr. Introduction People v. Robert Lewis, Jr. (50 Cal.3d 262, 1990) is a landmark decision by the...

Absolute Nature of Litigation Privilege Affirmed in Silberg v. Anderson

Date: Feb 27, 1990

Absolute Nature of Litigation Privilege Affirmed in Silberg v. Anderson Introduction The case of Barry Neil Silberg, Plaintiff and Appellant, v. Margaret Anderson, Defendant and Respondent (50 Cal.3d...

People v. Thompson: Upholding Death Penalty with Admissible Confessions and Felony Murder Rule

Date: Feb 9, 1990

People v. Thompson: Upholding Death Penalty with Admissible Confessions and Felony Murder Rule Introduction People v. Thompson is a seminal case adjudicated by the Supreme Court of California on...

Establishing Preliminary Showing Requirements for Discovery in Confidential Informant Cases: The People v. George Luttenberger

Date: Jan 19, 1990

Establishing Preliminary Showing Requirements for Discovery in Confidential Informant Cases: The People v. George Luttenberger Introduction In The People v. George Luttenberger, the Supreme Court of...

Clarifying Implied Malice: The Dellinger Decision's Impact on Jury Instructions

Date: Dec 19, 1989

Clarifying Implied Malice: The Dellinger Decision's Impact on Jury Instructions Introduction The People of California appealed the conviction of Leland Dellinger, arguing that the jury instructions...

Affirmation of First-Degree Murder Conviction in People v. Jackson: Implications for Special Circumstances and Evidentiary Standards

Date: Dec 19, 1989

Affirmation of First-Degree Murder Conviction in People v. Jackson: Implications for Special Circumstances and Evidentiary Standards Introduction People v. Michael Anthony Jackson (49 Cal.3d 1170,...

Clarifying the Admissibility of Expert Character Evidence in Sexual Offense Cases: People v. Stoll

Date: Dec 19, 1989

Clarifying the Admissibility of Expert Character Evidence in Sexual Offense Cases: People v. Stoll Introduction In People v. Stoll et al. (49 Cal.3d 1136, 1989), the Supreme Court of California...

People v. Hunter (1989): Affirmation of Death Penalty in Double Homicide Case

Date: Dec 8, 1989

People v. Hunter (1989): Affirmation of Death Penalty in Double Homicide Case Introduction In the landmark case of People v. Michael Wayne Hunter, decided on December 7, 1989, the Supreme Court of...

Affirmation of Death Penalty: Admissibility of Out-of-State Felony Convictions as Moral Turpitude for Impeachment Purposes

Date: Dec 8, 1989

Affirmation of Death Penalty: Admissibility of Out-of-State Felony Convictions as Moral Turpitude for Impeachment Purposes Introduction In the landmark case of The People v. Kenneth Burton Lang, Jr.,...