California Case Commentaries

Proposition 47 Does Not Permit Reduction of Felony Misuse of Personal Identifying Information to Misdemeanor Shoplifting

Date: Mar 3, 2020

Proposition 47 Does Not Permit Reduction of Felony Misuse of Personal Identifying Information to Misdemeanor Shoplifting Introduction In People v. Miguel Angel Jimenez (9 Cal.5th 53, 2020), the...

Reaffirmation of Expert Testimony Standards in Hearsay Analysis: People v. Veamatahau

Date: Feb 28, 2020

Reaffirmation of Expert Testimony Standards in Hearsay Analysis: People v. Veamatahau Introduction Case: The People v. Joseph Veamatahau Court: Supreme Court of California Date: February 27, 2020 The...

Retroactive Application of Ameliorative Statutory Amendments in Probation Revocations: Analysis of THE PEOPLE v. DOUGLAS EDWARD MCKENZIE

Date: Feb 28, 2020

Retroactive Application of Ameliorative Statutory Amendments in Probation Revocations: Analysis of The People v. Douglas Edward McKenzie Introduction The People v. Douglas Edward McKenzie (9 Cal.5th...

Reversing Forfeiture: Confrontation Clause and Expert Basis Hearsay in PEOPLE v. CHAVEZ et al.

Date: Feb 28, 2020

Reversing Forfeiture: Confrontation Clause and Expert Basis Hearsay in PEOPLE v. CHAVEZ et al. Introduction The case of PEOPLE v. CHAVEZ et al. (9 Cal.5th 1) addresses critical issues surrounding the...

Finality and Timeliness in Juvenile Court Dispositions: Insights from In re G.C.

Date: Feb 21, 2020

Finality and Timeliness in Juvenile Court Dispositions: Insights from In re G.C. Introduction The case of In re G.C., adjudicated by the Supreme Court of California in 2020, addresses critical issues...

Kenneth Earl Gay v. State: Redefining Standards for Effective Assistance of Counsel in Capital Habeas Corpus Proceedings

Date: Feb 14, 2020

Kenneth Earl Gay v. State: Redefining Standards for Effective Assistance of Counsel in Capital Habeas Corpus Proceedings Introduction In re KENNETH EARL GAY on Habeas Corpus (8 Cal.5th 1059), decided...

Mandatory Exit Searches Classified as Compensable 'Hours Worked' under California Wage Order 7

Date: Feb 14, 2020

Mandatory Exit Searches Classified as Compensable 'Hours Worked' under California Wage Order 7 Introduction In the landmark case of Amanda Frlekin et al. v. Apple Inc. (8 Cal.5th 1038), the Supreme...

Affirmation of Penal Code §1018: Balancing Self-Representation and Eighth Amendment Reliability in Capital Cases

Date: Feb 4, 2020

Affirmation of Penal Code §1018: Balancing Self-Representation and Eighth Amendment Reliability in Capital Cases Introduction In the case of THE PEOPLE v. DANIEL CARL FREDERICKSON (8 Cal.5th 963),...

Inclusion of Omitted Attorneys in Notices of Appeal: K.J. v. Los Angeles Unified School District

Date: Jan 31, 2020

Inclusion of Omitted Attorneys in Notices of Appeal: K.J. v. Los Angeles Unified School District Introduction The case of K.J., a Minor, et al., Plaintiffs, v. Los Angeles Unified School District et...

A Comprehensive Commentary on People v. Hoyt: Affirmation of State Jurisdiction and Death Penalty in a Kidnap-Murder Case

Date: Jan 31, 2020

Affirmation of State Jurisdiction and Death Penalty in Kidnap-Murder Case Introduction People v. Hoyt, 8 Cal.5th 892 (2020), adjudicated by the Supreme Court of California on January 30, 2020,...

Affirmation of Conviction: Miranda Waiver Validated Despite Consular Notification Violations in People v. Leon

Date: Jan 24, 2020

Affirmation of Conviction: Miranda Waiver Validated Despite Consular Notification Violations in People v. Leon Introduction In People v. Jose Luis Leon (2020), the Supreme Court of California...

Barefoot v. Jennings: Expanding Beneficiary Standing Under Probate Code §17200

Date: Jan 24, 2020

Barefoot v. Jennings: Expanding Beneficiary Standing Under Probate Code §17200 Introduction Barefoot v. Jennings (8 Cal.5th 822, 2020) is a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of California that...

California Supreme Court Recognizes Psychotherapist-Patient Privacy in Mandatory Reporting of Online Child Pornography: Mathews v. Becerra

Date: Dec 27, 2019

California Supreme Court Recognizes Psychotherapist-Patient Privacy in Mandatory Reporting of Online Child Pornography: Mathews et al. v. Becerra Introduction Mathews et al. v. Becerra is a seminal...

People v. Beck and Cruz: Clarifying Death Sentences Based on Conspiracy to Commit Murder

Date: Dec 3, 2019

People v. Beck and Cruz: Clarifying Death Sentences Based on Conspiracy to Commit Murder Introduction In People v. James David Beck and Gerald Dean Cruz (8 Cal.5th 548, 2019), the Supreme Court of...

Affirmation of Death Sentence in Rhoades Case Establishes Robust Standards for Penal Punishment

Date: Nov 26, 2019

Affirmation of Death Sentence in Rhoades Case Establishes Robust Standards for Penal Punishment Introduction In the landmark case of The People, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. Robert Boyd Rhoades,...

Affirmation of Death Sentence Upholding Batson/Wheeler and Miranda Standards in Rex Allan Krebs Case

Date: Nov 22, 2019

Affirmation of Death Sentence Upholding Batson/Wheeler and Miranda Standards in Rex Allan Krebs Case Introduction In the landmark case of The People v. Rex Allan Krebs (8 Cal.5th 265, 2019), the...

California Supreme Court Upholds Exempt Status of Insurers from Compound Interest Limitations: Wishnev v. Northwestern Mutual

Date: Nov 15, 2019

California Supreme Court Upholds Exempt Status of Insurers from Compound Interest Limitations Introduction In the landmark case of Wishnev v. Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (8 Cal.5th...

Excluding Unpaid Wages from PAGA Civil Penalties: A Comprehensive Analysis of ZB, N.A. v. Superior Court of San Diego County

Date: Sep 13, 2019

Excluding Unpaid Wages from PAGA Civil Penalties: A Comprehensive Analysis of ZB, N.A. v. Superior Court of San Diego County Introduction The case of ZB, N.A., and Zions Bancorporation v. Superior...

California Recognizes Notice-Prejudice Rule as Fundamental Public Policy in First Party Insurance Contracts

Date: Aug 30, 2019

California Recognizes Notice-Prejudice Rule as Fundamental Public Policy in First Party Insurance Contracts Introduction In the landmark case of Pitzer College v. Indian Harbor Insurance Company, the...

Unconscionability of Arbitration Agreements in Wage Disputes: OTO v. Kho

Date: Aug 30, 2019

Unconscionability of Arbitration Agreements in Wage Disputes: OTO, L.L.C. v. Kho Introduction In the landmark decision of OTO, L.L.C. v. Kho, the Supreme Court of California grappled with the...