The Court of Appeal affirmed the denial of Tyler Taintergallon’s suppression motion, finding his initial detention supported by reasonable suspicion and the satchel search lawful incident to arrest, and declined to consider his mental health diversion challenge because he lacked a certificate
The Court of Appeal affirmed Higginbotham’s murder conviction with special circumstances, holding that gang evidence was properly admitted to show motive, the prosecution exercised due diligence in securing an unavailable witness, and rebuttal Snapchat evidence contradicting the brother-as-sho
The Court of Appeal reversed the superior court’s prima facie denial of Taito’s resentencing petition and remanded with directions to issue an order to show cause and hold an evidentiary hearing, because neither the felony-murder special-circumstance finding nor the weapon-use finding co
The First District affirmed a dispositional order committing Jayden J. to a secure youth treatment facility, holding that any error about his age-based STRTP eligibility was forfeited and that substantial evidence supported the juvenile court’s rejection of less restrictive placements.
The Fifth District Court of Appeal struck a $200 restitution fine reimposed at resentencing because the fine was originally imposed more than 10 years earlier, making it unenforceable under amended Penal Code section 1465.9.
California’s Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division One affirmed Richard Cowan’s judgment, finding sufficient evidence of intent to kill in two attempted murders and no error in admitting firearm comparison testimony or answering the jury’s question.
The Third District reversed the denial of Fernando Valdez’s resentencing petition because the jury instructions permitted a theory imputing malice based solely on his participation, and the trial court improperly relied on appellate factual findings and weighed evidence at the prima facie stag
The Court of Appeal reversed a gang-allegation true finding, affirmed the judgment in all other respects, vacated the sentence, and remanded for full resentencing because the trial court failed to investigate a deliberating juror’s report of bias and then discharged that juror without establis
Following the California Supreme Court’s reversal, the Fifth District Court of Appeal reversed the denial of Angela Hernandez’s Penal Code section 1473.7 motion and directed the trial court to grant the motion, vacate her convictions, and conduct further proceedings consistent with the S
The Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court’s decision to reimpose an upper term sentence for carjacking during a Penal Code section 1172.75 resentencing, holding that because the upper term was originally imposed, the court was not required to find aggravating factors beyond a reasonable dou
The Court of Appeal reversed the judgment and remanded for resentencing because the trial court improperly imposed a three-year great bodily injury enhancement under Penal Code section 12022.7 when that injury was already an element of Curry’s battery causing serious bodily injury conviction.
The Sixth District Court of Appeal affirmed a 25-years-to-life Three Strikes sentence, holding that the trial court’s repeated references to the defendant’s prior convictions as ‘strikes,’ ‘super strikes,’ and ‘prior serious and violent felonies’ const
The Fourth District Court of Appeal reversed Ballard’s conviction for receiving a stolen vehicle because he could not be convicted of both stealing and receiving the same vehicle, but affirmed his felony vehicle theft conviction, finding substantial evidence supported the vehicle’s value
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California dismissed Gary Louis Blank’s federal habeas petition as untimely, finding he filed it in 2024, well after the January 2, 2020 deadline, and was not entitled to statutory or equitable tolling.
A federal district court adopted a magistrate judge’s recommendation and dismissed a federal prisoner’s § 2241 petition for lack of jurisdiction, holding that a claim framed as a challenge to the Sentencing Commission’s statutory authority was in substance a collateral attack on th
A federal court dismissed a state prisoner’s habeas petition without prejudice because he failed to pay the $5 filing fee or seek in forma pauperis status and admitted that one of his four claims remained unexhausted in state court, while setting a December 21, 2026 deadline to cure both defec
A federal court denied a state prisoner’s motion to proceed in forma pauperis without prejudice and dismissed his First Amended habeas petition without prejudice because he failed to pay or properly seek waiver of the filing fee, failed to allege exhaustion of state court remedies, and pleaded
The Court of Appeal held that amended section 730.6 limits apportionment among adjudicated juvenile co-offenders but requires consideration of a reduced award for compelling and extraordinary reasons, and its October 26, 2026 order modified the opinion and denied rehearing without changing the judgm
The Ninth Circuit affirmed David Rosales-Soto’s 60-month sentence, holding that the district court did not abuse its discretion in applying a two-level minor-role reduction under U.S.S.G. § 3B1.2(b) rather than a four-level minimal-role reduction, and that the sentence was substantively reason
On September 29, 2026, I submitted findings and recommendations that the first amended petition be dismissed without leave to amend as untimely. With those recommendations pending, petitioner filed a motion to appoint counsel and a motion to stay. I will deny the motion to appoint counsel because th
The Fifth District Court of Appeal affirmed Peter Cruz’s stipulated 10-year sentence after independently reviewing the record and finding no ineffective assistance of counsel or other arguable error.
The Court of Appeal reversed in part, affirmed in part, and remanded with directions, rejecting Autman’s sufficiency challenge but directing the trial court to tailor an electronic search probation condition that was unconstitutionally overbroad.
The Court of Appeal reversed Joseph Hagar’s judgment, holding the trial court erred by failing to apply Assembly Bill 333’s narrowed gang enhancement requirements, by leaving in place a restitution fine that had become unenforceable by operation of law, and by miscalculating custody cred
The Court of Appeal modified a criminal judgment to stay a 90-day concurrent sentence on count 5 for misdemeanor resisting or obstructing a peace officer, finding the offense was part of an indivisible course of conduct with a felony resisting charge under Penal Code section 654, but rejected the de