California Supreme Court – Page 7

DA Gascon Tried to Side-Step California’s Three Strikes Law

December 13, 2023 6:47 amDecember 13, 2023 6:47 am

California’s “three strikes” law is widely popular and widely credited with cutting crime. It is also the bete noir of the progressive prosecutor and the “justice reform” movement, being blamed for excessive incarceration and arrest and sentencing racial disparities. The...

Frequently Asked Questions about California’s Judicial Branch

November 23, 2023 6:53 amNovember 27, 2023 11:05 am

What does the California Constitution, in Article VI, Section 1 provide? It says that the judicial power of the state is vested in the Supreme Court, courts of appeal, and superior courts, all of which are courts of record. What...

Frequently Asked Questions about Statutory Construction California

October 27, 2023 7:51 amOctober 27, 2023 7:51 am

For those not familiar, I put together the following questions and answers for those queries that are most often posed regarding statutory construction in California. What is the purpose of statutory construction? The “fundamental task is to ascertain the Legislature’s...

Binding a Future Legislature

August 10, 2023 2:55 amAugust 10, 2023 2:56 am

You may have heard around the California State Capitol the following phrase: “You cannot bind a future Legislature.” What does that mean? And does it apply to the electorate, or just the Legislature? The California Supreme Court, in the case...

Should Legislative Grants of Rulemaking Authority Always Include Specific Guidance from the Legislature?

August 1, 2023 6:54 amAugust 1, 2023 7:01 am

Under constitutional separation-of-powers provisions, generally the laws are enacted by the legislative branch of government, the laws are administered by the executive branch, and the laws are interpreted by the judicial branch. California’s Constitution, in fact, provides specifically for this...

Gov. Newsom Won’t Contest Parole Of Manson Family Murderer Leslie Van Houten

July 8, 2023 8:24 amJuly 8, 2023 8:24 am

In a statement on Friday, the office of Governor Gavin Newsom said that he would not be contesting the parole recommendation of convicted murderer and Manson Family member Leslie Van Houten, moving Van Houten the closest she has been to...

One Reason to Have More Thorough Legislative Discussions on Bills

June 12, 2023 6:21 amJune 12, 2023 6:30 am

Mainly because legislative committees in the California Legislature have to process so many bills at their limited hearings, there is little public debate, particularly among legislators, regarding bills that are heard in the committees of the State Senate and State...