Supreme Court of California - January 2012 Opinion Summaries

People v. Johnson

Constitutional Law, Criminal Law & Procedure
On appeal of a judgment of conviction entered after the trial court revoked the defendant's self-representation status on mental competency grounds,...

People v. Cravens

Criminal Law & Procedure
In a prosecution that resulted in a conviction for second-degree murder, the Court of Appeal's reduction of the conviction to voluntary manslaughter...

Vandermost v. Bowen

Constitutional Law, Elections, Government Law
In writ petition proceedings concerning California state senate electoral maps, the requested writ of mandate is denied, where: 1) the court concluded...

People v. Mil

Criminal Law & Procedure, Sentencing
In a prosecution for first degree murder in which the jury convicted after making true findings as to burglary-murder and robbery-murder special...

Rossa v. D.L. Falk Construction, Inc.

Civil Procedure, Construction, Judgement Enforcement
In a suit in which a defendant sought to recover the interest it paid on the sums it borrowed to secure a bank’s letter of credit on an appeal bond,...

O'Neil v. Crane Co.

Civil Procedure, Injury & Tort Law, Product Liability
In an appeal from a judgment of the appeals court reversing a dismissal of plaintiffs' action for wrongful death allegedly caused by asbestos released...

People v. Nelson

Constitutional Law, Criminal Law & Procedure, Sentencing, Evidence
Conviction and sentencing of defendant-juvenile for first-degree murder and other related-offenses are upheld because a juvenile claiming a postwaiver...

People v. Pearson

Criminal Law & Procedure, Sentencing
Sentencing of defendant to death is vacated where although the defendant was properly convicted of first-degree murder, the trial court erred in...

People v. Maultsby

Criminal Law & Procedure, Sentencing
Judgment of the appeals court is reversed where Penal Code Section 1237.5 does not apply to an enhancement allegation to which a defendant has entered...