Supreme Court of California

The full faith and credit clause does not preclude a state from determining under its own laws whether a guilty plea in another jurisdiction constitutes a prior conviction for purposes of its habitual criminal statute. Defendant's guilty plea in Arizona, followed by a dismissal upon completion of probation, constitutes a prior conviction under California's three strikes law.

Appellate Information

• Decided 04/08/2004
• Published 04/08/2004

Judges

• MORENO, J.

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
•  Paul J. Pfingst and Bonnie M. Dumanis, District Attorneys, Charles E. Nickel, Thomas F. McArdle, Anthony Lovett and Josephine A. Kiernan, Deputy District Attorneys, for Plaintiff and Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Steven J. Carroll, Public Defender, Michael Begovich and Matthew C. Braner, Deputy Public Defenders, for Defendant and Respondent.