COURT WATCH: Judge Warns Case Will Not Be Continued Further Despite Defense Attorney’s Post-Surgery Health Complications
Imperial County Superior Court Judge Monica Lepe-Negrete admonished defense counsel Mario P. Tafur following his inability to attend proceedings due to post-surgical... Read more.
Newport Beach Judge Reduces Fines Due to Accused’s Financial Hardship
Judge Richard E. Pacheco, presiding at the Newport Beach Harbor Justice Center, declined to impose a probation violation on a defendant who failed to complete a... Read more.
California Bills Target Controversial Flat-Fee Public Defense Contracts
Two key public defense reform bills, AB 690 and AB 2605, advanced out of the California Senate Appropriations Committee, moving legislation aimed at reforming flat-fee... Read more.
COURT WATCH: Judge Sets ‘Higher Than Usual’ Bond Despite Defense Citing Low-Level Charges and Family Obligations
Magistrate Ethan S. Doak imposed a $3,000 bond for a defendant facing four Class 2 traffic offenses, an amount the court acknowledged as exceeding typical parameters... Read more.
Newport Beach Judge Reduces Felony Theft Charge, Overrules Prosecution
A judge at the Newport Beach Harbor Justice Center reduced a felony petty theft charge to a misdemeanor, overruling prosecution objections that cited the accused’s... Read more.
Court Watch: Court-Imposed Fines and Restitution Fees Highlight Financial Burden of Mandatory Penalties
A recent court proceeding at the Newport Beach Harbor Justice Center, addressing a misdemeanor vandalism charge involving less than $400 in damage, highlighted the... Read more.
Judge Overrules DA Objection, Releases Accused Despite Prosecution’s Push for Incarceration
Yolo County Superior Court Judge Danette C. Brown ordered the release of an accused individual on his own recognizance, overruling objections from Deputy District... Read more.
Judge Cuts Bail for Burglar, Cites Poverty Despite Long Criminal History
During an arraignment hearing in Yolo County Superior Court, Judge Stephen L. Mock reduced an accused’s bail from $1,000 to $100 after the defense argued the accused... Read more.
CBI Analyst Pleads Guilty to DNA Manipulation, Jeopardizing 1,000 Cases
Former Colorado Bureau of Investigation DNA analyst Yvonne "Missy" Woods entered a guilty plea Tuesday to multiple felony charges, including cybercrime and perjury,... Read more.
Judge Remands Vandalism Suspect, Citing Unsuitability & Conflicting Report
Judge Derek G. Johnson rejected a request for terminal discharge for an individual involved in a felony vandalism case, citing conflicting information within a Pretrial... Read more.