San Diego Civil Rights Lawyer
News Updates.
12/19/22 - We obtained an appellate decision deeming unconstitutional a California prohibition on issuing certificates of rehabilitation to certain probationers - a rare case in which the Legislature’s actions could not survive even very deferential “rational basis” review. The case is People v. G (E077770).
11/28/22 - We recently obtained bodycamera footage in a pair of California Public Record Act cases involving law enforcement use of force causing great bodily injury — records that two San Diego law enforcement agencies had not previously disclosed.
8/14/22 - We reached a $136,000 settlement in a case in which the Riverside County Sheriff performed an extensive, improper, warrantless search on the home of a Lake Elsinore couple.
8/12/22 - We obtained reversal of murder and attempted murder convictions in People v. Ward, et al. (B310842).
5/1/22 - We reached a $30,000 settlement in an excessive force case against a San Diego Police officer for a man who was pepper sprayed while handcuffed in the back of a police car.
12/27/21 - We obtained a reversal of a murder conviction in People v. Sandoval, (H047410).
8/23/21 - We obtained an unpublished reversal of a summary denial in a murder resentencing for an individual who was 14-years-old at the time of the underlying crime. The case is People v. Marshall (B306867).
12/30/20 - We obtained a reversal of an attempted murder conviction in People v. Clapps (D076657).
11/24/20 - We obtained an unpublished reversal of another summary denial of a murder resentencing. The case is People v. U. (B304411).
11/20/20 - We obtained a published reversal in an interesting Fourth Amendment case where several African-American teenagers were detained on the basis of vague allegations about acting “shady.” The case is In re Edgerrin J.
4/17/20 - We obtained a published reversal in a murder appeal where the court summarily denied the defendant’s petition for resentencing. The case is People v. Drayton, published today by California’s Sixth District Court of Appeal.
4/2/20 - The California Judicial Council’s coronavirus-related emergency extensions of the schedule for arraignments of criminal defendants have been put in place, raising serious concerns about over-detention of individuals who should be released. There will inevitably be people who are lost in the system as these delays are implemented.
1/22/20 - The San Diego Union reports that police have been stepping up arrests of city homeless in anticipation of the annual survey of the homeless population. If correct, that report raises concerns about illegal arrests made purely to make statistics look more favorable.