(Subscription required) A former public defender, Judge William L. Sadler has presided over a steady stream of murder trials while earning respect from prosecutors and defense attorneys for his even hand and concern for mentally ill defendants.

(Subscription required) Attorneys Paul Clement and Erin Murphy have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down California's ban on large-capacity magazines, but legal experts say the justices may hesitate to take up the issue without five votes lined up.

(Subscription required) Santa Barbara Superior Court will raise its e-filing fee from $6.45 to $10 per envelope on Sept. 1 to recover costs from technology upgrades and expanding digital case infrastructure.

(Subscription required) "She has a sharp intellect," said Chief Deputy District Attorney Scott M. Triplett, who supervised Franklin as a prosecutor. "She has no problem rolling up her sleeves and doing the work required to really understand the legal and factual issues of any case. She has no problem holding people accountable."