Two defendants in unrelated criminal proceedings, each seeking a mental health diversion, have persuaded Div. One of the Fourth District Court of Appeal that the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office does not have the right, under a discovery statute, to an order compelling a mental examination.

A campaign by local policy makers from earlier this year has paid off, with the state agreeing to fund a new courthouse for Tracy in the 2026-27 budget year. Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom (D-Tracy) announced this week that the state budget includes $3.5 million in General Fund support for the Performance Criteria phase of the new Tracy Courthouse. 

A man who tortured a 23-year-old man before zipping his body in a suitcase and throwing him into the San Francisco Bay saw his murder conviction upheld Friday by a California appeals court. The court agreed with the California attorney general that language in the jury’s instructions on the definition of poison was incorrect but harmless.

(Subscription required) The California Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the State Bar may require attorney Thomas John Spielbauer to satisfy a civil fraud judgment before returning to active practice, even though the misconduct involved a nonclient.