Judicial Council discusses court vacancies & funding, CA Supreme Court redefines "presence" in emotional distress cases, 'Snake Burglar' pleads guilty, and Riverside's evidence-sharing under scrutiny.
Here’s a round-up of recent legal stories affecting Riversiders from our friends at Follow Our Courts, who cover legal news in the Inland Empire:
At the Judicial Council’s July 21 meeting, discussions centered on court vacancies, funding allocations for San Bernardino and Riverside, the need for new courthouses, and the results of a statewide pretrial diversion program that showed decreased recidivism rates, concluding with accolades for the retiring Justice Marsha Slough (link).
The California Supreme Court has taken up a Riverside damages case that challenges the appellate ruling that a person doesn't need to be physically present at an accident scene to claim negligent infliction of emotional distress, suggesting that remote technology like phone calls can provide sufficient presence for a lawsuit (link).
Christopher Michael Paul Jackson, known as the "Snake Burglar," pleaded guilty to 54 burglary counts and was released with 12 years of GPS monitoring, a treatment program, and an obligation to pay $158,000 in restitution (link).
The Ninth Circuit Courts of Appeal determined that Riverside resident Roger Parker, who was jailed for four years on murder charges, doesn't have a civil rights claim under the Brady rule but might have grounds under more recent case law, highlighting the implications of evidence-sharing practices in Riverside's legal system (link).
Starting August 1, California lawyers must report other attorneys’ misconduct (link).
Follow Our Courts reports on cases, legislation, and courthouse happenings in the Inland Empire. Learn more at followourcourts.com.
Reaccreditation by the Center for Public Safety Excellence highlights the department's handling of 43,000+ incidents, placing it among the top five fire agencies in California.
