In a unanimous April 6 opinion, the California Supreme Court reversed the guilt-phase judgment and death sentence in a 1998 double-murder prosecution from Imperial County, finding the trial court erred in ruling on a defense challenge to remove a prospective juror for cause. The court remanded the matter for new proceedings. A separate concurrence flags severe mental illness in the record and signals future briefing on whether execution in such circumstances could violate the constitutional bar on cruel and unusual punishment.
Scammers are increasingly using deceptive advertisements and deepfake technology to lure people into high-stakes scams in order to then defraud them of their savings.
California Department of Justice — Investment fraud alert
Attorney General Bonta issued a statewide alert describing pump-and-dump schemes, romance-investment hybrids, and AI-voice “clone” fraud proliferating on Meta-owned services and other channels. The bulletin directs victims to the Department’s online complaint portal and urges scrutiny of unsolicited social-media solicitations.
Attorney General Bonta Warns Californians of Investment Scams on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — oag.ca.govAttorney General Bonta announced his sponsorship of Senate Bill 1399 (Durazo), which would delete the July 1, 2027 inoperative date and related repeal language in Government Code section 12532 — preserving California’s AB 103 framework for Department of Justice inspections and public reporting on conditions in civil immigration detention.
The measure, as described in the Attorney General’s announcement, recently advanced out of committee. Existing law requires reviews through mid-2027; the bill would continue those obligations without a statutory sunset.
The California Department of Justice announced charges against 21 defendants and the dismantling of an alleged scheme in which personal identifying information was used to enroll individuals in Medi-Cal and bill through multiple hospice entities — with investigators alleging no legitimate hospice services were provided over the life of the conspiracy.
Search warrants were executed at twelve Southern California locations; the Attorney General’s office reported seizures including cash and firearms. Charges in three complaints include conspiracy, health care fraud, money laundering, and identity theft, with aggravated white-collar enhancements alleged.
Attorney General Bonta filed a comment letter opposing PHMSA consideration of a special permit sought by Sable Offshore Corp. for Lines CA-324 and CA-325. The filing argues the onshore segments are intrastate and fall under California’s Office of the State Fire Marshal rather than exclusive federal permitting, and contests the legal basis for an emergency waiver tied to federal energy orders.
Attorney General Bonta joined attorneys general from 21 other jurisdictions on a comment letter opposing a proposed U.S. Department of Justice regulation that would allow the federal department to review — and potentially pause — state bar disciplinary matters involving Justice Department attorneys.
The comment letter argues the proposal infringes state licensing authority, could delay ethics investigations, and undermines uniform professional standards for government lawyers appearing in state courts.
Multistate signatories urge withdrawal of the proposed rule as contrary to law and inconsistent with maintaining public confidence in bar discipline.
On April 1, 2026, the California Supreme Court denied petitions for review and depublication requests in litigation over Pasadena ordinances tying relocation assistance to lawful rent increases on units not subject to local rent caps. The Court of Appeal decision — concluding such a mandate is preempted by the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act — therefore remains citable precedent.
Following February 26, 2026 board action adopting initial Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act regulations, CARB staff used a March 23 workshop to clarify template and assurance expectations: first-year reporting is limited to Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, with Scope 3 and limited assurance phased for later cycles. Stakeholders may submit comments on workshop topics through April 13.
Governor Newsom announced enactment of Senate Bill 583 (Padilla) establishing a new conservancy to institutionalize habitat, air-quality, and public-access investments at California’s largest inland lake — building on years of Salton Sea Management Plan implementation and prior state and federal project funding.
The Judicial Branch posted a new published opinion from Division Four of the First Appellate District in case number A172048 — part of the steady mid-April flow of citable California authority on commercial and consumer litigation.
Slip opinions marked “published” are citable authority statewide. Banking and consumer practitioners typically monitor these filings for developments in account-handling, UCL, and contract disputes involving major financial institutions operating in California.
In civil litigation challenging Department of Justice regulations under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, U.S. District Judge Jesús G. Bernal entered a permanent injunction barring prosecutions of certain California residents without first confirming with the state that they remain subject to registration — addressing plaintiffs who obtained relief from California’s registry through expungement or court orders.
Plaintiffs alleged a 2021 DOJ rule treated lack of federal registration as an element of an offense even where California law no longer required them to register.
The order describes the challenged framework as improperly shifting the burden of proof on a core offense element.
The decision centers on individuals granted relief under California’s sex-offender registration scheme who nonetheless faced potential federal prosecution.
The Supreme Court heard argument in Sunflower Alliance v. California Department of Conservation (S287414), a case testing when agencies may rely on CEQA’s Class 1 “existing facilities” exemption for projects with minimal environmental change — including questions about interplay between exemptions and later regulatory conditions.
Last day for many CARB-track stakeholder comments tied to the March 23 GHG reporting workshop — relevant to in-house environmental counsel preparing the Aug. 10 filing.
The court traditionally files opinions Monday mornings; watch for new civil and criminal decisions following the April 6 special oral argument calendar.
Spring 2026 session bills (including detention-transparency measures) continue through fiscal and policy committees; check leginfo.ca.gov for daily hearing agendas.
Courts of Appeal regularly issue published opinions mid-week; monitor the Judicial Branch slip opinion feed for banking, employment, and tort decisions.
Air Resources Board advertises recurring technical workshops on mobile-source and climate programs — verify arb.ca.gov events for air-quality rulemaking affecting local agencies.
Post-Deen remand proceedings may begin scheduling once the Supreme Court’s remittitur issues; media and victims-services stakeholders typically monitor the clerk’s register.