CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SAN FRANCISCO : ‘Speedy Trial Act’ Review Is Denied

Without passing judgment on its validity, the California Supreme Court refused to block immediate application of Proposition 115, the so-called “Speedy Trial Act” sponsored by prosecutors to shorten court procedures and restrict some rights of defendants. The court’s decision to deny review of a lower court order in Los Angeles allows judges and prosecutors to continue implementation of the measure, which permits the questioning of prospective jurors by judges rather than lawyers; the use of hearsay testimony by police rather than on-the-spot witnesses at preliminary hearings, and which requires court-appointed defense lawyers to be ready for trial within 60 days. Two suits, one filed by three Northern California lawyers and one by the Los Angeles County public defender’s office, challenge the new law as unconstitutional.