July 2, 2009 Update on Payments to Court-Appointed Appellate Counsel:

Claims transmitted to AOC on Friday, June 19, and received by the AOC on Monday, June 22, included among those to be paid by warrant.

Read more here.

[Posted July 2, 2009]

Status of Court-Appointed Counsel Payments; Temporary Suspension of Direct Deposit Program

The Administrative Office of the Courts has issued an email memorandum addressed to California court-appointed counsel announcing measures resulting from the state's fiscal problems. Effective July 2, 2009, the state Controller will issue warrants (i.e. IOUs) instead of checks to appointed counsel.

More details and the full text of the AOC email can be viewed here.

[Posted June 26, 2009]

SCOTUS: Admission of Lab Analyst's Affidvait Violated Confrontation Clause

In Melendez-Diaz v. Mass., no. 07-591, the Supreme Court holds that a lab analyst's affidavit constituted testimonal evidence and its admission violated the Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses.

Read more here.

[Posted June 25, 2009]