John Doe, Plaintiff and Respondent v. Kamala D. Harris, as Attorney General

Summary

The California Supreme Court answered a certified question concerning whether later-enacted laws can alter the consequences of a plea agreement. It held that plea agreements generally incorporate the state's reserved power to enact retroactive legislation, and that a statutory reference combined with silence about future amendments ordinarily does not create an implied promise that the defendant will remain unaffected. The court did not decide the constitutional validity of the retroactive registration law or the ultimate factual application to Doe's agreement.