California Supreme Court, 2021

The court held that a petitioner who files a facially sufficient petition for relief under Penal Code section 1170.95 and requests counsel is entitled to appointed counsel before the court makes its single prima facie determination.

The court held that Proposition 66’s restrictions on successive capital habeas petitions apply only to claims that were or could reasonably have been raised earlier, preserving review of newly available claims presented at the first reasonable opportunity.

The California Supreme Court affirmed the Court of Appeal's order granting Kenneth Humphrey a new bail hearing, holding that pretrial detention cannot be imposed solely because a defendant cannot afford bail.