The U.S. Supreme Court is returning to courtroom for oral arguments next month, but not California’s high court.  Like all calendars since April 2020, and for the foreseeable future, the October calendar — announced today — will be remote and based in San Francisco.    (See here, here, here, here, and here.)  The arguments will be live streamed, as all arguments have been since May 2016.

On October 5, the court will hear the following cases (and, in the non-capital case, with the issue presented as summarized by court staff or limited by the court itself):

Hill RHF Housing Partners, L.P. v. City of Los Angeles:  The court limited the issues to:  “1. In order to bring a judicial action challenging the validity of an assessment imposed pursuant to article XIII D, section 4 of the California Constitution, must a property owner articulate at the public hearing on the proposed assessment the reason or reasons it alleges the assessment is invalid?  2. If so, should this rule apply only prospectively?”  (Link added.)  The court granted review in September 2020.

Presbyterian Camp and Conference Centers, Inc. v. Superior Court:  Can a corporation be held liable under Health and Safety Code sections 13009 and 13009.1 for the costs of suppressing and investigating fires that its agents or employees negligently or illegally set, allowed to be set, or allowed to escape?  The court granted review in January 2020.  [Disclosure:  Horvitz & Levy filed the petition for review and has briefed the case in the Supreme Court.]

People v. Johnson:  This is an automatic direct appeal from an April 1998 judgment of death.  The court’s website does not list issues for death penalty appeals.  Counsel was appointed in September 2002.  Briefing was completed in January 2012.

In re Mohammad:  Is a prisoner serving a sentence for a combination of violent and nonviolent felonies eligible for early parole consideration under the provisions of Proposition 57 following completion of the term for his or her primary offense?  The court granted review in February 2020.

People v. Wright:  This is an automatic direct appeal from a June 2002 judgment of death.  The court’s website does not list issues for death penalty appeals.  Counsel was appointed in December 2007.  Initial briefing was completed in April 2015.