With Justices Carol Corrigan and Joshua Groban absent, the Supreme Court had a second straight relatively quiet conference yesterday. The court ruled on only 74 matters. Last week there were 92 rulings. There were no straight grants at either conference. By contrast, two weeks ago saw action on 201 cases with two straight grants. Yesterday’s actions of note included:
Three-justice concurring statement in infanticide case calls for legislative action on postpartum mental illness. (Although he was absent from the conference, Justice Groban did participate in this case, as a signatory to Justice Kelli Evan’s separate statement.)
Criminal case grant-and-holds. There were just four criminal case grant-and-holds: two more each holding for decisions in People v. Emanuel (see here) and In re Hernandez (see here).
Grant-and-hold dispositions (see here). The court removed nine grant-and-hold cases from its docket. It dismissed review in five cases that had been waiting for April’s witness-dissuasion opinion in People v. Reynoza (2024) 15 Cal.5th 982 (see here). The other four cases were on hold for People v. McDavid (2024) 15 Cal.5th 1015, also decided in April, which concerned firearms sentencing enhancements (see here); review was dismissed in three and one was sent back to the Court of Appeal for reconsideration in light of the McDavid opinion.