WPC  r"BBȵrgayRU0G1Y\;c;G%]q2v(40KGEM/R7;҄!:;U=LVq \L&"+6Ey,i<օGhe̫ضZ (̑VpqzvB5EbTw$g)]pA<{PƔMbA̤A3] /(l'#L[Cdz<$iflIM5D/S}mMhRׁ#,)bO3aV%?WpSC)6akɬiv0ch/RQf9O}xfN61ebM|pߔOF0kmva꥝@˥](@+ʩ[OexF1w{K#a[{U`Z`~(Nz{nKpV!fX|VLfs*ZAΡK`(Pr4U_#!2U NS % 0RN ^  w@ 4O c r mt N UN U< &                                                                          0~= HP LaserJet 5Si,,,,,,0(   Z6Times New Roman Regular(*K9$ 0 gUDHEUDUU0xp}.bk63|xU)^S Z 6Times New Roman Regular%\  `$Times NewRoman   N  9(parparagraph in brief `  K9!  _NNNEAUS.,-    US.,EA,. #NN##NN#8Ndd8NNNNX    uEAUS., CONFIDENTIALATTORNEYCLIENTMAIL  .~ O#NN"##NN#US.,EA,.yThis_is_Ԁ_to_Ԁ_inform_Ԁ_you_Ԁ_that_Ԁ_I_Ԁ_have_Ԁ_been_Ԁ_appointed_Ԁ_to_Ԁ_represent_Ԁ_you_Ԁ_in_Ԁ_your_Ԁ_appeal_Ԁ_before__the_Ԁ_Sixth_Ԁ_District_Ԁ_Court_Ԁ_of_Ԁ_Appeal_._The_Ԁ_enclosed_Ԁ_information_Ԁ_sheet_Ԁ_will_Ԁ_help_Ԁ_you__understand_Ԁ_what_Ԁ_an_Ԁ_appeal_Ԁ_is_Ԁ_all_Ԁ_about_._It_Ԁ_is_Ԁ_your_Ԁ_responsibility_Ԁ_to_Ԁ_keep_Ԁ_me_Ԁ_informed_Ԁ_of_Ԁ_any_Ԁ_change_Ԁ_of_Ԁ_your_Ԁ_address_._I_Ԁ_will_Ԁ_have__to_Ԁ_write_Ԁ_to_Ԁ_you_Ԁ_about_Ԁ_your_Ԁ_appeal_,_and_Ԁ_that_Ԁ_will_Ԁ_not_Ԁ_be_Ԁ_possible_Ԁ_if_Ԁ_I_Ԁ_do_Ԁ_not_Ԁ_have__information_Ԁ_about_Ԁ_any_Ԁ_changes_Ԁ_in_Ԁ_your_Ԁ_address_._I_Ԁ_would_Ԁ_like_Ԁ_to_Ԁ_know_Ԁ_what_Ԁ_you_Ԁ_expect_Ԁ_to_Ԁ_get_Ԁ_from_Ԁ_this_Ԁ_appeal_._What_Ԁ_do_Ԁ_you_Ԁ_think__happened_Ԁ_in_Ԁ_your_Ԁ_case_Ԁ_that_Ԁ_was_Ԁ_unjust_?_What_Ԁ_do_Ԁ_you_Ԁ_think_Ԁ_about_Ԁ_your_Ԁ_lawyer_?_Do_Ԁ_you__think_Ԁ_your_Ԁ_lawyer_'_s_Ԁ_representation_Ԁ_was_Ԁ_effective_?_Please_Ԁ_explain_Ԁ_the_Ԁ_reasons_Ԁ_for_Ԁ_your__opinion_._If_Ԁ_you_Ԁ_pled_Ԁ_guilty_,_pled_Ԁ_no_Ԁ_contest_,_or_Ԁ_admitted_Ԁ_a_Ԁ_violation_Ԁ_of_Ԁ_probation_,_then_Ԁ_you_Ԁ_should__be_Ԁ_aware_Ԁ_that_Ԁ_most_Ԁ_of_Ԁ_the_Ԁ_time_Ԁ_there_Ԁ_are_Ԁ_no_Ԁ_arguments_Ԁ_which_Ԁ_can_Ԁ_be_Ԁ_presented_Ԁ_on_Ԁ_appeal_._The_Ԁ_law_Ԁ_says_Ԁ_that_Ԁ_when_Ԁ_someone_Ԁ_pleads_Ԁ_guilty_Ԁ_and_Ԁ_receives_Ԁ_the_Ԁ_sentence_Ԁ_promised_Ԁ_by_Ԁ_the_ -(( u      _court_,_one_Ԁ_cannot_Ԁ_use_Ԁ_an_Ԁ_appeal_Ԁ_to_Ԁ_attack_Ԁ_the_Ԁ_decision_Ԁ_to_Ԁ_plead_Ԁ_guilty_Ԁ_or_Ԁ_to_Ԁ_argue_Ԁ_that_Ԁ_one__really_Ԁ_is_Ԁ_innocent_._Please_Ԁ_write_Ԁ_if_Ԁ_you_Ԁ_have_Ԁ_any_Ԁ_question_Ԁ_about_Ԁ_your_Ԁ_appeal_Ԁ_and_Ԁ_I_Ԁ_will_Ԁ_reply_Ԁ_as_Ԁ_quickly_Ԁ_as__possible_._Sincerely_, _Attorney_Ԁ_at_Ԁ_Law_  0 Enclosure  <   -  @' ' INFORMATIONSHEETFORAPPEALS   ffff$ff  IhaverecentlybeenappointedtorepresentyouonyourappealintheCaliforniaSixthDistrictCourtofAppeal.Thisletterwillexplainwhathappensinacriminalappeal.Ihopethatthisletterwillanswersomequestionsyouundoubtedlywouldliketoaskabouttheappellateprocess.LffffL|%ff@UU! WhatisanAppeal?  $ t ff  Anappealisprimarilyareviewofthecountysuperiorcourtproceedingsbythecourtofappealtoseeiftherewerelegalerrorinthatprocess.Thereviewisbaseduponthedocumentsandtranscriptsaboutwhatoccurredinthecountycourt.Theappellatecourtacceptsnonewevidence.Thecourtofappealdoesnotdecidewhetheradefendantwhoisappealing(referredtoasthe"appellant")isguiltyorinnocent.Thatisdecidedinthecountycourtwherethereisatrialoraguiltyplea.Thecourtofappealonlydecideswhetheriftheproceedingsinthecountycourtwerefair.Didyougetafairtrialorhearing,wherethecourtcorrectlydecidedquestionsoflawandprocedure?Iferrorswerecommitted,weretheysubstantialenoughtorequireareversalofyourconviction?  Thecourtofappealhasvariouschoicesindecidingyourappeal.Itcanaffirmthe  judgmentofthelowercourt.Ifitdoesthis,thedecisionofthelowercourtremainsthesame.Itcanmodifythejudgment,makingsomechangewithoutreversing(forexample,thesentencecouldbemodifiedtogiveyoumorecredits,ortoorderthatsentencesforsomeofthechargesbeservedconcurrentlyinsteadofconsecutively).Theappellatecourtcanalsoreversethejudgmentofthelowercourtinpartorentirely.Ifitdoesreverse,thecaseissentbacktothetrialcourt,usuallyforretrialonthereversedcounts,althoughinsomerarecasesacasewillbereversedwithanordertodismiss.Generallyareversaldoesnotmeanthatthecaseisover.Itonlymeansyouhavetherighttohaveanewtrialorhearingwherethelawandproceduralrulesarecorrectlyapplied.  InCaliforniatherearetwolevelsofappellatecourts,theCourtofAppeal,whichisdividedintosixdistricts,andtheCaliforniaSupremeCourt.Exceptindeathpenaltycases,allappealsaredecidedbytheCourtofAppealinthedistrictinwhichthetrialorhearingoccurred.BecauseyourcaseisanappealfromSantaClara,SantaCruz, !-q( MontereyorSanBenitoCounty,yourappealwillbedecidedintheSixthDistrictoftheCourtofAppeal,whichislocatedinSanJose.  AftertheCourtofAppealhasmadeitsdecision,eitherparty"you,the appellant,ortheAttorneyGeneral,the respondent"canasktheCaliforniaSupremeCourttoreviewthatdecision.TheprocedureisdifferentintheSupremeCourt.WhiletheCourtofAppealreviewseveryappealtodetermineiflegalerrorsoccurred,theSupremeCourtonlyreviewedthefewcasesthatpresentlegalissuesofgreatinteresttothewholestate.LffL@% TheRecord n     Afterthecountycourtfilesthenoticeofappealinyourcase,theclerkofthecourt G  andcourtreportersbeganpreparingthedocumentsrequiredforyourappeal.ThosedocumentsconsistoftheReporter'sTranscript(thewordforwordaccountofeverythingthathappenedinyourtrialandotherhearingsinyourcase)andtheClerk'sTranscript(consistingofpleadings,thewrittenordersofthecourt,juryinstructions,etc.)  Unfortunately,thecourtpreparesonlyonecopyofthesedocumentsfortheappellant.Whiletheappealisbeingprocessed,Ineedthiscopytorepresentyouinyourappeal.EventuallyIwillsendthesedocumentsforyoutokeepwhenIhavefinishedwithyourappeal.  OftenthetranscriptsfiledwiththeCourtofAppealdonotcontaineverythingIneedtorepresentyoueffectivelyonappeal.Ifthatoccurs,IwillfileamotionintheCourtofAppealtoaugmentthetranscripts.UsuallytheopeningbriefwhichIpreparedoesnothavetobefileduntilthirtydaysaftertheaugmentedrecordisfiledintheCourtofAppeal.LLT5 @ CommunicationsAboutYourCase  '#( ff  WhenIreceivethetranscriptsinyourappeal,IwillwritetoyouassoonasIhavehadanopportunitytoreadthem.IwillletyouknowwhatissuesIbelieve,atthatpoint,canbepresentedinyouronappeal.Iwillaskforyourthoughtsandsuggestionsaboutyourappeal,sothatIcanresearchtheissuesyouthinkareimportanttodecidewhetherit -(- ispossibletoarguethoseissuesinyourappeal.Pleaserespondtomyletter,evenifonlytoconfirmyouraddressandtoletmeknowthatyouarereceivingmyletters.Ifyouaresenttoanotherprisonorifyouraddresschanges,pleasepromptlynotifymeofyournewaddress.  OrdinarilyIwillcommunicatewithyoubymail.Thisattorneyclientmailisconfidential,andtheauthoritiesinaprisonorjailarenotentitledtoreadit.Whenyouwriteme,besuretowrite AttorneyClientMailor LegalMailontheenvelopeofeveryletteryousendme.NNYourcorrespondence,andallotherdocumentsIacquirein D  relationtoyourcase,willbekeptinaconfidentialfileinmyoffice.#NN9#NN     Pleasewritetomeatanytime;youwillreceiveapromptresponse.ImightdelayalittleifIneedtogetatranslationofyourletter,andofmyresponse.Ifyouhavelegalquestionsaboutyourcase,youshouldwritetomedirectly.Pleasedonotusefriendsorfamilymemberstocommunicatewithmeaboutyourcase.Icannotdiscussanythingaboutyourcasewithotherpeople,becausethatisaviolationoftheattorneyclientprivilege.  Rememberthatyourcommunicationswithmeareprivileged.Otherpeoplecannotreadwhatwehavewritten,andyourcommunicationswithmecannotbeusedagainstyou.Butyourcommunicationswithotherpeopledonothavethatprotection.Therefore,itwouldbebestifyoudonotdiscussthedetailsofyourcasewithguards,otherprisonersoranyotherperson.Ifyourevealtoothersincriminatingdetailsaboutyourcase,thosepersonscouldbewitnessesagainstyouifyourappealsucceedsingainingyouanewtrial.LffL@ff PreparationoftheBriefs  #T ff  Inanappeal,incontrastwithatrial,theargumentsaremostlypresentednwriting.Appellant'sopeningbrief,whichIwillprepare,isduefortydaysafterthetranscriptsinyourappealarefiledinthecourtofappeal.OftenIwillrequestmoretimeifIneedittoreadallthetranscripts,researchthelawandwritetheopeningbrief.RememberthatatthesametimeIwillbeworkingonothercaseswhichalsorequiremyattention.  Thebriefcontainsargumentsstatingthereasonswhyitisnecessarytoreverseormodifythecountycourt'sdecision.Thepurposeofthebriefistopointoutanyerrors !-q( thatmayhaveoccurredinthecourtbelowwhichwereseriousenoughthattochangetheresultmustinyourcase.Itisnotenoughtoshowthatsomeerroroccurred;errorsinyourtraildonotautomaticallyleadtothereversalofyourconvictions.Wemustshowthattheerrorswere prejudicial"thatabsenttheerror,itislikelythattheresultinyourcasewouldhavebeendifferent.Thebriefisbasedsolelyonthecontentsofthetranscriptsonappeal.Onecannotpresentargumentsbasedonstatements,documents,oreventswhicharenotfoundinthetranscripts.Inotherwords,yourappealcanonlychallengethingswhichthetranscriptsshowsactuallyoccurredinthecountycourt.Underappellaterules,Ihavetopresentthefactsinthemannerwhichmostsupportthedecisionofthejuryorcourt.Iwilltrytopresenttheargumentswiththeemphasisonthefactswhichsupportyourside,butIhavetopresentallthefactsinthebrief,includingthosewhichsupporttheotherside.  YoumaybesurethatIwillconscientiouslyreviewthetranscriptslookingforerrorswhichoccurredinyourcase.Inordertofindeveryissuewhichcanbepresentedonyourbehalf,Iwillreadthetranscripts,talkwiththeattorneywhorepresentedyouinthecountycourt,andaskforyoursuggestions.Ifnecessary,Iwillreviewthetrialcourtfiles.IwillincludeintheopeningbriefeveryfavorableissueIfind.  However,sometimesaftercarefullyreviewingeverythingaboutyourcase,Idonotfindanysignificanterrors.Inthissituation,whichrarelyoccurs,Iwillwritetoyouinformingyouoftheresultsofmyresearchandinvestigation,andaskingwhatyouwanttodo.WhenIhavefoundnomeritoriousissues,youhavetwooptions:(1)youcanabandontheappeal;or(2)Icanfilea Wendebrief.Ifyoudecidetofileadocument " abandoningyourappeal,itisalmostcertainthattheCourtofAppealwilldismissyourappeal.Ordinarily,thatwouldbetheendofanyreviewofyourconvictionbyanappellatecourt.IfIprepareaWendebrief,Iwouldexplaintothecourtofappealwhat 'P" happenedinyourcaseinthecountycourt,andaskthecourttoindependentlyreviewthetranscriptsinyourcasetodetermineifthereareissueswhichpossiblyhavemerit.Whenthecourtreceivesa"Wende"brief,itwillgiveyoutheopportunitytowritealetter J+& explainingwhatunfairthingsyouthinkhappenedinyourcase.Ifafterreviewingthetranscriptsthecourtconcludesthattherearearguableissues,itwillaskmetopresenta &.v) writtenargumentonyourbehalfonthoseissues.#NN:#NNԀIfthecourtconcludesthatthereareno  arguableissues,itwillaffirmyourconviction.  AftertheAppellant'sOpeningBriefisfiledwiththecourt,theAttorneyGeneral,theofficewhichrepresentstheStateofCalifornia,hasthirtydaystoprepareandfiletheRespondent'sBrief.UsuallytheAttorneyGeneralwillrequestanextensionofthirtydaystopreparethatbrief,arequestwhichtheCourtofAppealusuallygrants.SometimestheAttorneyGeneralwillrequestandreceiveseveralsuchextensions.  Ifit'snecessarytorespondtotheargumentsmadebytheAttorneyGeneral,IwillfileaReplyBriefonyourbehalf,Thisbriefmustbefiled#NN#NNwithintwentydaysoftheday "r theRespondent'sBriefwasfiled.#NN#NNԀIfileareplybriefinmostcases,butnotall.    Iwillsendyoucopiesofallbriefsinyourcase,thosewhichIprepareandthebriefpreparedbytheAttorneyGeneral.IwillalsosendyoucopiesofallmotionswhichIfileinthecourtofappeal.Unfortunately,allthesedocumentswillbewritteninEnglish.ThecourtwillnotpayforaVietnameeseSpanishtranslationofthesedocuments.Lff L@$OralArgument  #T ff  Sometimeafterallthebriefshavebeenfiled"normallybetweenfourandeightmonths"Iwillreceiveanoticefromthecourtindicatingthatthecourthasreviewedthecaseandthatthelawyerscanrequesttheopportunitytopresentoralargumentinadditiontothewrittenarguments.IwillrequestoralargumentifIthinkitwouldbeadvantageousinyourcasetopresentanoralargument.IfIdonotseeanyadvantage,Iwillnotaskforthatopportunity. +'   Ifthereisanoralargument,IandanattorneyfromtheAttorneyGeneral'sofficewillappearbeforethreejudgesofthecourtofappealinSanJosetoarguethecase.Theargumentisshort,almostalwayslessthanhalfanhour.Theargumentisbasedsolelyonthetranscriptsonappealandthelegalpointscontainedinthebriefs.Witnessesarenotpermitted,andthecourtwillnotconsideranynewevidence.Ifyouareincustody,youwillnotbebroughttothecourtfortheargument.Ifyouareoutofcustody,youcancometolistentotheargument,butyouarenotpermittedtoparticipate.LffL@""! TheCourt'sOpinion  P  ff  Withinninetydaysoforalargument,thecourtofappealwillwriteanopiniondecidingwhetheryourconvictionandsentencewillbeaffirmed,reversed,ormodified.IwillsendacopyofthedecisiontoyouassoonasIreceiveit.Ihavetoadviseyouthatlessthantenpercentofappealsincriminalcasesresultinthetotalreversalofconvictions.Inafewmorecasesthesentencewillbemodifiedorsomeoftheconvictionswillbereversed.Eveniftheresultisnotatotalreversal,amodificationofthesentencecanhaveagreataffectbyreducingthetimeyouhavetoserveinprison..LffL@  # FurtherReview  ) ff  WhenIreceivethecourt'sopinion,Iwillimmediatelyreaditcarefullytodeterminewhetherthereisanybasisfortakingfurtherstepsinyourappeal.IfIconcludethereisnothingmorewhichcanbedone,Iwillpromptlynotifyyouandsendyouthetranscriptsinyourcase.Ifyouwant,youcanpursuemeasuresonyourown.Ifyouwanttopursueothermeasures,youhavetodothemwithinthetimelimitsdiscussedhere.  IfIdecidethecourtofappealreachedanincorrectdecision,therearetwocoursesofactionwecantake.First,IcanfileaPetitionforRehearinginthecourtofappeal,inwhichthecourtisaskedtoreverseitsdecisionbecausetheopinioncontainsamateriallegalerror.ThePetitionforRehearingmustbefiledwithinfifteendaysofthefilingof thecourt'sopinion.TheCourtofAppealhasanotherfifteendaystodecidewhetherto @)$ grantarehearing,somethingwhichrarelyoccurs.Ifthecourtdoesnotgrantrehearing,thecourt'sopinionbecomesfinalafter30days.   OncetheopinionoftheCourtofAppealbecomesfinal,thesecondoptioninyourcaseistofileaPetitionforReviewintheCaliforniaSupremeCourt.ThispetitionmustbefiledwithintendaysaftertheopinionoftheCourtofAppealbecomesfinal(thatis,withinfortydaysaferthecourt'sopinionwasfiled).IwouldonlytakethisactionifIthinkthereareissuesinyourcaseofstatewideimportance,orifthereisanissuewhichaffectsyourfederalconstitutionalrights.Ifthereisanargumentwhichaffectsyourfederalconstitutionalrights,Iwillpresentitinapetitionforreviewtopreservetheopportunityofpresentingthatargumentinfederalcourt.  OncereviewintheCaliforniacourtsisfinished,itispossibletoseekreviewinthefederalcourts.First,youcansendaPetitionforCertioraritotheUnitedStatesSupremeCourt.ThispetitionmustbefiledwithinninetydaysofthedatethestatesupremecourtdeniedthePetitionforReview.Thesecondoptionistoprepareahabeascorpuspetitiontopresentinfederaldistrictcourt.AhabeascorpuspetitionmustbefiledwithinoneyearplusninetydaysofthedatethestatesupremecourtdeniedthePetitionforReview.Inmostcases,itisnotworththeefforttopresentaPetitionforCertioraritotheUnitedStatesSupremeCourt,becausesuchpetitionsarerarelygranted.Ifthereisanargumentwhichinvolvesyourfederalconstitutionalrights,themostcommonoptionistoprepareapetitionforhabeascorpustopresentinthefederaldistrictcourt.OrdinarilyIdonotrepresentclientswhopursuetheircasesinthefederalcourts.Ifweloseinthestatecourtsandyouwanttopursueyourcaseinfederalcourt,wecanthendiscusswhatmustbedone.Lff L@%Conclusion  %0! ff  Iappreciatetheopportunitytorepresentyouonyourappeal.Formypart,Iwilldoeverythingpossibletoprovideyouwithexcellentrepresentation.Ifyouwillcooperatewithmeinthepresentationofyourappeal,togetherwewilldotheestwecaninyour_case. +' __#NN#EA,.US.,_