MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Greetings to all of you! I am deeply honored to take over as Chair of the Executive Committee of the Criminal Law Section, and I offer my thanks and appreciation to my immediate predecessor, Christopher Honigsberg, for his fine work for the Section.

This edition of the Criminal Law Journal offers an intriguing analysis of how cognitive biases can affect Brady litigation, written by Ryan Balisacan, a 2018 LL.M. recipient from Harvard University School of Law. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mark Hanasono contributes an article on the 10-day and 60-day rules for Preliminary Hearings, and Alameda County Deputy District Attorney Benjamin Beltramo provides a thorough review of the Third District Court of Appeal’s decision in People v. Malik, in which the California Supreme Court’s holding in People v. Sanchez regarding experts use of hearsay is extended to cross-examination.

In addition to the fine scholarly articles provided, this issue includes the California Lawyers Association Code of Conduct, and a helpful article advising you how to quickly and relatively painlessly comply with the new State Bar Fingerprinting Rule. As a further treat, Co-Editor Lani Biafore has contributed a brief history lesson on the Medici family and their legal advisors.

We hope that you enjoy this issue, and we look forward to providing more interesting and topical information for you in the future.