California Health and Safety Code 11370 – (a) A person convicted of violating Section 11353 or 11361, or …
(a) A person convicted of violating Section 11353 or 11361, or of committing an offense referred to in those sections, shall not, except as provided in subdivision (e), be granted probation by the trial court or have the execution of the sentence suspended by the court, if the person has been previously convicted of an offense described in subdivision (c).
(b) A person who was 18 years of age or older at the time of the commission of the offense and is convicted for the first time of selling, furnishing, administering, or giving a controlled substance that is (1) specified in subdivision (b), (c), (e), or paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 11054, specified in paragraph (14), (15), or (20) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054, or specified in subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 11055, or (2) that is a narcotic drug classified in Schedule III, IV, or V, to a minor or inducing a minor to use the controlled substance in violation of law shall not, except as provided in subdivision (e), be granted probation by the trial court or have the execution of the sentence suspended by the court.
Terms Used In California Health and Safety Code 11370
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
- Nolo contendere: No contest-has the same effect as a plea of guilty, as far as the criminal sentence is concerned, but may not be considered as an admission of guilt for any other purpose.
- Person: means any person, firm, association, organization, partnership, business trust, corporation, limited liability company, or company. See California Health and Safety Code 19
- Plea: In a criminal case, the defendant's statement pleading "guilty" or "not guilty" in answer to the charges, a declaration made in open court.
- Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
- State: means the State of California, unless applied to the different parts of the United States. See California Health and Safety Code 23
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(c) A previous conviction of any of the following offenses, or of an offense under the laws of another state or of the United States that, if committed in this state, would have been punishable as that offense, shall render a person ineligible for probation or suspension of sentence pursuant to subdivision (a):
(1) A felony offense described in this division involving a controlled substance specified in subdivision (b), (c), (e), or paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 11054, specified in paragraph (13), (14), (15), or (20) of subdivision (d) of Section 11054, or specified in subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 11055.
(2) A felony offense described in this division involving a narcotic drug classified in Schedule III, IV, or V.
(d) The existence of a previous conviction or fact that would make a person ineligible for suspension of sentence or probation under this section shall be alleged in the information or indictment, and either admitted by the defendant in open court, or found to be true by the jury trying the issue of guilt or by the court where guilt is established by a plea of guilty or nolo contendere or by trial by the court sitting without a jury.
(e) A person who is made ineligible for probation pursuant to this section may be granted probation only in an unusual case where the interests of justice would best be served. When probation is granted pursuant to this subdivision, the court shall specify on the record the circumstances supporting the finding.
(Amended by Stats. 2021, Ch. 537, Sec. 1. (SB 73) Effective January 1, 2022.)