California Penal Code 1054 – This chapter shall be interpreted to give effect to all of the …
This chapter shall be interpreted to give effect to all of the following purposes:
(a) To promote the ascertainment of truth in trials by requiring timely pretrial discovery.
Terms Used In California Penal Code 1054
- Discovery: Lawyers' examination, before trial, of facts and documents in possession of the opponents to help the lawyers prepare for trial.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(b) To save court time by requiring that discovery be conducted informally between and among the parties before judicial enforcement is requested.
(c) To save court time in trial and avoid the necessity for frequent interruptions and postponements.
(d) To protect victims and witnesses from danger, harassment, and undue delay of the proceedings.
(e) To provide that no discovery shall occur in criminal cases except as provided by this chapter, other express statutory provisions, or as mandated by the Constitution of the United States.
(Added June 5, 1990, by initiative Proposition 115.)