Source: https://www.shouselaw.com/15385-motion-to-supress.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 07:11:41+00:00

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In California criminal cases, a motion to suppress evidence is a pretrial motion by the accused asking the court to exclude evidence obtained by way of an illegal search or seizure. Often called a "suppression motion" or "1538.5 motion," a defendant makes the motion either (1) as part of the preliminary hearing or (2) at a separate pretrial hearing.
If the court grants the motion to suppress evidence (that is, rules in favor of the defendant), then the prosecutor is barred from introducing the evidence in question at trial.1 This often results in the case being dismissed, or a plea bargain agreement more favorable to the defense.
A motion to suppress evidence is just one kind of pretrial motion that your criminal defense attorney may file in order to start fighting the charges against you before your trial even begins. Other pretrial motions include Penal Code 995 PC motions to set aside the information, and Pitchess motions to obtain more information on potential police misconduct.
2. What Happens at a Motion to Suppress Hearing?
For most criminal defendants, the former result—suppression of illegally-obtained evidence—is a far bigger priority. This is because the prosecution may not have a solid case against them if that evidence is excluded.
Penal Code 1538.5 PC sets out the reasons why a search or seizure may be unlawful—and, by extension, why a motion to suppress the evidence obtained in that search may be granted.
Example : Travis is an African-American man who lives in an affluent neighborhood. While driving home late one night, he is pulled over by the police. Travis has been obeying all traffic laws—and is pulled over solely because the police were engaging in racial profiling.
As part of the pretrial process, Travis and his attorney file a motion to exclude the cocaine as evidence. They argue that 1) the pat-down search of Travis was done without a warrant, and 2) the search was unreasonable under the circumstances.
Example : George owns a motel. Police suspect him of engaging in theft of power tools, and they search his motel under a warrant that allows them to look for stolen power tools. They find no tools—but they do seize several TV sets that turn out to be stolen. George is charged with receiving stolen property.
Example : Melissa is being charged with sale or transportation of a controlled substance. She wants to use a Penal Code 1538.5 motion to challenge the admission of written records discovered in her apartment that are alleged to pertain to drug sales.
Specifically, she and her lawyer plan to argue that the search warrant under which police officers conducted a search of her home was not specific enough with respect to items that the officers were supposed to be looking for.
Because the search was conducted with a warrant, Melissa will bear the burden of showing that the warrant was so vague that it was invalid on its face—and the officers could not have reasonably believed it was valid.
Example: Rich is accused of murdering and robbing a woman.
Not long after the murder takes place, Rich checks into a motel room. The next morning, he leaves the room without checking out, leaving behind his car and some of his possessions.
The motel owner calls the police, who search the motel room without a warrant. They find some of the murder victim's possessions in the room and charge Rich with the crime.
Example : As part of an investigation into a criminal fraud case, police illegally search a computer without a warrant and discover some incriminating electronic files.
They know they cannot seize the computer and use it as evidence—so instead they issue a subpoena to the criminal defendants for those same electronic files. The defendants have no choice but to hand over the computer.
The suppression hearing is where both sides have the opportunity to argue their positions on the motion to suppress. It takes place before a judge—not a jury.
Oral arguments by your criminal defense attorney and the prosecuting attorney as to why the motion should be granted or denied.
Once the judge has heard all of the evidence, s/he must decide whether to exclude or admit the controversial evidence—that is, whether to grant or deny the Penal Code 1538.5 motion. Depending on the circumstances, the judge may also decide to grant the suppression motion in part—excluding some, but not all, of the evidence in question.
negotiate a generous plea bargain.
A California Pitchess motion is a request for information contained in a law enforcement officer's personnel file.49 Criminal defense lawyers typically raise this motion when they believe that their client has been the victim of police misconduct.
If the judge believes that the defense has demonstrated good cause as to why the sought information is material to the case, s/he will conduct an in camera Pitchess hearing. An "in camera" hearing is one that is private rather than conducted in open court like a suppression hearing.
If you or a loved one is in need of help with Penal Code 1538.5 PC motion to suppress evidence and you are looking to hire an attorney for representation, we invite you to contact us at Shouse Law Group. We can provide a free consultation in office or by phone. We have local offices in Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, Pasadena, Long Beach, Orange County, Ventura, San Bernardino, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, San Diego, Sacramento, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose and throughout California.
For more information on law and motion in Nevada's criminal court system, please see our pages on motions to suppress evidence in Nevada criminal cases.
6 Our California criminal defense attorneys have local Los Angeles law offices in Beverly Hills, Burbank, Glendale, Lancaster, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pasadena, Pomona, Torrance, Van Nuys, West Covina, and Whittier. We have additional law offices conveniently located throughout the state in Orange County, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, San Jose, Oakland, the San Francisco Bay area, and several nearby cities. Please contact us at Shouse Law Group with any questions.
7 Penal Code 1538.5 PC – Motion to suppress evidence, endnote 1, above.
11 See endnotes 9 and 10 above.
13 Based on the facts of People v. Murray, (1978) 77 Cal.App.3d 305.
20 San Francisco criminal defense attorney Neil Shouse is an honors graduate of UC-Berkeley and Harvard Law School. He served for five years as a Deputy DA for Los Angeles County, prosecuting more than 60 criminal trials and earning a phenomenal 96% success rate in felony jury trials. Now, as the founding partner of Shouse Law Group, he represents criminal defendants in all stages of the trial and pretrial process, including crucial motions like motions to suppress evidence.
21 People v. Parson, (2008) 44 Cal.4th 332, 345.
24 People v. Hughston, (2008) 168 Cal.App.4th 1062, 1070-71.
26 Based on People v. Parson, endnote 21, above.
30 Loosely based on Silverthorne Lumber Co. v. U.S., (1920) 251 U.S. 385.
31 See U. S. v. Ceccolini, (1978) 435 U.S. 268.
32 See Wong Sun v. U.S., endnote 27, above.
33 See People v. Superior Court (Tunch), (1978) 80 Cal.App.3d 665, 680-681.
37 Penal Code 1538.5 PC – Motion to suppress evidence, endnote 4, above.
47 Penal Code 995 PC -- Grounds; motion to set aside; delay in final ruling [another pretrial motion like a motion to suppress].
49 See Evidence Code 1043 EC – Pitchess motions [another form of pretrial motion like a motion to suppress evidence].

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